Self-Compassion as a Moderator for the Relationship Between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms and Physical Aggression

Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are at increased risk for engaging in physical and verbal aggression. While self-compassion has been identified as a protective factor in PTSD-related outcomes, no prior research has examined how subcomponents of self-compassion influence the relationship between PTSD and aggression. The current study aimed to fill this gap by exploring which subcomponents of self-compassion moderate the relationship between physical and verbal aggression. A sample of 55 veterans receiving treatment in one of the residential programs at a Northeastern VA medical center completed self-report questionnaires as part of a larger study. Linear regressions found that mindfulness and self-judgment were significant predictors of PTSD and physical aggression, with mindfulness also predicting verbal aggression. Three moderation analyses were conducted to identify which of these significant predictors moderate the relationship between PTSD and aggression. Only self-judgment was a significant moderator, such that it strengthened the relationship between PTSD and physical aggression. The study’s findings support targeting self-judgment to reduce physical aggression among veterans with PTSD symptoms. However, this study only examined self-report data that occurred at one time point. Future studies should examine these constructs during behavioral tasks and across treatment to determine how reducing self-judgment may reduce physical aggression among veterans with PTSD.