Can self-compassion and mindfulness predict psychological wellbeing in individuals with endometriosis? Findings from an online survey

Background Endometriosis presents diagnostic challenges and has profound impacts, encompassing physical and\r\npsychological symptoms, relationship difficulties, and disruptions in daily life. The emotional burden is pervasive,\r\nintensified by feelings of anxiety, depression, guilt, and shame. Despite extensive exploration of risk factors such as\r\npelvic pain, knowledge about protective factors for mental health in this population is limited. Thus, this study aims\r\nto investigate whether self-compassion and mindfulness are associated with enhanced psychological wellbeing in\r\nindividuals with endometriosis.\r\nMethods This cross-sectional study involved 653 participants aged 18 years or older, self-reporting a clinical\r\nor surgical diagnosis of endometriosis. Data collection occurred online via Qualtrics from May 11 to August 24,\r\n2022. Sociodemographic and endometriosis-related data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire.\r\nPsychological wellbeing, self-compassion, and mindfulness were assessed using validated self-report questionnaires.\r\nResults Out of 1,153 survey accesses, 653 participants (75%) provided complete responses and were included.\r\nSelf-compassion and mindfulness exhibited a positive correlation with psychological wellbeing. In a hierarchical\r\nmultiple regression model, controlling for confounding factors, both variables significantly increased the explained\r\nvariance (ΔR2 = 0.315). However, only the association between psychological wellbeing and self-compassion remained\r\nstatistically significant.\r\nConclusions Self-compassion emerges as an important protective factor for psychological wellbeing in the\r\ncontext of endometriosis. These findings, coupled with recent studies, emphasize the significance of promoting\r\nself-compassion in the psychological treatment of individuals with endometriosis, especially among the young and\r\nrecently diagnosed.