Examining the relationships between basic psychological needs, cognitive flexibility, avoidance, life satisfaction and self-compassion

This study evaluates a model designed to elucidate the links between self-compassion, life satisfaction, cognitive flexibility, avoidance and psychological needs. The participant group consists of 504 adult individuals. Data were collected using the Self-Admiration Scale, Satisfaction and Inhibition of Basic Psychological Needs Scale, Cognitive Flexibility Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Cognitive-Behavioral Avoidance Scale and Personal Information Form. Pearson Product Moment Correlation Analysis was used to analyze the relationships between variables, while Structural Equation Modeling was used to evaluate the proposed model. The findings show that satisfaction of psychological needs is negatively related to avoidance, whereas frustration with these needs is positively related to avoidance. Moreover, avoidance was found to negatively predict cognitive flexibility, which in turn positively predicted self-transcendence. There is also a positive relationship between self-transcendence and life satisfaction. Moreover, an indirect relationship was observed between need satisfaction and frustration and life satisfaction, mediated by avoidance, cognitive flexibility and self-compassion. The results suggest that interventions that focus on meeting basic psychological needs may yield beneficial outcomes for individuals' self-compassion and overall well-being by improving cognitive flexibility and coping mechanisms.