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Resilience in the Ranks: Trait Mindfulness and Self-Compassion Buffer the Deleterious Effects of Envy on Mental Health Symptoms among Public Safety Personnel

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  • Shadi Beshai

    (Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S0A2, Canada)

  • Sandeep Mishra

    (Department of Management, Lang School of Business and Economics, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G2W1, Canada)

  • Justin R. Feeney

    (Department of Management and Marketing, School of Business, Rhode Island College, 600 Mount Pleasant Avenue, Providence, RI 02908, USA)

  • Tansi Summerfield

    (Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S0A2, Canada)

  • Chet C. Hembroff

    (Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S0A2, Canada)

  • Gregory P. Krätzig

    (Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S0A2, Canada)

Abstract

Public safety personnel (PSP) face frequent stressors that increase their risk of developing symptoms of depression and anxiety. In addition to being exposed to potentially traumatic events, PSP trainees may face a compounded risk of developing mental health symptoms, as their training environments are conducive to social comparisons and the resultant painful emotion of envy. Envy is associated with numerous negative health and occupational outcomes. Fortunately, there are several individual difference factors associated with increased emotional regulation, and such factors may offer resilience against the damaging mental health effects of envy. In this study, we examined the interplay between dispositional mindfulness, self-compassion, and dispositional envy in predicting job satisfaction, stress, experience of positive and negative emotions, subjective resilience, and symptoms of depression and anxiety in a sample of police trainees ( n = 104). A substantial minority of trainees reported clinically significant symptoms of depression ( n = 19:18.3%) and anxiety ( n = 24:23.1%) in accordance with the cut-off scores on screening measures. Consistent with hypotheses, dispositional envy was associated with lower job satisfaction, greater stress, and greater anxiety and depression. Furthermore, envy was associated with higher negative emotions, lower positive emotions, and lower subjective resilience. Dispositional mindfulness and self-compassion were associated with greater job satisfaction, lower stress, and reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety. Moreover, mindfulness and self-compassion were both associated with lower negative emotions, higher positive emotions, and subjective resilience. The associations between envy and the relevant job and mental health outcomes were significantly diminished after controlling for mindfulness and self-compassion. This suggests that these protective traits may serve as transdiagnostic buffers to the effects of envy on mental health. The results of this study confirmed the damaging effects of envy and suggested the potential remediation of these effects through the cultivation of mindfulness and self-compassion.

Suggested Citation

  • Shadi Beshai & Sandeep Mishra & Justin R. Feeney & Tansi Summerfield & Chet C. Hembroff & Gregory P. Krätzig, 2022. "Resilience in the Ranks: Trait Mindfulness and Self-Compassion Buffer the Deleterious Effects of Envy on Mental Health Symptoms among Public Safety Personnel," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-12, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:10:p:5926-:d:814776
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mujcic, Redzo & Oswald, Andrew J., 2018. "Is envy harmful to a society's psychological health and wellbeing? A longitudinal study of 18,000 adults," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 198(C), pages 103-111.
    2. Beshai, Shadi & Mishra, Sandeep & Meadows, Tyler J.S. & Parmar, Priya & Huang, Vivian, 2017. "Minding the gap: Subjective relative deprivation and depressive symptoms," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 173(C), pages 18-25.
    3. Sandeep Mishra & Shadi Beshai & Amanda Wuth & Nabhan Refaie, 2019. "Risk and protective factors in problem gambling: an examination of psychological resilience," International Gambling Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(2), pages 241-264, May.
    4. Mujcic, Redzo & Oswald, Andrew J., 2018. "Is Envy Harmful to a Society’s Psychological Health and Wellbeing? A Longitudinal Study of 18,000 Adults," CAGE Online Working Paper Series 361, Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE).
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