Can self-compassion mitigate the negative consequences of insecure attachment on the incidence of self-harm in young adults? The relationship between self-harm, attachment and self-compassion.

Abstract

Introduction: This study explores self-compassion as a mediator in the relationship between attachment and self-harm. Self-harm represents a maladaptive coping strategy, meanwhile suicidal self-harm is the third most common cause of premature death among young people worldwide. Therefore, it is necessary to expand research on self-harm and explore potential protective factors. Our main research hypothesis was that self-compassion mediates the relationship between attachment and self-harm based on the empirical and theoretical evidence presented.

Method: Four hundred and two participants recruited online completed a questionnaire consisting of scales measuring self-harming behaviour, adult attachment and self-compassion.

Results: We found that both attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance positively predict self-harm and negatively predict self-compassion. The results also revealed that self-compassion negatively predicts self-harm and mediates the relationship between self-harm and both anxious and avoidant attachment.

Conclusion: We believe that this paper creates further ground for future research on protective factors involved in the dynamics of self-harm and has the potential to provide interesting findings for professionals working with insecurely attached self-harming clients.