Self Compassion Scale Tracker
Self-Compassion Scale (SCS)
About this measure
Show ▾The Self-Compassion Scale measures how someone typically relates to themselves in difficult moments — through 6 components grouped into three contrasting pairs: Self-Kindness vs. Self-Judgment, Common Humanity vs. Isolation, and Mindfulness vs. Over-identification.
Each of the 26 items is rated from 1 ("almost never") to 5 ("almost always"). The three negative components (self-judgment, isolation, over-identification) are reverse-scored before combining, so that on every subscale shown here, a higher score means more self-compassion.
There are no clinical cutoffs for this measure — scores are meant to be used comparatively and tracked over time, not judged against a "normal" line. As a rough guide from the scale's developer: total scores around 1.0–2.49 tend to run low, 2.5–3.5 moderate, and 3.51–5.0 high.
Current psychometric properties
Show ▾The SCS was developed and validated by Kristin Neff (2003) in a sample of college undergraduates, using exploratory factor analysis (n=391) to identify the 26 items and confirmatory factor analysis, including cross-validation in a second sample (N=232), to support the six-component structure.
- Internal consistency: total score α = .92; the six subscales ranged from α = .75 to .81.
- Test-retest reliability (3-week interval): total score α = .93; subscales ranged from α = .80 to .88.
- Factor structure: a 2019 bifactor ESEM analysis across 20 diverse samples (N = 11,685) found excellent fit for one general self-compassion factor plus six specific subscale factors, with about 95% of reliable variance attributable to the general factor — supporting use of a single total score alongside the six subscale scores.
- Cross-cultural stability: the factor structure has also held up across 18 international samples.
Neff, K. D. (2003). Development and validation of a scale to measure self-compassion. Self and Identity, 2, 223–250.
Neff, K. D., Tóth-Király, I., Yarnell, L., Arimitsu, K., Castilho, P., Ghorbani, N., … Mantios, M. (2019). Examining the factor structure of the Self-Compassion Scale using exploratory SEM bifactor analysis in 20 diverse samples: Support for use of a total score and six subscale scores. Psychological Assessment, 31(1), 27–45.
1 almost never |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 almost always |