Impact of mindfulness and self-compassion on anxiety and depression: The mediating role of resilience
Adrián Pérez-aranda, J. García-Campayo, F. Gudé, Juan V Luciano, A. Feliu‐Soler, A. González-Quintela, Y. López-del-Hoyo, J. Montero-Marín
International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology March 11, 2021 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2021.100229 (opens in new tab) via Semantic Scholar
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractMindfulness and self-compassion are linked to lower anxiety and depression, but resilience only partly explains their effect on depression, not on anxiety. In a cross-sectional survey of 860 Spanish adults, both mindfulness and self-compassion had direct negative associations with anxiety and depressive symptoms. However, indirect effects through resilience were significant only for depression, suggesting that resilience may be a mechanism through which mindfulness and self-compassion reduce depression but not anxiety.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Cross-sectional study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 860 |
| Population | Spanish general population participants |
| Keywords | Medicine Psychology |
| Key finding | Resilience partially mediates the effect of mindfulness and self-compassion on depression but not on anxiety. |
Abstract
Background/Objective ‘Third-wave’ psychotherapies have shown effectiveness for treating psychopathological symptoms such as anxiety and depression. There is burgeoning interest in examining how these therapies’ core constructs produce their therapeutic benefits. This study explores the hypothetical mediating effect of resilience in the impact of mindfulness and self-compassion on anxiety and depressive symptoms. Method: Cross-sectional study design. The sample consisted of 860 Spanish general population participants. The measures included the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS-12), the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) and the Goldberg Anxiety and Depression Scale (GADS). Bivariate correlations were calculated, and path analysis models were performed. Results: Significant correlations were found between the study variables, always in the expected direction (all p values <.001). The path analysis models showed significant direct effects of mindfulness and self-compassion on anxiety and depression symptoms, but the only significant indirect effects through resilience were found on depression (MAAS: β = -.05, 95% CI = -.11 to -.02; SCS-12: β = -.06, 95% CI = -.33 to -.07). Conclusions: Resilience might partially mediate the effect of mindfulness and self-compassion on depression, but not on anxiety.