Relationship of self-compassion and hope with quality of life for individuals with bleeding disorders

Abstract

Individuals with bleeding disorders experience a number of physical and psychosocial stressors in their lives (Bullinger & von Mackensen, 2008; Forsyth, Cassis, Iorio, & Querol, 2011; Hill, 2015; Poon, 2013; Rolstad, 2014; Trzepacz, Vannatta, Davies, Stehbens, & Noll, 2003; Williams & Chapman, 2011). However, little research has been conducted to explore the psychological factors that influence quality of life for such individuals. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship of self-compassion and hope with quality of life in a sample of individuals who have bleeding disorders (n = 86). Self-compassion and hope were significantly and positively related to overall quality of life for these patients and were significant predictors of quality of life when considered together. However, hope was the only significant individual predictor of quality of life, which may be explained in part by the shared variance between self-compassion and hope. Focusing psychological interventions and education around the topics of self-compassion and hope may be beneficial for this unique patient population to enhance their overall quality of life.