Self-Compassion as a Key Factor of Subjective Happiness and Psychological Well-Being among Greek Adults during COVID-19 Lockdowns

The present study examined the association and complementary effect of self-compassion on the subjective happiness and psychological well-being of adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was based on a concurrent correlational design to examine relationships between self-compassion, subjective happiness, psychological well-being, resilience, and the meaning in life. Data were collected via a battery of questionnaires and analyzed, focusing on the above variables. The sample of this study (N = 526) consisted of Greek professionals in education and university students. The results showed that there is a strong positive relationship between self-compassion and subjective happiness, and between self-compassion and psychological well-being. The findings suggest that an attitude of self-compassion may well influence the development of psychological well-being and increase the subjective happiness of adults during the distressing era of a long-term pandemic. The results also indicated a positive relationship between self-compassion and meaning in life and showed that self-compassion is a prerequisite for resilience, which in turn may serve as a moderator of psychological well-being and subjective happiness.

[1]  Aman Sado Elemo,et al.  The fear of COVID-19 and flourishing: the mediating role of search for meaning and presence of meaning , 2022, Current psychology.

[2]  Okan Bilgin,et al.  SERIAL MULTIPLE MEDIATION OF SELF-TRANSCENDENCE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL RESILIENCE IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FEAR OF COVID-19 AND SUBJECTIVE HAPPINESS IN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS , 2022, European Journal of Education Studies.

[3]  V. Dourado,et al.  Resilience Improves the Quality of Life and Subjective Happiness of Physiotherapists during the COVID-19 Pandemic , 2022, International journal of environmental research and public health.

[4]  Y. Yum,et al.  The Impact of Compassion from Others and Self-compassion on Psychological Distress, Flourishing, and Meaning in Life Among University Students , 2022, Mindfulness.

[5]  Tuğba Türk Kurtça,et al.  Self-compassion, Resilience, Fear of COVID-19, Psychological Distress, and Psychological Well-being among Turkish Adults , 2022, Current Psychology.

[6]  M. Griffiths,et al.  Self-Compassion Moderates the Association Between Body Dissatisfaction and Suicidal Ideation in Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study , 2022, International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction.

[7]  P. Gilbert,et al.  Compassion Protects Mental Health and Social Safeness During the COVID-19 Pandemic Across 21 Countries , 2022, Mindfulness.

[8]  K. Agha,et al.  Dimensions of Psychological Well-being and Subjective Happiness in the New Normal: An Exploration , 2021, FIIB Business Review.

[9]  M. Q. Nguyen,et al.  Predictors of Intention to Get a COVID-19 Vaccine of Health Science Students: A Cross-Sectional Study , 2021, Risk management and healthcare policy.

[10]  P. Zoysa,et al.  Cultural validation of the Self‐Compassion Scale and the Subjective Happiness Scale and the influence of gender on self‐compassion and subjective happiness in a Sri Lankan undergraduate population , 2021, Asian Journal of Social Psychology.

[11]  B. Radlinska,et al.  The relationship between COVID-19 pandemic-related stress and meaning in life: testing the moderating effects of self-compassion and savoring , 2021, Anxiety, stress, and coping.

[12]  Cindy Lee,et al.  The Effect of Self Compassion on the Subjective Well-Being of Unemployed Fresh Graduate in Jakarta During the Covid-19 Pandemic , 2021, Proceedings of the International Conference on Economics, Business, Social, and Humanities (ICEBSH 2021).

[13]  T. Long.  Individual Subjective Well-Being during the COVID-19 Pandemic , 2021, Sustainability.

[14]  E. Molinari,et al.  Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on psychological well-being of students in an Italian university: a web-based cross-sectional survey , 2021, Globalization and Health.

[15]  H. Pape.  The Influence of COVID-19 Stress on Psychological Well-Being Among Vietnamese Adults: The Role of Self-Compassion and Gratitude , 2021 .

[16]  T. M. Nguyen,et al.  The influence of COVID-19 stress on psychological well-being among Vietnamese adults: The role of self-compassion and gratitude. , 2021 .

[17]  Hanna Suh,et al.  What Predicts Meaning in Life? The Role of Perfectionistic Personality and Self-Compassion , 2021, Journal of Constructivist Psychology.

[18]  B. Lau,et al.  Self-Compassion Buffers the Adverse Mental Health Impacts of COVID-19-Related Threats: Results From a Cross-Sectional Survey at the First Peak of Hong Kong's Outbreak , 2020, Frontiers in Psychiatry.

[19]  M. Clark,et al.  A State of De-Stress: Examining the Relationship Between Subjective Well-Being, Self-Compassion, and Empathy , 2020 .

[20]  COVID-19 and the Need for Action on Mental Health , 2020, UN Executive Office of the Secretary-General (EOSG) Policy Briefs and Papers.

[21]  K. R. Nayar,et al.  COVID 19 and its mental health consequences , 2020, Journal of mental health.

[22]  Joachim Stoeber,et al.  Perfectionism, (self-)compassion, and subjective well-being: A mediation model , 2020 .

[23]  T. Schnell,et al.  Cross-Lagged Analyses Between Life Meaning, Self-Compassion, and Subjective Well-being Among Gifted Adults , 2019, Mindfulness.

[24]  T. Schnell,et al.  Brilliant: But What For? Meaning and Subjective Well-Being in the Lives of Intellectually Gifted and Academically High-Achieving Adults , 2016, Journal of Happiness Studies.

[25]  K. Neff,et al.  Self-Compassion and Psychological Well-being , 2017 .

[26]  R. Benzo,et al.  Compassion, Mindfulness, and the Happiness of Healthcare Workers , 2017, Explore.

[27]  Jale Eldeleklioğlu,et al.  What is the role of self-compassion on subjective happiness and life satisfaction? , 2016 .

[28]  Crystal L. Park,et al.  Meaning in Life as Comprehension, Purpose, and Mattering: Toward Integration and New Research Questions , 2016 .

[29]  H. Trompetter,et al.  Why Does Positive Mental Health Buffer Against Psychopathology? An Exploratory Study on Self-Compassion as a Resilience Mechanism and Adaptive Emotion Regulation Strategy , 2016, Cognitive Therapy and Research.

[30]  Sven Garbade,et al.  The Relationship Between Self-Compassion and Well-Being: A Meta-Analysis. , 2015, Applied psychology. Health and well-being.

[31]  C. Hall,et al.  The Role of Self-Compassion in Physical and Psychological Well-Being , 2013, The Journal of psychology.

[32]  L. Yarnell,et al.  Self-compassion, Interpersonal Conflict Resolutions, and Well-being , 2013 .

[33]  K. Neff,et al.  Self-compassion and Psychological Resilience Among Adolescents and Young Adults , 2010 .

[34]  R. Vonk,et al.  Self-compassion versus global self-esteem: two different ways of relating to oneself. , 2009, Journal of personality.

[35]  D. Schallert,et al.  Self-kindness when facing stress: The role of self-compassion, goal regulation, and support in college students’ well-being , 2009 .

[36]  M. Leary,et al.  Self-compassion and reactions to unpleasant self-relevant events: the implications of treating oneself kindly. , 2007, Journal of personality and social psychology.

[37]  S. Rude,et al.  Self-compassion and adaptive psychological functioning. , 2007 .

[38]  B. Fredrickson,et al.  Positive affect and the complex dynamics of human flourishing. , 2005, The American psychologist.

[39]  C. Keyes,et al.  Optimizing well-being: the empirical encounter of two traditions. , 2002, Journal of personality and social psychology.

[40]  C. Dolea,et al.  World Health Organization , 1949, International Organization.

[41]  Alexandros G. Sahinidis,et al.  The influence of personality on compliance with COVID-19 public health protection measures: The role of prosocial behavior , 2022, Journal of Governance and Regulation.

[42]  S. A. Satici,et al.  Mindfulness and subjective happiness during the pandemic: Longitudinal mediation effect of hope , 2022, Personality and Individual Differences.

[43]  R. Keyte,et al.  Examining the impact of mindfulness and self-compassion on the relationship between mental health and resiliency , 2020 .

[44]  Jennifer L. Smith.  Self-Compassion and Resilience in Senior Living Residents , 2015 .

[45]  K. Neff,et al.  Self-Compassion, Self-Esteem, and Well-Being , 2011 .

[46]  姜哲,et al.  韧性（Resilience）的概念分析 , 2008 .

[47]  E. Deci,et al.  Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. , 2000, The American psychologist.

[48]  S. Lyubomirsky,et al.  A Measure of Subjective Happiness: Preliminary Reliability and Construct Validation , 1999 .

[49]  Jakarta, Indonesia , 2022 .