Compassion Scale – CS
Measures an individual's level of compassion towards others across six dimensions: Kindness, Indifference, Common Humanity, Separation, Mindfulness, and Disengagement.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Compassion Scale – CS was developed by Elizabeth A. Pommier (2011). It is designed to measure Compassion for Others. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 24 items organized into 6 factors/subscales: Kindness, Indifference, Common Humanity, Separation, Mindfulness, Disengagement.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Kindness | 6,8,16,24 | 4 |
| Indifference | 2,12,14,18 | 4 |
| Common Humanity | 11,15,17,20 | 4 |
| Separation | 3,5,10,22 | 4 |
| Mindfulness | 4,9,13,21 | 4 |
| Disengagement | 1,7,19,23 | 4 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Almost Never, 2 = 2, 3 = Sometimes, 4 = 4, 5 = Almost Always.
The scale includes 12 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 24 to 120. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Compassion: 24 – 56
- Moderate Compassion: 57 – 88
- High Compassion: 89 – 120
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Not specified in source text.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.