A validation study of the Bolton Forgiveness Scale (BFS-15) in India

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to validate the Bolton Forgiveness Scale (BFS) created by Amanze and Carson (2019) for the Indian population.

Design/methodology/approach

The data for the validation of the BFS was collected (Total N = 813) in two phases (Phase-I, N1 = 613 and Phase-II, N2 = 200) through online surveys. SPSS 26 and AMOS were used to establish the psychometric properties of the scale through internal consistency and confirmatory factor analysis.

Findings

The results indicated the validation of the BFS in the Indian context, with a high internal consistency (a = 0.847). Confirmatory factor analysis validated the factor structure and items, along with face validity.

Research limitations/implications

This study offers comprehensive suggestions on the approaches to forgiveness, addresses biases, advocates for qualitative exploration and emphasizes rigour for the future research on forgiveness.

Originality/value

The present study validates the BFS for future use for the Indian population. The authors offer comprehensive suggestions on the approaches to forgiveness, address biases, advocate for qualitative exploration and emphasize rigour for future research on forgiveness.

Citation

Mehta, P., Vyas, M. and Shah, N. (2024), "A validation study of the Bolton Forgiveness Scale (BFS-15) in India", Mental Health and Social Inclusion, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/MHSI-02-2024-0029