The relationship between perceived maternal parenting and psychological distress: Mediator role of self-compassion

Self-compassion (SC) is defined as one’s ability to face any type of suffering or failures with a kind, caring and non-judgmental manner by neither ignoring nor exaggerating them. SC has been suggested as a factor that fosters psychological resilience among adolescents and young adults. Mediator role of SC in the relationship between perceived maternal parenting and psychological distress among adolescents was investigated. 529 (226 females, 303 males) 9th grade high school students (between the ages of 14 and 17) living in Istanbul, Turkey were administered Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), My Memories of Upbringing (S-EMBU-C), Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS) in counterbalanced order. Correlation, regression, and mediation analyses revealed that among the parenting variables, only perceived maternal warmth was associated with SC. Besides, SC appeared to have a significant mediating role in the relationship of perceived maternal warmth with different manifestations of psychological distress during adolescence. The findings highlighted the crucial role of perceived maternal support for adolescents to develop SC which minimizes the likelihood of having psychological distress.