Mindful
Self-Care Scale – Brief
The Mindful Self-Care Scale – Brief is a 24-item scale that measures the self-reported frequency
of behaviors that measure self-care behavior.
Self-care is defined as the daily process of being aware of and attending to one’s basic
physiological and emotional needs including the shaping of one’s daily routine, relationships,
and environment as needed to promote self-care. Mindful self-care addresses self-care and
adds the component of mindful awareness.
Mindful self-care is seen as the foundational work required for physical and emotional well-
being. Self-care is associated with positive physical health, emotional well-being, and mental
health. Steady and intentional practice of mindful self-care is seen as protective by preventing
the onset of mental health symptoms, job/school burnout, and improving work and school
productivity.
This scale is intended to help individuals identify areas of strength and weakness in mindful
self-care behavior as well as assess interventions that serve to improve self-care. The scale
addresses 6 domains of self-care: mindful relaxation, physical care, self-compassion and
purpose, supportive relationships, supportive structure, and mindful awareness.
Contact information: Catherine Cook-Cottone, Ph.D. at [email protected]
Circle the number that reflects the frequency of your behavior (how much or how often)
within past week (7 days):
Never Rarely Sometimes Often Regularly
(0 days) (1 day) (2 to 3 days) (4 to 5 days) (6 to 7 days)
1 2 3 4 5
Reverse-Scored:
Never Rarely Sometimes Often Regularly
(0 days) (1 day) (2 to 3 days) (4 to 5 days) (6 to 7 days)
5 4 3 2 1
The questions on the scale follow.
1
Mindful Self-Care Scale – Brief
Mindful Relaxation (4 items)
I did something creative to relax (e.g., drew, played instrument, wrote 1 2 3 4 5
creatively, sang, organized)
I listened to relax (e.g., to music, a podcast, radio show, rainforest sounds) 1 2 3 4 5
I sought out images to relax (e.g., art, film, window shopping, nature) 1 2 3 4 5
I sought out smells to relax (lotions, nature, candles/incense, smells of 1 2 3 4 5
baking)
Total __________
Average for Subscale = Total/# of items __________
Physical Care (5 items)
I ate a variety of nutritious foods (e.g., vegetables, protein, fruits, and grains) 1 2 3 4 5
I exercised at least 30 to 60 minutes 1 2 3 4 5
I took part in sports, dance or other scheduled physical activities (e.g., sports 1 2 3 4 5
teams, dance classes)
I did sedentary activities instead of exercising (e.g., watched tv, worked on 5 4 3 2 1
the computer) *reverse scored*
I practiced yoga or another mind/body practice (e.g., Tae Kwon Do, Tai Chi) 1 2 3 4 5
Total __________
Average for Subscale = Total/# of items __________
Self-Compassion and Purpose (4 items)
I kindly acknowledged my own challenges and difficulties 1 2 3 4 5
I engaged in supportive and comforting self-talk (e.g., “My effort is valuable 1 2 3 4 5
and meaningful”)
I gave myself permission to feel my feelings (e.g., allowed myself to cry) 1 2 3 4 5
I experienced meaning and/or a larger purpose in my work/school life (e.g., 1 2 3 4 5
for a cause)
Total __________
2
Mindful Self-Care Scale – Brief
Average for Subscale = Total/# of items __________
Supportive Relationships (4 items)
I spent time with people who are good to me (e.g., support, encourage, and 1 2 3 4 5
believe in me)
I felt supported by people in my life 1 2 3 4 5
I felt confident that people in my life would respect my choice if I said “no” 1 2 3 4 5
I felt that I had someone who would listen to me if I became upset (e.g., friend, 1 2 3 4 5
counselor, group)
Total __________
Average for Subscale = Total/# of items __________
Supportive Structure (4 items)
I maintained a manageable schedule 1 2 3 4 5
I kept my work/schoolwork area organized to support my work/school tasks 1 2 3 4 5
I maintained balance between the demands of others and what is important 1 2 3 4 5
to me
I maintained a comforting and pleasing living environment 1 2 3 4 5
Total __________
Average for Subscale = Total/# of items __________
Mindful Awareness (3 items)
I had a calm awareness of my thoughts 1 2 3 4 5
I had a calm awareness of my feelings 1 2 3 4 5
I had a calm awareness of my body 1 2 3 4 5
Total __________
Average for Subscale = Total/# of items __________
3
Mindful Self-Care Scale – Brief
Total Score Summary
Be sure you have correctly scored your reversed-scored item
Averaged Subscale
Score
__________ Mindful Relaxation
__________ Physical Care
__________ Self-Compassion and Purpose
__________ Supportive Relationships
__________ Supportive Structure
__________ Mindful Awareness
Shade in your average score for each subscale below:
5
Scale Mindful Physical Self-Compassion Supportive Supportive Mindful
Relaxation Care & Purpose Relationships Structure Awareness
For a long version of the scale and a detailed description of the source scale see:
Cook-Cottone, C. P. (2015). Mindfulness and yoga for embodied self-regulation: A primer
for mental health professionals. New York, NY: Springer Publishing.
