Examining the Past Injustices Suffered by Those in Corrections and the General Public: A New Therapeutic Approach May Be Necessary.

One under-researched area within corrections is the connection among (a) past adverse events, particularly in the form of injustices against those who now are incarcerated, (b) crimes committed and then (c) healing from the effects of that past adversity of injustice. Might those who have experienced severe injustices against them develop an anger or a hatred that then is displaced onto others, leading to arrest, conviction and imprisonment? This is not to imply that societies condone illegal behaviour but instead to assist in the healing from the adversity so that future crime is reduced. As a first step in this sequence, the study here examined in detail the kinds of injustices suffered by men in a maximum-security correctional institution (N = 103) compared with men in a medium-security environment (N = 37) and in the general public (N = 96). Findings indicated differences between those in the general public and those in the two correctional contexts. The latter two groups had (a) a higher severity of injustices against them (rated by a panel of researchers), (b) a more negative current impact that past injustices are having on them (also rated by a panel of researchers), (c) more reports that the injustices contributed to their choices to harm others, (d) more serious types of hurt (such as sexual abuse), (e) a stronger degree of self-reported hurt and (f) more injustices from family members. Implications for correctional rehabilitation to reduce the negative psychological effects caused by the injustices of others are discussed.

Fostering emotional well-being in adolescents: the role of physical activity, emotional intelligence, and interpersonal forgiveness.

Introduction: Adolescence is considered a stress-sensitive developmental period, and the escalating and sustained pressure during this phase poses a significant threat to the mental and physical well-being of adolescents. Therefore, enhancing positive emotions in adolescents is crucial. This study aims to investigate the impact of physical activity on the emotional intelligence, interpersonal forgiveness, and positive emotions of adolescents. Methods: Using a cluster sampling method, data were collected from 500 adolescents in four schools across the Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture of Hunan Province, China. A total of 428 valid questionnaires were collected and analyzed. The study employed AMOS v.23 to construct a structural equation model to validate the hypotheses. Results: The results indicate that physical activity significantly influences the emotional intelligence, interpersonal forgiveness, and positive emotions of adolescents. Furthermore, emotional intelligence and interpersonal forgiveness mediate the relationship between physical activity and positive emotions. Discussion: Based on these findings, collaborative efforts from government agencies, schools, and families are essential to provide robust support for adolescents' participation in physical activity, encouraging more adolescents to actively engage in sports.

Self-Forgiveness and Gratitude in Recovery from Substance Use Disorders.

Substance use is a multifaceted disorder of the whole person that is manifested on three levels: intrapersonal, interpersonal, and spiritual. Previous research has demonstrated that self-forgiveness and gratitude help build personal and social resources and reinforce the process of recovery from substance use disorders. The aims of the present narrative review article were to (a) explore self-forgiveness and gratitude as psychological mechanisms of behavioral change in recovery through the lens of positive criminology and recovery capital approach, (b) review the practice of self-forgiveness and gratitude in the Narcotics Anonymous (NA) and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) programs, and (c) present a conceptual model of self-forgiveness and gratitude in long-term recovery. Self-forgiveness and gratitude have been described as positive emotions and prosocial, empathy-based moral virtues that enhance well-being and health by reinforcing the establishment and maintenance of long-lasting positive relationships with self, others, and spirituality. This effect may occur through different levels and psychological mechanisms. This article contributes to the field by presenting the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and spiritual benefits associated with self-forgiveness and gratitude interventions that can initiate and sustain long-term recovery.

Religion and Satisfaction with Life in Polish Seniors: Mediation by Forgiveness and Hope.

This study examined the mediating role of forgiveness and hope in the relationship between religiousness and satisfaction with life in late adults in Poland. Participants were 237 people (165 females and 72 males) aged between 60 and 92. The mean age of the sample was 68.37 years (SD = 6.92), and the most represented religious affiliation was Roman Catholic (98.3%). Satisfaction with life is related to the centrality of religiousness. In the surveyed seniors, hope and tendency to forgive mediated the relationship between the centrality of religiousness and satisfaction with life.

Rumination and Forgiveness in Emerging Adults: Mediating Role of Mindfulness and Humility.

The objective of this study was to examine whether mindfulness and humility mediate the influence of rumination on forgiveness among emerging adults. The sample consisted of 392 individuals in the emerging adulthood stage, residing in Türkiye, with 69.10% females and 30.90% males, aged between 18 and 25 years (M = 20.19, SD = 1.77). Data were collected through a demographic information form and four self-report scales. In addition to descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation coefficient and bootstrap analysis were employed for data analysis. According to the study's findings, it can be inferred that ruminative thoughts among emerging adults hinder their ability to forgive. Furthermore, the study revealed that mindfulness and humility serve as mediators in the relationship between ruminative thoughts and forgiveness in emerging adults. In this context, it can be concluded that leveraging the positive effects of mindfulness and humility can mitigate the adverse impact of rumination on forgiveness among emerging adults, thus enhancing their inclination towards forgiveness.

Self-Compassion and Self-Forgiveness in Alcohol Risk, Treatment and Recovery: A Systematic Review.

INTRODUCTION: Self-compassion and self-forgiveness are two self-focused, positive coping approaches that may reduce risk of problem drinking and/or aid in treatment/recovery from alcohol use disorder. The present systematic review aimed to evaluate support for the unique and complementary roles of self-compassion and self-forgiveness in alcohol outcomes. METHODS: A systematic literature search yielded 18 studies examining self-compassion, 18 studies examining self-forgiveness and 1 study examining both constructs in alcohol outcomes. RESULTS: Findings suggest greater self-compassion and self-forgiveness relate to lower likelihood of problem drinking. Self-forgiveness was considerably more researched in treatment/recovery outcomes than self-compassion; self-forgiveness-based interventions appear able to improve drinking-adjacent outcomes, and self-forgiveness may increase across various alcohol treatments. Finally, research suggests that associations of self-compassion and/or self-forgiveness with alcohol outcomes could be driven by numerous factors, including coping-motivated drinking, depression, psychache, social support perceptions, mental health status and/or psychiatric distress. CONCLUSIONS: Self-compassion and self-forgiveness both appear protective against harmful alcohol outcomes. Nevertheless, many questions remain about the role of self-forgiveness and, particularly, self-compassion in alcohol treatment and recovery outcomes. Future research should examine whether targeted interventions and/or adjunctive therapeutic supports designed to increase self-compassion or self-forgiveness can reduce alcohol use disorder symptoms to facilitate alcohol treatment and recovery success.

Forgiveness and well-being in mothers of children with disabilities.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the correlations between forgiveness and well-being in mothers of children with disabilities, considering the moderating role of contextual factors. BACKGROUND: Well-being in mothers of children with disabilities is associated with coping with the numerous and unique challenges of motherhood. These are often accompanied by a sense of guilt, harm, and shame. Forgiveness can play an important role in lowering these negative emotions. METHOD: The research was conducted with 174 mothers of children with disabilities, using the Emotional Forgiveness Scale; the Decision to Forgive Scale; and the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire. Contextual factorssuch as: severity of transgression, apology, and the quality of the relationship with the offender were also measured. Moderation analyses were used to examine the associations between the variables. RESULTS: Decisional and emotional forgiveness correlated positively with well-being. Contextual factors moderated only the relationship between emotional forgiveness and well-being. Severity of the transgression and apology had a moderating effect in the case of the Presence of positive emotions, and relationship quality in the case of Reduction of negative emotions. CONCLUSIONS: The well-being of mothers of children with disabilities is associated with both decisional and emotional forgiveness. Contextual factors are an important moderator of the relationship between emotional forgiveness and well-being in these mothers. IMPLICATIONS: Information about the importance of the relationship between forgiveness and well-being can be used to design therapeutic programs and programs supporting mothers of children with disabilities in coping with difficulties and achieving well-being. Such programs can incorporate, for example, forgiveness training.

Filial beliefs reduce aggression in different cultures: A conditional process model.

The dual filial piety model divides filial piety beliefs into two types: reciprocal and authoritarian filial piety beliefs (RFP vs. AFP) in terms of attitude, emotion, and obligation towards parents. Previous studies have shown that these two types of filial piety beliefs related to different psychological outcomes. Literature also suggests that some aspects of the function of filial piety beliefs may be a cultural universal. This research aimed to test the effects of filial piety beliefs on aggression using participants from two cultures (Chinese vs. Islamic). We further explored the mediating role of moral disengagement, forgiveness, and self-control between filial piety beliefs and aggression, and the moderating role of culture. The results showed that moral disengagement, forgiveness, and self-control played mediating roles in the relationship between filial piety beliefs and aggression. The functions of filial piety beliefs showed both similarities and differences across cultures. (1) RFP was negatively associated with aggression in both cultures, while AFP was negatively associated with aggression only among Muslim participants. (2) RFP can reduce the aggression of Chinese participants through moral disengagement, forgiveness, and self-control; while the RFP of Muslim participants can reduce their aggressiveness only through forgiveness. (3) AFP enhanced aggression via moral disengagement and reduced self-control among; Chinese participants, but reduced aggression via self-control among Muslim participants. Findings of this study confirmed that the functions of RFP show more similarities than differences across cultures, while functions of AFP do the opposite.

Psychological interventions to promote self-forgiveness: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Being able to forgive one's own wrongdoings improves the health and well-being of a person. People find it difficult to forgive themselves due to different reasons. It is essential to enhance the ability to accept one's deeds and thereby enhance self-forgiveness. The current systematic review's objective is to comprehend the application and efficiency of numerous interventions that improve self-forgiveness. METHODS: The search was done on electronic databases such as PubMed, ERIC, Web of Science, PsycNet, Science Direct, and Google Scholar. The initial search yielded 399 articles. After the duplicate removal, 19 articles met the eligibility criteria. Two studies were identified through related references. Thus, 21 articles were finalized for review. The study adhered to the PRISMA recommendations for systematic reviews. RESULTS: The 21 finalized articles varied in method, participants, research design, duration, measurement tools used, and observed outcomes. Thirteen of the 21 finalized articles followed interventions specifically designed to promote self-forgiveness. Interventions are seen to be applied at both individual and group levels. CONCLUSION: The review categorizes the interventions into self-directed and group. The self-directed interventions, notably those based on Enright's process model, demonstrate its efficiency in nurturing self-forgiveness. Self-forgiveness interventions are also found to be effective in promoting other positive psychological and clinical variables. Further implications and future research avenues are outlined.

Properties of the modified self-forgiveness dual-process scale in populations at risk for moral injury.

Despite theory suggesting that self-forgiveness facilitates recovery from moral injury, no measure of self-forgiveness has been validated with individuals exposed to potentially morally injurious events (PMIEs). Military veterans, healthcare workers, and first responders who reported PMIE exposure (n = 924) completed the Self-Forgiveness Dual-Process Scale, which assesses two dimensions of the self-forgiveness process. The first dimension, value affirmation, refers to appraising personal responsibility and being willing to make amends for one's involvement in a PMIE. The second dimension, esteem restoration, refers to accepting oneself as valuable and capable of growth despite one's failures and imperfections. Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses replicated the original scale's two-factor structure in 10 items modified to apply to the diverse contexts in which PMIEs occur. Next, we found that the factor structure, item loadings, and item intercepts were fully or partially invariant across professions, genders, races, ages, and religious affiliations in a series of Multi-Group Confirmatory Factor Analyses. Finally, diverging patterns of associations between value affirmation and esteem restoration with moral distress, posttraumatic stress, depression, insomnia, functional impairment, and posttraumatic growth provide evidence of convergent and discriminant validity between the subscales. The modified self-forgiveness dual process scale is the first measure of self-forgiveness to be validated with individuals exposed to a PMIE. Researchers and clinicians can use the scale to examine how self-forgiveness (or difficulties with forgiving oneself) relates to moral injury.

Beyond HIV shame: the role of self-forgiveness and acceptance in living with HIV.

Research is developing regarding the beneficial association of spirituality with numerous health outcomes in people living with HIV (PLWH); however, little attention has been paid to the association of these variables with forgiveness and acceptance of HIV status. This cross-sectional study used a sample of 648 PLWH from the United States aged 18-61 to test the mediating effects of forgiveness and acceptance of HIV status on the relationship of spirituality and life satisfaction. As expected, self-forgiveness and acceptance straightforwardly and serially explained the links between spirituality and life satisfaction, while forgiveness of others was not a significant mediator for this relationship. The data obtained suggest that spirituality and self-forgiveness are two important targets for future experimental research, and therapeutic interventions on these variables may have a synergistic effect of increasing acceptance and improving well-being in PLWH.

Psychological perspectives on divine forgiveness: seeking divine forgiveness.

Seeking divine forgiveness (forgiveness by a Supreme Being or Higher Power) is important because the perception of such forgiveness is associated with psychological well-being This paper is the first to examine a process model of divine forgiveness in which the decision to pursue such forgiveness initiates the process of seeking it. Two studies investigate the likelihood of seeking divine forgiveness. Study 1 (N = 190) introduces and provides discriminant validity for a unidimensional measure divine forgiveness seeking. Convergent validity is provided by demonstrating that seeking divine forgiveness correlates with reported experiences of divine forgiveness both concurrently and six weeks later. Study 2 (N = 390) provides a confirmatory factor analysis of seeking divine forgiveness scale items identified in Study 1 and replicates the concurrent and temporal association with reported experiences of divine forgiveness using a longer time interval (12 weeks). It also documents associations between a person's image of God, attachment and closeness to God and the likelihood of seeking divine forgiveness. Both studies control for religiosity and Study 2 introduces an additional control for impression management. Together, they provide support for the idea that the decision to pursue divine forgiveness begins the process of seeking such forgiveness. We discuss limitations of the research and outline several paths for additional studies.

Burden and quality of life of family caregivers of Alzheimer's disease patients: the role of forgiveness as a coping strategy.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the variables that  were associated, contributed and moderated quality of life (QoL) and burden in family caregivers. METHODS: A total of 130 participants were evaluated using the following instruments: Depression, Anxiety and Distress Scale; Index of Family Relations; Heartland Forgiveness Scale; Burden Interview Scale; Short Form Health Survey. RESULTS: Being a younger caregiver, less distress, better family relationships and greater use of forgiveness were associated with more QoL. Also, family caregivers who chosethe caregiving role, less distress, better family relationships and greater use of forgiveness showed lower levels of burden. Age, distress and forgiveness contributed to QoL. In turn, the choice to become a family caregiver, distress, and forgiveness contributed to burden. Forgiveness played a moderating role in the relationship between family relationships and burden. CONCLUSION: Based on the results, there is a need to intervene in older family caregivers, particularly those who did not choose to become a caregiver, who report greater distress, have worse family relationships, and display less use of forgiveness, in order to decrease their burden and promote QoL.

Psychological perspectives on divine forgiveness: 3. Trait self-control is associated with well-being through seeking divine forgiveness.

Introduction: Although a majority of the world's population believes in a Higher Power and subscribes to a religion in which divine forgiveness is emphasized, little work has been done to understand individual differences associated with seeking divine forgiveness. Methods: Building on work that suggests trait self-control facilitates well-being, the current study (N = 439, undergraduate students) applies structural equation modeling (SEM) to test whether believers higher (vs. lower) in trait self-control are more likely to seek divine forgiveness, and, in turn, have better psychological health. Results and discussion: We find that people higher in self-control engage in more divine forgiveness seeking (b = 0.16), and seeking divine forgiveness represents one of the pathways associated with psychological health (i.e., seeking is associated with higher well-being, b = 0.21, and lower distress, b = -0.07). Crucially, we operationalize both positive (well-being and flourishing) and negative (depression, anxiety, stress) aspects of psychological health and control for religiosity. These results suggest that for those who believe in God, seeking divine forgiveness may be one mechanism that links individuals' self-control to good psychological health, and this is not merely an artifact of higher levels of religiosity. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

Do Forgiveness Campaign Activities Improve Forgiveness, Mental Health, and Flourishing?

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of a forgiveness public health intervention at promoting forgiveness, mental health, and flourishing. Methods: Colombian students (N = 2,878) at a private, nonreligious university were exposed to a 4-week forgiveness community campaign and were assessed pre- and post-campaign. Results: Forgiveness, mental health, and flourishing outcomes showed improvements after the campaign. On average, participants reported engaging in 7.18 (SD = 3.99) of the 16 types of campaign activities. The number of types of campaign activities that participants engaged in evidenced a positive linear association with forgiveness, although some activities were more popular than others and some activities were more strongly associated with increased forgiveness. For depression, anxiety, and flourishing, engaging in more activities was generally associated with greater improvements, but the patterns were less consistent relative to forgiveness. Conclusion: This forgiveness public health intervention effectively promoted forgiveness, mental health, and flourishing. Effective campaigns in diverse communities involve promoting mental and physical health through forgiveness. However, recent conflict may hinder acceptance, necessitating political capital for leadership advocating forgiveness initiatives.

Beyond Parental Acceptance and Rejection: A Commentary on the Findings From Empirical Studies on Forgiveness and Vengeance in the Muslim World.

Drawing on the framework of interpersonal acceptance-rejection theory (IPARTheory), this special issue edited by Ronald P. Rohner, Sumbleen Ali, and Jennifer E. Lansford explores forgiveness and vengeance within the context of the Muslim world. Examination of the precursors of forgiveness and vengeance holds significance because vengeance typically correlates with adverse physical and psychological health outcomes. We suggest ways to advance research outlined in the special issue, such as assessing cross-cultural invariance and using diverse research designs. Moreover, increasing the diversity of socioeconomic status in studies conducted in the Muslim world and exploring hypotheses in high-income countries are necessary for contextually nuanced research. Overall, this special issue offers valuable insights into the dynamics of forgiveness and vengeance and highlights the role of culture and gender on psychological well-being across diverse contexts.

Spontaneous brain activity associated with individual differences in decisional and emotional forgiveness.

Previous studies have explored the neural bases of forgiveness, however, the neural associations of decisional and emotional forgiveness remain unclear. Regional homogeneity (ReHo) and functional connectivity (FC) measured by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) were used to investigate the neural associations of individual differences in decisional and emotional forgiveness among healthy volunteers (256 participants, 85 males). The results of the ReHo analysis showed that decisional forgiveness was positively correlated with the left inferior parietal lobule (IPL). Furthermore, emotional forgiveness was positively correlated with the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and left supramarginal gyrus (SMG). The results of the FC analysis showed that decisional forgiveness was positively associated with the FC strength between the left IPL and left middle frontal gyrus (MFG) and negatively correlated with the FC strength among the left IPL, right superior temporal gyrus (STG), and left SMG. Furthermore, there was a significant positive correlation between emotional forgiveness and FC strength between the left SMG and right IPL. These findings suggest an association between decisional and emotional forgiveness and spontaneous brain activity in brain regions related to empathy, emotion regulation, and cognitive control.

The effects of awe on interpersonal forgiveness: the mediating role of small-self.

Awe could increase prosocial behavior, but little is known about its effects on interpersonal forgiveness. This study aims to explore the potential impact of awe on interpersonal forgiveness and the underlying mechanism of this process, using a combination of questionnaires, economic game and computational modeling. In Study 1, we utilized Trait Awe Scale (TAS) and Forgiveness Trait Scale (FTS) to examine the association between trait awe and trait forgiveness. In Study 2, we employed pre-screened video to induce awe, happy and neutral emotions, then evaluated the effects of induced awe on small-self and interpersonal forgiveness in hypothetical interpersonal offensive situations (Study 2a) and two economic interaction situations (Study 2b). Results from Study 1 indicate that there is a positive correlation between trait awe and trait forgiveness. Study 2 reveal that awe can enhance interpersonal forgiveness in both interpersonal conflict situations and economic interaction situations, and this effect is mediated by the sense of small-self elicited by awe. Overall, these findings contribute to our understanding of the potential impact of awe on interpersonal forgiveness and provide valuable insights into the mechanisms through which awe may influence forgiveness. Further research in this area could help to elucidate the potential applications of awe-based interventions in promoting forgiveness and positive social interactions.

Is lifetime abuse forgivable in old age?

Old age is characterized by reflection and a retrospective examination of the multiple meanings of various life experiences, including lifelong abuse. Forgiveness is found to have a salutary effect, especially for older adults. To understand the place and role of forgiveness in the reflective process during aging, we performed a secondary analysis of in-depth, semi-structured interviews (N = 78) with older women survivors of abuse. Inductive thematic analysis was based on concepts developed deductively from the literature review. The findings include three main themes: (1) The dimensions of forgiving: The victim as subject; (2) Being forgiven: Between lost forgiveness and hope; and (3) Self-forgiveness and the aging self. Despite the known salutary effect of forgiveness, we must consider that this is not a universally desirable process. We included the dimension of forgiveness in the study of abuse throughout the older person's life course and identified further complexities in addition to the "forgiveness"/"unforgiveness."

Associations between forgiveness and physical and mental health in the context of long COVID.

OBJECTIVE: Forgiveness has been positively associated with health in those with functional disorders. This cross-sectional study examined the relationships among dimensions of forgiveness and physical and mental health in individuals with and without long COVID. METHODS: Adults (N = 4316) in the United States took part in an online survey study detailing long COVID presence, physical and mental health, and trait forgiveness. T-tests were performed to assess differences in types of trait forgiveness between individuals with and without long COVID. Linear regression models assessed the contribution of demographic covariates and forgiveness subscales to the physical and mental health of individuals with and without long COVID. RESULTS: Of 4316 participants, 379 (8.8%) reported current long COVID. Participants were an average age of 43.7, and most identified as female (51.9%), white (87.8%), and non-Hispanic/Latino (86.6%). Individuals with long COVID reported significantly less forgiveness of self (p < 0.001, d = 0.33), forgiveness of others (p = 0.004, d = 0.16), and forgiveness of situations (p < 0.001, d = 0.34) than those without long COVID. Among the long COVID sample, forgiveness of self and situations were positively associated with mental health (p < 0.05), but not physical health (p > 0.05). Forgiveness of others was negatively associated with both physical and mental health (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Forgiveness may be an important consideration in understanding health among individuals with long COVID, emphasizing the importance of developing a multifaceted understanding of the condition.