Forgiving the self and physical and mental health correlates: A meta-analytic review.

Abstract

Self-forgiveness has been conceptualized as a coping strategy that may improve health and well-being. To better understand the functions of self-forgiveness, this meta-analysis examines the correlates of self-forgiveness associated with physical and mental health. For physical health, across 18 samples and 5,653 participants, the correlation was .32. For psychological well-being, across 65 samples and 17,939 participants, the correlation was .45. To augment this primary focus on physical and mental health correlates, we estimated the relationships between self-forgiveness and specific mental health constructs and relationship outcomes. Implications for future basic and applied research on self-forgiveness are discussed.

Self-forgiveness and forgiveness-seeking in response to rumination: Cardiac and emotional responses of transgressors

“…In their meta-analysis, Davis et al (2015) concluded that, although the self-reported evidence for the relationship between self-forgiveness and physical and mental health is compelling, some limitations need to be addressed. Davis et al (2015) observed that most studies focused on trait self-forgiveness, recommending that state self-forgiveness term, if one is unforgiving toward others, cardiac health consequences could occur.…”

“…Davis et al (2015) observed that most studies focused on trait self-forgiveness, recommending that state self-forgiveness term, if one is unforgiving toward others, cardiac health consequences could occur.…”

Der Vergebungsprozess als ein psychotherapeutischer Behandlungsansatz

“…1). Psychologische Faktoren, die die Bereitschaft zur Vergebung moderieren, sind unter anderem Neigung zur Rache, negativ getönte Affektivität, geringe Lebenszufriedenheit, Empathie, Scham-/Schuldneigung, Selbsterkenntnis in eigenes Fehlverhalten, Selbstwertgefühl [McCullough et al, 2001;Wade et al, 2008;Exline et al, 2008;Allemand und Steiner, 2010;Kämmerer, 2011;Davis et al, 2015b].…”

Self-forgiveness in Japanese adolescents.

“…This result contradicted previous primary studies (cf. Maltby et al, 2001;Mauger et al, 1992, and a metaanalysis (Davis et al, 2015a) with the latter one suggesting a significant negative association between self-forgiveness and psychological distress, especially depressive and anxiety symptoms. However, these studies did not consider the process-oriented self-forgiveness approach, but rather considered self-forgiveness as an endpoint (i.e., considering higher scores as forgiveness and lower scores as a failure to forgive) without considering process to reach self-forgiveness.…”

“…Psychological benefit of forgiveness has received a great attention in the forgiveness literature, and much forgiveness research has found the association of forgiveness with psychological distress, especially depressive and anxiety symptoms (for a meta-analysis, see Davis et al, 2015a). In the literature of internalized problems such as depression and anxiety, many researchers explain these symptoms in a broad context considering vulnerability factors such as temperament, emotion and information processing, emotion regulation, and selective attention (e.g., Beck, Emery, & Greenberg, 1985;Durbin & Shafir, 2008;Flynn & Rudolph, 2010;Krueger, 1999).…”