Do insight and altruism lead to flourishing through providing self-compassion in mental health professional candidates?

ABSTRACTIn this study, we examined the mediating role of self-compassion in the relationship between insight and altruism and flourishing among mental health professional candidates. We adopted a cross-sectional atemporal design to examine how mental health professional candidates’ insight and altruism affect their flourishing via self-compassion. The model was tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). Four hundred one participants (Male = 76, Female = 324; Mage = 20.5, SD = 1.8) took part in the study via a web-based survey and completed the Psychological Well-Being Scale, Altruism Scale, Self-compassion Scale, and Insight Scale. The study results showed that insight, altruism, and self-compassion were meaningful psychological dynamics supporting flourishing. The results revealed that self-compassion played a mediating role in the effect of insight on flourishing. On the other hand, the results showed that self-compassion did not mediate the effect of altruism on flourishing.KEYWORDS: Flourishinginsightaltruismself-compassionmental health professional candidates Data availability statementThe datasets generated for this study are available on request to the corresponding author.Data availabilityThe author confirms that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article [and/or] its supplementary materials.Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Ethical approvalThis study was approved by the ethics committee of Anadolu University (register number 232106)Patient consentAll study participants provided informed written consent prior to study enrolment.Permission to reproduce material from other sources: The author gives permission to reproduce material from other sources.Additional informationNotes on contributorsGamze Ülker TümlüGamze Ülker Tümlü has been working as an assistant professor at the Guidance and Counselling Department of Anadolu University in Eskisehir, Turkey. She had worked as a visiting scholar at University of Nort Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) between 2016 and 2017. She studies on counsellor education and clinical supervision.Ergün KaraErgün Kara has been working as a faculty member at the Guidance and Counselling Department of Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University in Antalya. She had worked as a school counsellor at 2006–2013. He studies on counsellor education, mental health and well-being of different groups, such as gifted individuals and athletes.