Examining the predictive abilities of mindfulness, self-compassion, and grit
Abstract
A growing body of evidence indicates that positive psychology constructs are related to better mental health. In particular, greater mindfulness and self-compassion are associated with better psychological well-being, and some research suggests that grit may be related to less depression. This study explored the extent to which mindfulness, self-compassion, and grit uniquely predicted well-being. Participants were 228 college students (75.9% female, 78.9% White, Mage = 19.84 years) who completed a series of questionnaires. Overall, greater self-compassion and greater mindfulness were uniquely associated with better well-being. Furthermore, self-compassion partially mediated the relation between mindfulness and well-being. In general, grit was not significantly related to the well-being outcomes. These findings support the existing literature regarding the benefits of mindfulness and self-compassion and suggest that self-compassion may be a mechanism of action in mindfulness-based interventions.