Maternal Compassion Preoccupation Questionnaire (MCPQ)
Evaluates maternal compassion preoccupation, reflecting compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and self-compassion in mothers caring for young infants.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Maternal Compassion Preoccupation Questionnaire (MCPQ) was developed by Miriam Chasson, Orit Taubman – Ben-Ari (2025). It is designed to measure Maternal Compassion Preoccupation. The scale is intended for use with Mothers of infants (up to 12 months old).
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 29 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Maternal Compassion Fatigue, Maternal Compassion Satisfaction, Maternal Self-Compassion.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Maternal Compassion Fatigue | 2,7,8,10,11,12,14,16,17,19,20,22,24,25,26,27,28 | 17 |
| Maternal Compassion Satisfaction | 1,3,6,15 | 4 |
| Maternal Self-Compassion | 4,5,9,13,18,21,23,29 | 8 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 0 = Never, 1 = Rarely, 2 = Sometimes, 3 = Often, 4 = Very often.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 0 to 68. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Compassion Fatigue: 0 – 17
- Mild Compassion Fatigue: 18 – 34
- Moderate Compassion Fatigue: 35 – 51
- Severe Compassion Fatigue: 52 – 68
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Maternal compassion fatigue α = .943; Maternal compassion satisfaction α = .680; Maternal self-compassion α = .784.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.