earticle

영어

The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties and factor structure of the Korean version of the Self-Compassion Scale–Short Form (SCS-SF), originally developed by Neff. The instrument was initially tested on a sample of counselors (n=312) and college students (n=202), and subsequently crossvalidated using correctional institution workers (n=180), a group not previously studied with this tool. All subscales of the Korean SCS-SF demonstrated acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach’s α≥0.52), and showed high correlations with the original full scale (r≥0.94), supporting its convergent validity. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) found that the Korean version best fit a two-factor model, categorizing items into positive (self-kindness, common humanity, mindfulness) and negative (over-identification, isolation, self-judgment) dimensions—interpreted in this study as ‘self-acceptance’ versus ‘Self-blame.’ This model suggests consistent and high structural validity across three sample groups. The unique contribution of this study is the multiple validation of the Korean SCS-SF using adult samples of professionals and students, which has not been adequately explored in the Korean context. The author played a central role in both cultural adaptation and empirically establishing structural equivalence of this scale, addressing a significant gap in the literature. The findings indicate that this Koreanized SCS-SF is not only a psychometrically sound scale but also a practical alternative to the original scale. This study provides strong evidence for its applicability to clinical, educational, and workplace settings in S. Korea. This study contributes to cross-cultural psychology by providing a validated, concise measure of self-empathy suitable for both research and practice.