Self-compassion and emotional invalidation mediate the effects of parental indifference on psychopathology.
This study investigated whether self-compassion and emotional invalidation (perceiving others as indifferent to one's emotions) may explain the relationship of childhood exposure to adverse parenting and adult psychopathology in psychiatric outpatients (N=326). Path analysis was used to investigate associations between exposure to adverse parenting (abuse and indifference), self-compassion, emotional invalidation, and mental health when controlling for gender and age. Self-compassion was strongly inversely associated with emotional invalidation, suggesting that a schema that others will be unsympathetic or indifferent toward one's emotions may affect self-compassion and vice versa. Both self-compassion and emotional invalidation mediated the relationship between parental indifference and mental health outcomes. These preliminary findings suggest the potential utility of self-compassion and emotional schemas as transdiagnostic treatment targets.
Department of Psychology, Pace University, 861 Bedford Road, Pleasantville, NY 10570, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, 1051 Riverside Dr, New York, NY 10032, USA. Electronic address: mwestphal@pace.edu.
Maren
M
Westphal
American Institute for Cognitive Therapy, 136 East 57th Street, Suite 1101, New York, NY 10022, USA.
Robert L
RL
Leahy
Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, 1051 Riverside Dr, New York, NY 10032, USA.
Andrea Norcini
AN
Pala
Department of Psychology, John Jay College/City University of New York, 524 West 59th. Street, New York, NY 10019, USA.
Peggilee
P
Wupperman
D000328:Adult; D054523:Adult Survivors of Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D057565:Apathy; D004644:Emotions; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D010045:Outpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D010290:Parents; D011599:Psychopathology
Borderline personality disorder; Depression; Emotional schema; Posttraumatic stress disorder; Self-compassion; Self-reported parental abuse; Self-reported parental indifference