Exploring the role of self-compassion in adolescent wellbeing and type 1 diabetes management

• Main Author: Jackson, Katherine
• Published: University of East Anglia 2018
• Subjects: 616.89
• Online Access: https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.761582

Self-compassion – a self-relating style characterised by kindness, acceptance, and the motivation to soothe emotional distress – has been empirically validated as a correlate of optimal psychological functioning, wellbeing, and physical health among adults. However, literature examining the relationship between self-compassion and positive outcomes during adolescence is in its infancy. The current research portfolio was thus designed to examine self-compassion as a potential intrapersonal resilience resource that may help young people navigate transitions and challenges during the adolescent period, including living with a chronic illness. The association between self-compassion and subjective wellbeing in adolescents was estimated through meta-analytic modelling, while self-compassion was empirically examined as a correlate of effective disease management in adolescents with type 1 diabetes. The meta-analysis revealed a large, positive correlation between self-compassion and subjective wellbeing (r = .46) in studies with adolescents aged 10 to 19. Among a sample of 52 adolescents (aged 11 to 18) with established type 1 diabetes, self-compassion was found to predict improved glycaemic control and regimen adherence, outcomes linked to a reduced risk of short- and long-term health complications. Impaired self-soothing was also discovered to mediate the relationship between emotional distress and poorer diabetes regimen adherence. A compassionate self-approach thus appears to be linked with the subjective experience of wellbeing among adolescents, as well as having specific implications for behavioural and physiological resilience among those living with a chronic health condition. As a trainable resource, self-compassion may provide a valuable tool for promoting positive mental and physical health among young people.