Family Communication Patterns and Self-Compassion:The Mediating Role of Coping Strategies for Stress

The aim of the current research was the prediction of self-compassion based upon family communication patterns with mediating role of coping strategies for stress. In this study, 347 students (141 male and 206 female) from Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman were selected by multi-stage cluster sampling, then they responded to family communication patterns Instrument (Fitzpatrick & Ritchie, 1994), Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (Calsbeek, Rijken, Henegouwen & Dekker, 2003), and Self-Compassion Scale (Raes, Pommier, Neff & Van Gucht, 2011). The results of multiple regression analysis according to Baron and Kenny's steps showed that the conversation is a positive predictor of self-compassion, but the conformity have negative effect on self-compassion; conversation predicts the problem-focused coping strategy positively but it could not affect Emotion-Focused and avoidance strategies. However, conformity negatively affects problem-focused coping strategy and have a positive effect on emotion-focused and avoidance strategies. In addition, the findings revealed that the problem-focused coping strategy would predict self-compassion positively, but predicts emotion-focused and avoidance strategies negatively. Finally, the results showed that coping strategies for stress play a mediating role in the relationship between family communication patterns and self-compassion.