Description

Decisional Forgiveness Scale (DFS)
The Decisional Forgiveness Scale (DFS) is a psychometric tool used to measure a person’s intention to act in a way that promotes reconciliation and a positive attitude towards someone who has harmed them. This scale focuses on the decision to forgive, regardless of the feelings the person may hold.
Emotional Forgiveness Scale (EFS)
The Emotional Forgiveness Scale (EFS) is a tool that evaluates the emotional changes that accompany the process of forgiveness. While the DFS focuses on the decision to forgive, the EFS focuses on the emotional shifts that occur when a person truly forgives, such as the reduction of anger and resentment, and the increase of compassion and understanding.

Goal

The goal of the DFS and EFS is to provide a comprehensive framework for understanding the forgiveness process by examining both the decision to forgive and the emotional changes that accompany it. This helps to understand how forgiveness may affect mental health and interpersonal relationships.

Analysis

Decisional Forgiveness Scale (DFS)
The DFS includes a series of questions asking the participant to evaluate the extent to which they are willing to act positively toward the person who has harmed them. Responses are rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly disagree, 5 = Strongly agree).
Emotional Forgiveness Scale (EFS)
The EFS includes questions that evaluate the emotional reactions of the individual toward the person who has harmed them. Participants evaluate how their feelings have changed on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly disagree, 5 = Strongly agree).

Scoring

Decisional Forgiveness Scale (DFS)
The scores for each question are added to provide an overall score. Higher scores indicate a greater intention to forgive and act positively towards the person who has harmed them.
Emotional Forgiveness Scale (EFS)
The scores for each question are added to provide an overall score. Higher scores indicate greater emotional forgiveness, with positive emotional changes towards the person who caused the harm.

Bibliography

Worthington, E. L. Jr., Wade, N. G., Hoyt, W. T., & Ripley, J. S. (2000). Decisional and emotional forgiveness. In Forgiveness: Theory, research, and practice (pp. 77-104).
Toussaint, L., & Webb, J. R. (2005). Decisional and emotional forgiveness: A study of their relative validity. Journal of Positive Psychology, 2(3), 143-152.
Worthington, E. L. Jr. (2006). Forgiveness and Reconciliation: Theory and Application. Routledge.
Wade, N. G., & Worthington, E. L. Jr. (2003). Overcoming interpersonal offenses: Is forgiveness the only way to deal with unforgivable injuries? Journal of Counseling & Development, 81(3), 343-353.