SCS-SF · Self-compassion
Explore how you respond to yourself in difficult times
Source · Raes F, Pommier E, Neff KD, Van Gucht D. Construction and factorial validation of a short form of the Self-Compassion Scale. Clin Psychol Psychother. 2011;18:250–255. Original items used with permission. CareOps shows two descriptive response groupings, not the official overall score or validated short-form subscales.
Read self-compassion as two kinds of response
The SCS-SF is a 12-item short form of Neff’s Self-Compassion Scale. It asks how often you respond to yourself in particular ways during difficult times. This page uses the original English items.
Reading your results
The screen groups the 12 items into supportive responses and self-critical responses, six items each. This is a CareOps summary and differs from the overall score and subscale scores described by the scale’s authors. Both groupings can be high in the same person. Self-compassion is not about lowering your standards or letting yourself off; it means treating yourself in a hard moment as you would treat someone close to you.
A question to reflect on
Recall a recent moment when you made a mistake or things did not go as planned. Write exactly what you said to yourself, then what you would have said to a close friend in the same situation. The difference between the two sentences can show which words to change next time.
Frequently asked questions
- How many questions are in the SCS-SF self-compassion check, and how long does it take?
- There are 12 questions, and it usually takes about 2 minutes. For each question you choose one of 5 answers, from “Almost never” to “Almost always”. There are no right or wrong answers.
- How is self-compassion different from self-esteem?
- Self-esteem is closer to how highly you rate your own worth. Self-compassion is how you treat yourself when you make a mistake or have a hard time. It does not depend on doing well; it means treating yourself in a hard moment as you would treat someone close to you.
- Can the supportive and self-critical groups both be high?
- Yes. The screen divides the 12 items into two groups of six, and both can be high in the same person. These groups are a CareOps summary and differ from the overall and subscale scores described by the scale’s authors.
- Is self-compassion just letting myself off the hook?
- No. It is not about lowering your standards or making excuses, but about changing how you speak to yourself in a hard moment. Write what you said to yourself after a recent mistake next to what you would say to a close friend, and the difference becomes clear.
- Do I need to sign in? Are my answers saved?
- You can see your results right away without signing in. Your answers are used only for scoring and are not stored on our servers.
- Can I bring these results into a counseling session?
- Use the analysis button at the bottom of the result screen to have a short conversation with Maeumi without signing in. After the conversation, you can continue in the app. The web conversation does not transfer automatically to the app.
- Can I share my results with a friend?
- Yes. Use Share at the top right of the result screen to send a friend the check itself, or share your result as a link or story image. A result link carries your scores inside the address only; it does not include your name or account, and nothing is saved on our side.