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Objectives <p>The Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) is the most widely used scale for assessing self-compassion. However, the factor structure of the SCS has repeatedly been the subject of controversial debate, particularly in relation to translated versions of the SCS. The present study examined the psychometric properties, particularly its factorial validity, of the German Self-Compassion Scale among children and adolescents.</p> Methods <p>A community sample of 368 children and adolescents (62.5% female), aged between 12 and 21&#xa0;years (<i>M</i> = 16.45, <i>SD</i> = 2.93) participated in the study. They completed the SCS and provided reports on their resources and mental health. To examine factorial validity, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed to evaluate nine different models that have been recently discussed in the literature (one-factor, two-factor, three-factor, six-factor, higher order one-factor, higher order two-factor, single bifactor a, single bifactor b, and two bifactor). Cronbach’s alpha and Pearson’s correlations were calculated to assess internal consistency and construct validity of the SCS.</p> Results <p>CFA indicated that the higher order two-factor model and single bifactor model, which comprises one general factor of the SCS and two group factors representing compassionate self-responding (CS) and uncompassionate self-responding (UCS), showed acceptable fit to the data. The nested model confirmed the higher order two-factor model as the most appropriate fit. CS and UCS showed high internal consistency, while the coefficients for the six subscales were slightly lower. As hypothesized, UCS (negative components) showed moderate to strong associations with depression and anxiety, whereas the association of CS (positive components) with anxiety was weak.</p> Conclusions <p>The results suggest that the German SCS is a psychometrically reliable and valid instrument to assess compassionate self-responding and uncompassionate self-responding among children and adolescents.</p> Preregistration <p>This study was not preregistered.</p>

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Dichotomy or Unity? Rethinking the Factorial Structure of the German Self-Compassion Scale for Children and Adolescents

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年10月13日

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  • Burak Uslu,
  • Robert Busching,
  • Petra Warschburger

摘要

Objectives

The Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) is the most widely used scale for assessing self-compassion. However, the factor structure of the SCS has repeatedly been the subject of controversial debate, particularly in relation to translated versions of the SCS. The present study examined the psychometric properties, particularly its factorial validity, of the German Self-Compassion Scale among children and adolescents.

Methods

A community sample of 368 children and adolescents (62.5% female), aged between 12 and 21 years (M = 16.45, SD = 2.93) participated in the study. They completed the SCS and provided reports on their resources and mental health. To examine factorial validity, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed to evaluate nine different models that have been recently discussed in the literature (one-factor, two-factor, three-factor, six-factor, higher order one-factor, higher order two-factor, single bifactor a, single bifactor b, and two bifactor). Cronbach’s alpha and Pearson’s correlations were calculated to assess internal consistency and construct validity of the SCS.

Results

CFA indicated that the higher order two-factor model and single bifactor model, which comprises one general factor of the SCS and two group factors representing compassionate self-responding (CS) and uncompassionate self-responding (UCS), showed acceptable fit to the data. The nested model confirmed the higher order two-factor model as the most appropriate fit. CS and UCS showed high internal consistency, while the coefficients for the six subscales were slightly lower. As hypothesized, UCS (negative components) showed moderate to strong associations with depression and anxiety, whereas the association of CS (positive components) with anxiety was weak.

Conclusions

The results suggest that the German SCS is a psychometrically reliable and valid instrument to assess compassionate self-responding and uncompassionate self-responding among children and adolescents.

Preregistration

This study was not preregistered.