Self-criticism and fear of self-compassion: associations with work engagement and burnout

Previous research has suggested that self-criticism and fear of self-compassion could potentially operate as personal demands in the JD-R model. This article aimed to verify relations between self-criticism and fear of self-compassion with two of the main JD-R outcomes, namely, work engagement and burnout and to compare levels of self-criticism, fear of self-compassion, work engagement, and burnout between individuals who believe that self-criticism is functional and those who do not. A cross-sectional study was conducted, analyzing the results of 212 Brazilian adult workers (71.7% female, mean age = 36.3 years old, SD = 11.4). Correlation, group comparison, and structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses were conducted. Findings showed that self-criticism, fear of self-compassion, and dimensions of work engagement and burnout were significantly correlated and that individuals that believe that self-criticism is functional are more self-critical, fearful of self-compassion, exhausted at work, and perceive themselves as less efficacious, vigorous and absorbed at work. A model was found, in which fear of self-compassion has both a direct and an indirect effect, mediated by self-criticism, in the work engagement and burnout dimensions. Self-criticism and fear of self-compassion seem to operate as personal demands within the JD-R model, though the limitations of this article restrict the generalizability of findings. Future research should conduct longitudinal investigations to evaluate causal relations. As implications for practice, it is important to reduce levels of self-criticism and fear of self-compassion and that the belief that self-criticism is useful is addressed in clinical work.