Self-compassion and life satisfaction: The mediating role of hope

The present study investigated the relationship between self-compassion, hope and life satisfaction in a sample of Chinese adults. Three hundred and twenty adults completed the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), the State Hope Scale (SHS) and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). The structural equation model's results showed that self-compassion was positively associated with hope and life satisfaction, that hope was positively associated with life satisfaction, and also that hope fully mediated the positive relationship between self-compassion and life satisfaction. Additionally, multi-group analyses showed that the structural model was not moderated by gender or age. The present study highlights the mediating role of hope as an underlying mechanism between self-compassion and life satisfaction. The theoretical and practical implications, as well as the limitations of the present study, are discussed. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.