Adolescent Self-Compassion: Associations With Narcissism, Self-Esteem, Aggression, and Internalizing Symptoms In At-Risk Males

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-1-2015

School

Psychology

Abstract

Self-compassion is an attitude toward oneself that involves perceiving one's experiences as an opportunity for self-awareness and improvement, as well as limited self-judgment after failure. Self-compassion has not been extensively studied in adolescence, a time when self-perception and self-appraisals regarding success and failure take on notable importance. This study considered the connection between self-compassion, narcissism, self-esteem, aggression, and internalizing problems in a sample of 251 male adolescents, ages 16-18, attending a residential program. Self-compassion was negatively correlated with aggression and vulnerable narcissism and positively correlated with self-esteem. In general, self-compassion did not exhibit the hypothesized protective effect on the relation between narcissism and aggression. Findings indicate that, as expected, self-compassion is indicative of a relatively secure, positive sense of self in adolescents.

Publication Title

Personality and Individual Differences

Volume

77

First Page

118

Last Page

123

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