Family Strain Predicts Subsequent Depressive Symptoms in Middle-aged Adults: Hope Mediates and Self-compassion Moderates the Relation.

Abstract

Interpersonal strain is linked with depressive symptoms in middle-aged adults. One possible mechanism accounting for this relation is a reduction in hope, defined as the belief in one's capacity both to reach and to generate a variety of ways to obtain goals. The strength of the strain-depressive symptoms relation is not uniform across individuals, however, pointing to the likelihood that individual differences in the ability to successfully navigate relationship strain play a role in mitigating its negative effects. One potential moderator of the strain - depressive symptoms relation is self-compassion, which encompasses the capacity to respond to one's own negative thoughts and experiences in a kind and nonjudgmental way. Although theory and empirical evidence suggest that self-compassion is protective against the impact of stress on mental health outcomes, little research has investigated how self-compassion operates in the context of relationship strain. In addition, few studies have examined psychological mechanisms by which self-compassion protects against mental health outcomes, depression in particular. Thus, this study examined 1) the extent to which hope mediates the relation between family strain and depressive symptoms, and 2) whether these indirect effects are conditional on self-compassion in a community sample of middle-aged adults. Self-reported family strain, self-compassion, hope, and depressive symptoms were assessed in a community sample of 762 middle-aged adults aged 40-65. Follow-up measures of depressive symptoms were assessed approximately 20 months later. Results from structural equation models indicated that hope mediated the relation between family strain and depressive symptoms and the indirect effect was conditional on levels of self-compassion. For individuals high versus low in self-compassion, strain-related declines in hope predicted smaller increases in depressive symptoms. Taken together, the findings suggest that family strain may lead individuals to experience less hope and subsequent increases in depressive symptoms. However, a self-compassionate attitude may serve as a resilience resource, weakening the hope - depressive symptoms relation, a finding that holds promise for future research on the development and refinement of self-compassion interventions.