CHaPtEr 14: MINDFUL SELF-CarE • 335MINDFUL SELF-CarE SCaLE–SHOrt
The 84-item MSCS–L is a good way to look at your broader self-care practices within the
context of self-regulation or having students carefully assess their own self-care behaviors as
part of a reflective exercise. I do this for my Self-Care and Service course at the University at
Buffalo. In this course, students create a service learning project and simultaneously engage
in active self-care. Their self-care practice receives a grade equal in weight to their service
project. Use of the long version of this scale is perfect for that level of self- refection. However,
we wanted to create a psychometrically sound scale that was shorter and easier to use for
researchers and those in the helping professions that can be completed in several minutes.
Dr. Wendy Guyker and I set out to create the Mindful Self-Care Scale–Short (MSCS–S; see
gse.buffalo.edu/about/directory/faculty/cook-cottone for full details of the analysis and
the psychometric properties of the scale).
After receiving institutional review board approval from our university, participants
were recruited. Data were screened for duplicate, erroneous, or missing information. The
448 participants’ data were analyzed. A factor analysis resulted in a 33-item scale with
six subscales (see Figure 14.5): First, internal self-practices: Self-Compassion and Purpose
and Physical Care: second, external practices: Supportive Structure and Supportive
Relationships; last, practices that help create embodied attunement by integrating features
of the internal self and the external self: Mindful Awareness and Mindful Relaxation (see
the appendix to this chapter, “The MSCS–S” for a list of questions and scoring directions;
Cook-Cottone & Guyker, 2016).
Specifically for the internal self-practices, the Physical Care scale includes items address-
ing hydration, nutrition, and exercise. These items detail ways in which you can take care
of your body. Next, the Self-Compassion and Purpose scale items include the things we
do to mentally cope when times get tough. We considered calling it the mindful grit scale.
These things include acknowledging your challenges and difficulties, engaging in positive
self-talk, feeling your feelings, and finding a larger sense of purpose in your life and work.
taBLE 14.11 Self-Care Spiritual Practice Items
Ask yourself, “This past week how many days did I do the following?” You can give yourself
the following scores: 0 = never (0 days), 1 = rarely (1 day), 2 = sometimes (2–3 days), 3 = often
(4–5 days), and 4 = regularly (6–7 days). For the items that state “reverse score” score as:
4 = never (0 days), 3 = rarely (1 day), 2 = sometimes (2–days), 1 = often (4–5 days), and
0 = regularly (6–7 days). Your score for this section can range from 0 to 24.- I experienced meaning and/or a larger purpose in my work/school life (e.g., for a cause).
- I experienced meaning and/or larger purpose in my private/personal life (e.g., for a cause).
- I spent time in a spiritual place (e.g., church, meditation room, nature).
- I read, watched, or listened to something inspirational (e.g., watched a video that gives me
hope, read inspirational material, listened to spiritual music). - I spent time with others who share my spiritual worldview (e.g., church community, volunteer
group). - I spent time doing something that I hope will make a positive difference in the world (e.g.,
volunteered at a soup kitchen, took time out for someone else).