Self-compassion and Reactions to Serious Illness: the Case of HIV

Overview

Journal J Health Psychol

Publisher Sage Publications

Specialty Psychology

Date 2013 Jan 10

PMID 23300046

Citations 26

Authors

John M Brion

Mark R Leary

Anya S Drabkin

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

To test the hypothesis that self-compassion buffers people against the emotional impact of illness and is associated with medical adherence, 187 HIV-infected individuals completed a measure of self-compassion and answered questions about their emotional and behavioral reactions to living with HIV. Self-compassion was related to better adjustment, including lower stress, anxiety, and shame. Participants higher in self-compassion were more likely to disclose their HIV status to others and indicated that shame had less of an effect on their willingness to practice safe sex and seek medical care. In general, self-compassion was associated with notably more adaptive reactions to having HIV.

Citing Articles

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