The mediating role of rumination in the relation between self-compassion, posttraumatic stress disorder, and posttraumatic growth among adolescents after the Jiuzhaigou earthquake

Abstract

Previous studies indicated that self-compassion can alleviate posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and promote posttraumatic growth (PTG). Rumination is a cognitive process in which individuals repeatedly think about traumatic events and their consequences, which includes invasive rumination (IR) and deliberate rumination (DR). IR is a process of thoughts over traumatic event that invades the cognitive world in an undesired state, whereas DR is an individual’s conscious and repeated thinking on events. IR and DR have also been shown to have effects on PTSD and PTG. Studies have examined the relationship between self-compassion, IR, deliberate rumination DR, PTSD, and PTG, respectively, but only a few studies have examined their combined roles in PTSD and PTG among adolescents who have experienced an earthquake. In addition, recent studies have shown that the positive and negative components of self-compassion have different effects on post-traumatic stress responses, but few studies have explored the mechanisms of positive and negative self-compassion on PTSD and PTG in adolescents who experience earthquakes. This study examines the mediating roles of rumination in the relationship between self-compassion, PTSD and PTG among Chinese adolescents after the Jiuzhaigou earthquake. Ten months after the Jiuzhaigou earthquake, a questionnaire survey was conducted among 621 middle school students in Jiuzhaigou county. The participants were assessed by using the following systems: Trauma Exposure Questionnaire, Self-Compassion Scale, Event-Related Rumination Inventory, PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, and Posttraumatic Growth Inventory. When we controlled for the gender, age, and trauma exposure in the direct effect model, positive self-compassion (PSC) had a negative effect on PTSD and a positive effect on PTG. Moreover, negative self-compassion (NSC) had a positive effect on PTSD, but the effect on PTG was nonsignificant. In the indirect model, PSC had an indirect and positive effect on PTSD and PTG via deliberate rumination (DR). NSC had an indirect and positive effect on PTSD and PTG via invasive rumination (IR), whereas NSC also had an indirect and negative effect on PTSD and PTG, as well as via an indirect path from IR to DR on PTSD and PTG. Findings indicated that increased PSC may reduce PTSD and be beneficial for PTG. NSC may exacerbate PTSD. Rumination plays a significant mediating role between self-compassion, PTSD, and PTG.