Validation of the Multi-Component Gratitude Measure (MCGM) with samples in the United States

The Multi-Component Gratitude Measure (MCGM) assesses one’s emotions, attitudes, and behaviors related to gratitude and has been used in numerous studies. This paper describes psychometric evaluation of the 29-item MCGM. Data from a nationally representative sample of 1,028 low-income veterans in the United States (US) collected 2022–2023 were analyzed. A content review of MCGM items followed by reliability analyses, factor analyses, and examination of construct validity were conducted. The MCGM scales showed good internal consistency as well as good convergent and discriminant validity in the veteran sample; these findings were successfully replicated with split subsamples. The MCGM scales were also tested with a supplementary general US population sample recruited through Amazon Mechanical Turk (n = 205) and internal consistency of the scales was found to be low, possibly due to negatively worded items. These findings support use of the MCGM among US veterans that may need further evaluation for use in the general population.