Hurt Feelings Scale (HFF): A Full Guide for Researchers and Clinicians
Published
The Hurt Feelings Scale (HFF) is a six-item measure of the tendency to feel hurt by criticism, teasing or rejection. Learn its items, scoring and uses.
Introduction
The Hurt Feelings Scale (HFF) is a six-item self-report scale that measures individual differences in the propensity to experience hurt feelings in response to perceived devaluation, criticism, teasing or social rejection. Mark R. Leary and C. Springer published it in a 2001 book chapter, which has received more than 371 citations.
The HFF serves as a brief index of social and emotional vulnerability. This guide explains its items, scoring and use in research.
Key Features of the Hurt Feelings Scale (HFF)
Purpose and Use
The HFF measures the trait-like tendency to experience hurt feelings, a distinct social emotion that results from perceived devaluation or exclusion. It assesses interpersonal sensitivity to social slights.
Target Population
The HFF is intended for adults, typically aged 18 and older.
Structure
The HFF has six items. Respondents rate how characteristic each statement is of them, and the items cover:
Sensitivity to what others say or doResilience to criticism, for example being "thick-skinned"The emotional impact of teasing and negative remarksThe scale has a unidimensional factor structure.
Scoring Method
Each item is rated on a 5-point scale:
Rating
Anchor
1
Not at all characteristic of me
2
Slightly characteristic of me
3
Moderately characteristic of me
4
Very characteristic of me
5
Extremely characteristic of me
Reverse scoring: items reflecting low sensitivity, such as "I am thick-skinned," "I take criticism well" or "I rarely feel hurt by what other people say or do to me," are reverse scored (1 becomes 5, 2 becomes 4, 3 stays 3, 4 becomes 2 and 5 becomes 1).Total score: add the six item scores.Higher totals indicate a lower threshold for experiencing emotional pain, meaning greater sensitivity to hurt feelings. No clinical cut-off scores have been reported.
Administration Format
The HFF is a brief self-report questionnaire.
Applications of the Hurt Feelings Scale (HFF)
The HFF is used mainly in research:
Social and emotional well-being: measuring sensitivity to social devaluation.Interpersonal research: studying hurt feelings, social pain and rejection.Trait measurement: a continuous measure of a stable emotional trait.Languages and availability
The HFF was published in English in the chapter "Hurt feelings: The neglected emotion," in the American Psychological Association book Behaving badly: Aversive behaviors in interpersonal relationships. The chapter is available through APA PsycNet and ResearchGate.
Reliability and Validity
The HFF is recognized as a concise and efficient measure of a specific emotional trait, and its unidimensional factor structure makes it a clean measure for research.
Validation studies:
Hurt feelings: The neglected emotion (2001): study linkLimitations and Considerations
Keep these points in mind:
No cut-offs: no clinical cut-off scores are reported, so the HFF is used as a continuous measure.Research focus: it is used mainly as a trait measure in research.Single version: no other official versions are reported; the six-item scale is the standard version.Other Versions And Related Questionnaires
No other official versions are reported; the six-item scale is the standard version.
These questionnaires are related:
Adult Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire (A-RSQ): evaluates how anxiously a person expects and reacts to social rejection across different interpersonal scenarios.Need Threat Scale (NTS): measures the immediate threat to fundamental needs (belonging, self-esteem, control and meaningful existence) after social exclusion.Additional Resources
The original chapter: linkFor academic or research inquiries, contact Dr. Mark R. Leary, Garonzik Family Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Neuroscience at Duke University, at leary@duke.edu, or Box 90086, Durham, NC 27708-0085.Browse more psychology questionnaires in the ResRef database.Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What does the Hurt Feelings Scale measure?The HFF measures how prone a person is to feeling hurt after perceived devaluation, criticism, teasing or social rejection. It is a brief index of social and emotional vulnerability.
How is the Hurt Feelings Scale scored?Each of the six items is rated from 1 (not at all characteristic of me) to 5 (extremely characteristic of me). Low-sensitivity items are reverse scored, and the six scores are added together.
What does a high HFF score mean?A higher total indicates a lower threshold for experiencing emotional pain, meaning greater sensitivity to hurt feelings. No clinical cut-off scores have been reported for the scale.
Who developed the Hurt Feelings Scale?Mark R. Leary and C. Springer developed it and published it in 2001 in a book chapter for the American Psychological Association titled "Hurt feelings: The neglected emotion."
A Word from ResRef About the Hurt Feelings Scale (HFF)
The Hurt Feelings Scale is an elegantly simple, well-validated tool that efficiently captures a person's dispositional sensitivity to social devaluation. Its strong psychometric properties and brevity make it a valuable asset for researchers exploring the intricacies of social and emotional well-being.
References
Leary, M. R., & Springer, C. A. (2001). Hurt feelings: The neglected emotion. In Behaving badly: Aversive behaviors in interpersonal relationships (pp. 151–175). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/10365-006