Self-compassion is natural, trainable and multi-faceted human capacity. To date there has been little research into the role of culture in influencing the conceptual structure of the underlying construct, the relative importance of different facets of self-compassion, nor its relationships to cultural values. This study employed a cross-cultural design, with 4,124 participants from 11 purposively sampled datasets drawn from different countries. We aimed to assess the relevance of positive and negative items when building the self-compassion construct, the convergence among the self-compassion components, and the possible influence of cultural values. Each dataset comprised undergraduate students who completed the “Self-Compassion Scale” (SCS). We used a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) approach to the multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) model, separating the variability into self-compassion components (self-kindness, common humanity, mindfulness), method (positive and negative valence), and error (uniqueness). The normative scores of the Values Survey Module (VSM) in each country, according to the cultural dimensions of individualism, masculinity, power distance, long-term orientation, uncertainty avoidance, and indulgence, were considered. We used Spearman coefficients (rs) to assess the degree of association between the cultural values and the variance coming from the positive and negative items to explain self-compassion traits, as well as the variance shared among the self-compassion traits, after removing the method effects produced by the item valence. The CFA applied to the MTMM model provided acceptable fit in all the samples. Positive items made a greater contribution to capturing the traits comprising self-compassion when the long-term orientation cultural value was higher (rs = 0.62; p = 0.042). Negative items did not make significant contributions to building the construct when the individualism cultural value was higher, but moderate effects were found (rs = 0.40; p = 0.228). The level of common variance among the self-compassion trait factors was inversely related to the indulgence cultural value (rs = -0.65; p = 0.030). The extent to which the positive and negative items contribute to explain self-compassion, and that different self-compassion facets might be regarded as reflecting a broader construct, might differ across cultural backgrounds.

The purposes of the present study were: (1) To adapt an Arabic version of self-compassion scale and (2) to examine the relationship between self compassion and emotional intelligence for university students and (3) to explore the differences in self-compassion according to demographic variables. To check the first purpose, study one was run, data was collected from two samples; the first sample consisted of 272 undergraduate students (47% males and 53% females) from Assiut University in Egypt, their ages (M = 19.79 years and SD = 0.73), the second sample consisted of 373 undergraduate students (52% males and 48% females) from King Khalid University (KKU) in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, their ages (M = 19.96 years and SD = 0.70). To check the second purpose, study two was run, data was collected from 185 undergraduate students (52% males and 48% females) from KKU, their ages (M = 21.82 years and SD = 1.05). The present study used the Arabic version of self compassion scale and Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire to check the purposes. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and item-total correlations, used to check the psychometric properties of the Arabic version self-compassion scale, Person correlations used to examine the relationship between self compassion and emotional intelligence and ANOVA was run to explore the differences in self-compassion according to demographic variables. Results indicated that: (1) Arabic version self compassion scale has good psychometric properties, (2) significant positive correlation was found between self compassion and Emotional Intelligence, (3) Women reported significantly lower than men in mindfulness, over-identification, higher than men in overall self-compassion scores, self-judgment and isolation and no significant differences were found between males and females in Self-Kindness and Common Humanity. Also results showed that accommodation place or studying specialization had no significant affect in self compassion.

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The present study aimed to: (1) adapt an Arabic version of the Self Presentation Tactics (SPT) scale, (2) investigate the differences between visually impaired and sighted students in regards to SPT, and (3) explore the gender and degree of disability differences in visually impaired individual scores. In the first study data was collected from two groups of sighted students in the Asir region of Saudi Arabia in order to check the first aim. The first group consisted of 114 students (61 males and 53 females) in middle school, their ages were (15.95 ± 1.14) years old, the second group, consisted of 153 students (93 males and 60 females) from secondary school, their ages were (17.25 ± 0.85) years old. In the second study data was collected from two groups to check the second and third aims. The first group consisted of 85 (46 males and 39 females) visually impaired students; their ages were (17.15 ± 1.12) years old. The second group consisted of 95 (50 males and 45 females) sighted students; their ages were (16.88 ±1.13) years old. The current study used the SPT scale to check the aims. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and item-total correlations was used to check the psychometric properties of the Arabic version of SPT scale. ANOVA was run to explore the differences in SPT between visually impaired and sighted students and to investigate the effect of gender and degree of disability differences on SPT in visually impaired students. Results indicated that: (1) The Arabic version of the SPT scale had good psychometric properties, (2) sighted students had significantly higher scores than visually impaired students in defensive self-presentation tactics (DSPT), and (3) visually impaired males scored significantly higher in assertive selfpresentation tactics (ASPT).