The analyses revealed significant inter-correlations among Self-esteem and “Realization & Reparation dimension”, attribution as well as the total score of self-forgiveness. However, guilt did not yield significant correlation with Self-esteem. Similarly, positive and negative self-compassion differentially correlated with the dimensions of self-forgiveness. Positive self-compassion correlated positively and significantly with all the three dimensions of Self-forgiveness except Guilt whereas Negative Self-compassion followed an exactly opposite pattern of correlation. Correlation matrix also revealed that self-esteem correlated positively with both positive and negative self-compassion (see Table 1).

Mediation and Path Analyses

            To investigate the mediating effect of positive and negative self-compassion between the relationship of self-esteem and self-forgiveness, a path model was constructed taking the positive and negative self-compassion as mediators (Figure 1).
[FIGURE 1 MAY BE PLACED HERE]
However, the base model (figure 1) was partially supported with standardized coefficients. The Chi-square X2 (df = 04, N = 268) = 82.5, p<.001 reflected that the model was not a good fit to the data. The fit indices used in the study consist of commonly reported Comparative Fit Index (CFI) and Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA). The CFI index compares the base model with the independence model: the values greater than .95 indicates a good-fitting model (Hu & Bentler, 1999). The RMSEA assesses the comparability of the base model with an ideal (saturated) model. The more it approximates zero, the better the model would be. However, the values below .08 suggest a good fit. The hypothesized model (figure 1) displayed a poor CFI of .737 and RMSEA of .271. Another indication of the goodness of fit lies in the standardized residuals, which expected to be less than .080 in order to have a good-fit model. Present base model (figure 1) yielded an unacceptable value of standardized residuals (.113) which was beyond the acceptable limit. Likewise, remaining fit indices such as goodness of fit index (GFI, measures the effectiveness of the model in approximating the observed covariance matrix, cut off value >.95), created by Jöreskog and Sörbom (1998), reflected a satisfactory GFI value (.907). However, the adjusted goodness-of-fit index (AGFI, acceptable value >.90), Tucker and Lewis’s non-normed fit index (TLI, acceptable value >.90) were also found to be unacceptable: .511 and .150 respectively, for this model. The ratio of Maximum-Likelihood Chi-Square to the degrees of freedom (X2/df, acceptable value < 5) was also found to be unacceptable 20.62.
            In order to develop a better-fitting model, some Post Hoc Model modifications were conducted successively. At first, Guilt was allowed to predict Attribution and further, the error variances of Realization & Reparation and Guilt, as well as Positive and Negative Self-compassion, was made correlated. However, to obtain a perfect fit model one more modification was done by removing the insignificant predictive pathway from the model. The pathway leading from Self-Esteem to Guilt was removed subsequently. Only a single modification was adapted at a time. These modifications produced a perfect fit model: X2/df (df =2) =1.566; CFI = .996; RMSEA = .04; SRMR=.017; GFI=.996, AGFI= .959 (Figure 2).
[FIGURE 2 MAY BE PLACED HERE]
The standardized direct path coefficients of the tested model (figure 2) are presented in table 2.
[TABLE 2 MAY BE PLACED HERE]
It was found that self-esteem directly predicted both positive and negative self-compassion (path coefficients .52 & .27 respectively, p<.01). Self-esteem significantly and directly predicted realization &reparation as well as attribution (path coefficients .16 &-.21 respectively, p<.05). Negative self-compassion significantly predicted all the dimensions of self-forgiveness viz. realization & reparation, guilt and attribution (path coefficients -.18, .21 & -.19 respectively, p<.01). Positive self-compassion significantly predicted realization & reparation, guilt as well as attribution (path coefficients .34, -.12& .20 respectively, p<.05).
The indirect (mediating) effects of Self-Esteem on the dimensions of Self-Forgiveness were calculated and checked for statistical significance. The significant indirect paths are presented in table 3.
TABLE 3 MAY BE PLACED HERE.
It was found that Self-esteem had dual and opposing indirect effects on the dimensions of Self-forgiveness. Both Negative and Positive Self-Compassion significantly mediated the relationship between Self-Esteem and Self-Forgiveness dimensions but due to their opposite directionality, the total mediating effects became non-significant (Table 3).

Discussion

The findings of the study have evinced the significant role of Self-Esteem and Self-Compassion in impacting the nature and extent of Self-Forgiveness of the participants. Self-Esteem, Positive and Negative Self-Compassion have shown their dissimilar contributions to the three components of Self-Forgiveness. Positive and negative self-compassion significantly mediated the relationships among self-esteem and the three components of self-forgiveness (Realization & Reparation, guilt and attribution).

Self-Esteem and Self-Forgiveness

            The findings showed that Self-Esteem exhibited significant positive correlations with Realization & Reparation and overall self-forgiveness while significant negative or very low positive correlations with Guilt and Attribution. The hierarchical regression analysis showed that Self-Esteem accounted for significant variance in the scores of Realization & Reparation and emerged as the most significant predictor next to Positive and Negative Self-compassion. Likewise, Self-Esteem accounted for significant variance in the scores of guilt and Attribution. In essence, Self-Esteem emerged as an important contributor to Realization &Reparation after Positive Self-Compassion. The findings showed that Self-Esteem has inhibiting effects on Attribution. These findings partially support hypotheses 1, 2 and 3.
            The mechanisms underlying the role of self-esteem in impacting self-forgiveness can be understood and explained in terms of the basic properties of these constructs. Self-esteem carries self-satisfaction, self-attitude, self-worth, self-efficacy, self-respect, social comparison, self-pride, self-perception, relative strengths and feeling of being virtuous (Pandey et al., 2019; Rosenberg, 1965). Self-esteem has been reported to have close links with happiness, positive emotions, self-evaluation, positive mood regulation, optimistic thinking and optimal functioning that buffer the effects of stress caused by pain, failure and adversities of life. It has also been observed that self-esteem benefits individuals in two ways: enhanced initiative and pleasant feelings (Baumeister et al., 2003; Pandey et al., 2019).
            Self-forgiveness measure used in this study has three components: realization & reparation, guilt and attribution. Realization & reparation involves a feeling of wrongdoing, taking responsibility and easily accepting wrongdoings, repairing of relationship, tendency and ability to minimize negative emotions to self, promise to not repeat wrongdoing again, others good behaviours, remorse, forgetting of past wrongdoing, forgiveness to others, the importance of relationships, self-love, readiness to correct,  seeking forgiveness, positive behaviour towards others, degree of loss, physical and emotional consequences, time, assessing situational responsibility and morality (Mudgal & Tiwari, 2017a). Guilt involves self-criticism, accepting the responsibility of transgression and its consequences (Mudgal & Tiwari, 2017a). Attribution comprises inclination for improvement, nature and relationship, seeking forgiveness to others, perception of social relationships, moral values and self-criticism (Mudgal & Tiwari, 2017a).
            These affirmative attributes of self-esteem might be playing a causative role behind its close links with realization & reparation, attribution and overall self-forgiveness of the participants in this study. The findings of the present study lend their support from previous studies. For example, a good number of studies have suggested that self-esteem plays a promotive role in self-forgiveness and the individuals with the threat to self-esteem have a higher need for self-protection (Leary et al., 2009; vanDellen et al., 2011) and, thus, low self-esteem is associated with a lower level of forgiveness. It has been suggested that individuals with high self-esteem are better able to deflect threats against the self (Pyszczynski et al., 2004). Moreover, people with lower self-esteem are absorbed in protecting the self and lack required self-resources to invest in self-forgiveness while people with higher self-esteem have sufficient self-resources necessary for self-forgiveness (Baumeister et al., 2007).

Self-Compassion and Self-Forgiveness

            The findings pertaining to the relationship between self-compassion and self-forgiveness are very insightful. There were significant positive correlations among the scores of positive and negative self-compassion and the scores of realization & reparation, attribution and overall self-forgiveness of the participants. Conversely, significant negative correlations were observed among the scores of positive self-compassion and the scores of guilt and attribution. Moreover, negative self-compassion had shown significant negative correlations with the scores of realization & reparation, guilt, attribution and overall self-forgiveness. The hierarchical regression analysis showed that positive and negative self-compassion accounted for significant variance in the scores of realization & reparation, attribution and overall self-forgiveness and the former emerged as the most significant predictor of these measures. Positive and negative self-compassion accounted for significant variance in the scores of guilt also and negative self-compassion emerged as the most significant predictor of guilt. Positive self-compassion has shown enhancing role in shaping the nature and extent of self-forgiveness while negative self-compassion had a diminishing impact on self-forgiveness. Interestingly, both Positive and Negative Self-Compassion significantly mediated the relationship between Self-Esteem and Realization & Reparation, Guilt and Attribution. These findings support hypotheses 1, 2, 3 and 4.
            The findings of the study demonstrated that due to their dissimilar nature, positive and negative self-compassion differentially mediated the relationships among self-esteem and the three components of self-forgiveness (realization & reparation, guilt and attribution). This may be explained in two ways. In one way, the dissimilar nature of positive and negative self-compassion may be applied to understand their impacts on self-forgiveness while the second may involve the mechanisms reported by earlier findings. In essence, positive self-compassion comprises self-kindness, common humanity and mindfulness that reflect self-acceptance, self-care, self-kindness, self-tolerance, understanding and patience towards negative self-traits, common struggle, shared perception about lack of resources, shared/common inadequacy, emotional stability, stable perception, analytical thinking about failure in important domains of life and open-mindedness towards self during hurtful times (Neff, 2003b). On the other hand, negative self-compassion consists of self-judgment, isolation and over-identification that carry critical attitude towards self, harsh treatment towards self, intolerance towards negative traits of self, self-depreciation, harsh treatment, feeling of loneliness, self-comparison, thinking about others, feeling of loneliness during failure in important domains of life, indulgence in negative habits, feeling of inferiority and over-identification and maximization of events (Neff, 2003b). Thus, the debilitating tendency of negative self-compassion might be working behind its close association with guilt and its negative correlation and lowered predictive strength for other aspects of self-forgiveness. These attributes of positive and negative self-compassion may be assumed to underlie their dissimilar impacts for realization & reparation, guilt and attribution as well as overall self-forgiveness.
            The earlier researchers have also suggested that self-compassion and self-forgiveness are very closely linked as both occur simultaneously, reflect self-knowledge, self-attitude and have similar positive impacts on the individuals. The recent bifurcation of self-compassion in positive and negative dimensions has empirical implications to understand and explain performance and outcomes (Muris et al., 2016; Pandey et al., 2019). It has been reported that positive self-compassion has a negative association with mental health problems and psychopathological symptoms whereas negative self-compassion carries a positive association with these symptoms (Muris & Petrocchi, 2017). The differences in the predictive strengths of positive and negative self-compassion may lie in their dissimilar attributes and mechanisms for various life outcomes.
            The followers of two components model of self-compassion argue that positive and negative self-compassion reflects two distinct mechanisms which have been empirically verified (Muris et al., 2018; Pandey et al., 2019). It has been reported that self-judgment, isolation and over-identification exhibit clear similarities with harsh self-criticism (Zuroff et al., 1990), social withdrawal and loneliness (Rubin & Coplan, 2004),  and self-absorption and self-focused rumination (Lyubomirsky & Nolen-Hoeksema, 1995). Positive self-compassion has been reported to be linked with adaptive coping and healthy functioning while negative self-compassion with maladaptive coping, anxiety and depression (Muris et al., 2018). It has been suggested that positive self-compassion and various adaptive coping styles are positively correlated while negative self-compassion showed a negative association with these variables (Allen & Leary, 2010). Negative self-compassion has been reported to reflect passive reacting, avoidance, and expression of emotion (Allen & Leary, 2010). The findings of the study suggest that conceptualization of self-compassion in terms of positive and negative dimensions are more efficacious to underscore its role in self-forgiveness.
            The distinctive role of self-esteem and self-compassion in shaping the self-forgiveness may be understood in terms of their conceptualizations. Research indicates that self-compassion is moderately associated with trait levels of self-esteem (Leary et al., 2007; Neff, 2003a; Neff et al., 2007). Self-esteem refers to the degree to which people evaluate and like or value themselves in comparisons to others (Harter, 1999). In other words, high self-esteem means standing out in a crowd, being special and above average (Heine et al., 1999). Conversely, self-compassion is not based on positive or negative evaluations and reflects a way to relate one with oneself. Self-compassion occurs not due to relative evaluation but it happens as people are human beings (Neff, 2012). Moreover, self-compassion comprises being warm and understanding in the face of suffering and adversity (Neff, 2012).
            Self-esteem and self-compassion differ also in the benefits they provide to the people who carry. For example, self-compassion facilitates personal adequacy, care, acknowledgement of problems, common experience, receptive mind-state, identification with feelings and thoughts (Bishop et al., 2006). It emphasizes interconnection rather than separateness. In addition, self-compassion offers more emotional stability, connectedness, acceptance, autonomy, greater relationship satisfaction and attachment security as well as less detached, controlling, and verbally or physically aggressive than those lacking self-compassion (Neff, 2012). Self-esteem benefits people in other ways. For example, people with high self-esteem exhibit lessened depression and anxiety (McKay & Fanning, 2016).
            The above discussion makes it apparent that both self-esteem and self-compassion are desirable attributes and differ in their mechanisms that may be assumed to underlie their dissimilar roles in self-forgiveness. In essence, self-compassion is an emotionally positive self-attitude that has a close connection with self-esteem (Neff, 2003a, 2011)and helps the individuals to respond adaptively to the negative experiences and threats and overlaps with self-esteem. Self-esteem is assumed to be close to self-affirmation as the later involves balanced and open-minded appraisal (Burson et al., 2012). The above discussion makes it clear that self-esteem and self-compassion carry significance to explicate the nature and dynamics of self-forgiveness of the individuals.
In short, the findings showed that both self-esteem and self-compassion carried their significance to understand self-forgiveness of the participants. Self-Esteem and Positive Self-Compassion had evinced significant positive correlations with Self-Forgiveness. Conversely, Negative Self-Compassion exhibited negative correlations with these measures. Self-Esteem accounted for significant positive variance in Realization & Reparation and Overall Self-Forgiveness and significant negative variability in Attribution of the participants. Positive Self-Compassion accounted for positive significant variance in Realization & Reparation and Overall Self-Forgiveness whereas negative variance in Guilt and Attribution. On the other hand, Negative Self-Compassion accounted for positive significant variance in Guilt and negative significant variability in Realization &Reparation and Attribution. It was evident that both Positive and Negative Self-Compassion significantly mediated the relationship between Self-Esteem and Realization & Reparation, Guilt and Attribution.
            The researchers have argued self-esteem is more relevant to understand the performance and life outcomes of people belonging to individualistic societies (Fiske et al., 1998; Triandis, 1989, 2001)whereas self-compassion may be more efficacious to understand the performance of individuals brought up in collectivistic societies (Birkett, 2013; Kitayama & Uskul, 2011; Markus & Kitayama, 2010; Neff et al., 2008). Contrarily, here both the constructs have shown their relevance to understand self-forgiveness. This may due to the fact that both self-esteem and self-compassion may be working together as has been suggested by the researchers that individualism and collectivism may coexist in the societies like India (Pandey et al., 2019; Sinha & Tripathi, 1994). Likewise, both independent and interdependent self-affirmations have been reported to be active after the outbreak of COVID-19 in recent Indian studies [BLINDED]. Thus, these findings may represent the truth that both self-esteem and self-compassion were present and regulated performance on a positive life outcome measure (self-forgiveness). In essence, the findings may be indicative of the fact that Indian society is in transition that is reflected by the existence of self-esteem and self-compassion shaping positively the self-forgiveness of the participants in the study. The findings may prompt future researchers to have a fresh look at many other psychological constructs that have been seen the individual and collectivism dichotomy. It proved the contention that qualitative studies may be conducted to explore the true nature of many psychological constructs to come up with new understanding and measures for the psychological constructs.

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