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Griffin BJ, Norman SB, Weber MC, Hinkson KD, Jendro AM, Pyne JM, Worthington EL, Maguen S. Properties of the modified self-forgiveness dual-process scale in populations at risk for moral injury. Stress Health 2024:e3413. [PMID: 38730552 DOI: 10.1002/smi.3413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon J Griffin
- Central Arkansas VA Health Care System, Center for Mental Health Care & Outcomes Research, North Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Psychiatric Research Institute, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
- University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, Lyda Hill Institute for Human Resilience, Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
| | - Sonya B Norman
- National Center for PTSD, White River Junction, Vermont, USA
- University of California San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Marcela C Weber
- Central Arkansas VA Health Care System, Center for Mental Health Care & Outcomes Research, North Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Psychiatric Research Institute, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Kent D Hinkson
- Central Arkansas VA Health Care System, Center for Mental Health Care & Outcomes Research, North Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Psychiatric Research Institute, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Ashlyn M Jendro
- Central Arkansas VA Health Care System, Center for Mental Health Care & Outcomes Research, North Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Jeffrey M Pyne
- Central Arkansas VA Health Care System, Center for Mental Health Care & Outcomes Research, North Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Psychiatric Research Institute, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | | | - Shira Maguen
- San Francisco VA Health Care System, San Francisco, California, USA
- University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, California, USA
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Cook KV, Kurniati NMT, Suwartono C, Widyarini N, Griffin BJ, Cowden RG. Associations of self-forgiveness processes with distress and well-being outcomes: Evidence from a longitudinal study of Indonesian adults. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY 2024; 59:303-311. [PMID: 38041244 DOI: 10.1002/ijop.13093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
To date, few empirical studies have examined the benefits of the processes involved in self-forgiveness-value reorientation and esteem restoration-for individual well-being using longitudinal data from non-Western samples. In this study, we take a step toward addressing this gap by analysing three waves of data collected among 595 Indonesians (Mage = 21.95, SD = 4.39). Applying the analytic templates for lagged exposure-wide and outcome-wide longitudinal designs, we performed a series of linear regressions to estimate associations of value reorientation and esteem restoration in Wave 2 with three indicators of distress and 10 indicators of well-being in Wave 3, adjusting for Wave 1 covariates. Value reorientation and esteem restoration were each associated with improvements in several well-being outcomes (six for value reorientation and three for esteem restoration), but both showed little evidence of associations with the distress outcomes. In a secondary analysis, those who scored higher on both value reorientation and esteem restoration (i.e., self-forgiveness group) in Wave 2 reported higher well-being on five outcomes in Wave 3 compared to those who scored lower on value reorientation, esteem restoration, or both (i.e., no or partial self-forgiveness group). We discuss some implications of the findings for conceptualising self-forgiveness and promoting well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaye V Cook
- Department of Psychology, Gordon College, Wenham, MA, USA
| | | | - Christiany Suwartono
- Faculty of Psychology, Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Nilam Widyarini
- Department of Psychology, Gunadarma University, Depok, Indonesia
| | - Brandon J Griffin
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Richard G Cowden
- Human Flourishing Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
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Hampton LE, Carruth NP, Lurquin JH, Miyake A. Personality correlates of dispositional forgiveness: a direct comparison of interpersonal and self-forgiveness using common transgression scenarios. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1218663. [PMID: 38023046 PMCID: PMC10646512 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1218663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the personality correlates of dispositional interpersonal forgiveness (forgiveness of others) have been well characterized, those of dispositional self-forgiveness are less well understood. Moreover, when the personality correlates are examined for both types of forgiveness, the comparison has been based on participants' self-report ratings on questionnaires. The current study sought to address these gaps in the literature by adopting a scenario-based approach, which has been used less frequently, especially in self-forgiveness research. A total of 160 participants read six fictional scenarios, each describing a severe transgression, from the perspective of the transgressor (self-forgiveness, n = 78) or the victim (interpersonal forgiveness, n = 82) of the transgression, and then responded to several items assessing different facets of forgiveness (avoidance, revenge, and benevolence). Participants' personality (Big Five) and explanatory style were also assessed. Consistent with prior literature, agreeableness and neuroticism generally predicted different facets of interpersonal forgiveness. These two personality traits also predicted facets of self-forgiveness, but, additionally, conscientiousness and one's tendency to internalize failure (the personal component of explanatory style) uniquely predicted self-forgiveness, especially avoidance motivations. These results point to both similarities and differences in the personality correlates of interpersonal and self-forgiveness. As a secondary, more exploratory aim, the current study compared the results from our scenario-based assessment of forgiveness to those based on a commonly used questionnaire, the Other and Self subscales of the Heartland Forgiveness Scale (HFS). As expected, the Other subscale of the HFS were associated with levels of interpersonal forgiveness assessed with our transgression scenarios, but, surprisingly, the HFS Self subscale was more strongly related to interpersonal than self-forgivess assessed with scenarios. Moreover, the Self subscale was not associated with levels of self-forgiveness assessed with transgression scenarios, except for avoidance motivations. These results suggest that scenario-based and questionnaire-based methods may capture different facts of forgiveness and cannot be used interchangeably, especially for the assessment of self-forgiveness. More generally, the current study illustrates the importance of conducting direct within-study comparisons of interpersonal and self-forgiveness as well as of different assessment methods to better understand the similarities and differences between the two types of forgiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas E. Hampton
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | | | - John H. Lurquin
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Akira Miyake
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
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Wenzel M, Harous C, Cibich M, Woodyatt L. Does victims' forgiveness help offenders to forgive themselves? The role meta-perceptions of value consensus. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jesp.2022.104433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
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The relationship between narcissism and empathy: A meta-analytic review. JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN PERSONALITY 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jrp.2022.104329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Paleari GF, Danioni F, Pelucchi S, Lombrano MR, Lumera D, Regalia C. The relationship between self-forgiveness and psychological wellbeing in prison inmates: The mediating role of mindfulness. CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR AND MENTAL HEALTH : CBMH 2022; 32:337-349. [PMID: 36056526 PMCID: PMC9826273 DOI: 10.1002/cbm.2260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous research with general population samples has consistently shown that forgiveness and mindfulness facilitate coping with distressing experiences and significantly promote mental health. No study, however, has examined their unique contribution to prisoners' psychological wellbeing nor has considered the different forms of self-forgiveness among prisoners. AIMS Our aim was to investigate the role of mindfulness in mediating any association between prisoners' self-forgiveness and psychological wellbeing and to test whether any such links are moderated by years spent in prison. In this study self-forgiveness was conceptualised as a multidimensional construct, including presence of genuine self-forgiveness, absence of pseudo self-forgiveness and/or absence of self-punitiveness. METHODS Participants were recruited from a prison in Northern Italy. Consenting men were asked to complete an anonymous self-report questionnaire with only a researcher present. RESULTS 104 male prisoners (mean age 46.63 years, SD 11.38) took part. Findings were that self-punitiveness was inversely related to well-being, with mindfulness mediating this relationship, this while controlling for the other dimensions of self-forgiveness and the perceived severity of the crime committed. Contrary to expectation, we found no direct relationship between genuine self-forgiveness and well-being, but the moderated mediation models showed that genuine self-forgiveness was positively associated with mindfulness and, through this, had an indirect association with wellbeing, significant only for prisoners who had already spent several years in prison. CONCLUSIONS Our findings confirm that self-forgiveness is a complex construct, worthy of further investigation among offenders. They suggest that forgiveness interventions for prisoners should include modules aimed at primarily reducing self-punitive attitudes. Promotion of genuine self-forgiveness should be tried only with awareness that this is likely to take a very long time. In such circumstances, interventions may promote energy to be invested in mindful processes with a consequent improvement in psychological wellbeing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgia F. Paleari
- Department of Human and Social SciencesUniversity of BergamoBergamoItaly
| | - Francesca Danioni
- Family Studies and Research University CentreCatholic University of MilanMilanoItaly
| | - Sara Pelucchi
- Family Studies and Research University CentreCatholic University of MilanMilanoItaly
- Department of PsychologyCatholic University of MilanMilanoItaly
| | | | | | - Camillo Regalia
- Family Studies and Research University CentreCatholic University of MilanMilanoItaly
- Department of PsychologyCatholic University of MilanMilanoItaly
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Word M, Cornish MA, Coleman K, Grey C. How does the general public define self-forgiveness? Examination in a college student sample. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-021-02241-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Roads less travelled to self-forgiveness: Can psychological flexibility overcome chronic guilt/shame to achieve genuine self-forgiveness? JOURNAL OF CONTEXTUAL BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcbs.2021.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Gallo-Giunzioni K, Prieto-Ursúa M, Fernández-Belinchón C, Luque-Reca O. Measuring Forgiveness: Psychometric Properties of the Heartland Forgiveness Scale in the Spanish Population. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 18:ijerph18010045. [PMID: 33374647 PMCID: PMC7793486 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18010045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Given the scarcity of instruments in Spanish to measure forgiveness, two studies were conducted in this population to obtain validity evidence of the Heartland Forgiveness Scale (HFS), an instrument that measures dispositional forgiveness of self, others, and situations. In the first study, 203 students (65% women) participated. After ensuring the linguistic adequacy and clarity of the wording of the items, a lack of congruence was found between the factors obtained in the exploratory factor analysis and the original theoretical structure of the HFS. A sample of 512 participants (63.9% women) attended the second study. This study aimed to analyze the construct validity of the HFS using confirmatory factor analysis through structural equation modelling and to explore convergent, discriminant, and criterion validity. Of the different factorial configurations tested (including the original), only a scale reduction to eight items, grouped into three factors, showed an appropriate fit. The HFS eight-item version also showed acceptable internal consistency, adequate convergent and discriminant validity, and criterion validity with respect to related variables. These findings suggest that the eight-item version of the HFS may be a valid and reliable tool for assessing forgiveness for self, others, and situations in Spanish adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karla Gallo-Giunzioni
- Faculty of Education and Psychology, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, 28223 Pozuelo de Alarcón, Spain;
| | - María Prieto-Ursúa
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social and Human Sciences, Universidad Pontificia Comillas, 28049 Madrid, Spain;
| | | | - Octavio Luque-Reca
- Department of Psychology, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28933 Madrid, Spain
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Urbonaviciute G, Hepper EG. When is narcissism associated with low empathy? A meta-analytic review. JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN PERSONALITY 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jrp.2020.104036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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Long KNG, Chen Y, Potts M, Hanson J, VanderWeele TJ. Spiritually Motivated Self-Forgiveness and Divine Forgiveness, and Subsequent Health and Well-Being Among Middle-Aged Female Nurses: An Outcome-Wide Longitudinal Approach. Front Psychol 2020; 11:1337. [PMID: 32733311 PMCID: PMC7363844 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Interest in the relationship between forgiveness and health is steadily growing across disciplines within the research community. While there are multiple forms of forgiveness, past research has focused principally on studying forgiveness of others, whereas longitudinal evidence on the associations between other forms of forgiveness and health remains scarce. Methods: Using longitudinal data from the Nurses’ Health Study II (from the 2008 Trauma Exposure and Post-traumatic Stress Supplementary Survey to 2015 questionnaire wave), this study employed an outcome-wide analytic approach to prospectively examine the association between two forms of religiously or spiritually motivated forgiveness, namely, self-forgiveness and divine forgiveness, and a wide array of subsequent psychosocial well-being, mental health, health behavior, and physical health outcomes among middle-aged female nurses (N = 54,703 for self-forgiveness; N = 51,661 for divine forgiveness). All models controlled for sociodemographic factors, prior religious service attendance, and prior values of all outcome variables wherever data were available. Bonferroni correction was used to account for multiple testing. Results: Self-forgiveness was strongly associated with greater psychosocial well-being (e.g., for top vs. bottom level of self-forgiveness, β = 0.23, 95% CI: 0.20, 0.25 for positive affect) and lower psychological distress (e.g., β = −0.21, 95% CI: −0.23, −0.18 for depressive symptoms). To a lesser extent, divine forgiveness was also associated with higher levels of psychological well-being and lower psychological distress. For both forgiveness types, there was little evidence of association with physical health or health behavior outcomes, though possible marginal evidence for an association of self-forgiveness with increased mortality. Discussion: This study provides novel evidence that religiously or spiritually motivated self-forgiveness and divine forgiveness are both positively related to several indicators of psychosocial well-being and inversely associated with psychological distress outcomes, whereas the associations with physical health and health behaviors are less clear. Further longitudinal investigation of the dynamics between these types of forgiveness and health and well-being is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katelyn N G Long
- Human Flourishing Program, Institute for Quantitative Social Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States.,Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Ying Chen
- Human Flourishing Program, Institute for Quantitative Social Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States.,Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Matthew Potts
- Harvard Divinity School, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Jeffrey Hanson
- Human Flourishing Program, Institute for Quantitative Social Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Tyler J VanderWeele
- Human Flourishing Program, Institute for Quantitative Social Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States.,Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
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Trait tendencies to forgive, punish, and exonerate oneself: A multi-study investigation. JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN PERSONALITY 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jrp.2020.103934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Wenzel M, Woodyatt L, McLean B. The effects of moral/social identity threats and affirmations on psychological defensiveness following wrongdoing. BRITISH JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2020; 59:1062-1081. [PMID: 32259296 DOI: 10.1111/bjso.12378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Revised: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Defensive responses to transgressions can have a negative impact on decision-making within government and organizations, on relationships, and even an individual's well-being. Transgressors who are defensive are less likely to acknowledge or appreciate the extent of harm caused, and their responsibility in having contributed to it or in helping to repair it. It is therefore important to understand what situational factors increase or reduce defensiveness and, thus, offer solutions for those trying to foster responsibility-taking by individuals in relationships, organizations, and society. This paper presents two studies exploring what underpins defensive responses in the context of transgressions. In Study 1 (N = 202), participants recalled an interpersonal transgression, and in Study 2 (N = 143), omnivorous participants watched a guilt-eliciting documentary about meat production practices. Both studies demonstrate that defensiveness increases in response to social/moral threat. Further, Study 2 demonstrates that this defensiveness can be reduced by addressing the underlying threat to social/moral identity via value affirmation, encouraging moral engagement, and repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Wenzel
- Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Lydia Woodyatt
- Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Ben McLean
- Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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