the mediating role of mindfulness in the relationship between self-compassion and psychological vulnerability in nursing students

Objective: this study aimed to examine the mediating role of mindfulness in the relationship between self‑compassion and psychological vulnerability.methods: the research employed a descriptive‑correlational design using path analysis. the statistical population consisted of all students enrolled in tehran paramedical faculties during the 2023–2024 academic year. a total of 273 participants were selected through convenience sampling. data were collected using the psychological vulnerability scale (scl‑25; najarian & davoudi, 2001), the self‑compassion scale–short form (scs‑sf; raes et al., 2011), and the five‑facet mindfulness questionnaire (ffmq; baer et al., 2004). correlation analysis and path analysis were used for data analysis.results: goodness‑of‑fit indices indicated that the proposed model had an acceptable fit. the results showed that the direct effects of self‑compassion and mindfulness on psychological vulnerability were significant. in addition, the indirect effect of self‑compassion on psychological vulnerability through mindfulness was also significant (p < .01).conclusions: the findings suggest that psychological vulnerability in nursing students is predicted by self‑compassion with the mediating role of mindfulness. furthermore, mindfulness—considering the influence of self‑compassion—can help explain symptoms of psychological vulnerability in nursing students.