Self-compassion, mindfulness, and emotion regulation predict multiple dimensions of quality of life in US post-9/11 veterans

Quality of life (QoL), defined by satisfaction, capacity for activities, and functional role performance, is an outcome of interest for both medical and psychological interventions. Among US veterans, QoL is lower than the general population and is associated with mortality and suicide. Third-wave psychosocial interventions (e.g., Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) emphasize QoL as the primary outcome of interest, and specific third-wave intervention targets (e.g., self-compassion, mindfulness, emotion regulation) may contribute to the satisfaction, capacity, and functional domains of QoL of veterans. To evaluate the longitudinal associations of self-compassion, mindfulness, and emotional regulation with three domains of QoL (psychosocial satisfaction, psychosocial capacity, and psychosocial relationship functioning) in US veterans.

351 US combat-deployed veterans self-reported measures of QoL, self-compassion, mindfulness, and emotional regulation at four timepoints across 24 months. Bayesian multivariate multilevel models were fit to the QoL outcomes.

Results indicated that all three domains of QoL remained relatively stable over the course of the study period. Increased psychosocial satisfaction and psychosocial capacity were both associated with increased mindfulness and emotion regulation, whereas self-compassion was only related to greater psychosocial capacity for male veterans. Increased functional role performances in romantic and family relationships were associated with increased emotion regulation, with romantic relationship functioning also being associated with increased mindfulness and family relationship functioning with increased self-compassion.

These results suggest that mechanisms of third-wave interventions have an impact on QoL among US veterans and that veteran QoL may be improved by broader integration of mindfulness and emotion regulation-based interventions.