The Role of Self-compassion as a Mediator Between Insomnia, Depression, and Anxiety

Insomnia, depression, and anxiety are associated constructs with direct impact on health and quality of life. However, the specific mechanisms underlying these associations remain largely understudied. One of the possible intermediary variables underlying these associations might be self-compassion. Therefore, the goal of the current study was to specifically examine if self-compassion mediates the relationship between insomnia and depression (and vice versa) and insomnia and anxiety (and vice versa). Data from 494 individuals were collected. The participants were recruited from the general population and filled out an online survey containing a set of self-reported measures of insomnia severity, depression, and anxiety. The findings indicated that insomnia effect on depression operates through self-compassion (b = 0.08; 95