Self-compassion as a moderator of the relationship between rumination, self-reflection and stress

Objective: The present study aimed to examine the relationship between rumination, self-reflection and stress and to investigate the role of self-compassion as a moderator of this relationship. Methods: A sample of 275 undergraduate students completed a set of reliable and valid questionnaires including measures of rumination and self-reflection (RRQ), stress (DASS) and self-compassion (SCS). Results: Using a co-relational design, the study found that rumination had a significant positive association with stress (p = 0.001, r = 0.31) and self-reflection had a significant negative association with stress (p = 0.001, r = -0.47). Moderated multiple regression analysis indicated that self-compassion significantly moderated the link between rumination and stress (Delta R-2 = 0.032, p = 0.001) and it also significantly moderated the relationship between self-reflection and stress (Delta R-2 =0.041, p = 0.001). The results indicated that sequentially 3.2 % and 4.1 % of the variance in stress could be attributable to moderating role of self-compassion in this relationship. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate an association of rumination and self-reflection with stress and suggest that the association between rumination and self-reflection with stress might be moderated by self-compassion. Overall, the present findings suggest that high levels of self-compassion function to attenuate the link between rumination and stress and also it functions to amplify the relationship between self-reflection and stress.