Self-compassion as a replenishing resource for working parents during crisis: How being kind to self supports safety compliance

Even in contexts where safety compliance is critical, not everyone complies with safety guidelines. To better understand why, we develop and test a theoretical model explaining how individuals can bolster the self-control capacity needed to remain compliant in contexts of crisis. Using Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, we propose that self-compassion can serve as a personal resource that supports safety compliance among working parents during crisis, such as COVID-19. We argue that self-control capacity mediates the relationship between self-compassion and safety compliance and explore gender as a moderator, given prior research suggesting gender differences in the experience and benefits of self-compassion. Using data collected from 387 working parents at three time points during the COVID-19 pandemic, our results show that self-control capacity mediates the link between self-compassion and safety compliance. Moreover, this relationship is stronger for working fathers than for working mothers. Our study highlights the importance of personal inner resources, like self-compassion, in promoting safety compliance, especially for working parents who may be more vulnerable to resource depletion during challenging times. JEL Classification: M50