Recently, the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) has been criticized for problems with psychometric validity. Further, the use of an overall self-compassion score that includes items representing the lack ...of self-compassion has been called into question. I argue that the SCS is consistent with my definition of self-compassion, which I see as a dynamic balance between the compassionate versus uncompassionate ways that individuals emotionally respond to pain and failure (with kindness or judgment), cognitively understand their predicament (as part of the human experience or as isolating), and pay attention to suffering (in a mindful or over-identified manner). A summary of new empirical evidence is provided using a bi-factor analysis, which indicates that at least 90 % of the reliable variance in SCS scores can be explained by an overall self-compassion factor in five different populations, justifying the use of a total scale score. Support for a six-factor structure to the SCS was also found; however, suggesting the scale can be used in a flexible manner depending on the interests of researchers. I also discuss the issue of whether a two-factor model of the SCS—which collapses self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness items into a “self-compassion” factor and self-judgment, isolation, and over-identification items into a “self-criticism” factor—makes theoretical sense. Finally, I present new data showing that self-compassion training increases scores on the positive SCS subscales and decreases scores on the negative subscales, supporting the idea that self-compassion represents more compassionate and fewer uncompassionate responses to suffering.
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CEKLJ, EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
ObjectivesThe aim of these two studies was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Mindful Self‐Compassion (MSC) program, an 8‐week workshop designed to train people to be more self‐compassionate.
...Methods
Study 1 was a pilot study that examined change scores in self‐compassion, mindfulness, and various wellbeing outcomes among community adults (N = 21; mean M age = 51.26, 95% female). Study 2 was a randomized controlled trial that compared a treatment group (N = 25; M age = 51.21; 78% female) with a waitlist control group (N = 27; M age = 49.11; 82% female).
Results
Study 1 found significant pre/post gains in self‐compassion, mindfulness, and various wellbeing outcomes. Study 2 found that compared with the control group, intervention participants reported significantly larger increases in self‐compassion, mindfulness, and wellbeing. Gains were maintained at 6‐month and 1‐year follow‐ups.
Conclusions
The MSC program appears to be effective at enhancing self‐compassion, mindfulness, and wellbeing.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
This brief commentary highlights the faulty reasoning underlying claims that selfcompassion should not be conceptualized or measured as a unitary construct because compassionate self-responding (CS) ...and uncompassionate self-responding (UCS) are differential predictors of psychological outcomes. The Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) is a well-validated measure that has been used in thousands of studies on selfcompassion.Self-compassion forms a bipolar continuum ranging from UCS (selfjudgment, isolation, and over-identification) to CS (self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness), so that higher SCS scores represent increased CS and reduced UCS. Several scholars have argued that because CS and UCS display different strengths of association with various psychological outcomes, that CS and UCS should be examined separately and a total SCS score is invalid. This conclusion is assumed to be self-evident. However, there is no known logical, scientific or psychometric principle that supports the view that opposite ends of a bipolar continuum must have the same strength of association with outcomes in order to operate as a unitary construct. In fact, it is common for opposite ends of a continuum to be differential predictors of outcomes (e.g., coldness is a stronger predictor of frostbite than warmth).Unfortunately, this unexamined assumption has spread widely in the field of selfcompassion research, setting the field back and muddying the waters for researchers.This commentary sheds light on this false premise in the hope of clearing up confusion.
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CEKLJ, EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
ABSTRACT
This research examined self‐compassion and self‐esteem as they relate to various aspects of psychological functioning. Self‐compassion entails treating oneself with kindness, recognizing ...one's shared humanity, and being mindful when considering negative aspects of oneself. Study 1 (N=2,187) compared self‐compassion and global self‐esteem as they relate to ego‐focused reactivity. It was found that self‐compassion predicted more stable feelings of self‐worth than self‐esteem and was less contingent on particular outcomes. Self‐compassion also had a stronger negative association with social comparison, public self‐consciousness, self‐rumination, anger, and need for cognitive closure. Self‐esteem (but not self‐compassion) was positively associated with narcissism. Study 2 (N=165) compared global self‐esteem and self‐compassion with regard to positive mood states. It was found that the two constructs were statistically equivalent predictors of happiness, optimism, and positive affect. Results from these two studies suggest that self‐compassion may be a useful alternative to global self‐esteem when considering what constitutes a healthy self‐stance.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
This study examined the factor structure of the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) using a bifactor model, a higher order model, a 6-factor correlated model, a 2-factor correlated model, and a 1-factor ...model in 4 distinct populations: college undergraduates (N = 222), community adults (N = 1,394), individuals practicing Buddhist meditation (N = 215), and a clinical sample of individuals with a history of recurrent depression (N = 390). The 6-factor correlated model demonstrated the best fit across samples, whereas the 1- and 2-factor models had poor fit. The higher order model also showed relatively poor fit across samples, suggesting it is not representative of the relationship between subscale factors and a general self-compassion factor. The bifactor model, however, had acceptable fit in the student, community, and meditator samples. Although fit was suboptimal in the clinical sample, results suggested an overall self-compassion factor could still be interpreted with some confidence. Moreover, estimates suggested a general self-compassion factor accounted for at least 90% of the reliable variance in SCS scores across samples, and item factor loadings and intercepts were equivalent across samples. Results suggest that a total SCS score can be used as an overall mesure of self-compassion.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, FSPLJ, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Self-compassion refers to being supportive toward oneself when experiencing suffering or pain-be it caused by personal mistakes and inadequacies or external life challenges. This review presents my ...theoretical model of self-compassion as comprised of six different elements: increased self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness as well as reduced self-judgment, isolation, and overidentification. It discusses the methodology of self-compassion research and reviews the increasingly large number of empirical studies that indicate self-compassion is a productive way of approaching distressing thoughts and emotions that engenders mental and physical well-being. It also reviews research that dispels common myths about self-compassion (e.g., that it is weak, selfish, self-indulgent or undermines motivation). Interventions designed to increase self-compassion, such as compassion-focused therapy and mindful self-compassion, are discussed. Finally, the review considers problematic issues in the field, such as the differential effects fallacy, and considers limitations and future research directions in the field of self-compassion research.
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CMK, FFLJ, NUK, UL, UM, UPUK
Objective
Two studies examined the efficacy of the Self‐Compassion for Healthcare Communities (SCHC) program for enhancing wellbeing and reducing burnout among healthcare professionals.
Method
Study ...1 (N = 58) had a quasi‐experimental design and compared wellbeing outcomes for the SCHC group compared to a waitlist control group. Study 2 (N = 23) did not include a control group and examined the effect of SCHC on burnout.
Results
Study 1 found that SCHC significantly increased self‐compassion and wellbeing. All gains were maintained for three months. Study 2 found that in addition to enhancing wellbeing, SCHC significantly reduced secondary traumatic stress and burnout. Changes in self‐compassion explained gains in other outcomes, and initial levels of self‐compassion moderated outcomes so that those initially low in self‐compassion benefitted more.
Conclusions
Findings suggest that the SCHC program may be an effective way to increase self‐compassion, enhance wellbeing, and reduce burnout for healthcare professionals.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
...even in her more recent papers, she still advocates that the construct basically contains three positive components that are dimensional in nature. To this end, I find it easier for people to ...think about self-compassion in terms of the three compassionate dimensions of self-kindness, common humanity and mindfulness, and to embed discussion of the fact that self-compassion also entails lessened self-judgment, isolation, and over-identification in my description of these dimensions. ...because teaching people to be more self-compassionate involves helping them to replace the three uncompassionate responses to suffering with the three compassionate ones, describing self-compassion in this way seems to make intuitive sense to people. ...I argued that one of the main ways self-compassion is different from self-pity is because it does not include excessive self-focus or the exaggeration of personal suffering (i.e., isolation and over-identification; Neff 2003b). Given that the scale development paper clearly specifies that the SCS can be used to examine the six subscales separately or else to calculate an overall self-compassion score, presumably researchers make the decision to examine a total score out of choice, not out of neglect. Since publishing the SCS and becoming more familiar with the work of Paul Gilbert, it makes more sense to me than ever that the positive and negative components of self-compassion should be assessed as separate factors.
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CEKLJ, EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
The Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) is a widely used measure to assess the trait of self-compassion, and, so far, it has been implicitly assumed that it functions the same way across different groups. ...This assumption needs to be explicitly tested to ascertain that no measurement biases exist. To address this issue, the present study sought to systematically examine the generalizability of the bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling operationalization of the SCS via tests of measurement invariance across a wide range of populations, varying according to features such as student or community status, gender, age, and language. Secondary data were used for this purpose and included a total of 18 samples and 12 different languages (N = 10,997). Multigroup analyses revealed evidence for the configural, weak, strong, strict, and latent variance–covariance of the bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling operationalization of the SCS across different groups. These findings suggest that the SCS provides an assessment of self-compassion that is psychometrically equivalent across groups. However, findings comparing latent mean invariance found that levels of self-compassion differed across groups.
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NUK, OILJ, SAZU, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
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