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The Influence of Self-Compassion on Cognitive Appraisals and Coping with Stressful Events

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The Influence of Self-Compassion on Cognitive Appraisals and Coping with Stressful Events Mindfulness https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-018-0933-0 ORIGINAL PAPER The Influence of Self-Compassion on Cognitive Appraisals and Coping with Stressful Events Yuta Chishima1 & Masashi Mizuno1 & Daichi Sugawara2 & Yuki Miyagawa3 # Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2018 Abstract We investigated the influence of self-compassion on stress coping processes using a short longitudinal design. Specifically, we hypothesized that the association between self-compassion and stress coping would be mediated by cognitive appraisals (per- ceived threat and controllability) of stressful events. At Time 1, Japanese undergraduates (N = 217; 126 women, 90 men, and 1 unknown; mean age 18.57 years, SD = 0.96) completed the Japanese version of the Self-Compassion Scale. One month later (Time 2), they recalled a stressful event that had happened in the past month and completed measures of cognitive appraisals of the event and coping strategies that they had employed. Structural equation modeling showed that self-compassion at Time 1 was negatively related to avoidance-oriented coping at Time 2. Moreover, self-compassion promoted adaptive coping via reduced threat toward and greater controllability of the stressful event. The current study provides additional evidence that cognitive appraisals (threat and controllability) could mediate the influence of self-compassion in stress coping processes. Keywords Self-compassion . Stress . Cognitive appraisal . Coping Compassion toward oneself is helpful and beneficial in of the human condition rather than feeling isolated in one’s dealing with painful experiences people face. Based on suffering. Mindfulness refers to taking a balanced perspective Buddhist practices and philosophies about suffering and its on one’s negative emotions, rather than becoming over- alleviation, Neff (2003a) defined self-compassion as a self- identified and embroiled within them. to-self relationship embraced by warmth and compassion, Research indicates that self-compassion is related to posi- measured through three key dimensions with their negative tive mental health outcomes, including lower levels of depres- counterparts: self-kindness versus self-judgment, common hu- sion and anxiety, and higher life satisfaction and self-worth manity versus isolation, and mindfulness versus over-identifi- (e.g., Leary et al. 2007; Neff and Vonk 2009; Raes 2010; cation. Self-kindness means a capacity to treat oneself with Yamaguchi et al. 2014). MacBeth and Gumley (2012) kindness and compassion rather than being critical or harsh employed a meta-analysis to explore associations between during challenging situations. Common humanity involves self-compassion and mental health and found a large effect recognizing that painful and difficult experiences are a part size for the relationship between compassion and mental health (r = − .52 for depression; r = − .51 for anxiety; r = − Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article .54 for stress). Similarly, Zessin et al. (2015)foundalarge (https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-018-0933-0) contains supplementary effect size of the relationship between self-compassion and material, which is available to authorized users. well-being (r = .47) by using meta-analysis. Incidentally, some studies revealed that self-compassion is a better predic- * Yuta Chishima tor of symptom severity and quality of life than mindfulness [email protected] (Van Dam et al. 2011; Woodruff et al. 2014). Some studies have suggested that highly self- 1 Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, compassionate people keep and enhance prominent levels of Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0872, Japan mental health because they cope with stressful situations 2 Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of adaptively. Allen and Leary (2010)reviewedpreviousstudies Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan on relationships between self-compassion and coping strate- 3 Graduate School of Psychological Sciences, Tezukayama University, gies. They concluded that self-compassionate people are more Nara, Japan Mindfulness likely to employ positive reframing coping and are less likely anything, can be done to overcome or prevent harm or to to use avoidance and escape coping than people low in this improve their prospects of benefiting from it. For example, trait; however, they do not appear to differ in the degree of if an undergraduate received a poor grade, they may feel that problem-focused coping or self-distraction. Moreover, the grade is either Bannoying^ or Bimportant^ at first (primary existing evidence does not show a clear relation of self- cognitive appraisal); then, they may start to recognize that compassion and support-seeking (Allen and Leary 2010). they can Bovercome this situation^ (secondary appraisal). For instance, Neff et al. (2005) examined the relations of Previous studies imply that cognitive appraisals could self-compassion to diverse types of coping strategies in the be mediators between self-compassion and coping. Leary context of academic failure among undergraduates. They et al. (2007) showed that self-compassion helps people found that self-compassion was positively related to positive acknowledge their role in negative events without feeling reframing and acceptance, whereas it was negatively related to overwhelmed with negative emotions. Gillanders et al. venting of negative emotions, denial, and self-distraction. (2015) explored cancer-related cognition, avoidance- Subsequent research to Allen and Leary (2010)supports oriented coping, self-compassion, and cognitive fusion their literature review. For example, Sirois et al. (2015)exam- as predictors of distress and quality of life after cancer. ined self-compassion and coping strategies in the context of They found that self-compassion buffered the aversive chronic illness. They found that self-compassion was positive- influence of threat on avoidance-oriented coping. These ly associated with all adaptive coping strategies (active cop- studies imply that primary cognitive appraisals such as ing, positive reframing, and acceptance) and coping efficacy, perceived threat can mediate associations between self- and negatively associated with the maladaptive coping strate- compassion and coping strategies. gies (behavioral disengagement and self-blame). Similarly, Regarding secondary cognitive appraisal, it is assumed that Mizuno et al. (2017) reported that self-compassion was posi- controllability of stressful events would mediate the relation tively related to planning and positive reframing, and this between self-compassion and coping strategies. Finlay-Jones relation remained significant even after controlling for self- et al. (2015) found a mediating role of emotion regulation esteem. In sum, self-compassion is positively associated with difficulties (low controllability) in the self-compassion-stress emotion-focused coping (particularly positive reframing) and relationship. In addition, Breines and Chen (2012)indicated negatively associated with avoidance-oriented coping (e.g., that participants in a self-compassion condition, compared to denial, behavioral disengagement, and self-distraction). the other conditions, expressed greater belief that their person- Lazarus and Folkman’s(1984) model is a useful frame- al weaknesses could be controlled by their own efforts. Such work for a better understanding of the relationship between individuals’ feelings of perceived control over a stressful sit- self-compassion and coping strategies. In this model, self- uation promote problem-focused coping strategies (Compas compassion is considered as one personality trait that facili- et al. 1991). Folkman (1984) also proposed that problem- tates adaptive coping strategies. Furthermore, the relationship focused coping efforts are directed toward situations that are between self-compassion and these strategies could be medi- perceived as controllable. ated by cognitive appraisal of stressors, which has been large- We sought to examine the role of self-compassion in stress ly missed in previous studies addressing self-compassion. coping processes based on Lazarus and Folkman’s theory A key consideration missing from previous studies is (Folkman et al. 1986; Lazarus and Folkman 1984). We fo- whether cognitive appraisals, such as threat, importance, and cused on primary and secondary appraisals to the stressful controllability, mediate the relationship between self- events participants encountered as mediators between self- compassion and coping strategies. Lazarus and Folkman compassion and coping strategies. We hypothesized that (1984) defined cognitive appraisal as a process by how people self-compassion would be negatively related to threat and evaluate whether an encounter with the environment is rele- positively related to controllability, which promotes adaptive vant to their well-being, and, if so, in what ways. According to coping strategies. To examine these coping processes, we Lazarus and Folkman (1984), cognitive appraisal occurs when adopted a short longitudinal method over a 1-month lag by people consider two major factors that contribute to their re- assessing self-compassion as a baseline trait. To detect medi- sponses to stress. These two factors include the threatening ating effects of cognitive appraisals, we used a path analysis tendency of the stressor to the person and the assessment of with structural equation modeling, which is a method resources required to minimize, tolerate, or eradicate the employed
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