Use of a brief version of the self-compassion inventory with an international sample of people with HIV/AIDS

AIDS Care. 2013;25(12):1513-9. doi: 10.1080/09540121.2013.780119. Epub 2013 Mar 25.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to extend the psychometric evaluation of a brief version of the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS). A secondary analysis of data from an international sample of 1967 English-speaking persons living with HIV disease was used to examine the factor structure, and reliability of the 12-item Brief Version Self-Compassion Inventory (BVSCI). A Maximum Likelihood factor analysis and Oblimin with Kaiser Normalization confirmed a two-factor solution, accounting for 42.58% of the variance. The BVSCI supported acceptable internal consistencies, with 0.714 for the total scale and 0.822 for Factor I and 0.774 for Factor II. Factor I (lower self-compassion) demonstrated strongly positive correlations with measures of anxiety and depression, while Factor II (high self-compassion) was inversely correlated with the measures. No significant differences were found in the BVSCI scores for gender, age, or having children. Levels of self-compassion were significantly higher in persons with HIV disease and other physical and psychological health conditions. The scale shows promise for the assessment of self-compassion in persons with HIV without taxing participants, and may prove essential in investigating future research aimed at examining correlates of self-compassion, as well as providing data for tailoring self-compassion interventions for persons with HIV.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / psychology*
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Anxiety / psychology
  • Comorbidity
  • Depression / psychology
  • Empathy*
  • Factor Analysis, Statistical
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / psychology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • North America / epidemiology
  • Personality Inventory*
  • Psychometrics
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Self Concept
  • Self Efficacy
  • Young Adult