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Moderating the Role of Self-Compassion in the Relationship Between Perfectionism and Depression

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Abstract

To better understand the perfectionism-depression link, this study aimed to explore the moderating role of self-compassion in the relationship between perfectionism and depression. To gauge the impacts of self-compassion and perfectionism on depression, researchers assessed 210 depressed inpatients in four hospitals in Iran. The results of the Structural Equation Modelling showed that personal standards perfectionism and self-compassion negatively predicted depression, and evaluative concerns perfectionism positively predicted depression. Results from a multi-group analysis suggested that self-compassion moderated the relationship between evaluative concerns perfectionism and depression. However, it has no moderation effect on personal standards perfectionism and depression. The findings showed that self-compassion could decrease the effects of evaluative concerns perfectionism on depression.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Counseling, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran

    Abbas Abdollahi & Azadeh Taheri

  2. Educational Psychology and Inclusive Education, Faculty of Education, Monash University, Clayton, Australia

    Kelly A. Allen

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  1. Abbas Abdollahi
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  2. Kelly A. Allen
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  3. Azadeh Taheri
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Correspondence to Abbas Abdollahi.

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Abdollahi, A., Allen, K.A. & Taheri, A. Moderating the Role of Self-Compassion in the Relationship Between Perfectionism and Depression. J Rat-Emo Cognitive-Behav Ther 38, 459–471 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10942-020-00346-3

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