Perfectionism and digital stress: The mediating roles of body self-compassion and self-hate

Year 2025, Volume: 6 Issue: 4, 197 - 209, 26.12.2025

Burcu Büge , Rumeysa Resuloğlu , Betül Nur Çort , Ebrar Oğuz , Emine Gül Topçu

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17845753

Abstract

This study investigated how perfectionism, body self-compassion, and self-hate contribute to digital stress, with a particular focus on the mechanisms underlying these associations. The sample consisted of 408 adults (353 females, 55 males) aged 18–65 who completed validated measures of perfectionism, digital stress, self-hate, and body self-compassion. A quantitative approach was adopted, and the data were analyzed in SPSS using correlation, regression, and mediation analyses. Correlational analyses indicated that perfectionism and self-hate were positively associated with digital stress, whereas body self-compassion was negatively associated. Regression analyses demonstrated that perfectionism was the strongest positive predictor of digital stress, followed by body self-compassion as a significant negative predictor, while self-hate emerged as a weaker predictor. Parallel mediation analyses further revealed that the effect of perfectionism on digital stress was partially mediated by body self-compassion, whereas the indirect effect of self-hate was small and statistically unstable. These findings demonstrate the role of body self-compassion as a protective factor in reducing the impact of perfectionism on digital stress. To better understand and improve digital stress, it is recommended that future studies examine its relationship with various variables; moreover, expanding such research to include individuals from different languages, religions, and ethnicities would significantly enhance the generalizability and practical usefulness of the findings.

Keywords

Perfectionism , Digital Stress , Body Self-Compassion , Self-Hate

Ethical Statement

Before starting this study, an application was made to Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University Research Ethics Committee for ethical approval.

Supporting Institution

This research received no specific funding, and the authors declare no competing financial or non-financial interests.

Thanks

The authors thank Servet Kaçar Başaran, Şerife Dönmez, Zeynep Özünç Erinç, and Burcu Büge for granting permission to use the measurement instruments, and all participants for their contributions.

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