The purpose of this study was to investigate self-compassion as a significant predictor of perceived general stress in a Swedish adult population. In light of recent reports from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency and the Public Health Agency of Sweden, which reports a significant increase in stress-related health problems in Sweden in recent years, this is particularly relevant. The need for evidence-based interventions to prevent and reduce stress and to improve mental health among the population, is urgent. This quantitative cross-sectional study examined self-compassion as a predictor of stress and the relationships between stress, self-compassion, gender, age and parenthood. A total of 107 individuals participated via a digital survey, which included the Self-Compassion Scale Short Form (SCS-SF) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14). The results demonstrated a strong and significant negative relationship between self-compassion and stress (β=-0.722, p<0.001), indicating that higher levels of self-compassion are associated with lower levels of stress. Gender also had a significant effect on stress, with women reporting higher levels of stress than men (β=-0.207, p=0.001), while the relationships between stress, age and parenthood were non-significant. The findings align with previous research in the field. Based on the theoretical framework of the Transactional Model of Stress there are discussions on how self-compassion may influence individuals' coping strategies in stressful situations. Research suggests that high levels of self-compassion is also associated with lower levels of anxiety and depression. Increased awareness of this phenomenon can contribute to the development of scientifically based interventions aimed to prevent and reduce stress among the Swedish population.
- Magisterprogram i psykologi
Självmedkänsla och stress: En kvantitativ analys av självmedkänsla som signifikant prediktor för upplevd generell stress
Dagudde, J. (Author). 2024-Dec
Student thesis: Master, one year