Psychological Development and Education ›› 2022, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (6): 859-868.doi: 10.16187/j.cnki.issn1001-4918.2022.06.12

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The Influence of Adolescents’ Self-compassion on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Posttraumatic Growth: The Mediating Role of Gratitude

LIU Aiyi, WANG Wenchao, WU Xinchun   

  1. Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875
  • Published:2022-11-29

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Abstract: This study examined the mediating roles that gratitude play in the relationship between self-compassion, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and posttraumatic growth (PTG) among Chinese adolescents who had experienced the Ya’an earthquake. Four and a half years after the earthquake, the researchers assessed 499 middle school students (230 males, 264 females) in Lushan County using the following systems to measure the relationship between self-compassion, PTSD, and PTG. Measures of Self-compassion Scale, Gratitude Questionnaire, PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, and Posttraumatic Growth Questionnaire. After controlled for both gender and age, this research assessed the relationship using both a direct effect model and an indirect effects model. The results from analyzing the above measures showed that positive self-compassion had a significant negative effect on PTSD and a significant positive effect on PTG. Moreover, negative self-compassion had a positive effect on PTSD. In addition, in the indirect effects model, the results showed that gratitude played a significant mediating role between positive self-compassion and PTSD and PTG. More specifically, positive self-compassion had a negative effect on PTSD through gratitude and a positive effect on PTG. At the same time, gratitude also played a significant mediating role between negative self-compassion, PTSD, and PTG. More specifically, the results revealed that gratitude can influence both PTSD and PTG: among the participants, negative self-compassion positively affected PTSD through gratitude, and negative self-compassion negatively affected PTG through gratitude.

Key words: self-compassion, gratitude, PTSD, PTG, adolescents

CLC Number: 

  • B844
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