Could worry and rumination mediate relationships between self-compassion and psychological distress in breast cancer survivors?

Abstract

Many breast cancer (BCa) patients experience clinically significant anxiety and depression in survivorship. Self‐compassion offers a bulwark to anxiety and depression in nonclinical, mental health, and some chronic physical health populations. We examined whether self‐compassion predicted lower anxiety and depression symptoms in survivors and whether this might be mediated by lower worry and rumination. The design was a cross-sectional survey using self-report measures. Female adult BCa survivors of mixed stages who had finished primary surgical, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy treatments completed self-compassion subscales and worry, rumination, and anxiety and depression scales. Higher self-compassion subscale scores were negatively associated with anxiety and depression. Depressive brooding and worry mediated any effects of self-kindness and mindfulness on depression and anxiety, whereas common humanity directly predicted lower depression scores. Findings are consistent with the view that self-compassion reduces threat-related rumination and worry in BCa survivors, consequently reducing anxiety and depression. This may form a basis for prevention and treatment.