Self–Other Four Immeasurable Scale – SOFI
Measures the Buddhist qualities of loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity directed toward oneself and others.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Self–Other Four Immeasurable Scale – SOFI was developed by S. Kraus & S. Sears (2009). It is designed to measure Loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity toward self and others. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 16 items organized into 4 factors/subscales: Positive Self, Negative Self, Positive Other, Negative Other.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Positive Self | 1,7,9,13 | 4 |
| Negative Self | 3,5,11,15 | 4 |
| Positive Other | 2,8,10,14 | 4 |
| Negative Other | 4,6,12,16 | 4 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Very Slightly or Not At All, 2 = A Little, 3 = Moderately, 4 = Quite a Bit, 5 = Extremely.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 4 to 20. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low presence of the subscale qualities: 4 – 8
- Moderate presence of the subscale qualities: 9 – 15
- High presence of the subscale qualities: 16 – 20
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Positive Self (0.86); Negative Self (0.85); Positive Other (0.80); Negative Other (0.82).
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.