Validation of the Brief Shame and Guilt Questionnaire for Children and young adolescents in Persian

Social emotions such as shame and guilt are critical to social-emotional development in any culture because they help children and adolescents learn to adhere to the social rules and norms of their culture. However, most instruments that currently measure these emotions were validated only in samples from Western countries. This study aimed to translate and validate the Brief Shame and Guilt Questionnaire for Children (BSGQ-C) in children and adolescents living in Iran. A total of 453 children and adolescents aged 8 to 16 years filled out the BSGQ-C, consisting of 2 scales (Guilt: 6 items; Shame: 6 items) and questionnaires for social anxiety and worry. Factorial validity was confirmed by the intended two-factor structure, with an adequate test-score reliability for the scales. Concurrent validity was also confirmed: as expected, shame but not guilt was related to symptoms of social anxiety and worry.