A Prospective Examination of Self-Compassion as a Predictor of Depressive Symptoms in Children and Adolescents
Year: 2016
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: We examined self-compassion as a predictor of depressive symptoms in children and adolescents using a two time-point design. In addition, the factor structure, reliability, and validity of a version of the Self-Compassion Scale (Neff, 2003) revised for children were assessed. Self-criticism and self-esteem were also tested as predictors of depressive symptoms to assess for unique effects of self-compassion. During an initial assessment, participants completed measures of depressive symptoms, self-compassion, self-criticism, and self-esteem. Participants subsequently completed a measure of depressive symptoms three months later. Two self-compassion factors emerged from a factor analysis, each showing good internal consistency and significant cross-sectional relationships with depressive symptoms. However, only the factor comprised of items from the positively-worded self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness subscales of the revised SCS (SCS-POS) predicted change in depressive symptoms from Time 1 to Time 2. Higher levels of SCS-POS were associated with greater decreases in depressive symptoms over time. The factor comprised of items from the negatively-worded self-judgment, isolation, and over-identification subscales (SCS-NEG) did not predict change in depressive symptoms, nor did self-criticism. When tested simultaneously, the effects of SCS-POS and self-esteem on change in depressive symptoms were reduced in size but remained close to statistical significance (p < .10).
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2238580794