Brief Description

The scale consists of four sections. The first includes 12 questions assessing one’s ability to forgive another person. The second section contains 24 everyday phrases that reflect a definite or uncertain willingness to forgive someone who has caused harm. The third part includes 12 items about whether the person forgives others after having harmed them. The fourth section comprises 4 phrases—two referring to the participant’s forgiveness of others, and two about being forgiven by someone else.

Purpose

The scale aims to measure forgiveness in adolescents and adults. It examines both the willingness to forgive others and the individual’s attitudes toward receiving forgiveness from others.

Scoring Method

Each item is rated on a five-point scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Total scores are derived by summing the responses in each section, and analysis can be performed overall or by subscale.

Validity

The scale demonstrates good construct validity, reflected in the clear structure and distinction among its four parts, which represent different aspects of the forgiveness construct.

Reliability

The overall Cronbach’s alpha for the scale was 0.90, indicating high internal consistency. The subscale for forgiveness toward others had an alpha of 0.81, while the subscale measuring forgiveness from others reached 0.85.

Data Analysis and Usage

This tool can be used in psychological assessment, educational settings, and research related to emotional intelligence, interpersonal relationships, and moral development. The clear differentiation between forgiving others and being forgiven makes it suitable for both individual and group studies.

Key References

Scobie, G. E. W., & Scobie, E. D. (1997). Measures of forgiveness. Paper presented at the 7th Symposium of Religion and Psychology, Barcelona, Spain.