Beyond self-control: self-compassion as a mediator in the dynamics of self-control, self-esteem, and emotional regulation among adolescents

This study reveals the psychological mechanisms underlying emotional regulation in adolescents, emphasizing the role of self-compassion as a mediator between self-control and self-esteem. Using a quantitative approach with PLS-SEM analysis on 800 adolescents in Padang, the results indicate that all hypotheses were supported. Self-control, self-esteem, and self-compassion significantly influence emotional regulation, both directly and indirectly. Specifically, self-compassion was found to be a key mechanism bridging the effects of self-control and self-esteem on emotional regulation. Descriptive findings indicate that emotional regulation falls into the moderate category, including among adolescents from intact families, suggesting a paradox between family structural integrity and optimal emotional regulation. These findings underscore the dominance of internal psychological factors over external structural factors. This study contributes to the development of an integrative mediation-based model of emotional regulation and offers practical implications that interventions for adolescents should focus on strengthening self-compassion as an adaptive mechanism for emotional regulation.