Relative Impact of Mindfulness, Self-Compassion, and Psychological Resilience on Mental Health Outcomes in Racially Minoritized Adults.
Psychological reports – November 16, 2023
Source: PubMed
Summary
Self-compassion emerged as a critical factor in enhancing mental health among racially minoritized adults. In a study of 169 participants, self-compassion consistently predicted lower levels of depression, anxiety, and stress while also boosting life satisfaction. Resilience and specific mindfulness facets—acting with awareness and nonreactivity—also contributed to mental well-being but were not as universally influential. Notably, 37.3% of participants identified as female, highlighting the diverse experiences within this group. These insights underscore the importance of fostering self-compassion to improve overall psychological health.
Abstract
Racially minoritized adults lack equal representation in research and experience disparities in healthcare. Little is known about which trait-level factors may help mitigate negative and promote positive psychological health among adults from these communities. The aim of this study was to assess the differential impact of dispositional mindfulness, self-compassion, and resilience in predicting depression, anxiety, stress, and life satisfaction in a sample of racially minoritized adults. This study is a cross-sectional analysis of 169 participants (37.3% female and 62.7% male) between the ages of 18 and 64 (M = 37.05; SD = 11.94). Separate hierarchical multiple regression models examined the relative influence of mindfulness facets (acting with awareness (AA); nonjudging of inner experience (NJ), and nonreactivity of inner experience (NR)), self-compassion, and resilience in predicting depression, anxiety, stress, and life satisfaction. Self-compassion, resilience, AA, and NR predicted depression; self-compassion, resilience, and NR predicted anxiety; self-compassion, resilience, and NR predicted stress; and self-compassion predicted satisfaction with life. Self-compassion, resilience, AA, NJ, and NR differentially predicted depression, anxiety, stress, and life satisfaction; however, only self-compassion consistently predicted all outcomes. Future research may incorporate an intersectional methodology and account for differences among different racially minoritized groups.