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Validating the Enright Self-Forgiveness Inventory (ESFI)

Current Psychology volume 41, pages 7604–7617 (2022)Cite this article

Abstract

The need for a new self-forgiveness scale based on the theoretical foundation that forgiveness is a moral virtue has arisen. Thus, the Enright Self-Forgiveness Inventory was developed and validated in a series of four studies. In Study 1, we explored the factor structure of each of the six subscale item pools to determine the best 7 items (5 items plus 2 replacement items). In Study 2 and in Study 3, confirmatory factor analyses were done to identify the best 30 item ESFI and to replicate the factor structure with a new sample. In Studies 1, 2, and 3, construct validity was examined by comparing the ESFI to other psychological and emotional constructs. In Study 4, convergent validity was checked by comparing the ESFI to another psychometrically sound self-forgiveness scale. The ESFI is a reliable and valid scale ready for use in research and mental health practice.

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Data Availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Liberty University, 1971 University Blvd., Lynchburg, VA, 24515, USA

    Jichan J. Kim & Fred Volk

  2. University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA

    Robert D. Enright

  3. International Forgiveness Institute, Inc., Madison, WI, USA

    Robert D. Enright

Authors
  1. Jichan J. Kim
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  2. Fred Volk
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  3. Robert D. Enright
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Correspondence to Jichan J. Kim.

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Statement of Human Rights

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee (Liberty University Institutional Review Board, protocol#: 3280) and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Kim, J.J., Volk, F. & Enright, R.D. Validating the Enright Self-Forgiveness Inventory (ESFI). Curr Psychol 41, 7604–7617 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-020-01248-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-020-01248-4

Keywords

  • Self-forgiveness
  • Virtue
  • Scale development
  • Positive psychology