Self-Compassion and Heath-Related Quality of Life in Primary Care Patients: Understanding the Role of Self-Efficacy, Stress, Optimism, and Sleep
Abstract
Health-related quality of life (HRQL), the subjective assessment of well-being, may depend, in part, on ability to manage stress, sleep well, and maintain optimism. However, many patients struggle with the health-related self-efficacy (HRSE) required to maintain motivation, cope effectively, and engage in health promotion behaviors (e.g., sleep hygiene). Self-compassion (SC) may help improve HRSE and HRQL by reducing self-criticism (through self-kindness), enhancing emotion regulation (through mindfulness), and combatting isolation (through shared humanity). At the bivariate level, we hypothesized that SC, HRSE, optimism, and HRQL would be positively correlated, and that each would be negatively related to stress and sleep disturbance, which would be positively associated. At the multivariate level, we hypothesized that SC would be related to better HRQL, and that this association would be serially mediated by HRSE, and by stress, optimism, and sleep quality. In our IRB-approved study, German primary care patients (N = 523; M_age = 53; 61% female) completed self-report measures. In correlation analyses, study variables were significantly associated in predicted directions and, at the multivariate level, SC was associated with better HRSE (a1 = .56, p = .000) and, in turn, to less perceived stress (d1 = -1.40, p = .000), more optimism (d2 = 1.66, p = .000), less sleep disturbance (d3 = -.36, p = .000), and better HRQL (STRESS[b2] = -.67, p = .000; OPT[b3] = .17, p = .035; SLEEP[b4] = -2.13, p = .000). By facilitating cognitive reappraisal, sense of shared experience, and reduced reactivity, perceived ability to manage current and future health may be improved, thereby alleviating stress and rumination, encouraging goal-oriented motivation, and improving sleep quality, with benefits for HRQL. Therapeutically promoting SC (e.g., compassion-focused therapy) and directly addressing patient competence (e.g., motivational interviewing) may facilitate adaptive coping and engagement in health promotion behaviors, with consequent health benefits.
Start Time
15-4-2026 9:00 AM
End Time
15-4-2026 12:00 PM
Room Number
Culp Ballroom 316
Poster Number
6
Presentation Type
Poster
Presentation Subtype
Posters - Competitive
Presentation Category
Science, Technology, and Engineering
Student Type
Graduate and Professional Degree Students, Residents, Fellows
Faculty Mentor
Jameson Hirsch
Self-Compassion and Heath-Related Quality of Life in Primary Care Patients: Understanding the Role of Self-Efficacy, Stress, Optimism, and Sleep
Culp Ballroom 316
Health-related quality of life (HRQL), the subjective assessment of well-being, may depend, in part, on ability to manage stress, sleep well, and maintain optimism. However, many patients struggle with the health-related self-efficacy (HRSE) required to maintain motivation, cope effectively, and engage in health promotion behaviors (e.g., sleep hygiene). Self-compassion (SC) may help improve HRSE and HRQL by reducing self-criticism (through self-kindness), enhancing emotion regulation (through mindfulness), and combatting isolation (through shared humanity). At the bivariate level, we hypothesized that SC, HRSE, optimism, and HRQL would be positively correlated, and that each would be negatively related to stress and sleep disturbance, which would be positively associated. At the multivariate level, we hypothesized that SC would be related to better HRQL, and that this association would be serially mediated by HRSE, and by stress, optimism, and sleep quality. In our IRB-approved study, German primary care patients (N = 523; M_age = 53; 61% female) completed self-report measures. In correlation analyses, study variables were significantly associated in predicted directions and, at the multivariate level, SC was associated with better HRSE (a1 = .56, p = .000) and, in turn, to less perceived stress (d1 = -1.40, p = .000), more optimism (d2 = 1.66, p = .000), less sleep disturbance (d3 = -.36, p = .000), and better HRQL (STRESS[b2] = -.67, p = .000; OPT[b3] = .17, p = .035; SLEEP[b4] = -2.13, p = .000). By facilitating cognitive reappraisal, sense of shared experience, and reduced reactivity, perceived ability to manage current and future health may be improved, thereby alleviating stress and rumination, encouraging goal-oriented motivation, and improving sleep quality, with benefits for HRQL. Therapeutically promoting SC (e.g., compassion-focused therapy) and directly addressing patient competence (e.g., motivational interviewing) may facilitate adaptive coping and engagement in health promotion behaviors, with consequent health benefits.
