The protective role of self compassion in trauma recovery and its moderating impact on post traumatic symptoms and post traumatic growth

Abstract

Abstract This study examined the moderating effect of self-compassion on the relationship between post-traumatic symptoms (PTS) and post-traumatic growth (PTG) among adults with trauma exposure. A sample of 413 participants (254 women, 155 men) aged 18 to 81 years (M = 33.8; SD = 12.9) completed questionnaires assessing trauma exposure, PTS, PTG, and self-compassion. The results indicated that women reported significantly higher PTS and lower self-compassion than men, while no significant gender differences were found for PTG. Correlational analyses revealed a significant positive association between PTS and PTG, and a significant negative association between PTS and self-compassion. Moderation analysis demonstrated that self-compassion significantly moderated the relationship between PTS and PTG, with higher levels of self-compassion linked to greater PTG, even at elevated levels of PTS. These findings underscore the importance of self-compassion as a protective factor in trauma recovery, promoting positive psychological transformation despite the presence of distress.