Validity and reliability of the Polish version of the Self-Compassion Scale and its correlates

Abstract

This study adapts the Self-Compassion Scale into Polish and tests the validity, reliability and factor structure of its measures. In the first phase of the research (Study I), 645 respondents were assessed using the NEO-FFI Scale, the Self-Esteem Scale and a back-translated version of the Self-Compassion Scale. The aim of Study I is to analyse the factor structure of the Polish adaptation of the Self-Compassion Scale. The results of analyses using structural equation modelling and exploratory structural equation modelling confirm the six-component structure of the Self-Compassion Scale and the possibility of distinguishing a single primary factor. The results of these analyses indicate that self-compassion is conceptually distinctive from personality traits and self-judgement. In the second phase of the study (Study II), 688 respondents were assessed and the findings show that self-compassion is a predictor of depressive symptoms, trait anxiety, and satisfaction with life, and is also linked to emotional intelligence. In conclusion, the findings of this study show that the Polish version of the Self-Compassion Scale is a reliable and valid measure of self-compassion.