Kristjanson, Kevin2025-08-292025-08-292025-08-262025-08-26http://hdl.handle.net/1993/39271Self-compassion, a state characterized by treating oneself with kindness, recognition of common humanity, and mindful awareness of suffering, is an asset in coping with the challenges presented by sport injuries. However, it is not yet known how self-compassion may affect the ways in which athletes approach rehabilitation decisions. Previous literature suggests self-compassion may influence decision-making by either: i) encouraging self-protection, or ii) encouraging authentic expression of preferences and personality. The purpose of this dissertation was to examine whether self-compassion promotes one of these perspectives and how this influences risk-taking in rehabilitation decisions. This dissertation consists of two studies, both surveying university undergraduates who participate in sports. Participants were presented with a hypothetical sport injury scenario and prompted to describe the amount of risk they would tolerate in deciding when to return to sport, how they would approach the rehabilitation process, and the emotional experiences they anticipated having throughout the process. The aim of the first study was to utilize exploratory factor analyses to validate the use of both previously established and newly created questionnaires, including the hypothetical injury scenario. The aim of the second study was to examine the relationships among self-compassion and the dependent variables of risk-taking, recovery strategy preferences, and emotional experiences. Multiple linear regressions were used to assess these relationships while controlling for potential co-variates like athletic identity, personality, and self-esteem. Participants higher in self-compassion demonstrated a preference for self-protection. Although self-compassion did not influence the amount of risk an athlete was willing to tolerate in returning to their sport, higher levels of self-compassion were associated with a preference for rehabilitation strategies that prioritize preservation and protection over accelerated progress. Self-compassion was also associated with greater positive affect, lower negative affect, and lower uncertainty during recovery. These results were distinct from what could be explained by how participants framed their decisions, personality, and self-esteem. The results of my research support the self-protection perspective of self-compassion in injury rehabilitation decision-making and add evidence that self-compassion is an adaptive coping mechanism in challenging times. Encouraging self-compassion can help injured athletes navigate an emotionally challenging experience without increasing risk-taking.engself-compassionsportinjuryrisk-taking