Guilt and its multidimensionality: empirical approaches using Klein's view.
After examining the definitions of persecutory and penitential types of guilt, based on Melanie Klein's view, we developed a single-item measure of these types and examined reliability and validity of the measure in three studies. Concurrent validity of the measure was shown among a university student population using the Test of Self-Conscious Affect-3 as an external validator. The questionnaire was not influenced by a socially desirable response style. Concurrent validity was demonstrated by studying different external variables: the two types of guilt feelings are moderately correlated with each other, but penitential guilt is more strongly correlated to variables related to ego maturation. Test-retest stability is only modest, suggesting that the constructs of measured guilt feelings may fluctuate over time.
Hasui
Chieko
C
Department of Clinical Behavioral Sciences (Psychological Medicine), Kumamoto University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto, Japan. yib01446@nifty.ne.jp
Igarashi
Hiromi
H
Nagata
Toshiaki
T
Kitamura
Toshinori
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006167:Guilt; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D011581:Psychological Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires