Examining the Psychometric Properties of the Compassionate Engagement and Action Scales (CEAS) in the UK General Population

Abstract

Research has shown that compassion – whether to others, from others or to oneself – can be associated with improved well-being and mental health. Most measures to date focus on one of these flows of compassion, with only one recently published scale tracking all three. The primary aim of the current study was to investigate the psychometric properties of The Compassionate Engagement and Action Scales (CEAS) in a UK sample. The secondary aims were to investigate the level of compassion, as measured by the CEAS, in this population and its relationship to psychological distress and positive affect. This study employed a quantitative methodology with a longitudinal design, using an online questionnaire to collect data. 315 participants completed the CEAS alongside a number of self-report questionnaires. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to confirm the factor structure of the CEAS. The CEAS was found to have good psychometric properties as assessed by a number of statistical analyses of validity and reliability. With the removal of four items, a three factor model of compassion towards self, others and receiving compassion was found to be the best fitting model in this sample. In addition, three separate two factor models (to assess the structure of engagement and action) for each flow of compassion were conducted and found to produce good fit. On the whole, the three CEAS subscales were found to have good internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Moderate positive correlations between each subscale confirmed convergent validity. Overall, the general population reported higher levels of giving compassion to others than receiving compassion or being self-compassionate. Self-compassion was found to be the strongest predictor of psychological distress and positive affect. The CEAS is a psychometrically robust measure of compassion which can be used in research and clinical practice. Attention is likely needed to a single item relating to distress tolerance, with further study needed to explore the extent to which this construct might differ in clinical and non-clinical populations.