A Tool of the Future for Strengthening Compassion in a Danish Hospital Setting.

This study is a multi-phase, mixed-methods clinical investigation designed to examine the feasibility, validity, and organizational applicability of a structured measurement framework for assessing compassion in a Danish hospital setting. The study is conducted at Herlev and Gentofte Hospital and involves both patients and healthcare professionals across multiple clinical departments. The study is structured in three sequential phases, each addressing distinct methodological and implementation components. Phase 1 (Translation and Cultural Adaptation): The initial phase involves the linguistic translation and cultural adaptation of three versions of the Sinclair Compassion Questionnaire (SCQ) and associated healthcare professional measures. This process follows established international guidelines for cross-cultural validation, including forward translation, back-translation, expert panel review, and pilot testing. Cognitive interviewing techniques are used to evaluate comprehension, relevance, and cultural appropriateness among both patients and healthcare professionals. Particular attention is given to semantic equivalence and the contextual meaning of key constructs across languages and professional groups. Phase 1b (Psychometric Validation): Following adaptation, the instruments are administered to a patient sample recruited from departments of anesthesia, surgery, and intensive care. Data collected in this phase are used to assess the psychometric properties of the translated instruments, including internal consistency, construct validity, factor structure, and measurement invariance. Statistical analyses include confirmatory factor analysis and reliability testing. The aim of this phase is to ensure that the instruments demonstrate robust measurement properties within the Danish healthcare context. Phase 2 (Observational Implementation Study): In the second phase, the validated instruments are implemented across four hospital departments, including medic