Your SC Score
Choose a scale.
Both versions are scored on the same 1–5 metric and yield the same six subscales (self-kindness, common humanity, mindfulness, and their opposites — which get reverse-coded automatically). The short form is faster; the full scale is what most published studies use.
Privacy: scoring is computed in your browser. Anonymized responses (no name, no email, no IP-level identifiers) are logged so the tool can be improved over time. Email is only required if you want the PDF report at the end.
What this test actually measures
The Self-Compassion Scale measures one underlying construct — how kindly you tend to treat yourself when life is hard — broken into six related components. Three are positively framed: self-kindness (warmth toward yourself instead of harsh judgment), common humanity (recognizing your struggles as part of the shared human experience instead of something uniquely wrong with you), and mindfulness (staying aware of difficult feelings without getting consumed by them). Three are negatively framed and reverse-coded in scoring: self-judgment, isolation, and over-identification.
Higher total scores reflect a more compassionate inner stance. Researchers commonly use loose bands of 1.00–2.49 as low, 2.50–3.50 as moderate, and 3.51–5.00 as high — but the scale was never intended as a clinical diagnostic. There are no cutoffs that label anyone "self-compassionate" or "not." The most useful thing a score can do is point you toward which subscales are pulling your total down, so you know where to focus practice.
If you're curious about the research that's accumulated on this construct — its link to anxiety, depression, motivation, relationships, and stress recovery — the Resources section walks through the major findings in plain language. If you'd rather skip to working with someone, the Coaching page is the place.
Common questions
Is my data shared with anyone?
No. Your responses are scored in your browser. We keep an anonymous CSV log of completed assessments — no name, no email, no IP, no demographics — to track how the tool is being used and to spot bugs. If you provide your email for the PDF report, that's added to the Self-Compassion NYC newsletter list, which you can unsubscribe from at the bottom of any email. We don't sell or share your information.
How is this different from a therapy assessment?
This is a self-knowledge tool, not a clinical instrument. The Self-Compassion Scale has been used as an outcome measure in clinical research (does an intervention move the number?), but it isn't designed to diagnose anything or to recommend a treatment. If your score concerns you, or if the items themselves bring up difficult feelings, it's worth talking with a licensed clinician.
Will being more self-compassionate make me lazy or self-indulgent?
The empirical answer is no. Across hundreds of studies, self-compassion is associated with more initiative, more resilience after failure, healthier behavior, and better follow-through — not less. The colloquial worry ("if I'm easy on myself I'll never try hard") doesn't hold up in the data. Treating yourself kindly turns out to be a better motivator than treating yourself harshly.
Why do some of the items feel negative or accusatory?
About half of the items describe self-critical or isolating patterns ("I'm disapproving and judgmental about my own flaws…"). Those items belong to subscales that get reverse-coded in scoring — high agreement counts against your self-compassion total. The scale needs both kinds of items to triangulate the construct.
What's the 8-week MSC course you mention?
The standard Mindful Self-Compassion course developed by Christopher Germer and Kristin Neff. It's a structured, evidence-based program that teaches the practices behind every subscale on this test. Self-Compassion NYC runs it on-request: gather a small cohort (6–12 people) and we set a start date that works. Details here.
Citations
Scales:
Neff, K. D. (2003). Development and validation of a scale to measure self-compassion. Self and Identity, 2(3), 223–250. https://doi.org/10.1080/15298860309027
Raes, F., Pommier, E., Neff, K. D., & Van Gucht, D. (2011). Construction and factorial validation of a short form of the Self-Compassion Scale. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 18(3), 250–255. https://doi.org/10.1002/cpp.702
Neff, K. D., Tóth-Király, I., Yarnell, L., Arimitsu, K., Castilho, P., Ghorbani, N., … Mantios, M. (2019). Examining the factor structure of the Self-Compassion Scale using exploratory SEM bifactor analysis in 20 diverse samples: Support for use of a total score and six subscale scores. Psychological Assessment, 31(1), 27–45. https://doi.org/10.1037/pas0000629