Self-compassion as a buffer against the impacts of mental health self-stigma in university students

Introduction Self-stigma is defined as the internalization of stigmatizing attitudes. Early adulthood constitutes a critical period whereby mental illness, such as mood disorders, can emerge. However, although undergraduate students are at heightened risk to develop psychopathology, the treatment-seeking rates within the student population can be as low as 11% to 16%. This may be partially attributed to mental illness-related stigma, as mental health concerns might impact future career prospects. Hence, responding to psychological problems with self-stigma is associated with a feeling of shame that can delay treatment and increase severity and chronicity of the illness, leading to a wide range of quality-of-life repercussions. In particular, shame may have an impact on performance self-efficacy, which may in turn have detrimental effects on academic performance, student retention, and social integration. Contrary to self-stigma, self-compassion is recognized as a protective factor for physical and mental health in student and clinical populations. Self-compassion involves an understanding and supportive relationship to oneself in moments of suffering with a perception of one’s own difficulties as an integral part of the human experience. Self-compassion is associated with pro-health behaviors, enhanced coping skills and emotional regulation as well as increased social resources. Hence responding to one’s emerging mental illness and with self-compassion is likely to contribute to diminish shame levels and to improve well-being and academic trajectories in students. The aims of this study are twofold. First, it aims at investigating whether self-stigma impacts personal self-efficacy and well-being through its effect on shame levels; second, it aims to investigate whether self-compassion moderates the effect of self-stigma on well-being and personal self-efficacy. Methods A sample of 1816 students from French universities responded to online standardized self-report questionnaires assessing mental health, self-compassion, shame, self-stigma, and self-efficacy. Regression, mediation, and moderated mediations analyses were conducted. Results Forty-nine percent of the student sample (N=1813) reported having mental health problems and 16% presented with high levels of self-stigma. Shame significantly mediated the relationships between self-stigma and (i) psychological distress and (ii) self-efficacy. Increased levels of self-compassion significantly moderated these mediations, indicating that self-compassion plays a protective role against psychological distress and reduced self-efficacy in university students. Our results highlight the elevated prevalence of self-stigma and the positive impact of self-compassion in students. Discussion Our results highlight the positive impact of self-compassion in students. They suggest the need to develop self-compassion-based interventions to prevent self-stigma and shame in students who may suffer from mental illness.