Assessment of dispositional forgiveness in adolescence: a contribution to the Italian validation of the Forgiveness Likelihood Scale

AbstractAlthough women are believed to be more forgiving than men, the results of many studies comparing women with men vary. Moreover, little is known about unique correlates or differential patterns of experiencing forgiveness by gender. In the present study, we compared men and women in terms of their level of dispositional forgiveness and its emotional correlates, namely positive and negative affect, anxiety, and emotional control. The sample consisted of 625 individuals aged 19–69, of whom 478 (76.5%) were women and 147 (23.5%) were men. Polish versions of the Heartland Forgiveness Scale (HFS), the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), the Courtauld Emotional Control Scale (CECS), and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were used. Men showed a higher level of general forgiveness and greater willingness to overcome unforgiveness than women, but there was no significant difference in positive facets of the disposition to forgive. In both genders negative affect, anxiety, and control of anger and of depression were negatively related to dimensions of dispositional forgiveness, and positive affect was positively associated with forgiveness. In females control of anxiety was negatively and in males it was positively related to facets of forgiveness. Gender moderated a number of links between affective traits and forgiveness of self and of situations beyond control, but not forgiveness of others.

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Measuring Forgiveness: Psychometric Properties of the Heartland Forgiveness Scale in the Spanish Population

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18010045 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

pp. 45

Author(s):

Karla Gallo-Giunzioni ◽

María Prieto-Ursúa ◽

Cristina Fernández-Belinchón ◽

Octavio Luque-Reca

Keyword(s):

Factor Analysis ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Discriminant Validity ◽

Criterion Validity ◽

Validity Evidence ◽

Dispositional Forgiveness ◽

Scale Reduction ◽

Convergent And Discriminant Validity ◽

Confirmatory Factor ◽

Acceptable Internal Consistency

Given the scarcity of instruments in Spanish to measure forgiveness, two studies were conducted in this population to obtain validity evidence of the Heartland Forgiveness Scale (HFS), an instrument that measures dispositional forgiveness of self, others, and situations. In the first study, 203 students (65% women) participated. After ensuring the linguistic adequacy and clarity of the wording of the items, a lack of congruence was found between the factors obtained in the exploratory factor analysis and the original theoretical structure of the HFS. A sample of 512 participants (63.9% women) attended the second study. This study aimed to analyze the construct validity of the HFS using confirmatory factor analysis through structural equation modelling and to explore convergent, discriminant, and criterion validity. Of the different factorial configurations tested (including the original), only a scale reduction to eight items, grouped into three factors, showed an appropriate fit. The HFS eight-item version also showed acceptable internal consistency, adequate convergent and discriminant validity, and criterion validity with respect to related variables. These findings suggest that the eight-item version of the HFS may be a valid and reliable tool for assessing forgiveness for self, others, and situations in Spanish adults.

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Assessing Rape Myth Acceptance: A Contribution to Italian Validation of the Measure for Assessing Subtle Rape Myth (SRMA-IT)

Sexual Abuse ◽

10.1177/10790632211028158 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 107906322110281

Author(s):

Mara Martini ◽

Stefano Tartaglia ◽

Norma De Piccoli

Keyword(s):

Factor Analysis ◽

Convergent Validity ◽

Rape Myths ◽

Strong Relationship ◽

Rape Myth Acceptance ◽

Rape Myth ◽

Italian Validation ◽

Confirmatory Factor ◽

Initial Hypothesis ◽

Myth Acceptance

The study aimed to validate the Italian version of the Measure for Assessing Subtle Rape Myths developed by McMahon and Farmer. A sample of 3,915 university students (70.8% female) completed the questionnaire. After an exploratory factor analysis, a confirmatory factor analysis tested the resulting four-factor structure of the Italian Subtle Rape Myth Acceptance (SRMA-IT) Scale (“She Asked for It”; “He Didn’t Mean To”; “It Wasn’t Really Rape”; and “She Lied”), consistent with McMahon and Farmer’s initial hypothesis. The Italian validation did not include items related to intoxication. Internal consistency of the subscales was good (α from .78 to .90). Convergent validity between all subscales and System Justification–Gender was detected: A strong relationship was observed ( r is from .19 to .33; p < .001). The independent-sample T test then showed that women accepted all four rape myths significantly less than men: Effect size is more than moderate for the myth “She Asked for It” (Cohen’s d = .60) and between small and moderate for the other myths ( d is from .35 to .42). Acceptance of rape myths is often associated with higher men’s proclivity to rape and with tendency to raped women’s double victimization (they can be not believed or blamed when they disclose the rape). Having a validated instrument to measure rape myth acceptance can enhance empirical research on this topic and help to develop interventions of prevention both for men in the society and for the first responders to disclosures, also sustaining a culture of respect and of contrast to violence.

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