Self-compassion as a mediator between attachment anxiety and body appreciation: An exploratory model.
Body appreciation has been found to be linked to interpersonal and intrapersonal factors, with attachment styles and self-compassion separately identified as important correlates. The present study examined these variables together in a model, and we hypothesized that maternal attachment anxiety was related to peer and romantic attachment anxiety, which, in turn, was associated with self-compassion and body appreciation. Using structural equation modeling, this cross-sectional study with a sample of 1306 incoming first year college women found that the proposed model explained 40% of the variance in body appreciation. Results further revealed that peer and romantic attachment anxiety mediated the relationships between maternal attachment anxiety and self-compassion, and that self-compassion mediated the associations between peer and romantic attachment anxiety and body appreciation. Self-compassion appears to hold a central role in explaining the relation between attachment anxiety and body appreciation.
University of Denver, Department of Counseling Psychology, Katherine A. Ruffatto Hall, 263, 1999 E. Evans Ave., Denver, CO 80208, USA. Electronic address: Trisha.Raque-Bogdan@du.edu.
Trisha L
TL
Raque-Bogdan
Boston College, University Counseling Services, Gasson 001, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA. Electronic address: sarah.piontkowski@gmail.com.
Sarah
S
Piontkowski
The Ohio State University, Counseling and Consultation Service, Younkin Success Center, 4th Floor, 1640 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH 43201, USA. Electronic address: hui.68@osu.edu.
Kayi
K
Hui
Virginia Tech, Biocomplexity Institute of Virginia Tech (0379), National Capitol Region, 900 N. Glebe Road, Arlington, VA 22203, USA. Electronic address: schaeferkl@gmail.com.
Kathryn Schaefer
KS
Ziemer
Department of Counseling Psychology, University of Denver, 1999 E. Evans Ave., KRH 201A, Denver, CO 80208, USA.
Patton O
PO
Garriott
D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008873:Mid-Atlantic Region; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009769:Object Attachment; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
Attachment; Body appreciation; College women; Self-compassion