Self-differentiation and self-concealment: serial mediation by self-compassion and intolerance of uncertainty

Abstract

Objectives: Self-concealment is an important issue that hinders progress fin the psychological help process. Considering its negative consequences in the field of mental health, it is important to address its relationship with risk factors and protective factors. Therefore, the present study examined whether self-differentiation was related to self-concealment and whether this relationship was mediated by self-compassion and intolerance of uncertainty.

Method: The participants in this study consisted of 300 university students, 183 females and 17 males, whose ages ranged between 18 and 42. All measurement tools used in the research ere applied anonymously.

Results: Meditation analysis results showed that in the hypothetical model, serial multiple mediation of self-compassion and intolerance of uncertainty is statistically significant and explains 37% of the variance in self-concealment. In addition, the single mediation effect of self-compassion was found to be higher than the multiple-serial mediation effect of self-compassion and intolerance of uncertainty together. The findings were discussed in the light of the literature.

Conclusions: This study may be a resource to the mental health professionals at the stage of planning protective and preventive intervention studies.