Development and validation of the Japanese version of the Self-Other Four Immeasurables Scale (SOFI-J)

Mindfulness and compassion practices emphasize the importance of the four immeasurable attitudes—loving-kindness, compassion, empathic joy, and equanimity—as foundational to the well-being of oneself and others, rooted in central Buddhist teachings. However, no Japanese version of the Four Immeasurables Scale has been available to assess negative and positive emotions associated with these attitudes. This study was designed to develop and validate the Japanese Self-Other Four Immeasurables Scale (SOFI-J) for adults in Japan (N=494, M age=42.40, SD=9.85). Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed that the SOFI-J reliably measured the same four factors as the original scale, demonstrating good two-week test-retest reliability. Correlations with measures of self-compassion, compassion for others, mindfulness, and negative and positive emotions supported its convergent and discriminant validity. These findings suggest that the SOFI-J can be a valuable tool for investigating self-compassion and compassion mechanisms in future research.