The mediating role of self‑compassion in the relationship between positive reactivity, negative reactivity, and perfectionism with disordered eating

Individuals with disordered eating are at an increased of having one or more additional risks for comorbid disorders, such as anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, and insomnia. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of self‑compassion in the relationship between positive reactivity, negative reactivity, and perfectionism with disordered eating.

The study method was descriptive‑correlational through structural equation modeling (SEM). The present study population included all students of the University of Tehran in the city of Tehran in 2018–2019. A total of 302 students were selected by convenience sampling method and completed questionnaires on eating attitudes test‑8, self‑compassion scale (short form), eating disorder inventory‑perfectionism scale, and Perth emotional reactivity scale. The SEM path analysis and Pearson correlation coefficient were conducted to analyze the obtained data in SPSS‑23 and Lisrel‑8.80.

The finding of the path analysis showed that self‑compassion acts as a mediating  role in the relationship of disordered eating with positive and negative emotional reactivity and perfectionism. Only the direct effect coefficient of general positive reactivity on disordered eating was not significant.

Based on the results of this study, self‑compassion can serve as a protective factor against negative emotional reactivity and perfectionism. Therefore, self‑compassion can be considered in the development of prevention and treatment programs for disordered eating.