Development of the Remoralization Scale

Remoralization is the process of restoration of morale. Remoralization constitutes an important step in the therapeutic change process. Because no appropriate self-report instrument was available to indicate the level of morale in mental health care, the Remoralization Scale (RS) was developed. In a first study (299 outpatients), a pool of 69 items was examined to produce an initial scale with 16 items with a unidimensional factor structure. In a second study (199 outpatients, 192 nonpatients), the unidimensionality and scalar invariance of the initial scale was tested. To make the RS as short and easy to complete as possible, four items with low factor loadings were removed. In a third study (124 students), the test-retest reliability (r = 0.89) and internal consistency (α = 0.91) of the RS were estimated. In a fourth study, the construct validity of the RS was investigated using a demoralization scale (r = –.72) and scales that measure anxiety (r = –.52), depression (r = –.50), somatic symptoms (r = –.36), and social dysfunction (r = –.37). In a fifth study (23 panic outpatients), the sensitivity of the RS to therapeutic change was examined and found to be good. In closing, limitations of the RS are discussed.