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Compassion Scale

The Compassion Scale is a 16-item measure of compassion. It operationalized compassion through the following constructs: experiencing kindness, a sense of common humanity, mindfulness, and lessened indifference toward the suffering of others.

Categories

Geographies Tested: United States of America

Populations Included: Female, Male

Age Range: Adults

Items:

1. I pay careful attention when other people talk to me about their troubles.
2. If I see someone going through a difficult time, I try to be caring toward that person.
3. I am unconcerned with other people’s problems.
4. I realize everyone feels down sometimes, it is part of being human.
5. I notice when people are upset, even if they don’t say anything.
6. I like to be there for others in times of difficulty.
7. I think little about the concerns of others.
8. I feel it’s important to recognize that all people have weaknesses and no one’s perfect.
9. I listen patiently when people tell me their problems.
10. My heart goes out to people who are unhappy. 11. I try to avoid people who are experiencing a lot of pain.
12. I feel that suffering is just a part of the common human experience.
13. When people tell me about their problems, I try to keep a balanced perspective on the situation.
14. When others feel sadness, I try to comfort them.
15. I can’t really connect with other people when they’re suffering.
16. Despite my differences with others, I know that everyone feels pain just like me.

Response Option:
5-point scale
Almost never - 1
Almost always - 5

Scoring Procedures

Scores are averaged to calculate the final mean compassion score.

Original Citation

Pommier, E., Neff, K. D., & Tóth-Király, I. (2019). The Development and Validation of the Compassion Scale. Assessment, 27(1), 21–39. https://doi.org/10.1177/1073191119874108


Psychometric Score

Ease of Use Score

Scoring breakdown

Formative Research

Qualitative Research

Existing Literature/Theoretical Framework

Field Expert Input

Cognitive Interviews / Pilot Testing

Reliability

Internal

Test-retest

Interrater

Validity

Content

Face

Criterion (gold-standard)

Construct

KEY

Ease of Use

Readability

Scoring Clarity

Length

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