ABSTRACT
The present study tested the efficacy of a 6-hr self-directed workbook intervention designed to increase self-forgiveness and reduce self-condemnation among perpetrators of interpersonal offenses. University students (N = 204) were randomly assigned to either an immediate treatment or wait-list control condition, and assessments were administered on 3 occasions. Treatment led to increases in self-forgiveness and decreases in self-condemnation. Stronger treatment effects were associated with (a) lower levels of dispositional self-forgivingness, (b) higher levels of transgression severity, and (c) higher dose of treatment. In summary, the workbook appeared to facilitate self-forgiveness among perpetrators of interpersonal wrongdoing, though replication trials are needed to build from these preliminary findings.
Subject(s)
Criminals/psychology , Forgiveness , Interpersonal Relations , Self Care/methods , Self Care/psychology , Adolescent , Female , Humans , Treatment Outcome , Young AdultABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The present study investigated the efficacy of a 6-hour self-directed workbook adapted from the REACH Forgiveness intervention. METHOD: Undergraduates (N = 41) were randomly assigned to either an immediate treatment or waitlist control condition. Participants were assessed across 3 time periods using a variety of forgiveness outcome measures. RESULTS: The 6-hour workbook intervention increased forgiveness, as indicated by positive changes in participants' forgiveness ratings that differed by condition. In addition, benchmarking analysis showed that the self-directed workbook intervention is at least as efficacious as the delivery of the REACH Forgiveness model via group therapy. CONCLUSION: A self-directed workbook intervention adapted from the REACH Forgiveness intervention provides an adjunct to traditional psychotherapy that could assist the mental health community to manage the burden of unforgiveness among victims of interpersonal harm.
Subject(s)
Forgiveness , Interpersonal Relations , Psychotherapy/methods , Spouse Abuse/therapy , Adolescent , Adult , Analysis of Variance , Education/methods , Female , Humans , Male , Mid-Atlantic Region , Spouse Abuse/psychology , Students , Treatment Outcome , Universities , Young AdultABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study investigates the efficacy of the 6-hour REACH Forgiveness intervention among culturally diverse undergraduates. METHOD: Female undergraduates (N = 102) and foreign extraction (46.2%) and domestic (43.8%) students in the United States were randomly assigned to immediate treatment or waitlist conditions. Treatment efficacy and the effect of culture on treatment response were assessed using measures of emotional and decisional forgiveness across 3 time periods. RESULTS: Students in the treatment condition reported greater improvement in emotional forgiveness, but not decisional forgiveness, relative to those in the waitlist condition. Gains were maintained at a 1-week follow-up. Although culture did not moderate the effect of treatment, a main effect of culture on emotional forgiveness and marginally significant interaction effect of culture on decisional forgiveness were found. CONCLUSION: The REACH Forgiveness intervention was efficacious for college students from different cultural backgrounds when conducted in the United States. However, some evidence may warrant development of culturally adapted forgiveness interventions.
