As long as you are self‐compassionate, you will never walk alone. The interplay between self‐compassion and rejection sensitivity in predicting loneliness

Research shows that one of the key predictors of loneliness is cognitive–affective attitude towards oneself. Until recently, researchers' interest in this area was focused mainly on self‐esteem. Lately, however, researchers looking for the antecedents of loneliness turned their attention to a different self‐attitude variable—namely, self‐compassion. The aim of the current study was to extend the existing research on the self‐compassion–loneliness link by investigating rejection sensitivity as a potential underlying mechanism and moderator of the relationship between these variables. A sample of 204 participants from Poland, aged 18–70 years ( M = 28.36, SD = 9.19), completed a set of three questionnaires: the Self‐Compassion Scale—Short Form, the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale, and the Adult Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire. The study revealed that rejection sensitivity was both a mediator and a moderator between self‐compassion and loneliness. These results are discussed in the context of the cognitive‐affective mechanisms of loneliness and the protective functions of self‐compassion.