Open Access

ARTICLE

Association between self-compassion, meaning in life, resilience, health-related quality of life and diabetes self-management among people living with type 2 diabetes in Nigeria

Chinenye Joseph Aliche^1,*, Erhabor Sunday Idemudia¹, Ike E. Onyishi²

1 Faculty of Humanities, North West University, Mahikeng, 2790, South Africa
2 Department of Psychology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 410001, Nigeria

* Corresponding Author: Chinenye Joseph Aliche. Email:

Journal of Psychology in Africa 2026, 36(1), 107-115. https://doi.org/10.32604/jpa.2026.075295

Received 29 October 2025; Accepted 12 November 2025; Issue published 26 February 2026

Abstract

Self-compassion is an important psychological resource that improves health-related quality of life and diabetes self-management; however, the psychological processes underlying these associations remain unclear. This study examined the roles of meaning in life and resilience in the relationship between self-compassion and both health-related quality of life and diabetes self-management. Participants were 301 individuals living with type 2 diabetes (176 (58.5%) females, M age = 49.69, SD = 12.36) conveniently selected from two tertiary healthcare institutions in Nigeria. They completed self-report measures of self-compassion, meaning in life, resilience, health-related quality of life and diabetes self-management. Multiple regression analyses indicated that self-compassion positively predicted health-related quality of life and diabetes self-management. Meaning in life and resilience independently and positively predicted health-related quality of life and diabetes self-management. Mediation analysis showed that meaning in life mediated the association between self-compassion and health-related quality of life, as well as diabetes self-management. Likewise, resilience mediated the connection between self-compassion and health-related quality of life, and diabetes self-management behaviour. Intervention for diabetes self-management should focus on promoting self-compassion, meaning in life and resilience abilities of patients, as they can potentially improve health and self-care behaviours needed for recovery.

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Keywords

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