The Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation Difficulty in the Relationship between Self-Compassion with Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms and Rumination

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Psychology, ST.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran

10.22075/jcp.2025.34224.2896

Abstract

Introduction: Obsessive-compulsive symptoms and rumination are distinct psychological constructs that seems to have common underlying mechanisms and their comorbidity can have significant negative consequences. The aim of this research was to investigate the mediating role of emotion regulation difficulty in the relationship between self-compassion with obsessive-compulsive symptoms and rumination.
Method: The research design was a descriptive correlational design based on path analysis. The statistical population included undergraduate and graduate students of Valiasr Complex of Islamic Azad University, South Tehran branch in the academic year 2022-2023. According to Klein, the minimum sample size in studies that use structural equation modeling is 200. Therefore, considering the possibility of subject attrition and to increase the generalizability of the research results, 335 students were selected to participate in this study using a multi-stage cluster random sampling method. The data were collected using the Revised Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory (Foa et al., 2002), Ruminative Response Scale (Nolen-Hoeksema & Morrow, 1991), shortened version of Emotion Regulation Difficulties Scale (Bjureberg et al., 2016), and self-compassion scale-short form.The data were analyzed by path analysis.
Results: The results showed that all the direct effects in the model were significant except for the effect of self-compassion on obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Also, the indirect effects of self-compassion (through emotion regulation difficulty) on rumination and obsessive-compulsive symptoms were obtained significant.
Conclusion: Based on the findings of this research, it can be concluded that low self-compassion can play a role in the emergence or intensifying of rumination and obsessive-compulsive symptoms through creating problems in emotion regulation.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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  • Receive Date: 23 May 2024
  • Revise Date: 28 December 2025
  • Accept Date: 19 May 2025

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