Validating the Enright Forgiveness Inventory in Morocco: Religion and Forgiveness

Abstract

Forgiveness is associated with one’s health and well-being as well as one’s religious beliefs. However, an instrument for measuring forgiveness has not been validated among Moroccans. The Enright Forgiveness Inventory–30 (EFI-30) is one of the most used instruments to measure interpersonal forgiveness and has been validated and adapted across various countries and languages. To validate the EFI-30 in the Moroccan context, we translated the original English EFI-30 into Arabic. A self-report measure of religiosity was also included. A sample of 709 adult Moroccans (75.2% women) was obtained. Confirmatory factor analysis showed good fit indices for the original six-factor structure (positive affect, negative affect, positive behavior, negative behavior, positive cognition, and negative cognition) of the EFI-30. The results on the relationship between religion (between Muslim and Christian participants), age and gender, and the forgiveness process are presented. The Arabic EFI-30 has been found to be a valid measure for forgiveness among Moroccans, serving as a useful tool for future research. Moreover, counselors could adopt the EFI-30 to screen clients and evaluate therapy outcomes.