Validation of forgiveness scale and a survey on the relationship of forgiveness and students’ mental health

The present study aims to establish the validity of Forgiveness Scale and the relationship between forgiveness and mental health among college students of Islamic Azad University. The research sample consisted of validity evaluation phase sample (with 300 subjects: 150 females and 150 males) and hypothesis testing sample (with 300 subjects: 150 females and 150 males). All the subjects were selected via stratified random sampling from among the students studying in Ahwaz University. The data collecting tools were Forgiveness Scale (Forgiveness Scale; Rye and et al, 2001), Heartland Forgiveness Scale (HFS; to evaluate concurrent validity of Forgiveness Scale) and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ28). The Forgiveness Scale reliability coefficients were obtained by Cronbach coefficient Alpha method (0/92). It has also been found that Forgiveness Scale, significantly associated with Heartland Forgiveness Scale (at p-value < 0/0001) with correlation coefficient of (0/84) as concurrent validity. The results proved acceptable high validity and reliability for Forgiveness Scale. Moreover, there was a significant correlation between forgiveness and mental health.