Could worry and rumination mediate relationships between self-compassion and psychological distress in breast cancer survivors?

We examined whether self-compassion predicted lower anxiety and depression symptoms in survivors, and whether this might be mediated by lower worry and rumination. Design was a cross-sectional survey using self-report measures. Female adult BCa survivors of mixed stages who had finished primary surgical, radiotherapy or chemotherapy treatments completed self-compassion subscales, and worry, rumination and anxiety and depression scales. Higher self-compassion subscale scores were negatively associated with anxiety and depression. Depressive brooding and worry mediated any effects of self-kindness and mindfulness on depression and anxiety, whilst common humanity directly predicted lower depression scores. Findings are consistent with the view that self-compassion reduces threat-related rumination and worry in BCa survivors, consequently reducing anxiety and depression. This may form a basis for prevention and treatment. PMID: 31756262 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy - Category: Psychiatry Tags: Clin Psychol Psychother Source Type: research