Brief Description
The Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), developed by Dr. Kristin Neff (2003), is a self-report questionnaire designed to measure an individual’s level of self-compassion. It assesses how people treat themselves in times of failure, suffering, or personal difficulty. The scale is widely used in research on mindfulness, self-kindness, and mental well-being and is applicable in clinical settings.
The SCS evaluates three key components of self-compassion, each with a positive and negative dimension:
Self-Kindness vs. Self-Judgment – Being kind to oneself rather than harshly critical.
Common Humanity vs. Isolation – Recognizing suffering as part of the human experience rather than feeling alone.
Mindfulness vs. Over-Identification – Maintaining balanced awareness of emotions rather than over-identifying with them.
Assessment Administration Type
Self-report
Number of questions
26
Age Range for Administration
18+
Recommended Frequency of Administration
One-time screener or periodic reassessment (e.g., pre/post intervention, quarterly, or annually in research and clinical use)
Summary of Scoring and Interpretations
Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Almost Never, 5 = Almost Always). The measure includes six subscales: Self-Kindness, Self-Judgment, Common Humanity, Isolation, Mindfulness, and Over-Identification. Items on the Isolation and Over-Identification subscales are reverse-scored. The subscales are calculated by summing the corresponding items and dividing the number of items in the subscale (i.e., computing the average). See the table below for subscales and corresponding items:
Subscale | Items |
Self-Kindess | 5, 12, 19, 23, 26 |
Self-Judgment | 1, 8, 11, 16, 21 |
Common Humanity | 3, 7, 10, 15 |
Isolation | 4, 13, 18, 25 |
Mindfulness | 9, 14, 17, 22 |
Over-Identification | 2, 6, 20, 24 |
The Total Mean subscale score is calculated by averaging the five subscale scores. Higher scores indicate greater self-compassion, while lower scores suggest higher self-criticism and distress. Neff recommends the following for interpreting total mean subscale score:
Total Mean Subscale Score | Interpretation |
1.0-2.49 | Low |
2.5-3.5 | Moderate |
3.51-5.0 | High |
Blueprint Adjustments
Due to current platform limitations, Blueprint’s scoring is rounded to the nearest integer for subscales. The Total Mean Subscale, which is the average of the six other subscales, is rounded to the tenth’s place, which has a slight impact on scoring accuracy.
Clinical Considerations
Estimated time for completion: 5-10 minutes
Self-compassion involves multiple dimensions; high scores in one area may not always indicate overall well-being.
It is important to note that self-compassion may vary across cultural backgrounds and personal beliefs.
The SCS is frequently used in studies related to depression, anxiety, trauma, and mindfulness-based therapies.
The SCS should be used alongside other assessments and clinical judgment when making clinical decisions related to diagnosis and treatment.
Blueprint’s library also includes the Self-Compassion Scale Short-Form (SCS-SF), Self-Compassion Scale for Youth (SCS-Y), and State Self-Compassion Scale Short-Form (SSCS-SF).
Citation
Relevant Articles + Further Resources
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