Mediating Effects of Resilience Between Mindfulness, Self-compassion, and Psychological Distress in a Longitudinal Study

Recent years have witnessed increasing research interest in the collective impact of resilience, mindfulness, and self-compassion on individuals’ mental health. This longitudinal study examined the mediating effects of resilience approximately one year after the baseline assessment on baseline mindfulness, baseline self-compassion, and psychological distress approximately two years after the baseline assessment. The study involved 486 Japanese participants, surveyed at three different time points, spaced one year apart. Mediation analysis revealed two distinct pathways: (1) an indirect effect of mindfulness on psychological distress mediated by resilience, and (2) an indirect effect of self-compassion on psychological distress mediated by resilience. However, no statistically significant direct effects of mindfulness and self-compassion on psychological distress were observed. These findings suggest a fully mediated model for psychological distress with resilience serving as the mediator. The mediation model promotes mindfulness and self-compassion as practices that foster the expansion of psychological resources associated with resilience, such as attentional control and emotional regulation, ultimately leading to fewer psychological distress.