Validation of the Korean Version of the Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form Among Young Adults: A Comparison of Factor Structures

Objective Self-compassion plays a crucial role in emotional well-being and positive mental health. Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) can facilitate measurement of psychological distress and positive affect. SCS-Short Form (SCS-SF) offers an economical and efficient means of reducing burden of both respondents and researchers. Methods This study conducted secondary data analysis to construct and validate the Korean version of the SCS-SF (K-SCS-SF) using a sample of 650 young adults residing in Korea. To evaluate the factorial structure of the scale, confirmatory factor analyses were performed on two-, three-, and six-factor models, and model comparisons were conducted using multiple fit indices. Concurrent validity was assessed by analyzing correlations of the SCS-SF with measures of resilience, depression, and anxiety. Reliability was examined based on item-total correlations and internal consistency analysis. Results Findings revealed that the two-factor model comprising negative and positive indicators was the best-fitting model. The two-factor model demonstrated strong validity and reliability in its application, highlighting its robustness in assessing self-compassion and its associations with resilience, depression, and anxiety. Conclusion The validated K-SCS-SF serves as a reliable, efficient, and practical assessment tool, advancing self-compassion research and its applications in mental health assessment, intervention studies, and psychological well-being research.