15-02-2026

251119_Foto_portada-noticia A Breakthrough in Psychology: A New Scale for Measuring Genuine Self-Forgiveness in the Spanish Population Has Been Validated | UFV Study at the Universidad Privada Madrid

Introduction

Dr. Karla Gallo Giunzioni, a professor in the School of Education and Psychology at Francisco de Vitoria University (UFV), has led the validation of a pioneering tool that enables the analysis and measurement of the self-forgiveness process among the Spanish population.

Dr. Noemy Martín, Director of Design and Research in Transformative Learning at the UFV Institute for Innovation in Learning, also participated in the research; her methodological contributions were instrumental in the development of the study.

251119_Foto_portada-noticia-1024x640 A Breakthrough in Psychology: A New Scale for Measuring Genuine Self-Forgiveness in the Spanish Population Has Been Validated | UFV Study at the Universidad Privada Madrid

Dr. Karla Gallo Giunzioni and Dr. Noemy Martín, authors of the study that adapts and validates the Differentiated Process of Self-Forgiveness Scale.

A significant advance in measuring self-forgiveness

The Differentiated Process Scale of Self-Forgiveness, originally developed by psychologists Woodyatt and Wenzel, has been adapted to the Spanish context to accurately assess the various facets of self-forgiveness, distinguishing between genuine self-forgiveness, self-punishment, and what is known as pseudo-self-forgiveness.

The validation of this tool not only provides deeper insight into the process of forgiveness but also enhances therapeutic interventions, enabling mental health professionals to more effectively assess their patients' emotional well-being.

“This breakthrough is crucial because it allows us to view self-forgiveness not merely as a final outcome, but as a dynamic process that involves acknowledging and accepting responsibility. This will transform the way psychologists approach the topic of forgiveness in their practice,” the psychologists note.

Study methodology: participants and procedure

The study was conducted with a representative sample of 474 Spanish participants, with an average age of 38.5 years, 63.5% of whom were women.

Participants completed the adapted version of the scale via an online data collection protocol. This questionnaire consisted of 20 items distributed across three subscales: genuine self-forgiveness, self-punishment, and false forgiveness.

Each of these items was rated using a 7-point Likert scale. The reliability and validity of the scale were verified through advanced statistical analyses, such as exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, ensuring that the scale’s structure was robust and applicable to the Spanish cultural context.

“The methodology we used ensures that this tool is not only accurate but also culturally relevant to the Spanish population,” explains the study’s lead author.

The significance of this new scale in the psychology of forgiveness

Self-forgiveness has traditionally been viewed in simplistic terms, such as the absence of guilt or an increase in self-acceptance, but recent studies have shown that what is commonly interpreted as forgiveness may actually be a process of avoidance or self-punishment, which prevents true emotional healing.

“Genuine self-forgiveness requires deep reflection and the acceptance of responsibility for one’s own actions. Using this framework, we can distinguish between defensive mechanisms, such as self-punishment, and true forgiveness that allows for emotional healing,” the study’s authors note.

This distinction is crucial, since “false forgiveness” may simply be a way to avoid facing up to one’s responsibility and the associated emotions, which does not lead to true emotional healing.

Clinical applications: improving therapeutic interventions

The scale’s ability to distinguish between genuine self-forgiveness and false self-forgiveness provides clinical psychologists with a key tool for designing more effective and personalized interventions.

By determining whether a patient is truly healing or stuck in patterns of self-punishment or self-justification, professionals will be able to address the underlying emotional issues more effectively.

“This validation will enable psychologists and therapists to better tailor their approaches to each patient’s emotional reality, favoring interventions that not only soothe emotions but also foster genuine inner transformation,” the psychologists say.

A step toward future research on self-forgiveness

The validation of this scale opens up new opportunities for research on self-forgiveness, not only in clinical settings but also in academic studies related to mental health and interpersonal dynamics.

As research progresses, this tool is expected to provide deeper insights into the effects of self-forgiveness in different cultural contexts and in the resolution of personal conflicts, thereby opening up new interdisciplinary lines of inquiry.

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A breakthrough in psychology: a new scale for measuring genuine self-forgiveness in the Spanish population has been validated

Introduction

A significant advance in measuring self-forgiveness

Study methodology: participants and procedure

The significance of this new scale in the psychology of forgiveness

Clinical applications: improving therapeutic interventions

A step toward future research on self-forgiveness

You may be interested

Introduction

A significant advance in measuring self-forgiveness

Study methodology: participants and procedure

The significance of this new scale in the psychology of forgiveness

Clinical applications: improving therapeutic interventions

A step toward future research on self-forgiveness

You may be interested