Construct/Factor Analytic
Item responses were subjected to a principal components analysis (PCA) using Varimax rotation, and two
components were detected with five of the original 10 items on TRIM-R and seven of the original eight on
TRIM-A. The mean for TRIM-R was 8.68 (SD 54.46; alpha 5.90; range 55 to 25), and the mean for TRIM-A was
18.14 (SD 58.46; alpha 5.86; range 57 to 35). The structure of the model was tested using two confirmatory fac-
tor analyses (CFAs). A two-factor model (Comparative Fit Index, CFI, was .94; χ2/df53.8) was superior to a
one-factor model (CFI 5.76;χ2/df512.1). The factors were correlated at .67, suggesting that the items might be
summed to give a measure of unforgiveness (TRIM-12).
Criterion/Predictive
InMcCullough and Hoyt (2002) , Study 1, TRIM-R was predicted by the Big Five, as measured by John,
Donahue, and Kentle’s (1991) Big Five Inventory (BFI) ( R25.18; standardized βfor agreeableness was 2.36). The
TRIM-A was also predicted by the Big Five ( R25.18; standardized βfor neuroticism was .36), as was the TRIM-
B7 (R25.15; standardized βfor neuroticism was 2.22 and for agreeableness was .19). In Study 2 of McCullough
and Hoyt (2002) , for self-ratings the results were similar to Study 1. TRIM-R was predicted by the Big Five
(R25.33; standardized βfor agreeableness was 2.51). The TRIM-A was also predicted by the Big Five ( R25.30;
standardized βfor neuroticism was .24 and agreeableness was 2.41). Similarly, TRIM-B7 was predicted by the
Big Five ( R25.40; standardized βfor neuroticism was 2.32 and for agreeableness was .48).
Location
McCullough, M.E., Rachal, K.C., Sandage, S.J., Worthington, E.L., Jr., Brown, S.W., & Hight, T.L. (1998).
Interpersonal forgiveness in close relationships II: Theoretical elaboration and measurement. Journal of Personality
and Social Psychology, 75 , 1586/C01603.
McCullough, M.E., & Hoyt, W.T. (2002). Transgression-related motivational dispositions: Personality substrates
of forgiveness and their links to the Big Five. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 28 , 1556/C01573.
McCullough, M.E., Fincham, F.D., & Tsang, J-A. (2003). Forgiveness, forbearance, and time: The temporal
unfolding of transgression-related interpersonal motivations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84 ,
540/C0557.
Results and Comments
The versatile TRIM is the most widely used forgiveness self-report instrument. Entering ‘Transgression Related
Interpersonal’ into PsycINFO (accessed October 26, 2012) and searching ‘Any Field’ resulted in 148 entries, which
is over 50 percent more often than the next most used instrument (the EFI), which resulted in 104 entries. Studies
suggest that the TRIM is psychometrically well supported, can be administered in less than 10 minutes, requires
no cost to experimenters, and is generative of research findings relevant to theory. Its psychometric properties
also make it potentially usable with clinical samples. Its scores typically have high estimated reliabilities, and the
evidence supporting its construct and criterion-related validity is strong and consistent. It is particularly useful in
that the TRIM-R and TRIM-A may be used to assess forgiveness and unforgiveness, whereas some instruments
only permit an assessment of forgiveness; yet, by including the items that measure benevolence motives, investi-
gators can also measure forgiveness using the TRIM-18. It does not have as much evidence supporting its use
with clinical populations as does the EFI, but it has been used extensively in psychoeducational interventions.
TRANSGRESSION-RELATED INTERPERSONAL
MOTIVATIONS (TRIM) INVENTORY
Directions: For the following questions, please indi-
cate what you imagine your current thoughts and feel-
ings would be about the person who wounded you. Use
the following scale to indicate your agreement or dis-
agreement with each of the statements.
15strongly disagree
25mildly disagree35agree and disagree equally
45mildly agree
55strongly agree
1.____ I’ll make him or her pay.
2.____ I wish that something bad would happen to
him/her.
3.____ I want him-her to get what he/she deserves.
4.____ I’m going to get even.481 STATES OF FORGIVENESS
IV. INTERPERSONAL STYLES