The interplay between self-compassion and mindfulness in the explanation of depression and anxiety in depressed individuals

Aim of the study Previous studies have found that self-compassion and mindfulness are negatively related to depressive and anxiety symptoms. Still, the mechanisms underlying these relationships in major depression and whether such mechanisms differ in healthy people are poorly understood. In the present study, it was examined whether mindfulness and worrying mediated relationships between self-compassion, depression, and anxiety. An alternate model with mindfulness as the predictor and self-compassion as a mediator was also examined. Subject or material and methods 146 individuals who had been diagnosed as depressed (Mage = 34.49, SD = 10.14) and 198 healthy controls (Mage = 34.44, SD = 12.93) completed an online battery of questionnaires assessing self-compassion, mindfulness, worrying, trait anxiety, and depression. Results It was found that self-compassion and mindfulness may both function as mediators in predicting emotional distress. Diagnosis of clinical depression did not moderate the effects of mediational relationships in both the main and alternative models. Discussion These findings suggest that relationships between mindfulness and self-compassion are reciprocal in the explanation of depression and anxiety symptoms and suggest both mechanisms may contribute to the reduction of anxiety and depression, a claim that needs further experimental validation. Conclusions Future research may benefit from longitudinal and experimental designs to understand causal precedence and the dynamic nature of the relationship between mindfulness and self-compassion.