A Validation Study of the Self-Compassion Scale – Short Form – Hungarian Version (SCS-SF-HU) with University Students
Tünde Póka, Andrea Barta and László Mérő
Citation: Póka, T., Barta, A., & Mérő, L. (2024). A Validation Study of the Self-Compassion Scale – Short Form – Hungarian Version (SCS-SF-HU) with University Students. European Journal of Applied Positive Psychology, 8, 2, 1-14. https://www.nationalwellbeingservice.org/volumes/volume-8-2024/volume-8-article-2/
Processing dates: Submitted 17 May 2023; Resubmitted 5 August 2023; Accepted 5 September 2023; Published 8 April 2024.
Abstract
Aims and Methods: The current study investigates the factor structure, reliability, measurement invariance, and construct validity of the Hungarian version of the Self-Compassion Scale – Short Form (SCS-SF) in university students (N = 685). Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA), internal consistency analyses (Cronbach’s α and mean inter-item correlations), and correlational analyses were conducted.
Results: CFA showed that both the original factor structure (the model with six first-order factors and one higher-order factor) and the two-factor solution formed by the positively-(self-warmth) and negatively formulated items (self-coldness) can be replicated. Internal consistency was very good for the global self-compassion indicator (α = .82), and mean inter-item correlations were acceptable (ranging from .33 to .50) for all subscales (i.e., self-coldness, self-warmth, self-kindness, self-judgment, common humanity, isolation, mindfulness, and over-identification). The results of correlational analyses were in coherence with the theory supporting the expected relationship patterns.
Conclusion: Overall, results from this study support the reliability and validity of the Hungarian version of the Self-Compassion Scale – Short Form. Based on the aforementioned results, we advocate the usage of the global self-compassion indicator, self-coldness, and self-warmth indicators, as well as the six subscale scores.
Keywords: Self-compassion, scale, validation, students, Hungarian
Biographies
Tünde Póka is with the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Department of Applied Psychology, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Email: tunde.poka@ubbcluj.ro
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1919-2375
Andrea Barta is with the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Department of Applied Psychology, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Email: andrea.barta@ubbcluj.ro
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8754-6097
László Mérő is with the Department of Affective Psychology, ELTE, Institute of Psychology, Eötvös Lóránd University, Budapest, Hungary.
Email: mero.laszlo@ppk.elte.hu
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6906-3673