Development of Embitterment Scale for Individuals with Traumatic Life Experiences

Abstract

This research aims to develop a scale on embitterment in light of adult individuals’ responses in the Urdu language experiencing traumatic episodes. Despite its psychological significance, there is a lack of validated assessment for embitterment. The study adopted a purposive sampling technique and two fifty young individuals ranging from 18 to 45 years of age were recruited. The researcher obtained the data through semi-structured interviews and measured it qualitatively. The sample of the study was taken from Punjab Pakistan. By using SPSS 29, exploratory factor analysis was done for psychometric properties. Reliability and validity were checked to measure the consistency and accuracy of the constructs. The values of Cronbach alpha were acceptable and factor loading of EFA was appropriate to measure embitterment effectively.The total Cronbach’s Alpha value was 0.75. Five factors from 20 items were obtained and they were “reaction to injustice” (6 items), ‘revengeful emotions’ (4 items), “decrease in trust” (3 items), “past bitter experiences” (3 items), and “impact on self-confidence” (4 items). According to the results, there is strong internal consistency and construct validity that confirms the effectiveness of developing this embitterment scale within diverse adult populations in Punjab Pakistan. The research effectively contributes by providing a validated and reliable scale to measure expressed embitterment expressions that may be helpful in therapeutic intervention and psychological help. It is suggested to explore future studies by analyzing predictive validity and application across different demographic groups.