Structure of Self-pity in Japanese Young Adults

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to clarify the concept of self-pity, which had not been studied much in Japan, develop self-pity scale through examination of open-ended answers and episodic information, and empirically examine the scale. In Study 1, we asked undergraduates about their experience of self-pity, and found that it occurred frequently in everyday life. Results also showed that self-pity contained emotions and reactions that were characteristic of being conscious of others. In Study 2, Self-Pity Scale was developed based on the results of Study 1, and then was completed by 322 young adults. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed three factors that were appropriate for our model. Measures of internal consistency and retest stability showed that the scale had sufficient reliability. In addition, correlations with locus of control, loneliness, and anger expression were examined to study its validity.