2025 Volume 45 Pages 1007-1018
Purpose: This study aimed to clarify the development and cross-cultural application challenges of compassion measurement scales used in interpersonal care in healthcare and welfare settings.
Methods: A literature review was conducted using the “rapid evidence assessment” method, targeting English-language publications published from 2009 onward. The review focused on the structure of scales, rater types, and processes of translation and application across different cultural contexts.
Results: Among the 14 scales confirmed to be psychometrically reliable and valid, 10 were self-report measures. The items were categorized into three domains: internal orientation, empathy and understanding, and compassionate behavior. The majority of the scales were developed in the United States (n = 8), followed by the United Kingdom (n = 2), and one each in Canada, Spain, South Korea, Iran, and the Netherlands, indicating a strong U.S.-centric trend. Item deletions and changes in the factor structure were frequently observed in cross-cultural applications.
Conclusion: As the cultural assumptions of the country in which a scale is developed may influence its measurement content, the cultural and institutional contexts of the target country should be carefully considered when translating or developing compassion measures.
