The Relationship Between Differentiation of Self and Authentic Personality: The Mediating Role of Self-Compassion

Abstract

This study explored how self-compassion may explain the link between differentiation of self and authentic personality. Although both constructs have strong theoretical relevance, little is known about how differentiation contributes to authenticity. Given that authenticity involves expressing a coherent and integrated sense of self across emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and moral domains, differentiation may provide its structural foundation. Therefore, it was examined whether self-compassion serves as a mediating regulatory mechanism through which differentiated capacities translate into authentic self-expression. Participants were 591 university students who completed measures of differentiation of self, self-compassion, and authentic personality. Results showed that self-compassion was positively related to authentic personality and partially mediated the relationship between I-position and authenticity. However, no significant mediation effects were found for emotional reactivity, emotional cut-off, or fusion with others. These findings suggest that maintaining a clear sense of self may foster authenticity, particularly when individuals relate to themselves with compassion, highlighting self-compassion as a pathway linking self-differentiation to authentic living.