Self-compassion moderates the perceived stress and self-care behaviors link in women with breast cancer

Objective: Women with breast cancer are exposed to various stressors, and self-care behaviors play an important role in their recovery. However, very few studies have investigated self-care behaviors specifically for women with breast cancer. The current study examined the relationship between perceived stress and self-care behaviors, and explored whether self-compassion moderated this relationship. Methods: A sample of 210 women with breast cancer aged 27 to 60 years old from three hospitals in Tehran, Iran completed online self-report questionnaires of self-care behaviors, self-compassion, and perceived stress. Results: Data analyses with structural equation modeling showed that perceived stress (β = −.37, P <.01) and self-compassion (β =.38, P <.01) were significant predictors of self-care behaviors. The interaction-moderation analysis showed that self-compassion acted as a moderator between perceived stress and self-care behaviors. Conclusions: The findings enhance our understanding about the protective role of self-compassion in the relationship between perceived stress and self-care behaviors in women with breast cancer.