The role of self-compassion in the relationship between adult attachment and disordered eating

Insecure attachment has been linked to lower self-compassion and greater disordered eating symptoms, and there is growing evidence that self-compassion is a protective factor against eating disorder pathology. The present study examines whether self-compassion mediates the association of close relationship expectancies (attachment anxiety and security) to disordered eating symptoms. Methods: Secondary, cross-sectional data from 327 undergraduate psychology students was analysed. Trait attachment, self-compassion, and disordered eating symptoms were self-reported. Mediation analyses were conducted to investigate the mediating effects of self-compassion on disordered eating symptoms. Results: Self-compassion partially mediated the association of attachment anxiety to disordered eating, and fully mediated the attachment security to disordered eating relationship. Attachment security uniquely predicted disordered eating outcomes via self-compassion, and among the two attachment dimensions, attachment anxiety had a stronger influence on disordered eating outcomes. Discussion: These results indicate that self-compassion may be a useful intervention target for the treatment of sub-clinical or diagnosed eating disorders, and provide evidence that conceptualising attachment security as low levels of attachment insecurity may be insufficient conceptually and psychometrically.