Variable
The HFS measures dispositional forgivingness of self, others, and situations. The focus of attention here is the
dispositional forgivingness of self subscale. (There is some controversy about whether a construct like disposi-
tional forgivingness of situations is meaningful (for a critique, see Enright & Rique, 2004 ). Dispositional forgiving-
ness of others is less psychometrically sound (probably due to its fewer items) than some other measures of
dispositional forgivingness (e.g., TFS, see above).
Description
The pilot version of the HFS consisted of 90 items (30 items for each type of forgiveness, with equal positively
and negatively worded items). Following an EFA, the scale was reduced to three subscales with six items each
(total HFS scale 518 items). The first subscale, HFS Self, measures self-forgiveness (e.g., ‘With time, I am under-
standing of myself for mistakes I’ve made’). The second subscale, HFS Other, measures interpersonal forgiveness
(e.g., ‘If others mistreat me, I continue to think badly of them’). The third subscale, HFS Situation, measures for-
giveness of situations (e.g., ‘When things go wrong for reasons that can’t be controlled, I get stuck in negative
thoughts about it’). Rating possibilities range from 1 5Almost Always False of Me to 75Almost Always True of Me .
Scores on each subscale range from 6 to 42; total HFS scores range from 18 to 126. We emphasize HFS Self below.
Sample
Thompson et al. (2005) reported six studies related to the development of the HFS. All samples were from a
large Midwestern city (5 of 6 studies from the university students there). Sample sizes were from Studies 1 to 6,
respectively, 499 (Study 1), 1111 (Study 2), 504 (Study 3), 123 (Study 4; city dwellers in romantic relationships), 55
(Study 5), and 230 (Study 6). Means on the HFS Self were provided for Study 2, M530.99, SD56.17; for Study 3,
M531.25, SD55.67; and for Study 4, M531.89, SD55.75. Means for the HFS Other ranged from 30.01 to 30.41
(SDs from 6.0 to 6.5). Means for HFS Situation ranged from 30.25 to 32.11 ( SDs from 5.8 to 6.5).
Reliability
Internal Consistency
The range of Cronbach alpha coefficients, reported for studies 2-4, are for HFS Self, α5.72 to .76; for HFS
Other, α5.78 to .81; for HFS Situation, α5.77 to .82 ( Thompson et al., 2005 ).
Test/C0Retest
Three-week temporal stability estimates (Study 3) were for HFS Self, r5.72; for HFS Other, r5.73; for HFS
Situation, r5.77. The nine-month temporal stability estimates (Study 4) were for HFS Self, r5.69; for HFS Other,
r5.69; for HFS Situation, r5.68 (Thompson et al., 2005 ).
Validity
Convergent/Concurrent
HFS Self scores correlated with the Mauger et al. (1992) Forgiveness of Self scale, r5.61, and with the
Multidimensional Forgiveness Inventory (MFI)-Self ( Tangney, Boone, Fee, & Reinsmith, 1999 ),r5.33. Scores on
the HFS Other subscale correlated with the Mauger et al. Forgiveness of Others scale, r5.53,p,.001, and with
the MFI-Other scale, r5.47. Scores on the HFS Situation subscale were correlated with Mauger et al.’s total scale,
r5.51, and the MFI-total, r5.42. The HFS subscale scores were related to mental health variables such as and
satisfaction with life (for HFS Self, r5.39; fo rHFS Other, r5.31; fo rHFS Situation, r5.39).
Divergent/Discriminant
The HFS subscale scores correlated negatively with mental health variables such as depression (for HFS Self,
r52.44; for HFS Other, r52.27; for HFS Situation, r52.40), and trait anger (for HFS Self, r52.32; for HFS
Other, r52.51; for HFS Situation, r52.43).
The HFS was also related to the Marlowe /C0Crowne Social Desirability Scale (for HFS Self, r5.27; for HFS
Other, r5.34; for HFS Situation, r5.30; for HFS total, r5.38).
Location
Thompson, L.Y., Snyder, C.R., Hoffman, L., Michael, S.T., Rasmussen, H.N., Billings, L.S., Heinze, L., Neufeld,
J. E., Shorey, H.S., Roberts, J.C., & Roberts, D.E. (2005). Dispositional forgiveness of self, others, and situations.497 MEASURES OF TRAIT SELF-FORGIVINGNESS
IV. INTERPERSONAL STYLES