The Reliability and Validity of the Chinese Version of the Mindful Self-Care Scale for College Students

ObjectivesMindful self-care is a way of embodied self-regulation that can safeguard and enhance psychological well-being. This study aimed to test the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Mindful Self-Care Scale (MSCS) among college students.MethodA total of 1486 college students (Mage = 19.36, SD = 1.16) from four different universities participated in this study. All participants completed a series of online surveys, including the MSCS, the Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form, the Body Appreciation Scale-2, and the Satisfaction With Life Scale. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the validity of the MSCS, and the R package measureQ was utilized to calculate the reliability. Additionally, we conducted comparative analyses involving the MSCS (33 items), its brief version (Brief-MSCS, 24 items), and previous relevant research.ResultsThe MSCS and Brief-MSCS demonstrated an acceptable factor structure, while the Brief-MSCS exhibited a more robust structure. Notably, the bifactor model adequately fitted the data for both versions. In bifactor model, each item not only belonged to its own group of factors but also belonged to a general factor. Both versions displayed satisfactory convergent validity, discriminant validity, concurrent validity, and robust composite reliability. Furthermore, Chinese college students exhibited a higher level of mindful self-care than Chinese medical professionals and a Western community sample.ConclusionsThe MSCS and Brief-MSCS have been found to be reliable and valid tools for assessing the levels of mindful self-care among college students, with the brief version showing superior performance. The robust fit of the bifactor model suggests that there is an overarching structure of mindful self-care that can be used to assess an individual's level through the total score. Moreover, there are differences in the level of mindful self-care among different groups, which need further verification.PreregistrationThis study is not preregistered.