For an experimental study on perspective taking on self relevant negtaive thoughts, we adapted the self compassion scale short form to be a state version. The manuscript is under review, here is how we decirbed the measure:
2.4.3. State Self-Compassion Scale (SSCS)
The SSCS is an adapted seven item, self-report measure based on the 26 item Self- Compassion Scale (SCS; Neff, 2003b). The SCS contains six subscales: Self-Kindness, Self- Judgement, Common Humanity, Isolation, Mindfulness and Over-Identification. The original SCS demonstrated good discriminant validity, test-retest reliability (r = .93) and internal reliability (Cronbach's α = .92). The adapted version for the present study included one item from each subscale and an additional item from the Self-Kindness subscale. The wording was also modified to measure state rather than trait self-compassion for a specific thought. Example items include, “As I think this thought right now, I am being disapproving and judgmental towards myself,” and “As I have this thought right now, I am able to be understanding and patient towards those aspects of myself that I don't like”. The resulting scale for this study was the State Self-Compassion Questionnaire, consisting of 7 items measured on a 5-point Likert scale, with possible answers ranging from ‘almost never’ to ‘almost always’. In the present study, the SSCS demonstrated good internal reliability (α = .73). Likewise, Pendrous and Hulbert-Williams (2017) developed a similar state adaptation of the SCS that had a reported alpha of .78.
To make the measure more generally useable in experimental preparations the version attahced her has had the words 'As I think this thought' removed. Items, scoring details and brief psychometric properties are in the attached document.
**** Whilst preparing this I found that Kristin Neff has actually published a state version of the Self Compassion Scale Short Form, in Septmber 2020. It wasn't available when we were looking for such a measure****
You can access that published version here and the article describing it here. It has much better validation that the quick adaptation we made, so I would reccomedn using that scale instead.
The citation for that scale is: Neff, K. D., Tóth-Király, I., Knox, M., Kuchar, A. & Davidson, O. (2020). The development and validation of the State Self-Compassion Scale (long and short form). Mindfulness. Advance online publication. DOI:10.1007/s12671-020-01505-4