The role of self-compassion in protecting psychological wellbeing and health-related quality of life in those with endometriosis: A prospective study.

OBJECTIVE

Endometriosis negatively impacts psychological wellbeing and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Emerging research suggests that self-compassion may be a protective resource, although the mechanisms through which it influences functioning in endometriosis are not well understood. This study examined the relationship between self-compassion, psychological distress, and HRQoL over a six-month period. Pain catastrophising, pain acceptance, and resilience were examined as potential mediators.

METHODS

264 individuals with endometriosis completed questionnaires twice over a 6-month period assessing self-compassion (T1 only), psychological distress (depression, anxiety, and stress), HRQoL, pain catastrophising, pain acceptance (activity engagement, pain willingness), resilience, and endometriosis-related information (T1 and T2). Bootstrapped mediation analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between the key variables cross-sectionally and over time (two-wave mediation).

RESULTS

Psychological wellbeing and HRQoL was significantly impaired in this sample. Higher self-compassion was associated with less impairment on all outcome variables at T1 (r > -0.25, p < .001) and improvements in depression (b = -0.28, p < .01) and stress (b = -0.21, p < .05) over the study period. Cross-sectionally, pain catastrophising mediated the relationship between self-compassion and all outcome variables. Prospectively, higher self-compassion at baseline was related to a decrease in pain catastrophising over the study period, which in turn was related to a decrease in depression, anxiety, stress, and HRQoL impairment over the study period. Pain willingness, activity engagement, and resilience were less consistent mediators at baseline and did not mediate the relationship between self-compassion and the outcome variables prospectively.

CONCLUSION

Future research should consider interventions that address self-compassion and pain catastrophising to reduce impairment in psychological wellbeing and HRQoL in individuals with endometriosis.