The Relationship between Self-Compassion and Psychological Resilience with Future Anxiety among Paramedical Students in Babol
Keywords:
Self-Compassion, Psychological Resilience, Future Anxiety, Paramedical StudentsAbstract
Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between self-compassion and psychological resilience with future anxiety and to determine the predictive contribution of these variables among paramedical students at Islamic Azad University, Babol Branch.
Methods and Materials: This descriptive-correlational study was conducted among paramedical students enrolled in Nursing, Midwifery, and Laboratory Sciences programs at Islamic Azad University, Babol Branch, during the 2024–2025 academic year. A total of 150 students were selected through proportionate stratified random sampling. Data were collected using the Zaleski Future Anxiety Scale (FAS), the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), and Neff’s Self-Compassion Scale (SCS). Pearson correlation coefficients and simultaneous multiple regression analysis were employed to analyze the data.
Findings: The results demonstrated significant negative correlations between future anxiety and self-compassion (r = -0.48, p < 0.01), as well as between future anxiety and psychological resilience (r = -0.61, p < 0.01). In addition, self-compassion was positively associated with psychological resilience (r = 0.54, p < 0.01). Multiple regression analysis revealed that the overall model was statistically significant (R = 0.68, R² = 0.46, Adjusted R² = 0.44, F = 45.38, p < 0.001). Together, self-compassion and psychological resilience explained 46% of the variance in future anxiety. Standardized regression coefficients indicated that psychological resilience (β = -0.49, p < 0.001) was a stronger predictor of reduced future anxiety than self-compassion (β = -0.35, p < 0.001).
Conclusion: The findings suggest that self-compassion and psychological resilience function as important protective psychological resources against future anxiety among paramedical students. Individuals with higher levels of self-kindness, emotional acceptance, and adaptive coping capacity experience lower levels of concern and uncertainty regarding their future. Among the examined predictors, psychological resilience demonstrated the strongest contribution to reducing future anxiety. These findings highlight the value of implementing university-based counseling and psychoeducational programs focused on strengthening resilience and self-compassion to promote students’ mental health and reduce future-oriented worries.
Downloads
References
Ahmadi, R., Mohammadpour, S., & Alizadeh, M. (2021). The Relationship between Resilience and Academic Stress in Medical Sciences Students: The Mediating Role of Coping Strategies. Journal of Education in Medical Sciences, 21(3), 45-58.
Beck, A. T. (1985). Cognitive Approaches to Anxiety Disorders. Guilford Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-5254-9_7
Beck, A. T., & Clark, D. A. (2019). Cognitive Science of Anxiety: Theory, Research, and Treatment. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 75(8), 1452-1465.
Connor, K. M., & Davidson, J. R. T. (2003). Development of a New Resilience Scale: The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Depression and Anxiety, 18(2), 76-82. https://doi.org/10.1002/da.10113
Friedman, A., Cohen, R., & Levy, Y. (2020). Future Anxiety: Conceptualization, Measurement, and Outcomes. Anxiety, Stress, & Coping, 33(4), 361-375.
Holas, P., & Wardęszkiewicz, J. (2025). Self-Compassion and Resilience as Mediators of a 30-Day Internet-Delivered Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy: A Pragmatic Open Trial. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7555045/v1
Hosseini, S. A., & Rezaei, F. (2022). Investigation of Future Career Anxiety in Paramedical Students and Its Related Factors. Journal of the Faculty of Paramedicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 16(2), 112-125.
Karimi, Z., & Mohammadi, N. (2023). The Role of Self-Compassion in Predicting Academic Burnout among Nursing and Midwifery Students. Journal of Nursing and Midwifery, 21(1), 33-45.
Liu, X., Fang, H., Tian, T., Zhang, J., Ji, Y., & Zhong, Y. (2025). Self-Compassion and Work Engagement Among Clinical Nurses: The Mediating Role of Moral Resilience. Frontiers in Public Health, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1507539
Luthar, S. S., Cicchetti, D., & Becker, B. (2000). The Construct of Resilience: A Critical Evaluation and Guidelines for Future Work. Child development, 71(3), 543-562. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8624.00164
Martin, A. J., & Marsh, H. W. (2008). Academic Buoyancy: Towards an Understanding of Students' Everyday Academic Resilience. Journal of School Psychology, 46(1), 53-83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2007.01.002
McBeth, A., & Gumley, A. (2012). Exploring Compassion: A Meta-Analysis of the Association between Self-Compassion and Psychopathology. Clinical psychology review, 32(6), 545-552. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2012.06.003
Mohammadjani, Z., Shahhosseini Tazik, S., Noori, R., & Saremi, A. (2025). The Relationship between Metacognitive Strategies and Resilience: The Mediating Role of Self-Compassion and Alexithymia in Bereaved Students. Horizon of Medical Education Development. https://doi.org/10.22038/hmed.2025.85087.1469
Neff, K. D. (2003). The Development and Validation of a Scale to Measure Self-Compassion. Self and identity, 2(3), 223-250. https://doi.org/10.1080/15298860309027
Neff, K. D., & Germer, C. K. (2013). A Pilot Study and Randomized Controlled Trial of the Mindful Self-Compassion Program. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 69(1), 28-44. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.21923
Neff, K. D., & McGehee, P. (2010). Self-Compassion and Psychological Resilience among Adolescents and Young Adults. Self and identity, 9(3), 225-240. https://doi.org/10.1080/15298860902979307
Pank, C., von Boros, L., Lieb, K., Dalkner, N., Egger-Lampl, S., Lehr, D., & et al. (2025). The role of self-care and self-compassion in networks of resilience and stress among healthcare professionals. Scientific reports, 15(1), 18545. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-01111-1
Rezavandi, M., Ariapooran, S., & Karami, J. (2025). The Effectiveness of Compassion-Based Therapy on Fatigue, Self-Compassion and Resilience of Elderly Home Nurses. Journal of Modern Psychological Researches, 20(77), 37-47. https://doi.org/10.22034/jmpr.2023.58536.5837
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Jamal Sadeghi; Fatemeh Yazdani Charati (Author)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.