Self-Compassion in Diabetic Patients: Relationships of Type-D Personality with Psychological Well-Being and Self-Care

Objective: This research investigated the mediating role of self-compassion in the relationship of type D personality with psychological well-being and self-care behaviors in patients suffering from type ۲ diabetes.Research Method: The statistical population of this research included all patients with type ۲ diabetes in the cities of Rasht and Rezvanshahr in ۲۰۲۰-۲۰۲۱. In this descriptive cross-sectional study, ۳۶۸ patients were selected through purposive consecutive sampling. The participants completed the questionnaire of the summary of diabetes self-care activities (SDSCA), type D personality scale (DS-۱۴), Ryff's scale of psychological well-being (RSPWB), and self-compassion scale – short form (SCS-SF). The data were processed through structural equation modeling (SEM) in AMOS-۲۴. Bootstrapping was carried out by Preacher and Hayes’ (۲۰۰۸) macro to analyze the mediating relationships.Results: According to the bootstrapping analysis, self-compassion plays a significantly mediating role in the relationship of type D personality with psychological well-being and self-care behaviors (in all cases p<۰.۰۰۰۱). The coefficient of determination of the final model demonstrated that all exogenous and medicating variables can predict ۸۹% of the psychological well-being changes and ۸۷% of self-care behaviors.Conclusions: Self-compassion can serve as a buffer and reduce the destructive effects of the type D personality on the psychological well-being and self-care behaviors in diabetic patients. Thus, taking measures to train and strengthen self-compassion is essential in the psychological treatment of diabetic patients.