Self-regulation resource model of body compassion in multiple sclerosis.

Purpose/objective: This cross-sectional study applied the self-regulation resource model of self-compassion to people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). We examined the role of body compassion as a resilience resource and its associations with self-regulation resources (affect and self-efficacy) and health behaviors (substance use, exercise, and social engagement).

Research method/design: Participants were N = 799 adults with a self-reported multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis who completed an online survey sent out to a regional and national MS listserv (August 2023-February 2024). The survey assessed stress, coping, resilience, mental health, and common MS symptoms. We employed three structural equation mediation models to examine hypotheses.

Results: Body compassion was associated with all self-regulation resources. However, not all self-regulation resources mediate the relationship between body compassion and health behaviors. Health self-efficacy partially mediated the relationship between body compassion, social relations, and drug use, while negative affect partially mediated the body compassion-drug use relation. Model fit was generally good across analyses.

Conclusions/implications: The study expands the theory of body compassion to a clinical sample of PwMS, suggesting that body compassion may be an important factor in various health behaviors relevant to MS. The findings highlight the potential of self-efficacy and negative affect as self-regulation resources in the relationship between body compassion and health behaviors. These insights could help rehabilitation psychologists and multidisciplinary care teams in developing interventions to enhance resilience and maintain adaptive health behaviors in PwMS. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).