Interplay of mindfulness, self-compassion and mental health among young Iranian university students: mediating role of cognitive emotion regulation.
Bita Ajilchi, Mehri Azizi, Malihe Salmani, Steve Kisely
BJPsych international November 2026 DOI: 10.1192/bji.2025.10074 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cross-sectional study using standardised questionnaires and structural equation modelling Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 246 |
| Population | Young Iranian adults in full-time university study during the 2022-2023 academic year |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Cognitive emotion regulation College students Mental health Self-compassion |
| Key findings | Mindfulness, self-compassion, and adaptive cognitive emotion regulation were positively correlated with mental health. Adaptive cognitive emotion regulation mediated the relationship between self-compassion and mental health (P < 0.05), whereas maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation showed no significant relation. |
Abstract
During the pivotal college years, mental health emerges as a paramount concern, with implications for academic success, personal growth and overall well-being. To investigate the dynamics of mindfulness and self-compassion, exploring their roles in enhancing the mental well-being of 246 young Iranian adults in full-time university study during the academic year of 2022-2023. Utilising standardised questionnaires and structural equation modelling, we examined the relationships between participants' mindfulness, self-compassion and cognitive emotion regulation and their mental health. Mindfulness, self-compassion and adaptive cognitive emotion regulation showed positive correlations with mental health. Adaptive cognitive emotion regulation emerged as a key mediator in the relationship between self-compassion and mental health (P < 0.05). However, maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation showed no significant relation. Interventions aimed at enhancing mindfulness, self-compassion and adaptive cognitive emotion regulation hold promise in improving the mental health of young adults in full-time study.
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 |
Citations in the library
Cites 8
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- Absence of structural brain changes from mindfulness-based stress reduction: Two combined randomized controlled trials Science Advances May 20, 2022
- Emotion Self-Regulation in Neurotic Students: A Pilot Mindfulness-Based Intervention to Assess Its Effectiveness through Brain Signals and Behavioral Data Sensors March 31, 2022
- The relationship between mindfulness and mental health among Chinese college students during the closed-loop management of the COVID-19 pandemic: A moderated mediation model. Journal of Affective Disorders February 6, 2023
- Self-compassion, Mindfulness, Stress, and Self-esteem Among Vietnamese University Students: Psychological Well-being and Positive Emotion as Mediators. Mindfulness September 15, 2022
and 3 more in the library