Mindfulness Self-Compassion Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms and Functional Disability in U.S. Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans

摘要

Mindfulness and self-compassion are overlapping but distinct constructs that characterize how people relate to emotional distress. Both are associated with PTSD and may be related to functional disability. While self-compassion includes mindful awareness of emotional distress, it is a broader construct that also includes being kind and supportive to oneself and viewing suffering as part of the shared human experience – a powerful way of dealing with distressing situations. We examined the associations of mindfulness and self-compassion with PTSD symptom severity and functional disability in 115 trauma-exposed Iraq/Afghanistan war veterans. Mindfulness and self-compassion were each uniquely, negatively associated with PTSD symptom severity. After accounting for mindfulness, self-compassion accounted for unique variance in PTSD symptom severity (f² = .25; medium ES). After accounting for PTSD symptom severity, mindfulness and self-compassion were each uniquely negatively associated with functional disability. The combined association of mindfulness and self-compassion with disability over and above PTSD was large (f² = .41). After accounting for mindfulness, self-compassion accounted for unique variance in disability (f² = .13; small ES). These findings suggest that interventions aimed at increasing mindfulness and self-compassion could potentially decrease functional disability in returning veterans with PTSD symptoms.