Self-Compassion, Mindfulness, and Emotion Regulation: Understanding the Relationship Between Childhood Maltreatment and Wellbeing

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ABSTRACT Mindfulness and self-compassion are both important protective processes for survivors of childhood maltreatment. This is thought to be, in part, because they promote healthy emotion regulation. However, specific patterns of associations between maltreatment, mindfulness and self-compassion, emotion regulation, and wellbeing have yet to be investigated. In particular, it is unclear whether mindfulness and self-compassion function similarly with respect to emotion regulation and wellbeing among maltreatment survivors. The present cross-sectional survey study examined the maltreatment – wellbeing link by comparing two serial mediation pathways: through trait mindfulness to emotion dysregulation and through self-compassion to emotion dysregulation. A secondary aim was to compare facets of mindfulness and self-compassion as mediators. Undergraduate (n = 748) student participants self-reported childhood maltreatment severity, self-compassion, trait mindfulness, difficulties in emotion regulation, and psychological wellbeing. Two significant serial indirect effects found both trait mindfulness and self-compassion to be mediators of the maltreatment – wellbeing link via emotion regulation capability. Such pathways were stronger mediators than mindfulness, self-compassion, or regulation alone. Few differences were found between individual facets of mindfulness and self-compassion. On college campuses, to improve wellbeing among childhood maltreatment survivors, self-compassion or mindfulness interventions may both be useful, particularly so if emotion regulation is also improved.