title: Mediators between self-criticism and depression: Fear of compassion, self-compassion, and importance to others.
abstract: This study was an investigation of the relationships between internalized self-criticism and depression and between comparative self-criticism and depression as these relationships are mediated by the fear of self-compassion, fear of compassion from others, self-compassion, and the perception that one is important to others. To examine these relationships, data were gathered via online survey methods from 206 university students at a large public Midwestern university in the United States. The Self-Criticism/Compassion Mediation Model, in which internalized and comparative self-criticism were both modeled to predict depression, was built and tested via structural equation modeling (SEM). In the presence of 4 competing models, this model effectively modeled relationships among the study variables. In the Self-Criticism/Compassion Mediation Model, the fear of self-compassion, and the perception that one is important to others serially mediated the relationship between comparative self-criticism and depression. Additionally, self-compassion partially mediated both the relationship between internalized self-criticism and depression, and the relationship between comparative self-criticism and depression. Implications include the use of the model as a guide to developing evidence-based practice for highly self-critical, depressed clients.
authors: POSTECH Counseling Center, Pohang University of Science and Technology.
authors: Ju Ri
authors: JR
authors: Joeng
authors: Counseling and Student Personnel Psychology, Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.
authors: Sherri L
authors: SL
authors: Turner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D004645:Empathy; D005239:Fear / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017008:Negotiating / Q000523:psychology*; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012919:Social Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult