Maternal Compassion Preoccupation Questionnaire (MCPQ)

Abstract

The Maternal Compassion Preoccupation Questionnaire (MCPQ), developed by Chasson and Taubman – Ben-Ari (2025), is a specialized psychometric instrument designed to evaluate the unique construct of maternal compassion preoccupation in mothers who are actively caring for young infants (up to 12 months old). The scale’s theoretical foundation integrates established concepts of compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction (Figley, 1995, 2002; Stamm, 2002), alongside the theory of self-compassion among caregivers (Neff, 2011). Initially comprising forty items derived from preliminary qualitative research, the scale underwent rigorous psychometric evaluation. Through both exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), the final version was refined to 29 items loading onto a robust three-factor structure. Subsequent analysis confirmed the measurement invariance, reliability, and validity of the MCPQ for use with this population.

Keywords

Maternal Compassion Preoccupation, Compassion Fatigue, Compassion Satisfaction, Self-Compassion, Postpartum, Mothers, Mother-Child Relations, Parental Attitudes, Family Measures.

Authors

Chasson, Miriam; Taubman – Ben-Ari, Orit

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Maternal Compassion Preoccupation Questionnaire (MCPQ) is to provide a comprehensive assessment tool for researchers and clinicians studying the emotional and psychological experiences inherent in the demanding nature of infant care. The measure captures the full spectrum of maternal compassion experiences, moving beyond simple stress or burnout to incorporate positive aspects.

Specifically, the MCPQ is designed to differentiate between three key components: the debilitating effects of Maternal Compassion Fatigue, the positive fulfillment derived from caregiving referred to as Maternal Compassion Satisfaction, and the mother’s capacity for Maternal Self-Compassion during this critical period.

Construct

The MCPQ operationalizes the construct of Maternal Compassion Preoccupation as a tripartite structure encompassing both the stressors and rewards associated with intensive, sustained caregiving in the postpartum period. This preoccupation reflects the constant emotional and physical investment required when caring for an infant up to 12 months old.

The three identified factors represent distinct, yet related, dimensions of this preoccupation:

• Maternal Compassion Fatigue: Reflects feelings of exhaustion, hopelessness, isolation, and bitterness resulting from the demands of constant infant care.

• Maternal Compassion Satisfaction: Represents the positive feelings of fulfillment, connection, and strength derived from the caregiving role and the bond with the infant.

• Maternal Self-Compassion: Measures the mother’s ability to treat herself with kindness, understanding, and a non-judgmental attitude when facing difficulties in her maternal role.

Validity

The validity of the MCPQ was established through rigorous testing, including both discriminant and convergent validation processes. Discriminant validity was supported by ensuring that the average variance extracted for each factor exceeded the maximum squared bivariate correlation between that factor and the other factors, indicating that the subscales measure distinct constructs.

Convergent validity provided crucial insight into the scale’s relationship with related psychological outcomes. Specifically, Maternal Compassion Fatigue was positively correlated with postpartum depression but negatively associated with both role satisfaction and mindfulness. Conversely, both Maternal Compassion Satisfaction and Maternal Self-Compassion demonstrated protective characteristics, showing negative associations with postpartum depression and positive associations with role satisfaction and mindfulness.

Reliability

The internal consistency of the three factors was assessed using both Cronbach’s Alpha ($alpha$) and McDonald’s Omega ($omega$). The results indicated acceptable to excellent reliability across the subscales, supporting the stability and consistency of the factor structure:

• Maternal Compassion Fatigue: $alpha$ = .943 and $omega$ = .945 (Excellent reliability).

• Maternal Compassion Satisfaction: $alpha$ = .680 and $omega$ = .677 (Acceptable reliability).

• Maternal Self-Compassion: $alpha$ = .784 and $omega$ = .783 (Good reliability).

Factor Analysis

The development of the final 29-item scale involved sequential factor analytic steps. Initially, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was performed on the initial 40 items. EFA confirmed the presence of three theoretically coherent factors, leading to the exclusion of 11 items that did not adequately load or align with the conceptual framework. This resulted in the final 29-item, three-factor model.

Subsequently, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted to verify the model fit. The results demonstrated strong model fit statistics, exceeding required psychometric thresholds: CFI = .936; TLI = .928; $chi^2$ = 574.50, df = 360, p < .001; RMSEA = .049; and standardized root-mean-square residual = .056. The ratio of the Chi-squared value over the degrees of freedom ($chi^2$/df) was 1.60, further supporting a good fit. Crucially, the scale also demonstrated measurement invariance across the two samples of mothers tested, indicating that the construct means the same thing regardless of the specific group tested.

Instrument

Test Type: Original

Format: Responses are indicated on a 5-point Likert scale (0 = Never to 4 = Very often). The typical administration method is electronic (online questionnaire).

Language Available: English

Population Group: Human; Female

Age Group: Adulthood (18 yrs & older); Young Adulthood (18-29 yrs); Thirties (30-39 yrs); Middle Age (40-64 yrs)

Population Details: Mothers caring for young infants (up to 12 months old) located in the United States, with an age range of 21–47 years. The test methodology employed included test validity, convergent validity, discriminant validity, test reliability, internal consistency, factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and exploratory factor analysis.

Keywords

Compassion Fatigue, Compassion Satisfaction, Maternal Compassion Preoccupation, Self-Compassion, Postpartum, Infant Care, Parental Stress, Psychometric Scale Development, Measurement Invariance.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier:

• Chasson, Miriam: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5502-673X

• Taubman – Ben-Ari, Orit: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9308-4052

Affiliation Email addresses:

• Chasson, Miriam: Louis and Gabi Weisfeld School of Social Work, Bar-Ilan University; [email protected]

• Taubman – Ben-Ari, Orit: Louis and Gabi Weisfeld School of Social Work, Bar-Ilan University

Correspondence Address:

Chasson, Miriam: Bar-Ilan University, Louis and Gabi Weisfeld School of Social Work, Ramat Gan, Israel, 5290010, [email protected]

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Permissions: The instrument may be used for Research and Teaching purposes.

Fee: No fee is required for use.

Test Year: 2025

References

Chasson, M., & Taubman – Ben-Ari, O. (2025). The Maternal Compassion Preoccupation Questionnaire (MCPQ): Development and initial validation. Journal of Family Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0001319

Figley, 1995, 2002; Stamm, 2002; Delaney, 2018; Galiana et al., 2022; Neff, 2011; Chasson and Taubman – Ben-Ari (2020); Stamm, 2010; Neff, 2003.

Items of the Maternal Compassion Preoccupation Questionnaire (MCPQ)

Introduction to the Questionnaire: Every woman experiences the period following childbirth in her own way. Above is a list of natural thoughts and feelings that women commonly describe during this period. Please indicate how often you have experienced each of them in the past month.

Items:

1. I care for my baby out of a deep connection.

2. I feel lonely when I’m caring for my baby day after day.

3. I feel the baby has a bond with me.

4. When I feel that things aren’t going the way I imagined, I remind myself that many mothers feel the same way.

5. I accept the fact that during this period things won’t be perfect.

6. I enjoy seeing the pleasure my family gets from my baby.

7. I don’t feel I have the strength to cope with caring for my baby.

8. I’m bored by the routine of infant care.

9. I try to keep a balanced attitude toward my feelings, even the negative ones, during this period.

10. Caring for the baby day after day gives me the sense that I have no value.

11. It’s hard for me to be constantly dealing with diapers, bottles, baths, and feedings.

12. I have no motivation when I wake up to another day of caring for my baby.

13. I’m looking out for myself in every way during this period, watching TV, letting people cook for me or pamper me.

14. I care for the baby mechanically, on auto pilot.

15. When the baby responds to me I feel it gives me strength.

16. I feel I have no one to talk to about the stress I feel with the baby.

17. Caring for the baby 24 hours a day makes me feel bitter.

18. I’m treating myself with understanding and a non-judgmental attitude at this time.

19. I feel tense when I’m caring for the baby.

20. Caring for the baby makes me feel helpless.

21. When things get hard for me I remind myself that my problems are natural and human.

22. I get annoyed as soon as the baby starts crying.

23. I know I can’t do everything. If there are dishes in the sink they can stay there, if there are things on the table it’s not so terrible. Sometimes I just need a rest.

24. I feel restricted by the constant need to maintain the baby’s schedule (feeding, activity, sleep).

25. I don’t feel I’m up to the tasks involved in caring for and feeding the baby.

26. I feel like I’m suffocating when I’m caring for my baby day after day.

27. I’m impatient when I’m caring for the baby.

28. The fact that the baby always demands that I meet his/her needs and I have to be around him/her all the time is hard for me.

29. When things get hard for me, I remind myself that many other mothers have the same difficulties.

Response Scale:

0 = Never
1 = Rarely
2 = Sometimes
3 = Often
4 = Very often