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The Development and Validation of the State Self-Compassion Scale (Long- and Short Form)

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Abstract

Objectives

The purpose of this research was to create two state measures of self-compassion based on the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS): an 18-item State Self-Compassion Scale-Long form (SSCS-L) that could be used to measure the six components of self-compassion, and a six-item State Self-Compassion Scale-Short form (SSCS-S) that could be used as a measure of global state self-compassion.

Methods

Study 1 (N = 588) used a community sample to select items for the SSCS-L and SSCS-S. Confirmatory Factor Analyses, Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling (ESEM), and bifactor modeling were used to analyze the factor structure of the SSCS-L and SSCS-S. Predictive validity was assessed by examining associations with positive and negative affect. Study 2 (N = 411) used a student sample to examine the psychometric properties of the SSCS-L and SSCS-S after a self-compassion mindstate induction (SCMI) to determine if its factor structure would remain unchanged after manipulation. Study 3 (N = 139) examined the psychometric properties of the SSCS-S alone.

Results

The SSCS-L had good psychometric properties and SSCS-S was also adequate. A bifactor-ESEM representation (with one global factor and six components) was supported for the SSCS-L, and a single factor was supported for the SSCS-S. Both scales were reliable. Psychometric properties were unchanged after the experimental manipulation of self-compassion. A total state self-compassion score and subscale scores were associated with positive and negative affect in the expected directions.

Conclusions

The SSCS-L and SSCS-S appear to be valid measures of state self-compassion.

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Funding

The second author was supported by a Horizon Postdoctoral Fellowship from Concordia University and by funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (435-2018-0368).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Educational Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, 1912 Speedway, Suite 504, Austin, TX, 78712-1289, USA

    Kristin D. Neff, Marissa C. Knox, Ashley Kuchar & Oliver Davidson

  2. Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada

    István Tóth-Király

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  1. Kristin D. Neff
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  2. István Tóth-Király
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  3. Marissa C. Knox
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  4. Ashley Kuchar
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Contributions

KN conceptualized and designed the studies and wrote the majority of the manuscript. ITK conducted and wrote up all statistical analyses. MK created the SCMI used in the study and assisted in writing the manuscript. AK and OD were primarily responsible for collecting study data and also assisted in study design.

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Correspondence to Kristin D. Neff.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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This research was approved by the University of Texas at Austin. Informed consent was obtained from all study participants. The procedures used in this study adhere to the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki.

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Neff, K.D., Tóth-Király, I., Knox, M.C. et al. The Development and Validation of the State Self-Compassion Scale (Long- and Short Form). Mindfulness 12, 121–140 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-020-01505-4

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