A Comparison of Self-Compassion and Self-Esteem Based on Their Relationship With Adaptive and Maladaptive Emotion Regulation Strategies

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between adaptive and maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies, self-compassion, and self-esteem; and to determine whether self-compassion compared to self-esteem, was a better predictor of the scores on the adaptive and maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies.  Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. The statistical population included all students of the University of Applied Science and Technology (unit 47 in Tehran), in the education year 2015-2016. A total of 146 students were selected using a convenient sampling method. After explaining the purpose and procedure of the study to the participants and obtaining their verbal consent, the following questionnaires were administered: The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Self-Compassion Scale, and the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. Pearson correlation coefficient, two variable and multivariable regression analyses were used to analyze the data. All analyses were performed using SPSS software version 17.  Results: The results indicated that both self-compassion and self-esteem were positively related to adaptive and negatively related to maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies. Regression analysis revealed that self-compassion was a better predictor of maladaptive strategies, and self-esteem was a better predictor of adaptive strategies.  Conclusion: Self-compassion is a good indicator of mental health. In some aspects, self-compassion relative to self-esteem, is a better predictor of mental health. It also contains some healthy aspects of self-esteem. Therefore, teaching self-compassion skills to therapists and patients can be a useful technique to improve the mental health of the society.