Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 18, 2026
The Multiple Sclerosis Performance Test MSPT: An iPad-Based Disability Assessment Tool
Published on: June 30, 2014
Validation of the Body Compassion Scale in multiple sclerosis
Erin G Mistretta1, Jennifer K Altman1, Lindsey M Knowles1
1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, School of Medicine.
Purpose/Objective:
The Body Compassion Scale (BCS) is a novel measure assessing the extent to which an individual is able to (a) view their body as one of the many components of their personhood, (b) recognize that everyone shares the experience of living in a physical body, with its advantages and disadvantages, and (c) embrace their body's current appearance, state of health, and functioning. It has been validated in healthy undergraduate samples; yet, there exists limited work documenting the psychometric properties among individuals with chronic health conditions. We evaluated the factor structure of the BCS among a sample of individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS).
Research Method/Design:
In total, 677 people (Mage = 52.89, SDage = 12.83) reported on their body compassion, fatigue, pain, cognitive functioning, disability, depression, anxiety, and resilience in an online survey sent out to a regional and national MS listserv.
Results:
A three-factor structure (defusion, common humanity, and acceptance) emerged as the best fit to the data. All three subscores demonstrated acceptable internal consistency and validity evidence.
Conclusions/Implications:
The findings extend existing work demonstrating a three-factor structure of the BCS and provide preliminary validity for the use of the BCS among people living with MS and potentially other rehabilitation populations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
