Body Self-Image and Psychological Wellbeing among University Students: Self Compassion as a Moderator

Background. Negative body image can lead to psychological issues in university students however, self-compassion can help them to improve their body-image and enhance psychological wellbeing. Objectives. The study explored influence of body image on wellbeing in university moderated by self-compassion in university students. Method. In a cross-sectional research design 150 man and 150 women (N = 300) were conveniently sampled from public and private universities in Rawalpindi and Islamabad and ranged in age from 18-25 years. To assess body image perception, Body image Questionnaire-Short Form was used, while, the Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form was used to determine the participant’s capacity for self-compassion and Psychological Wellbeing Scale was used to assess psychological functioning. Results. Results of the current research showed that body image subscales were significantly and positively associated with self-compassion and psychological wellbeing. Furthermore, female participants exhibited positive body image than male counterparts. Self-compassion significantly moderated the relationship between subscales of body image and psychological wellbeing. Conclusion & Implications. The results of the current study will help the university students to raise their awareness about positive body image, which can lead to immediate improvements in self-compassion and psychological wellbeing.