Navigating The Complexities of Parenting: The Interconnectedness of Forgiveness, Perfectionism, and Self-Compassion

Abstract

The objective of this research was to examine the causal connections between parents' levels of perfectionism, forgiveness, cognitive distortions, and self-compassion. A relational research approach was used to investigate the associations between variables and forecast potential results, while structural equation modelling was employed to illustrate how different factors are believed to be structurally connected to each other. The study included 384 parents living in the northern part of Cyprus who completed the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, the Heartland Forgiveness Scale, the Cognitive Distortions in Relationships Scale, the Self-Compassion Scale, and a personal information form for demographic data. Results showed a positive correlation between the scores on the Self-Compassion Scale and the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, including self-directed perfectionism, perfectionism towards others, and socially perceived perfectionism. The structural equation model indicated that there was a statistically significant and positive association between the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, Heartland Forgiveness Scale, and Self-Compassion Scale scores. Furthermore, it predicted a statistically significant and negative association with the scores on the Cognitive Distortions in Relationships Scale.

Keywords

• self-compassion
• forgiveness
• perfectionism
• cognitive distortion
• relationships