Psychometric properties of Self-Compassion Scale Short Form (SCS-SF) in Spanish adolescents

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Mental Health Research

Background:

• Self-compassion, defined as treating oneself with kindness, is crucial for mental well-being.
• The Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) is widely used, but its short form (SCS-SF) lacks validity evidence in adolescent populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the psychometric properties of the SCS-SF in a sample of Spanish adolescents.
• To establish the validity and reliability of the SCS-SF for use with adolescents.

Main Methods:

• Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and reliability tests were conducted on 955 Spanish adolescents (mean age 13.95).
• Convergent validity was assessed using measures of life satisfaction, family satisfaction, and reactive-proactive aggression.

Main Results:

• The six-factor model of the SCS-SF demonstrated good fit indices (CFI=.966, GFI=.98, RMSEA=.045) and adequate reliability (Cronbach's alpha=.723).
• Total SCS scores positively correlated with life and family satisfaction and negatively with aggression.
• Specific factors showed distinct associations: positive factors (self-kindness, common humanity, mindfulness) linked to higher satisfaction, while negative factors (self-judgment, isolation, over-identification) linked to lower satisfaction and higher aggression.

Conclusions:

• The SCS-SF is confirmed as a valid and reliable instrument for measuring self-compassion in Spanish adolescents.
• The study supports the six-factor model for adolescent self-compassion assessment.
• Findings underscore the importance of self-compassion for adolescent mental health, particularly concerning life and family satisfaction.