Given the scarcity of instruments in Spanish to measure forgiveness, two studies were conducted in this population to obtain validity evidence of the Heartland Forgiveness Scale (HFS), an instrument that measures dispositional forgiveness of self, others, and situations. In the first study, 203 students (65% women) participated. After ensuring the linguistic adequacy and clarity of the wording of the items, a lack of congruence was found between the factors obtained in the exploratory factor analysis and the original theoretical structure of the HFS. A sample of 512 participants (63.9% women) attended the second study. This study aimed to analyze the construct validity of the HFS using confirmatory factor analysis through structural equation modelling and to explore convergent, discriminant, and criterion validity. Of the different factorial configurations tested (including the original), only a scale reduction to eight items, grouped into three factors, showed an appropriate fit. The HFS eight-item version also showed acceptable internal consistency, adequate convergent and discriminant validity, and criterion validity with respect to related variables. These findings suggest that the eight-item version of the HFS may be a valid and reliable tool for assessing forgiveness for self, others, and situations in Spanish adults.

Introduction: Self-forgiveness has been a complex construct to define, which has resulted in a shortage of instruments that adequately measure it as a process. In Spain, until now there is only one validated instrument to measure self-forgiveness, for this reason the present study aims to validate the Enright Self-Forgiveness Inventory (ESFI).Method: A sample of 276 people (84 men, 192 women) aged from 18 to 25 years, completed the Enright Self-Forgiveness Inventory (ESFI) after its adaptation to Spanish, as well as the Enright Forgiveness Inventory-30 (EFI-30), the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI), the Short form of Social Desirability Scale (M-C SDS), the Scale of psychological wellbeing (RYFF) and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21).Results: The Confirmatory Factor Analysis showed a good fit for the original six-factors structure (CFI = 0.93, TLI = 0.92, RMSEA = 0.063). The results showed good psychometric qualities (both validity and reliability) and association between self-forgiveness and social desirability, depression, anxiety, narcissistic traits, and purpose in life as expected theoretically.Discussion: The ESFI-30 shows good psychometric properties within the Spanish context and is an appropriate instrument for evaluating self-forgiveness for research and clinical intervention.

Introduction: Perceived personal responsibility and the desire for reconciliation are crucial in the study of the forgiveness process; however, there are few instruments for measuring these variables that have been adapted and validated for the Spanish population. Therefore the aim of the present study is to validate the Perceived Personal Responsibility Scale and the Desire for Reconciliation Scale for the Spanish population and evaluate their psychometric properties. Method: Sample composed of 499 participants (181 men, 318 women) aged from 18 to 67 years (M = 38.35; SD = 13.44). After the translation and linguistic adaptation of the scales, the Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was conducted with subsample 1 and the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) with subsample 2. Results: The EFA identified one factor for both the Perceived Personal Responsibility Scale and the Desire for Reconciliation Scale. The CFA confirmed a good fit for the unifactorial model for the Perceived Personal Responsibility Scale (CFI = .978, TLI = .955, IFI = .978, RMSEA = .079) and a good fit for the unifactorial model for the Desire for Reconciliation Scale (CFI = .984, TLI = .951, IFI = .981, RMSEA = .064). The reliability of the Perceived Personal Responsibility Scale ranged from.80 to.84, and the reliability of the Desire for Reconciliation Scale ranged from.84 to.88. Discussion: The results of this study show that both the Perceived Personal Responsibility Scale and the Desire for Reconciliation Scale are reliable and useful instruments for application in Spain. With these measures, it will be possible to further study processes such as self-forgiveness, which is constantly growing in the Spanish population. In addition, the study also provides measures that are easy to apply in clinical practice.

Introduction: Training in psychology requires not only theoretical knowledge but also the development of practical competencies for intervention in healthcare settings. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a teaching innovation program based on simulated contexts under the accompaniment and supervision of a qualified instructor, designed to strengthen competencies essential for future professional practice. Methods: A program was implemented based on the practical application of intervention and assessment tools in simulated clinical settings. A pre-post design was used with 135 third-year psychology students over two academic years (2023–2024 and 2024–2025), of whom 111 were women (82.2%) and 24 men (17.8%) (N _2023−2024 = 68; N _2024−2025 = 67) that participated in five simulated clinical sessions. The program's impact was assessed using the COMPES Self-Report Questionnaire, evaluating competencies such as teamwork, autonomous learning, problem-solving, communication, and ethical awareness. Results: The results showed significant improvements in all evaluated competencies except for teamwork, possibly due to the limited duration of the program and minimal collaborative interaction among participants. Discussion: Expert supervision and accompaniment appear to be key factors in competence development. This innovative approach reinforces the integration of theory and practice in psychological training and offers a replicable methodology to optimize experiential learning.

The objective of this paper is to explore the current state of knowledge about pseudo-forgiveness, a complex psychological phenomenon that is clearly distinct from genuine forgiveness. Pseudo-forgiveness is characterized by an attempt to resolve conflicts related to managing an offense without authentic emotional processing, making it an internal and/or relational mechanism where the harm is not genuinely addressed. This phenomenon can manifest through strategies such as justifications, excuses, or minimization of the offense, which shield the offender from negative emotional consequences while perpetuating discomfort in the victim. These dynamics, although providing temporary relief, are detrimental in the long term to interpersonal relationships and psychological well-being. This work constitutes a narrative review and presents an analysis of the psychological variables related to this false form of forgiveness. The clinical relevance of addressing pseudo-forgiveness in therapy is highlighted, emphasizing the need to promote genuine forgiveness processes that foster empathy, acknowledgment of harm, and emotional transformation. It concludes that understanding pseudo-forgiveness can enrich both research and therapeutic interventions aimed at healing damaged relationships.

Family offenses constitute relational experiences that can have a profound impact on the psychological well-being of sons and daughters. Although forgiveness has been consistently associated with higher levels of well-being, the relational processes that account for this association remain underexplored, particularly from the perspective of adolescent and emerging adult sons and daughters. The present study used a cross-sectional design to examine whether the desire for reconciliation mediates the relationship between the positive and negative dimensions of forgiveness (affective, behavioral, and cognitive) and psychological well-being following a family offense. A non-probability convenience sample of 419 Spanish young people and emerging adults from the general population, aged between 16 and 25 years (M = 20.54, SD = 2.69), was recruited across Spain through university channels, social media and snowball sampling, and an online survey was completed. Participants completed the Enright Forgiveness Inventory (EFI-30), the Desire for Reconciliation Scale (DRS) and the Psychological Well-Being Scales for Youths–Short Form (PWB-YS-SF). Results indicated a pattern of associations consistent with the desire for reconciliation, mediating the relationship between all forgiveness dimensions and psychological well-being. These associations remained significant after adjusting for sociodemographic and offense-related covariates. However, the distinction between partial and full mediation across dimensions was not robust enough to correct for multiple testing, and when the overlap among the six highly intercorrelated dimensions was controlled, only positive affect and positive cognition retained a unique association with the desire for reconciliation. Overall, the findings suggest that the link between forgiveness and well-being in young people is partly accounted for by the desire to repair the family relationship.