Objective: To date, research with people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has only examined how self compassion is linked with stress, and have exclusively used cross-sectional designs. This study aims to examine the associations of self-compassion with depressive symptoms, anxiety, and stress in people with IBD over time.
Methods: Participants were 155 adults with IBD who completed the SCS and the DASS-21 at two different times, spaced 9 months apart. The study design is longitudinal: three separate hierarchical regression models were conducted to examine whether self-compassion at baseline predicted depressive symptoms, anxiety, and stress measured at follow-up, while controlling for the effects of baseline IBD symptomatology and the respective outcome.
Results: Participants who had IBD for a longer period of time presented higher levels of self-compassion. Self compassion at baseline predicted lower follow-up levels of depressive symptoms (beta=-0.17, p = 0.015), anxiety (beta=-0.15, p = 0.032), and stress (beta=-0.26, p = 0.001), even in the presence of baseline levels of IBD symptomatology and the outcome. Isolation (as opposed to common humanity) was the most relevant self-compassion component for explaining higher depression levels, while the mindfulness component was important for explaining lower anxiety and stress.
Conclusions: This study is the first to demonstrate the prospective effects of self-compassion on mental health indicators in IBD. Given these findings, and previous evidence on the high comorbidity of depression and anxiety and frequent self-report of illness shame and self-criticism in this population, compassion-based interventions may be particularly beneficial for improving well-being in people with IBD.
Elsevier, 2021. Vol. 146, artikel-id 110429