Self‐Compassion as a Prospective Predictor of PTSD Symptom Severity Among Trauma‐Exposed U.S. Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans

Abstract

U.S. combat veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have elevated rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) compared to the general population. Self-compassion, characterized by self-kindness, a sense of common humanity when faced with suffering, and mindful awareness of suffering, is a potentially modifiable factor implicated in the development and maintenance of PTSD. We examined the concurrent and prospective relationship between self-compassion and PTSD symptom severity after accounting for level of combat exposure and baseline PTSD severity in 115 Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans exposed to 1 or more traumatic events during deployment. PTSD symptoms were assessed using the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-IV (CAPS-IV) at baseline and 12 months (n =101). Self-compassion and combat exposure were assessed at baseline via self-report. Self-compassion was associated with baseline PTSD symptoms after accounting for combat exposure (β = -.59; p < .001; ΔR(2) = .34; f(2) = .67; large effect) and predicted 12-month PTSD symptom severity after accounting for combat exposure and baseline PTSD severity (β = -.24; p = .008; ΔR(2) = .03; f(2) = .08; small effect). Findings suggest that interventions that increase self-compassion may be beneficial for treating chronic PTSD symptoms among some Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans.

Grief rumination mediates the association between self-compassion and psychopathology in relatives of missing persons

“…These previous large effects were predominantly based on non-clinical (student) samples. Correlations between self-compassion and PTS ranged from small to large in trauma exposed samples (Dahm et al, 2015; Hiraoka et al, 2015; Thompson & Waltz, 2008). …”

“…Costa & Pinto Gouveia, 2011; Gilbert et al, 2011; Neff, 2003; Raes, 2010; Roemer et al, 2009; van Dam et al, 2011), and (posttraumatic) stress (e.g. Costa & Pinto Gouveia, 2011; Dahm et al, 2015; Gilbert et al, 2011; Hiraoka et al, 2015; Raque-Bogdan, Ericson, Jackson, Martin, & Bryan, 2011; Thompson & Waltz, 2008). Self-compassion is defined as the tendency to be open to one’s own pain and suffering, to experience feelings of kindness toward oneself, to recognize that one’s experience is part of a common human experience, and to take an understanding, non-judgmental attitude toward one’s failures and inadequacies (Neff, 2003).…”

“…Studies have shown that people exposed to traumatic events who showed higher levels of self-compassion reported lower levels of PTSD both concurrently (Dahm et al, 2015; Hiraoka et al, 2015; Thompson & Waltz, 2008) and longitudinally (Hiraoka et al, 2015; Zeller, Yuval, Nitzan-Assayag, & Bernstein, 2015). Furthermore, a laboratory study showed that a self-compassionate attitude toward a previous adverse life event can be induced and, once induced, leads to less emotional distress during the retrieval of memories of this event (Leary, Tate, Adams, Allen, & Hancock, 2007).…”

The influence of mindfulness, self‐compassion, psychological flexibility, and posttraumatic stress disorder on disability and quality of life over time in war veterans

“…Following trauma exposure, short-term reductions in distress are often accomplished via a range of control-and avoidance-based behaviors such as hypervigilance to minimize feelings of vulnerability, substance misuse to dull dysphoria, avoidance of sleep to reduce exposure to nightmares, and self-blame in order to make sense of the trauma. When relied on in the long-term, these strategies become maladaptive and can contribute to PTSD (Hiraoka et al, 2015;Meyer, Morissette, Kimbrel, Kruse, & Gulliver, 2013;Orcutt, Bonanno, Hannan, & Miron, 2014). Increasingly, mental health providers are turning to mindfulness-and acceptance-based therapies, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT; Hayes, Strosahl, & Wilson, 2012;Hermann, Meyer, Schnurr, Batten, & Walser, 2016;Yadavaia, Hayes, & Vilardaga, 2014) and others (Neff & Germer, 2013;Polusny et al, 2015;Stephenson, Simpson, Martinez, & Kearney, 2016), that seek to bolster mindful awareness in an attempt to counteract these avoidance-based responses to trauma by promoting an adaptive and open stance.…”

Mindfulness, Self‐Compassion, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms, and Functional Disability in U.S. Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans

“…Self‐compassion involves acknowledging the difficulty of the experience, responding inward with kindness and support, and remembering that suffering is part of the shared human experience. Self‐compassion is associated with well‐being in multiple life domains (Neff, ) and negatively associated with a range of psychopathology (MacBeth & Gumley, ), including PTSD symptom severity in war veterans after accounting for level of combat exposure (Hiraoka et al., ).…”