# Exploring the role of shame and self-compassion on the link between fibromyalgia symptoms and depression: Insights from mediation and moderation analyses

## TL;DR

The study finds that shame and self-compassion influence how fibromyalgia symptoms relate to depression in women.

## Contribution

It introduces the role of self-compassion in weakening the link between shame and depression in fibromyalgia.

## Key findings

- Fibromyalgia severity is linked to depressive symptoms both directly and through external shame.
- Higher self-compassion reduces the strength of the shame-depression connection.
- Shame and self-compassion explain about 40% of the variance in depressive symptoms.

## Abstract

The intricacies of the fibromyalgia-depression link accentuate the need to further explore underlying psychosocial mechanisms. External shame resulting from fibromyalgia’s nature and associated impairment may increase the risk for depression. We explored whether being supportive and compassionate toward one’s perceived shortcomings would potentially weaken this association. This cross-sectional study comprised 138 women with fibromyalgia. Participants were recruited via patient associations and invited to complete an online survey. Descriptive, correlational, mediation and moderation analyses were performed to test the driving hypotheses. Both mediation and moderation analyses accounted for approximately 40% of the variance in depressive symptoms. Fibromyalgia severity was directly and indirectly— through external shame— associated with depressive symptoms. The shame-depressive symptoms link was weaker in participants with greater self-compassion skills. Findings point to the importance of shame and self-compassion and the need to address them in research and clinical contexts.