The present study examined the relationship between self-compassion (SC) and emotional well-being in college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The theoretical framework for the study was that SC, defined as an understanding and caring response to one’s suffering and limitations, may serve as a protective factor against negative mental health outcomes. A sample of college students (N = 101) completed self-report measures of SC, depression, anxiety, stress, life satisfaction and subjective happiness. Data were analysed using regression analysis to examine the prediction of emotional well-being variables by SC and moderation analysis to examine the moderating effect of SC on the relationships between emotional well-being variables. The study’s results confirmed the hypothesis that SC would predict emotional well-being. SC significantly predicted all variables examined, including depression, anxiety, stress, life satisfaction (LS) and subjective happiness (SH). However, SC did not moderate the relationships between these variables. Isolation significantly moderated the relationship between SH and depression among college students. These findings support the idea that SC may serve as a protective factor against negative mental health outcomes and suggest that interventions aimed at increasing SC may improve mental health and overall well-being in college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further research is needed to understand these relationships’ mechanisms and the factors that may influence them.

The purpose of this study is to explore the extent to which self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and stress experienced during childhood may contribute to the development of disordered eating behaviors in adulthood. The existing literature indicates that disordered eating habits are positively associated with symptoms of anxiety, stress, depression, and low self-esteem. However, most research focuses on the concurrent relationships among these variables rather than examining whether low self-esteem and poor mental health in childhood can influence the emergence of disordered eating behaviors later in life. An online quantitative survey was conducted using questionnaires completed by 135 participants aged between 30 and 70 years. The results revealed that low self-esteem and high levels of depression, anxiety, and stress during childhood were associated with increased disordered eating behaviors in adulthood. These findings suggest that negative self-perceptions and poor mental health in childhood have lasting effects that extend into adulthood. This knowledge can be valuable for psychologists, mental health professionals, parents, and schools in designing intervention programs aimed at enhancing children’s and adolescents’ self-esteem, promoting good mental health, and fostering healthy eating habits.

Self-compassion is the ability to be kind to oneself in difficult times, recognize shared human struggles, and stay mindful of present emotions. Though first explored in adults, it is increasingly studied in youth, with long-term benefits into adulthood. School-based research is limited but promising. Self-compassion protects against suicidal ideation in abused students and enhances school belonging. It reduces stress and burnout, and a 4-week intervention showed improvements in self-compassion, resilience, peer connection, and reduced anxiety. Academically, self-compassionate students report lower test anxiety and better performance. A Greek study found increased self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness, alongside reduced anxiety and negative self-views. Schools provide a safe space to foster self-compassion, with school counselors playing a key role in promoting student well-being.

This chapter is an in-depth overview of the critical role that psychoeducational programs play in training students to negotiate the complexity of the digital age. In response to the growing issues provided by online hazards, this chapter examines the design, implementation, and impact of programs designed to provide students with the necessary information. Based on educational psychology concepts, the chapter gives practical recommendations for educators and facilitators looking to develop programs that not only inform but also actively involve students in critical discussions about responsible online behavior. The chapter underlines the importance of interactive techniques in addressing the psychoeducational components of online behavior via the perspective of experiential learning. As schools aspire to create a digitally empowered generation, this chapter is a great resource for educators, providing concrete insights for designing meaningful programs that prepare students with the resilience and knowledge needed to navigate the ever-changing digital landscape responsibly.

Background/Objectives: State self-compassion, a temporary and situationally specific form of responding to oneself with compassion, has been increasingly examined in relation to emotional distress, yet most studies have examined anxiety and depression as parallel outcomes rather than exploring how self-compassion relates to depressive symptoms while accounting for anxiety severity. The present study examined whether state self-compassion is independently associated with depressive symptoms after controlling for anxiety severity and demographic variables, and whether anxiety moderates the associations between state self-compassion and depressive symptoms as well as positive affect. Methods: A community sample of 581 Greek adults aged 18–65 years completed the State Self-Compassion Scale–Long Form (SSCS-L), the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales–21 (DASS-21), and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted controlling for age, gender, and education, and interaction terms between centered state self-compassion and anxiety severity were entered to test moderation. Separate models were estimated for depressive symptoms and positive affect. Results: State self-compassion was significantly associated with lower depressive symptoms and higher positive affect after controlling for anxiety severity and demographic variables. Anxiety severity was positively associated with depressive symptoms. A small but statistically significant interaction indicated that the negative association between state self-compassion and depressive symptoms was slightly stronger at higher levels of anxiety. No moderation effect was observed for positive affect. Conclusions: Findings indicate that state self-compassion was independently associated with lower depressive symptoms and higher positive affect. Self-compassion with psychological functioning is largely consistent across anxiety levels. The results do not support a strong protective role for self-compassion; the association with lower depressive symptoms held broadly across anxiety levels. Future research should include longitudinal or intervention-based studies to enhance the role of self-compassion in helping people manage the difficult emotions.

Background: Eco-anxiety refers to an individual’s emotional response to environmental conditions such as air pollution and climate change. Eco-anxiety has been associated with various psychological variables; however, there is limited research on positive factors such as self-compassion. Previous studies have examined the relationship between eco-anxiety and certain dimensions of self-compassion, such as isolation and mindfulness, but have not investigated its relationship with self-compassion as a whole or with its other dimensions. Methods: The present cross-sectional study aims to address this gap by examining a sample of 586 adults of all genders from different regions of Greece. The participants were collected through convenience sampling and completed two scales: the Self-Compassion Scale and the Hogg Eco-Anxiety Scale (which has undergone a validation process in Greek). Results: Using linear multiple regression analysis, the results showed that isolation has a positive correlation with affective symptoms, rumination and behavioural symptoms. Mindfulness has a negative correlation with affective symptoms, behavioural symptoms and anxiety about personal impact. Anxiety about personal impact is positively associated with self-kindness and over-identification. Conclusions: Instead of assuming a uniform relationship between self-compassion and eco-anxiety, this dimensional approach may help clarify whether specific self-compassion processes are more relevant to particular emotional, cognitive, and behavioural manifestations of eco-anxiety.