Compassion and self-compassion: Construct and measurement

Abstract

In the last few years, compassion-based approaches have been integrated into the field of psychology and psychotherapy. In order to evaluate their efficacy – and to explore the relationship between compassion, self-compassion and other psychological processes –, several self-reported instruments have been developed. The objective of this paper is to give a description of the instruments that are available for assessing compassion and self-compassion, with a special focus on those instruments which have been adapted/validated in Spanish. The article begins with a brief definition of compassion, and self-compassion, and thereafter provides a description of the available scales. These scales are reviewed in three different groups: 1) instruments specifically developed to assess compassion/self-compassion that have been adapted/validated in Spanish; 2) other instruments specifically developed to assess compassion/self-compassion (which have not been validated for Spanish speaking populations); and 3) scales that include compassion as one of its components. The science of compassion is an emerging field for which psychometrically robust instruments are needed. Counting on validated measures for Spanish-speaking populations is mandatory for facilitating its use in Spanish-speaking contexts.