The Role of Self- Compassion in College Students’ Perceived Social Support

Abstract

Can undergraduate students’ self-compassion, or their relationship with themselves, positively influence the degree to which they feel supported by their friends? Filling a gap in the understanding of social cognitive processes in the field of positive psychology, this study investigated social information processing theory (SIP) as a possible explanation for relations between students’ self-compassion and perceived social support from friends. Results from an online survey with 119 undergraduate students revealed that individuals with greater selfcompassion tended to make fewer hostile and instrumental attributions and reported greater social support from friends. Individuals who endorsed more instrumental attributions and fewer hostile attributions were less likely to respond aggressively and more likely to respond in socially appropriate ways, which, in turn, was related to greater perceived support from friends.