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Examining the Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties of a Guilt Management Scale (GMS)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 June 2018

Katy McIvor Open the ORCID record for Katy McIvor [Opens in a new window] ,
Amy Degnan ,
Lauren Pugh ,
Laura Bettney ,
Richard Emsley  and
Katherine Berry
Katy McIvor*
Affiliation:
Neuropsychology Department, Walton Centre, Lower Lane, Liverpool L9 7AL
Amy Degnan
Affiliation:
School of Psychological Sciences, University of Manchester, 2nd Floor Zochonis Building, Brunswick Street, Manchester M13 9PL
Lauren Pugh
Affiliation:
Salford Primary Care Psychology Service, The Bridge Water Suite, St James’ House, Pendleton Way, Salford M6 5FW
Laura Bettney
Affiliation:
Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust, Summer's View, Furlong Road, Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent
Richard Emsley
Affiliation:
Centre for Biostatistics Institute of Population Health – The University of Manchester, 4.304 Jean McFarlane Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL
Katherine Berry
Affiliation:
School of Psychological Sciences, University of Manchester, 2nd Floor Zochonis Building, Brunswick Street, Manchester M13 9PL
*
Correspondence to Katy McIvor, Neuropsychology Department, Walton Centre, Lower Lane, Liverpool L9 7AL. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Background: Guilt is commonly associated with distress and psychopathology. However, there is a lack of validated measures that assess how people cope with this aversive emotional and cognitive experience. Aims: We therefore developed and validated a self-report measure that assesses how people manage their guilt: the Guilt Management Scale (GMS). Method: The GMS was administered to a non-clinical (n = 339) and clinical (n = 67) sample, alongside other validated measures of guilt severity, coping, thought control and psychological distress. Results from a principal component analysis (PCA) and assessments of test–retest reliability and internal consistency are presented. Results: The PCA yielded a six subscale solution (Self-Punishment, Reparation, People-Focused, Spirituality, Avoidance and Metacognition), accounting for 56.14% of variance. Test–retest reliability and internal consistency was found to be good–excellent for the majority of subscales. Across samples, Self-Punishment was related to higher levels of guilt and distress whilst Metacognition and Reparation were related to less guilt and distress in the non-clinical sample only. Conclusions: This paper provides preliminary evidence for the psychometric properties of the GMS in a non-clinical sample. With development and validation in clinical samples, the GMS could be used to inform psychological formulations of guilt and assess therapy outcomes.

Keywords

guiltdistresscopingprincipal component analysispsychometric
Type
Research Article
Information
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy , Volume 47 , Issue 2 , March 2019 , pp. 181 - 199
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2018 

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