Self-compassion mediates the relationship between attachment anxiety and body appreciation in women and men: Evidence from Israel

Abstract

Previous work has suggested that self-compassion mediates the relationship between attachment anxiety and body appreciation but is limited by a reliance on college women from North America. To extend existing knowledge, we examined associations between peer and romantic partner attachment anxiety, self-compassion, and body appreciation in a community sample of women and men from Israel. A total of 597 adults (353 women, 244 men; age M = 29.45 years) completed Hebrew translations of measures of romantic partner and peer attachment anxiety, self-compassion, and body appreciation. Path analysis indicated that a model in which self-compassion mediated relationships between peer and romantic partner attachment anxiety – in parallel – and body appreciation had poor fit. However, mediation analysis indicated that self-compassion mediated relationships between peer and romantic partner attachment anxiety – in isolation – and body appreciation in isolation. These results highlight the importance of considering interpersonal dynamics in models of positive body image and point to possible interventionist routes for promoting greater body appreciation.