Mediators between self-criticism and depression: Fear of compassion, self-compassion, and importance to others.

Abstract

This study was an investigation of the relationships between internalized self-criticism and depression and between comparative self-criticism and depression as these relationships are mediated by the fear of self-compassion, fear of compassion from others, self-compassion, and the perception that one is important to others. To examine these relationships, data were gathered via online survey methods from 206 university students at a large public Midwestern university in the United States. The Self-Criticism/Compassion Mediation Model, in which internalized and comparative self-criticism were both modeled to predict depression, was built and tested via structural equation modeling (SEM). In the presence of 4 competing models, this model effectively modeled relationships among the study variables. In the Self-Criticism/Compassion Mediation Model, the fear of self-compassion, and the perception that one is important to others serially mediated the relationship between comparative self-criticism and depression. Additionally, self-compassion partially mediated both the relationship between internalized self-criticism and depression, and the relationship between comparative self-criticism and depression. Implications include the use of the model as a guide to developing evidence-based practice for highly self-critical, depressed clients.

Attachment Styles: Fear of Compassion and Callous-Unemotional Traits among Juvenile Delinquents

“…One anticipated finding was that an increase of fear of compassion positive emotions predicts an increase of Callous-unemotional traits. This result shows promising similarities with contemporary literature as individuals in this population has tendencies of higher depression traits and low selfesteem that is also high in individuals with fear of compassion positive emotions [36,41,69]. With that, it may lead to dissociation of needs for positive responses and thoughts [68,70].…”

Abuse, invalidation, and lack of early warmth show distinct relationships with self‐criticism, self‐compassion, and fear of self‐compassion in personality disorder

“…However, conflicting evidence exists. Two studies found that self‐compassion strongly negatively correlated with FSC: whereas one is limited by using the full‐scale SCS (Joeng & Turner, ), one used only positive SCS (Gilbert, McEwan, Catarino, & Baião, ). The contradictory results are explicable by our proposal that the FSC scale appears to combine multiple fears/inhibitors, some representing threat system hyperactivity like conditioned fear of affiliative emotions or fear of connecting to deep loneliness, and others representing soothing system hypoactivity like a lack of models of compassion to draw from (see Figure ).…”

“A definite feel‐it moment”: Embodiment, externalisation and emotion during chair‐work in compassion‐focused therapy

“…This study focuses on the experiences of clients with depression, due to the significant role of self‐criticism on the development and maintenance of depression (Ehret, Joormann, & Berking, ). In contrast, self‐compassion has been found to be negatively related to depression and self‐criticism (Ehret, et al, ; Joeng & Turner, ). Therefore, an intervention that has the potential to increase self‐compassion, whilst reducing self‐criticism, holds particular promise for the treatment of depression.…”