Relationship Between Mindfulness and Emotion Dysregulation Among College Students: The Mediating Role of Self-Compassion
Saher Sarfraz, Aiman Sultan, Mahrukh Mumtaz
Pakistan Journal of Positive Psychology October 4, 2026 DOI: 10.67785/pjpp.7.325 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional correlational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 300 |
| Population | College students aged 14 to 18 years in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan (141 males, 157 females) |
| Measures | Mindful Attention Awareness Scale-Adolescent, Self-Compassion Scale, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale-Short Form |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Mindfulness was associated with fewer emotion regulation difficulties largely independently of self-compassion: the indirect effect through self-compassion was small and non-significant, while the direct effect of mindfulness remained significant. Self-compassion did not significantly predict emotion dysregulation once mindfulness was controlled. Males reported higher mindfulness and self-compassion and lower emotion dysregulation than females, with no age differences. |
Abstract
Emotion dysregulation in adolescence is linked to impaired functioning and later psychopathology, so protective psychological resources deserve attention. This study tested whether self-compassion mediates the relationship between mindfulness and emotion dysregulation among college students. A cross-sectional correlational design was used with a convenience sample of 300 students (141 males, 157 females) aged 14 to 18 years from colleges in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan. Participants completed the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale–Adolescent, the Self-Compassion Scale, and the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale–Short Form. Spearman correlations showed that mindfulness was positively related to self-compassion (rs = .254) and negatively related to emotion dysregulation (rs = −.289), and that self-compassion was negatively related to emotion dysregulation (rs = −.162). In the mediation model, mindfulness predicted self-compassion (β = .254, p < .001), but self-compassion did not significantly predict emotion dysregulation once mindfulness was controlled (β = −.095, p = .099). The indirect effect was small and non-significant (ab = −.024, 95% CI [−.058, .004]), whereas the direct effect of mindfulness remained significant (β = −.265, p < .001). Males scored higher than females on mindfulness and self-compassion and lower on emotion dysregulation; no age differences emerged. In this sample, mindfulness was related to fewer emotion regulation difficulties largely independently of self-compassion. Implications for gender-sensitive, skills-based programs in educational settings are discussed.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Experienced meditators and nonmeditating comparison groups | 2008 | Cross-sectional study | |
| Neural Correlates of Dispositional Mindfulness During Affect Labeling Adult participants | 2007 | Observational cross-sectional | n = 27 |
| Assessing mindfulness in children and adolescents: Development and validation of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). School-aged children and adolescents | 2011 | Cross-sectional validation study | n = 1,413 |
| Mindfulness and self-compassion as predictors of psychological wellbeing in long-term meditators and matched nonmeditators Experienced meditators and demographically matched nonmeditators | 2012 | Cross-sectional study | n = 152 |
| Mechanisms of Action in the Inverse Relationship Between Mindfulness and Psychological Distress Undergraduates | 2008 | Cross-sectional, correlational |