Compassion Questionnaires Revised: Scales Development and Validation

The Compassion Questionnaires for Self and Others were developed to measure compassion as a multifaceted construct encompassing affective, cognitive, behavioral, and interpersonal dimensions. However, the original versions had limitations such as item number and coverage of the underlying concepts, unidirectional item wording, lack of a global latent variable, and validation only among women. This study aimed to address these shortcomings by revising the questionnaires to improve their psychometric properties. The revised Compassion Questionnaires for Self and Others underwent significant modifications. A large-scale validation study involving both women and non-women participants was conducted to evaluate the revised questionnaires. The final versions of the revised compassion questionnaires comprised 39 items for self-compassion and 33 items for compassion toward others, incorporating both positive and negative wording. Psychometric analysis indicated excellent reliability and validity, with evidence supporting the existence of global latent variables. The revised questionnaires represent a significant improvement over the original versions, offering a comprehensive operationalization of compassion constructs suitable for diverse populations. The study findings underscore the theoretical and practical significance of these questionnaires in assessing and cultivating compassion. However, certain limitations warrant consideration, and the implications for research and clinical practice are thoroughly discussed.