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Psychometric validity of the Compassionate Engagement and Action Scale for Adolescents: a Swedish version Cover

Psychometric validity of the Compassionate Engagement and Action Scale for Adolescents: a Swedish version

Open Access
|Jul 2020

Figures & Tables

TABLE 1.

Descriptive statistics for total sample, boys and girls in the Engagement and Action subscales of Compassion for others, Compassion from others and Self-compassion

Total sample
N = 316
Boys
N = 103
Girls
N = 213
ItemsMSDritcα-iMSDritcα-iMSDritcα-i
Engagement47.448.53  44.059.56  49.087.47  
Compassion for others: When others are distressed or upset by things…
Compassion from others: When I’m distressed or upset by things37.8010.63  37.219.53  38.0811.14  
Self-compassion: When I’m distressed or upset by things38.999.68  39.6110.00  38.709.53  
1aI want to help others to feel better8.881.780.670.768.172.190.690.779.231.430.600.73
1Bothers want to help me to feel better6.972.350.580.826.502.340.490.787.192.330.620.84
1CI want to help myself to feel better6.652.720.490.667.022.740.500.696.472.700.490.68
2AI notice the feelings of others8.351.630.660.777.811.830.730.778.611.460.570.74
2Bothers notice my feelings5.882.610.620.815.942.510.580.765.852.660.640.83
2cI notice my own feelings6.972.420.520.657.122.360.550.686.902.450.500.68
4aI feel moved6.562.450.440.825.552.440.330.857.052.310.450.78
4bothers feel moved5.312.250.530.835.072.090.400.805.422.320.580.84
4cI feel moved6.142.400.220.744.942.470.310.746.722.140.280.74
5aI can stand their different types of feelings7.642.150.580.787.192.380.590.797.862.000.550.74
5bothers can stand different types of my feelings6.702.240.660.806.632.040.600.756.742.340.680.82
5cI can stand my own different types of feelings6.612.510.440.686.462.740.510.686.692.390.410.71
6acan understand their feelings7.551.950.600.777.332.170.620.797.661.830.600.73
6bothers can understand my feelings5.792.420.630.816.052.300.610.755.672.470.650.83
6cI can understand my feelings6.172.470.580.646.732.460.600.665.902.430.570.66
8aI accept their feelings8.451.830.560.788.002.080.640.788.671.650.470.76
8bothers accept my feelings7.142.420.670.807.012.240.620.757.202.500.690.82
8cI accept my feelings6.452.550.450.687.352.460.370.736.022.480.520.67
Action32.476.85  29.757.58  33.796.06  
Compassion for others: When others are distressed or upset by things…
Compassion from others: When I’m distressed or upset by things…27.548.08  26.248.09  28.168.02  
Self-compassion: When I’m distressed or upset by things…23.379.11  25.058.77  22.569.18  
1aI focus my attention on things that can help them8.151.920.830.857.502.120.860.858.461.740.780.83
1bothers focus their attention on things that can help me6.672.310.850.896.382.340.850.906.812.290.850.88
1cI focus my attention on things that can help me5.952.590.840.896.362.390.830.895.752.670.840.89
2aI find ways to help them handle their feelings7.992.090.800.867.312.330.780.888.311.880.800.83
2bothers will find ways to help me handle my feelings6.442.410.850.896.172.340.890.896.572.440.840.89
2cI find ways to handle my feelings5.982.600.790.916.342.560.770.915.802.610.790.90
4aI do things that will help them to feel better7.631.930.740.887.062.000.770.887.901.830.690.87
4bothers do things that will help me to feel better6.722.160.820.906.412.120.830.916.862.160.810.89
4cI do things that will help me to feel better.6.102.430.830.896.412.370.840.885.952.450.830.89
5aI am kind and supportive to them8.701.880.740.887.872.150.720.909.111.590.710.86
5bothers are kind and supportive to me7.712.080.770.927.272.120.760.937.922.030.770.91
5cI am kind and supportive to myself5.352.520.800.905.942.470.810.905.072.500.800.90
Compassion for others total scale79.9114.27  73.8015.65  82.8712.57  
Compassion from others total scale65.3317.40  63.4516.31  66.2417.87  
Self-compassion total scale62.3716.82  64.6616.63  61.2616.84  

1 Note. M = mean, SD = standard deviation, ritc = corrected item-total correlation, α-i = ordinal alpha if the item is removed

TABLE 2.

Standardized Factor Loadings for the Swedish CEASY-SE (N = 316)

Item number and meaning of itemCompassion for others: EngagementCompassion for others: ActionCompassion from others: Engagement*Compassion from others: Action*Self-compassion: EngagementSelf-compassion: Action
1. Care for wellbeing.88 .70 .84 
2. Attention/sensitive to suffering.79 .73 .57 
5. Distress tolerance.67 .74 .36 
6. Empathy.69 .70 .70 
8. Being accepting and non-judgmental.71 .81 .68 
1. Directing attention to what is helpful .91 .85 .90
2. Thinking and reasoning – what is helpful .89 .86 .85
4. Taking helpful actions .81 .90 .89
5. Creating inner feelings of support and kindness .86 .87 .88

1 Note. * = showing the final model’s factor loadings

TABLE 3.

Internal Consistency and Mann-Whitney U test between Boys and Girls

Boys (n = 103 )Girls (n = 213 )TotalMann-Whitney U
MSDαMSDαMSDαUpES r
Compassion for others Engagement38.508.46.9142.046.13.8940.887.16.828308.500.000*-0.20
Compassion for others Action29.757.58.9033.796.06.8832.476.85.907303.500.000*-0.27
Total68.2514.74.8075.8311.41.8473.3613.06.917525.000.000*-0.25
Compassion from others Engagement32.148.51.9032.669.63.9232.499.27.8310638.000.663-0.02
Compassion from others Action26.248.09.9328.168.02.9225.548.08.929408.000.040-0.12
Total58.3815.12.9060.8216.46.9260.0216.05.919933.500.173-0.08
Self-compassion Engagement34.678,96.7431.988.70.7432.858.86.748864.000.006*-0.16
Self-compassion Action25.058.77.9222.569.18.9223.379.11.929177.500.018-0.13
Total59.7215.90.8754.5416.32.8856.2316.34.888817.500.005**-0.16

1 Note. M = mean; SD = standard deviation; α = Cronbach alpha. Bonferroni corrected p-values *p < .008. Effect size r = .1–.3 small effect, .3–.5 medium effect, ≥ .5 large effect

TABLE 4.

Intercorrelations between CEASY-SE Subscales using Spearman’s Rho

MeasureSelf-compassion ActionCompassion for others EngagementCompassion for others ActionCompassion from others EngagementCompassion from others Action
Self-compassion Engagement.642**.242**.182**.456**.315**
Self-compassion Action1.000.122*.164**.437**.387**
Compassion for others Engagement 1.000.699**.350**.367**
Compassion for others Action  1.000.364**.497**
Compassion from others Engagement   1.000.714**
Compassion from others Action    1.000

1 Note. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01

TABLE 5.

Descriptive statistics of validity measures

Total sample N = 316
ScalesMSD
Self-Compassion Scale positive scale35.889.65
WHO-5 Well-being Index total scale55.6721.54
Beck Youth Inventories Depression subscale17.3610.31
Beck Youth Inventories Anger subscale10.748,64
The Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale – total Anxiety scale29.4617.78
Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire – Functioning Composite subscale1.281.59
Patient Reported Outcome Measurements Information System - item bank Pain29.5213.59

1 Note. M = mean, SD = standard deviation

TABLE 6.

Spearman’s correlations between CEASY-SE subscales and validity measures

MeasureSCS positive scaleWHO-5RCADS AnxBYI-DBYI-ASDQ impactPROMIS pain
Compassion for others total scale.042.050-.012-.075-.128*.002-.094
Compassion from others total scale.342**.293**-.265**-.375**-.371**-.188*-.175
Self-compassion total scale.565**.491**-.462**-.511**-.414**-.259**-.251

1 Note. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01.

SCS positive scale = Self-Compassion Scale positive scale (28); WHO-5 = WHO Well-being Index (34); BYI-D = Beck Youth Inventories Depression subscale (35); BYI-A = Beck Youth Inventories Anger subscale (35); RCADS Anx = The Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale - total Anxiety scale (36); SDQ impact = Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire - functioning composite subscale; PROMIS pain = Patient Reported Outcome Measurements Information System item bank Pain

FIGURE 1.

Principal Component Analyses of 1) Compassion for Others, 2) Compassion from Others, 3) Self-compassion.

WHO5tot = WHO-5 Well-being Index; SCSpositive = self-compassion positive scale; BYI-D = Beck Youth Inventories of Emotional and Social Impairment Depression; BYI-A = Beck Youth Inventories of Emotional and Social Impairment Anger

Language: English
Page range: 70 - 80
Published on: Jul 18, 2020
Published by: Center for Evidence-based Psychiatry
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 1 issue per year

© 2020 Eva Henje, Frida Carlberg Rindestig, Paul Gilbert, Inga Dennhag, published by Center for Evidence-based Psychiatry
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.