ArticleBMC psychology2025
Dual pathways linking mindfulness to life satisfaction and depression: the mediating roles of self-compassion and rumination in Chinese university students.
Article in BMC psychology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed.
- The association between mindfulness and social anxiety in university students: the chain mediation role of rumination and self-compassion.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- The role of self compassion and psychological flexibility in the relationship between perseverance and life satisfaction among academics.BMC psychology · 2025Article
- Article
- The association of mindfulness with stress self-management among university teachers: the mediating roles of resilience and cognitive reappraisal.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Article
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5 authors.
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Abstract
objectiveMindfulness has been consistently linked to mental health benefits; however, the underlying mechanisms relating mindfulness to life satisfaction and depression remain underexplored. This study develops and empirically examines the Dual Pathways Mindfulness Model (DPMM), which posits that mindfulness is associated with mental health through sequential mechanisms involving self-compassion and rumination among university students.
methodsA cross-sectional survey involving 1,409 Chinese university students was conducted. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the hypothesized sequential mediation model. Indirect effects were examined using bias-corrected bootstrap confidence intervals.
resultsMindfulness was positively associated with life satisfaction (Effect = 0.080, p < 0.01) and negatively associated with depression (Effect = -0.180, p < 0.001). Self-compassion significantly mediated both associations, linking mindfulness to higher life satisfaction (Indirect effect = 0.057, 95% CI [0.05, 0.07]) and lower depression (Indirect effect = -0.033, 95% CI [-0.04, -0.03]). Rumination also served as a significant mediator for life satisfaction (Indirect effect = 0.067, 95% CI [0.02, 0.04]) and depression (Indirect effect = -0.064, 95% CI [ -0.07, -0.05]). Furthermore, a sequential mediation pathway was identified: higher mindfulness was associated with greater self-compassion, which was linked to lower rumination, ultimately associated with increased life satisfaction (Indirect effect = 0.020, 95% CI [0.01, 0.03]) and decreased depressive symptoms (Indirect effect = -0.039, 95% CI [-0.05, -0.03]).
conclusionThis study proposes and validates the DPMM, a novel model explaining how mindfulness relates to mental health through interconnected self-regulatory processes. By identifying self-compassion and rumination as sequential mediators, the findings offer theoretical insights into the psychological mechanisms linking mindfulness to enhanced well-being. While the cross-sectional design precludes causal claims, the results provide a foundational framework to guide future longitudinal studies and inform mental health promotion strategies grounded in mechanism-based understanding.
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