The Role of Self-compassion in Predicting Loneliness and Self-efficacy in the Elderly

Giving the growing population of the elderly, it is important to pay attention to their psychological health. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of self-compassion in predicting loneliness and self-efficacy in the elderly.

Methods & Materials:

 This is a descriptive correlational study. Study population consisted of all elderly residents of Gonbad Kavous County in Iran. Of these, 120 (70 women and 50 men) were selected using a convenience sampling technique. Data collection instruments were University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Loneliness Scale of Russell et al. (1966), General Self-efficacy Scale of Scherer et al. (1982) and Self-Compassion Scale of Neff (2003). Data analysis was performed by using Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis.

 Loneliness had a significant negative relationship with self-compassion dimensions of self-kindness, common humanity, mindfulness and its overall score, and a significant positive relationship with self-judgment, isolation and over-identification. Moreover, self-efficacy had a significant positive relationship with self-kindness, common humanity, mindfulness and overall self-compassion score, and a negative significant relationship with self-judgment, isolation and over-identification (P≤0.001). Self-kindness, self-judgment, common humanity, isolation, mindfulness and overall self-compassion score can predict 43% of loneliness variance and self-kindness, self-judgment, mindfulness, isolation and overall self-compassion score can predict 38% of self-efficacy variance.

 Self-compassion have an effective role in reducing loneliness and increasing self-efficacy in the elderly.