Fear of Receiving Compassion as a Moderator of the Association Between Self- Compassion and Psychological Distress Among Women With Breast Cancer
Year: 2024
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background: Breast cancer (BC), the most common cancer affecting women, has consequences on physical and psychological health. Recent studies highlighted selfcompassions’-, and fear of receiving compassion's protective respectively detrimental effects on psychological health. This study explored the moderating role of fear of receiving compassion from others on the associations between self-compassion and psychological distress. Methods: Participants were 78 Portuguese women with non-metastatic BC. Participants completed self-report measures of self-compassion, fear of receiving compassion from others, and psychological distress. Moderation analyzes through PROCESS Macro in SPSS was conducted. Results: Fear of receiving compassion from others moderated the association between self-compassion and depressive symptoms. At moderate and high levels of the moderator, the association was significant, at low levels the association was nonsignificant. The associations of self-compassion with anxiety, and with stress were not moderated by fear of receiving compassion from others. Conclusions: To our knowledge this study is solitary in examining fear of receiving compassion from others as moderator of the associations between self-compassion and psychological distress. This study contributes to increased understanding of psychological distress among women with BC. The findings should direct future research towards longitudinal, intervention-based studies, targeting fear of receiving compassion, and self-compassion, through compassion-focused therapies.
Authors: Ismail, Allen, Gustafsson, Maria
Institution: Örebro University
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W6981824572