Relationship between Self-Compassion and Reward Perception: The Effects on Depression and Anxiety

Abstract

It has recently been pointed out that improved self-compassion (i.e., compassion toward oneself) may contribute to improvement in depression and anxiety through the so-called “third wave” of behavioral therapies, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Self-compassion is, however, a comprehensive concept that includes feelings of compassion as well as the motivation to alleviate distress; therefore it is difficult to say that the improvement can be predicted and controlled from a cognitive-behavioral perspective. This study examined how perceived reward, the degree of accompanying positive reinforcement following behavior, can influence the improvement in the effects of self-compassion on depression and anxiety. The results of a survey of 105 university students at a private university indicated that self-compassion had a significant indirect effect on depression or trait anxiety via reward perception. Reward perception thus appears to be predicting and controlling the effects of self-compassion on depression and anxiety, albeit only partially. Further studies are needed to examine the influence of other factors.