Self‐compassion and depression in Chinese undergraduates with left‐behind experience: Mediation by emotion regulation and resilience

Abstract

Objectives The protective role of self‐compassion in emerging adult depression has garnered empirical support. It makes more sense to understand the psychological processes underlying this relationship. Based on the stress appraisal patterns, the present study examined the mediating roles of emotion regulation (ER) and resilience in the link between self‐compassion and depression among college students with left‐behind experience (LBE). Methods A total of 391 LBE college students (Mage = 18.43 years; SD = 0.79 years) in Chongqing reported their demographic information and self‐compassion (the Self‐Compassion Scale) level at baseline (T1) and reported their levels of ER (the Emotion Regulation Scale), resilience (the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale), and depression (the Depression‐Anxiety‐Stress Scale) 3 months later (T2). Results The results revealed that (a) both ER (cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression) and resilience separately mediated the association between self‐compassion and depression; (b) cognitive reappraisal and resilience sequentially mediated this association. Conclusions These findings reveal the underlying mechanisms of the associations between self‐compassion and depression among LBE college students and have implications for interventions aimed at mitigating their depression.

Direct and Indirect Effects of Strength-Based Parenting on Depression in Chinese High School Students: Mediation by Cognitive Reappraisal and Expression Suppression

“…Research has shown that the cultural values of individualism are on the rise, and Chinese people are growing more emotionally expressive in contemporary China. 80 , 81 The high school students in the present study from Guangdong Province in China, the pioneer region and frontline of China’s reform policies, are more susceptible to globalization and Western cultures. This might explain why higher expression suppression was linked to higher depression symptoms in our adolescent sample.…”

“… 39 According to our findings, emotion regulation is an experiential consequence influenced by strength-based parenting and an internal motive influencing psychological adaptability. 81 Strength-based parenting is a positive parenting approach that enables positive emotion regulation and decreases the danger of negative emotion regulation, which in turn facilitates distress management. This research contributes to the body of knowledge on the psychological benefits of strength-based parenting by presenting preliminary evidence on the potential role of emotion regulation in the negative relationship between strength-based parenting and depression among adolescents in collectivist contexts.…”

Insecure Attachment and Depressive Symptoms among a Large Sample of Chinese Young Adults: The Mediating Role of Positive and Negative Self-Compassion

“…Recent studies frequently highlight the connection between self-compassion and depressive symptoms [ 47 , 48 , 49 ]. Self-compassion alleviates negative emotions through positive regulatory strategies such as self-kindness, mindfulness, and common humanity [ 27 , 50 , 51 ].…”

“…From the perspective of emotional regulation, self-compassion can enable individuals to engage in cognitive reappraisal and become aware of and understand their current emotional state, thereby alleviating depression. [ 48 ]. Additionally, earlier studies indicated a stronger correlation between depressive symptoms and the negative aspects of self-compassion, while the link between depressive symptoms and positive dimensions of self-compassion appeared relatively weaker [ 52 ].…”

Parental neglect, anxious attachment, perceived social support, and mental health among Chinese college students with left‐behind experience: A longitudinal study

“…Since the primary emphasis in emerging adulthood is on identity exploration, this life stage is associated with frequent changes and uncertainty in all areas of life (Arnett, 2004), which further leads to them to struggle with stress‐related psychological conditions, including anxiety (Keyes et al, 2012), depression (Garlow et al, 2008), and sleep disturbance (Gaultney, 2010). A large number of studies have found the rates of developing maladjustment, such as depression, anxiety, and stress, among LBE college students are significantly higher than their aged‐matched controls in China (Han et al, 2018; Li et al, 2010; Yu et al, 2022; Zhang & Xu, 2022). Depression, anxiety, and stress are indicators of psychological disorders that may adversely affect individuals, for instance, the impairment of normal functions or even health problems (Hj Ramli et al, 2018; Yu, Zhang, et al, 2020; Yu, Zhou, et al, 2020).…”