Self-Compassion Scale
SCSPermission: Free for research use. Free for non-commercial academic research, with no licence fee. Cite the original publication.
A 26-item measure of self-compassion across six subscales: self-kindness vs. self-judgment, common humanity vs. isolation, and mindfulness vs. over-identification.
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Reliability & validation
Subscales
Response anchors
Almost never · 2 · 3 · 4 · Almost always
Known limitations
Whether to score a single total or six factors is debated; combining the positively- and negatively-worded subscales is contested, as the negative items may tap self-criticism more than low self-compassion.
Original citation
Neff, K. D. (2003). The development and validation of a scale to measure self-compassion. Self and Identity, 2(3), 223-250.
https://doi.org/10.1080/15298860309027Questions researchers ask
What does the SCS measure?
A 26-item measure of self-compassion across six subscales: self-kindness vs. self-judgment, common humanity vs. isolation, and mindfulness vs. over-identification.
How many items does the SCS have?
The Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) has 26 items across 6 subscales: Self-Kindness, Self-Judgment, Common Humanity, Isolation, Mindfulness, Over-Identification.
Is the SCS free to use?
The SCS is free to use for non-commercial academic research. You don't need to pay a license fee, but you should always cite the original publication.
Is the SCS reliable?
Validation studies report Cronbach's α of 0.92. See the reliability section for the population studied and full statistics.
Who developed the SCS, and how do I cite it?
Neff, K. D. (2003). The development and validation of a scale to measure self-compassion. Self and Identity, 2(3), 223-250. https://doi.org/10.1080/15298860309027
Related scales
Library entry verified September 2026. Metadata is provided for reference; item wording is available inside Folio Surveyor, subject to each instrument's licensing.