The mediating role of self-compassion in the relationship between trait perfectionism and psychological resilience among Filipino university students

Abstract

Perfectionism has been a challenge in university students’ everyday lives. As perfectionism can negatively affect students’ mental health, researchers have suggested ways to manage perfectionism and build students’ resilience towards having a better wellbeing. One way is to practice self-compassion. This study utilized mediation analyses to investigate if self-compassion mediates the relationship between the trait dimensions of perfectionism and psychological resilience among Filipino university students. A sample of 317 undergraduate students from the University of the Philippines Diliman participated and answered scales that measure the variables of interest. Results indicate that when covariates were excluded, self-oriented perfectionism (SOP) and socially prescribed perfectionism influenced psychological resilience indirectly via self-compassion, while SOP and other-oriented perfectionism (OOP) directly affected psychological resilience, independent of self-compassion. When covariates were included, the same findings were found, but OOP also influenced psychological resilience indirectly via self-compassion. Implications of the findings are discussed in this study.