The Mediating Role of Self-Compassion in the Relationship of Alexithymia and Borderline Personality Symptoms with Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Behaviors in Soldiers

Non-suicidal self-injurious behaviors could strongly predict future suicide attempts. To better understand this behavior and related and mediating factors, this study was conducted to determine the mediating role of self-compassion in the relationship of Alexithymia and symptoms of Borderline Personality with non-suicidal self-injury behaviors in soldiers.

The study design was descriptive-correlational through structural equation modeling. The sample of the study (n=254) was selected by convenience sampling method among all the army soldiers in Tehran, Iran in 2019. The soldiers completed the scales including the Deliberate Self-harm Inventory (DSHI), Borderline Personality Scale (STB), Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) Short-Form, Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (CFI), and The Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire. Data were analyzed via Pearson correlation coefficient and the path analysis of structural equation modeling using SPSS-20 and Lisrel-8.80.

The NNSI is significantly correlated with a general score of Alexithymia (p=0.01, r=0.39) and borderline symptoms (p=0.01, r=0.64). However, it has a negative correlation with self-compassion score (p=0.01, r=-0.60). The self-compassion score is also negatively correlated with the general score of Alexithymia (p=0.01, r=-0.41) and borderline symptoms (p=0.01, r=-0.60). Moreover, the results of the path analysis showed that self-compassion acts as a mediator between the relation of NSSI with Alexithymia and borderline symptoms.

Self-compassion could be a protective factor against the negative effects of Alexithymia and borderline symptoms. In other words, the critical Alexithymia and borderline symptoms leading to NNSI behaviors are mediated by self-compassion. Thus, including this protective factor in preventive and therapeutic programs for NNSI in soldiers is highly recommended.