The relationships between self-compassion, social anxiety and social safeness

Abstract

Self-compassion has been increasingly studied and related to mental health and psychopathology indicators. Different conceptual models were used for its study, including those based on evolutionary psychology and biopsychosocial processes. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between self-compassion, social anxiety and social safeness. The research was quantitative, correlational and transversal. The sample was composed by 290 Brazilians, selected by convenience and participating through online research. Ethical procedures were respected and participants responded a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS), the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) and the Social Safeness and Pleasure Scale (SSPS). Results showed negative correlations between the self-warmth components of self-compassion and social anxiety and positive relationships with social safeness. Conversely, the self-coldness components of self-compassion were positively correlated with social anxiety and negatively correlated with social safeness. These results are consistent with theoretical models of psychological research on compassion and social anxiety. Therefore, it is possible to notice the relevance of self-compassion and social safeness as elements associated to intrapersonal and interpersonal psychological health. These results have implications for interventions based on self-compassion and evolutionary psychology.

Keywords: Self-compassion; Social anxiety; Social safeness.