Self-Compassion as a Protective Factor for Sexually Assaulted College Students

Abstract

Sexual assault is a common type of traumatic event on college campuses. It is associated with mental health disorders, including anxiety and depression. However, not all people who experience sexual assault will go onto develop psychopathology because of the presence of protective factors. The current study examined the protective effect of self-compassion for young adults sexually assaulted in their first year at the University of Washington (N = 145), and also examined whether the relationship between self-compassion and mental health would be moderated by stressful event exposure, resilient coping, and assault severity. Findings showed that self-compassion was associated with better mental health for sexual assault survivors, regardless of stressful event exposure, assault severity, and resilient coping. Self-judgment showed a stronger relationship with outcomes than self-tolerance, and assault quarter was also a meaningful predictor of mental health outcomes.