Advancing the assessment of compassion: Psychometric study of the compassion motivation and action scales in a Portuguese sample

Abstract

Compassion can be defined as a sensitivity to suffering, both in the self and others, with a motivation and commitment to alleviate and prevent this suffering. Mounting research has documented the countless benefits of compassion-based interventions. The Compassion Motivation and Action Scales (CMAS) were designed to assess motivation and action as core components of compassion and self-compassion, and to allow the measurement of changes in compassionate action over time. This study aims to examine the factor structure and psychometric characteristics of the CMAS in the Portuguese population and further expand its original study by exploring its test–retest reliability and responsiveness to change. Factor structure, internal consistency and construct validity of the Compassion for Others and Self-Compassion Scales of the CMAS were examined in 516 adult participants recruited from the general community. Test–retest reliability and responsiveness to change were tested in a sample of 112 participants enrolled in a Compassion Mind Training for Teachers (CMT-T) program as part of a larger intervention trial. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis results confirmed the original structure of the instrument, composed by three subscales (intention, distress tolerance and action), both for the Compassion for Others scale (12 items) and the Self-Compassion scale (18 items). The CMAS revealed good internal consistency, adequate construct validity, temporal stability and sensitivity to change. Therefore, the CMAS seems to constitute a valid and reliable instrument for the assessment of compassionate and self-compassionate motivation and action, which can be used as both a research and clinical tool.