Evaluation of attachment styles and guilt-shame levels of university students as predictors of fear of compassion

The general purpose of present study is evaluation of university students' attachment styles and guilt-shame levels as predictors of fear of compassion. It also examines whether the fear of compassion, the dependent variable of this thesis, differs significantly in terms of socio-demographic characteristics. The sample of the study consists of 346 university students studying in Akşehir, Konya. 224 students are female and 122 students are male. As data collection tool; Fear of Compassion Scale, Relationship Scale Questionnaire (RSQ), Guilt-Shame Scale (GSS) and Introductory Information Form (IIF) were used. In the statistical analysis of the study, depending on variables independent sample t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), by aiming to determine the source of significant difference Tukey multiple pairwise comparison, Pearson correlation analysis and hierarchical regression analysis were performed. According to the results of the t-test analysis, a significant difference was found between gender and age variables and mean scores of fear of compassion of the participants. The mean scores of male students from the fear of compassion scale were significantly higher than female students. In terms of age variable, a significant difference was found between the mean scores of fear of compassion of university students and showing compassion and understanding to themselves. When the results of the analysis of variance were examined, it was seen that compassion to others differed significantly in terms of economic conditions of university students. No statistically significant differences were found in other comparisons. There is a positive correlation between university students' compassion to others level and dismissing attachment, secure attachment, preoccupied attachment and shame. There is also a positive correlation between university students' compassion from others level and dismissing attachment, secure attachment, preoccupied attachment and shame. There is a positive correlation between university students' compassion to themselves level and sub dimensions of attachment, and there is negative correlation between university students' compassion to themselves level and shame. When the regression coefficients of "t" test results are examined, attachment styles and guilt-shame levels were found a significant predictor of fear of compassion. Key Words: Fear of Compassion, Attachment Style, Guilt-Shame, University Students.