Self-Compassion: The Factor That Explains a Relationship between Perceived Social Support and Emotional Self-Regulation in Psychological Well-Being of Breast Cancer Survivors
,
Abstract
Objective: Perceived social support (PSS) and emotional self-regulation have customarily been related to greater psychological well-being, but the pathways via which perceived social support and emotional self-regulation increase psychological well-being have not been revealed. We investigated how much self-compassion mediated the association between perceived social support and emotional self-regulation in psychological well-being of breast cancer sufferers.
Method: A cross-sectional study design was used. Participants were recruited from three oncology departments in Zanjan, Iran. Data was collected from breast cancer patients (n = 300). Participants completed self-report measures, the short Ryff scale Psychological Well-being (RSPWB), Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and Self-Compassion Scale (SCS). Pearson correlation coefficient was used to assess association among the study variables and multivariable regression analysis was used to assess linear relationships among predictor variables (emotional self-regulation, perceived social support and self-compassion) and criterion variable (psychological well-being). Bootstrapping analyses were used to test the significance on indirect effects.
Results: Bootstrapping analyses revealed significant indirect effects of perceived social support (β = 0.055, SE = 0.45, P = 0.049, 0.95 CI: LL = 0.0092, UL = 0.1345) and emotional self-regulation (β = 0.079, SE = 0.079, P = 0.004, 0.95 CI: LL = -0.0331, UL = -0.1358) on psychological well-being through self-compassion.
Conclusion: These findings present new evidence that self-compassion may be a target for psychological interventions attempted at enhancing psychological well-being in cancer populations, particularly breast cancer survivors.
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29. Khanjani S, Foroughi AA, Sadghi K, Bahrainian SA. Psychometric properties of Iranian version of self-compassion scale (short form). Pajooh J. 2016;21(5):282-9.
30. Gross JJ, John OP. Individual differences in two emotion regulation processes: implications for affect, relationships, and well-being. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2003;85(2):348-62.
31. Neff KD. The development and validation of a scale to measure self-compassion. Self identity. 2003;2(3):223-50.
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37. Klainin-Yobas P, Ramirez D, Fernandez Z, Sarmiento J, Thanoi W, Ignacio J, et al. Examining the predicting effect of mindfulness on psychological well-being among undergraduate students: A structural equation modelling approach. Pers.individ.differ. 2016;91:63-8.
38. Siedlecki KL, Salthouse TA, Oishi S, Jeswani S. The Relationship Between Social Support and Subjective Well-Being Across Age. Soc Indic Res. 2014;117(2):561-76.
39. Chu PS, Saucier DA, Hafner E. Meta-analysis of the relationships between social support and well-being in children and adolescents. J Soc Clin Psychol. 2010;29(6):624-45.
40. Ji LL, Tsai W, Sun XL, Lu Q, Wang HD, Wang LJ, et al. The detrimental effects of ambivalence over emotional expression on well-being among Mainland Chinese breast cancer patients: Mediating role of perceived social support. Psychooncology. 2019;28(5):1142-8.
41. Stallman HM, Ohan JL, Chiera B. The role of social support, being present, and self‐kindness in university student psychological distress. Aust. Psychol. 2018;53(1):52-9.
42. Tomlinson JM, Feeney BC, Van Vleet M. A Longitudinal Investigation of Relational Catalyst Support of Goal Strivings. J Posit Psychol. 2016;11(3):246-57.
43. Feeney BC, Collins NL. A new look at social support: a theoretical perspective on thriving through relationships. Pers Soc Psychol Rev. 2015;19(2):113-47.
44. Weytens F, Luminet O, Verhofstadt LL, Mikolajczak M. An integrative theory-driven positive emotion regulation intervention. PLoS One. 2014;9(4):e95677.
45. Mennin DS, Fresco DM. Advancing Emotion Regulation Perspectives on Psychopathology: The Challenge of Distress Disorders. Psychol Inq. 2015;26(1):80-92.
46. Verba KM. Relationship of Self-compassion with Psychological Well-being in Pre-bariatric Surgery Patients with Obesity 2017.
47. Aguirre-Camacho A, Pelletier G, González-Márquez A, Blanco-Donoso LM, García-Borreguero P, Moreno-Jiménez B. The relevance of experiential avoidance in breast cancer distress: insights from a psychological group intervention. Psychooncology. 2017;26(4):469-75.
48. Peh CX, Liu J, Bishop GD, Chan HY, Chua SM, Kua EH, et al. Emotion regulation and emotional distress: The mediating role of hope on reappraisal and anxiety/depression in newly diagnosed cancer patients. Psychooncology. 2017;26(8):1191-7.
49. Nipp RD, El-Jawahri A, Fishbein JN, Eusebio J, Stagl JM, Gallagher ER, et al. The relationship between coping strategies, quality of life, and mood in patients with incurable cancer. Cancer. 2016;122(13):2110-6.
50. Podsakoff PM, MacKenzie SB, Lee JY, Podsakoff NP. Common method biases in behavioral research: a critical review of the literature and recommended remedies. J Appl Psychol. 2003;88(5):879-903.
2. Martino ML, Freda MF. Meaning-Making Process Related to Temporality During Breast Cancer Traumatic Experience: The Clinical Use of Narrative to Promote a New Continuity of Life. Eur J Psychol. 2016;12(4):622-34.
3. Martino ML, Gargiulo A, Lemmo D, Margherita G. Cancer blog narratives: the experience of under-fifty women with breast cancer during different times after diagnosis. Qual. Rep. 2019;24(1):158-73.
4. Elklit A, Blum A. Psychological adjustment one year after the diagnosis of breast cancer: a prototype study of delayed post-traumatic stress disorder. Br J Clin Psychol. 2011;50(4):350-63.
5. Soleimani MA, Bahrami N, Yaghoobzadeh A, Parker A, Chan YH. Sexual distress and sexual function in a sample of Iranian women with gynecologic cancers. Eur J Oncol Nurs. 2018;35:47-53.
6. Denieffe S, Gooney M. A meta-synthesis of women's symptoms experience and breast cancer. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl). 2011;20(4):424-35.
7. Miaskowski C. Future Directions in Symptom Cluster Research. Semin Oncol Nurs. 2016;32(4):405-15.
8. Bond CMC. The effects of a brief intervention workshop on emotional regulation and well-being: stress, happiness and depressive symptoms. 2019.
9. Zhang H, Xiao L, Ren G. Experiences of Social Support Among Chinese Women with Breast Cancer: A Qualitative Analysis Using a Framework Approach. Med Sci Monit. 2018;24:574-81.
10. Podina I, Jucan A, David D. Self-compassion: A buffer in the pathway from maladaptive beliefs to depression. An exploratory study. JEBP. 2015;15(1):97.
11. Brown SL, Hughes M, Campbell S, Cherry MG. Could worry and rumination mediate relationships between self-compassion and psychological distress in breast cancer survivors? Clin Psychol Psychother. 2020;27(1):1-10.
12. Neff KD. The self-compassion scale is a valid and theoretically coherent measure of self-compassion. Mindfulness. 2016;7(1):264-74.
13. Gilbert P. A brief outline of the evolutionary approach for compassion focused therapy. 2017.
14. Sherman KA, Woon S, French J, Elder E. Body image and psychological distress in nipple-sparing mastectomy: the roles of self-compassion and appearance investment. Psychooncology. 2017;26(3):337-45.
15. Sloan E, Hall K, Moulding R, Bryce S, Mildred H, Staiger PK. Emotion regulation as a transdiagnostic treatment construct across anxiety, depression, substance, eating and borderline personality disorders: A systematic review. Clin Psychol Rev. 2017;57:141-63.
16. Barrett L, Lewis,M., and Havlind-Jones,J. . Handbook of Emotions. (4th ed). 2016.
17. Brandão T, Tavares R, Schulz MS, Matos PM. Measuring emotion regulation and emotional expression in breast cancer patients: A systematic review. Clin Psychol Rev. 2016;43:114-27.
18. Abadi MS, Mohammadi M, Hashemipour SMA. The Mediation Role of Psychological Hardiness between Emotional Self-regulation and Stress Management in Breast Cancer Patients. Pharm Res Int. 2019:1-7.
19. Wilson JM, Weiss A, Shook NJ. Mindfulness, self-compassion, and savoring: Factors that explain the relation between perceived social support and well-being. Pers. Individ. Differ. 2020;152:109568.
20. Taylor SE. Social support: A review. psycnet.apa.org. 2011.
21. Mishra VS, Saranath D. Association between demographic features and perceived social support in the mental adjustment to breast cancer. Psychooncology. 2019;28(3):629-34.
22. BAKAN AB, GURAKSIN A. Factors affecting quality of life and level of social support in cancer patients. Belitung Nurs J. 2017;3(2):54-64.
23. Pehlivan S, Ovayolu O, Ovayolu N, Sevinc A, Camci C. Relationship between hopelessness, loneliness, and perceived social support from family in Turkish patients with cancer. Support Care Cancer. 2012;20(4):733-9.
24. Suwankhong D, Liamputtong P. Social Support and Women Living With Breast Cancer in the South of Thailand. J Nurs Scholarsh. 2016;48(1):39-47.
25. van Ee B, Smits C, Honkoop A, Kamper A, Slaets J, Hagedoorn M. Open Wounds and Healed Scars: A Qualitative Study of Elderly Women's Experiences With Breast Cancer. Cancer Nurs. 2019;42(3):190-7.
26. Quoidbach J, Mikolajczak M, Gross JJ. Positive interventions: An emotion regulation perspective. Psychol Bull. 2015;141(3):655-93.
27. Ruiz-Aranda D, Extremera N, Pineda-Galán C. Emotional intelligence, life satisfaction and subjective happiness in female student health professionals: the mediating effect of perceived stress. J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2014;21(2):106-13.
28. Kline RB. Principles and practice of structural equation modeling: Guilford publications; 2015.
29. Khanjani S, Foroughi AA, Sadghi K, Bahrainian SA. Psychometric properties of Iranian version of self-compassion scale (short form). Pajooh J. 2016;21(5):282-9.
30. Gross JJ, John OP. Individual differences in two emotion regulation processes: implications for affect, relationships, and well-being. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2003;85(2):348-62.
31. Neff KD. The development and validation of a scale to measure self-compassion. Self identity. 2003;2(3):223-50.
32. Neff, K. D. (2003b). The development and validation of a scale to measure self-compassion. Self Identity, 2(3), 223–50. doi: 10.1080/15298860309027
33. Ghorbani N, Watson PJ, Chen Z, Norballa F. Self-compassion in Iranian Muslims: Relationships with integrative self-knowledge, mental health, and religious orientation. Int. J. Psychol. Relig. 2012;22(2):106-18.
34. Zimet GD, Dahlem, N. W., Zimet, S. G., & Farley, G. K. . The multidimensional scale of perceived social support. J. Pers. Assess. 1988;52:30-41.
35. Edwards LM. Measuring perceived social support in Mexican American youth: Psychometric properties of the multidimensional scale of perceived social support. Hisp. J. Behav. Sci. 2004;26(2):187-94.
36. Hooper D, Coughlan J, Mullen M, Hooper D. Structural equation modelling: Guidelines for determining model fit. Electron J Bus Res Methods. 2008; 6 (1): 53–60.
37. Klainin-Yobas P, Ramirez D, Fernandez Z, Sarmiento J, Thanoi W, Ignacio J, et al. Examining the predicting effect of mindfulness on psychological well-being among undergraduate students: A structural equation modelling approach. Pers.individ.differ. 2016;91:63-8.
38. Siedlecki KL, Salthouse TA, Oishi S, Jeswani S. The Relationship Between Social Support and Subjective Well-Being Across Age. Soc Indic Res. 2014;117(2):561-76.
39. Chu PS, Saucier DA, Hafner E. Meta-analysis of the relationships between social support and well-being in children and adolescents. J Soc Clin Psychol. 2010;29(6):624-45.
40. Ji LL, Tsai W, Sun XL, Lu Q, Wang HD, Wang LJ, et al. The detrimental effects of ambivalence over emotional expression on well-being among Mainland Chinese breast cancer patients: Mediating role of perceived social support. Psychooncology. 2019;28(5):1142-8.
41. Stallman HM, Ohan JL, Chiera B. The role of social support, being present, and self‐kindness in university student psychological distress. Aust. Psychol. 2018;53(1):52-9.
42. Tomlinson JM, Feeney BC, Van Vleet M. A Longitudinal Investigation of Relational Catalyst Support of Goal Strivings. J Posit Psychol. 2016;11(3):246-57.
43. Feeney BC, Collins NL. A new look at social support: a theoretical perspective on thriving through relationships. Pers Soc Psychol Rev. 2015;19(2):113-47.
44. Weytens F, Luminet O, Verhofstadt LL, Mikolajczak M. An integrative theory-driven positive emotion regulation intervention. PLoS One. 2014;9(4):e95677.
45. Mennin DS, Fresco DM. Advancing Emotion Regulation Perspectives on Psychopathology: The Challenge of Distress Disorders. Psychol Inq. 2015;26(1):80-92.
46. Verba KM. Relationship of Self-compassion with Psychological Well-being in Pre-bariatric Surgery Patients with Obesity 2017.
47. Aguirre-Camacho A, Pelletier G, González-Márquez A, Blanco-Donoso LM, García-Borreguero P, Moreno-Jiménez B. The relevance of experiential avoidance in breast cancer distress: insights from a psychological group intervention. Psychooncology. 2017;26(4):469-75.
48. Peh CX, Liu J, Bishop GD, Chan HY, Chua SM, Kua EH, et al. Emotion regulation and emotional distress: The mediating role of hope on reappraisal and anxiety/depression in newly diagnosed cancer patients. Psychooncology. 2017;26(8):1191-7.
49. Nipp RD, El-Jawahri A, Fishbein JN, Eusebio J, Stagl JM, Gallagher ER, et al. The relationship between coping strategies, quality of life, and mood in patients with incurable cancer. Cancer. 2016;122(13):2110-6.
50. Podsakoff PM, MacKenzie SB, Lee JY, Podsakoff NP. Common method biases in behavioral research: a critical review of the literature and recommended remedies. J Appl Psychol. 2003;88(5):879-903.
| Files | ||
| Issue | Vol 17 No 3 (2022) | |
| Section | Original Article(s) | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.18502/ijps.v17i3.9734 | |
| Keywords | ||
| Breast Cancer Emotional Self-Regulation Mental Health Perceived Social Support Self-Compassion | ||
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How to Cite
1.
Masoumi S, Amiri M, Yousefi Afrashteh M. Self-Compassion: The Factor That Explains a Relationship between Perceived Social Support and Emotional Self-Regulation in Psychological Well-Being of Breast Cancer Survivors. Iran J Psychiatry. 2022;17(3):341-349.
