Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/30520
Title: Self-referent upward counterfactual thinking mediates the relationship between self-compassion and depression
Contributor(s): Angus, Bronwyn M (author); Phillips, Wendy J  (author)orcid 
Publication Date: 2021
Early Online Version: 2021-03-17
DOI: 10.1080/00050067.2021.1890980
Handle Link: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/30520
Abstract: 

Objective: Consistently strong negative associations have been found between self-compassion and depressive symptoms, but less is known about mechanisms that underlie this relationship. This study investigated whether four types of counterfactual thinking (self-referent upward, nonreferent upward, other-referent upward and nonreferent downward) mediate this association.

Method: One hundred and sixty-seven Australian tertiary students (76.0% female) aged between 18 and 73 years (M = 33.63, SD = 10.76) completed an online survey.

Results: Self-compassion exhibited significant negative bivariate relationships with self-referent, nonreferent, and other-referent upward counterfactual thinking, and a positive association with nonreferent downward counterfactual thinking. A multiple-mediation analysis revealed one significant indirect effect, in which highly self-compassionate participants reported lower levels of self-referent upward counterfactual thinking and, in turn, reported lower levels of depression.

Conclusions: These findings indicate that self-compassion is associated with adaptive forms of counterfactual thinking, and that one way in which self-compassion conveys its beneficial influence on depression may be through its relationship with fewer self-referent upward counterfactual thoughts. This indirect effect suggests that self-compassion interventions may be especially beneficial to depression-vulnerable individuals who tend to generate self-referent upward counterfactuals.

Publication Type: Journal Article
Source of Publication: Australian Psychologist, 56(1), p. 61-69
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Place of Publication: United Kingdom
ISSN: 1742-9544
0005-0067
Fields of Research (FoR) 2008: 170106 Health, Clinical and Counselling Psychology
Fields of Research (FoR) 2020: 520304 Health psychology
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2008: 920410 Mental Health
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2020: 200409 Mental health
Peer Reviewed: Yes
HERDC Category Description: C1 Refereed Article in a Scholarly Journal
Appears in Collections:Journal Article
School of Psychology

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