Evaluating the Role of Self-Compassion as a Mediator of Weight-Related Stress, Body Dissatisfaction, and Healt

The present study was designed to examine self-compassion as a mediating variable between weight-related stress and body image, physical health, and mental health. Weight discrimination is a pervasive public health problem, impacting physical health, mental health, body image, public policy, and treatment by medical providers. The Index of Weight-Related Stress, a previously validated measure, provided an objective measure of weight discrimination and stress resulting from discriminatory experiences. The results of this study suggest that weight-related stress was associated with poorer body image, physical health, and mental health. Alternatively, self-compassion was associated with less body dissatisfaction and better physical and mental health. In addition, self-compassion was found to be a mediator between weight-related stress and body image, physical health, and mental health. The current study demonstrated that self-compassion is a powerful mediating variable, with implications for therapeutic intervention for overweight/obese individuals who are at risk for weight discrimination and experience weight-related stress. Implications are discussed.