Research on post-traumatic growth (PTG) in the context of heartbreak as a form of relational trauma remains limited. This study examined whether gratitude mediates the relationship between self-compassion and PTG among early adults experiencing a romantic breakup. A cross-sectional quantitative design was employed with 403 Indonesian adults aged 20-40 years who had experienced a breakup within the past 1–3 years. Measures included the Self-Compassion Scale, Gratitude Questionnaire-6, and the Indonesian Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory. Data were analyzed using PROCESS Macro Model 4 with 5,000 bootstrap samples. Results indicated that self-compassion positively predicted gratitude (β = 0.09, p < .01) and PTG (β = 0.31, p < .01), while gratitude positively predicted PTG (β = 2.10, p < .01). The indirect effect of self-compassion on PTG through gratitude was significant (indirect effect = 0.19, 95% CI (0.098, 0.298), and the model explained 28.7% of the variance in PTG (R² = .287). These findings demonstrate that gratitude functions as a psychological mechanism linking self-compassion to post-traumatic growth following heartbreak. The results support the development of strength-based psychological interventions that cultivate self-compassion and gratitude in relational trauma recovery. Keywords: gratitude, heartbreak, post-traumatic growth, relational trauma, self-compassion
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