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Zangri RM, Blanco I, Pascual T, Vázquez C. Unlocking the past: efficacy of guided self-compassion and benefit-focused online interventions for managing negative personal memories. Cogn Emot 2024; 38:971-985. [PMID: 38635402 DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2024.2337132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Positive reappraisal strategies have been found to reduce negative affect following the recall of negative personal events. This study examined the restorative effect of two mood-repair instructions (self-compassion vs benefit-focused reappraisal) and a control condition with no instructions following a negative Mood Induction Procedure by using the guided recall of a negative autobiographical event. A total of 112 university students participated in the online study (81% women, Mage: 21.0 years). Immediately following the negative memory recall, participants were randomised to each condition [(self-compassion: n = 36, benefit-focused: n = 39) or a control condition (n = 37)]. Repeated measures ANOVAs 3 (Repair condition) × 3 (Time of mood assessment: pre-recall, post-recall, post-regulation) showed that, as expected, negative mood (sadness, shame, and guilt) worsened significantly after the guided recall in all groups (p < .001). After the mood-repair intervention, participants in the self-compassion and benefit-focused conditions showed a significant reduction in negative mood (p < .019), while such improvement was not observed in the control group. Self-compassion and benefit-focused reappraisal functioned similarly as mood repair strategies after experiencing negative affect induced by the recall of negative personal memories. Implications in the context of autobiographical memory biases are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosaria Maria Zangri
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ivan Blanco
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Teodoro Pascual
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Camilo José Cela University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmelo Vázquez
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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2
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Martino ML, Sebri V, Singer J, Madow K, Giudice AV, Mazzoni D, Freda MF, Pravettoni G. Specificity and integration of meaning in self-defining memories of breast cancer survivors: clinical reflections to promote a narrative identity integration. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1433266. [PMID: 39205968 PMCID: PMC11349666 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1433266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Potential traumatic events, such as breast cancer, can influence autobiographical memory (AM), interrupting the continuity of narrative identity. AM is based on a hierarchical search across different levels of specificity that are indexed from top to bottom when a memory is retrieved. In the breast cancer field, non-specific AMs are an observed clinical phenomenon. In particular, breast cancer survivors report issues related to self-defining memories (SDMs), specific and significant AMs that evoke strong emotions and sensory details at the time of memory. SDMs are linked to life goals and facilitate adaptation to critical experiences, preserving the continuity of identity. This study explored the narrative identity integration process of breast cancer survivors, analyzing themes, specificity, and integrative meaning in SDMs. Ten women participated in an online group support program centered on the integration of AMs linked to the cancer journey. Participants were asked to assess their body image perceptions, filling out an online survey three times, in which they had to report three SDMs each time. A reflexive thematic analysis of the SDMs identified three main themes: the onset of breast cancer; the labeling of negative emotions, and changes in the body. The results indicated inhibited retrieval of specific episodes, fostering a progressive failure in memory characterization and the concurrent meaning-making process. Participants struggled with connecting the memories to insights regarding their self and life, as well as relating the memories to external conditions and other individuals. Further studies might examine the impact of these difficulties on the psychological adjustment of BC long-term survivors. They could also explore cognitive reconstruction by reframing the memories and re-evaluating their traumatic meanings.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Valeria Sebri
- Applied Research Division for Cognitive and Psychological Science, IEO European, Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Jefferson Singer
- Department of Psychology, Connecticut College, New London, CT, United States
| | - Katie Madow
- Department of Psychology, Connecticut College, New London, CT, United States
| | - Alice Viola Giudice
- Applied Research Division for Cognitive and Psychological Science, IEO European, Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Davide Mazzoni
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Gabriella Pravettoni
- Applied Research Division for Cognitive and Psychological Science, IEO European, Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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3
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Witvliet CVO, Blank SL, Gall AJ. Compassionate reappraisal and rumination impact forgiveness, emotion, sleep, and prosocial accountability. Front Psychol 2022; 13:992768. [DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.992768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Sufficient sleep quality and quantity are important for biopsychosocial well-being. Correlational research has linked trait forgiveness to better sleep. Prior experimental evidence also demonstrated contrasting effects of offense rumination versus compassionate reappraisal on forgiveness and psychophysiological responses, suggesting the value of testing effects on sleep. The present study assessed 180 participants (90 M, 90 F). First, we replicated an individual difference model of forgiveness, rumination, depressed and anxious affect, and sleep. Second, we conducted a quasi-experiment inducing offense rumination and compassionate reappraisal on two consecutive nights. Compassionate reappraisal (vs. rumination) replicated past research by prompting more empathic, forgiving, positive, and social responses, with less negative emotion including anger. New findings revealed that compassionate reappraisal (vs. rumination) was also associated with faster sleep onset, fewer sleep disturbances, and fewer sleep impairing offense intrusions. The morning after compassionate reappraisal, participants reported less rumination and intrusive impact of the offense, with more hedonic well-being and accountability to others. Compared to rumination, compassionate reappraisal was associated with more empathy and forgiveness, better sleep, well-being, and prosociality.
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4
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Naddaf SA, Lavy S. Character Strengths' Change During COVID-19. JOURNAL OF HAPPINESS STUDIES 2022; 24:185-210. [PMID: 36373087 PMCID: PMC9638306 DOI: 10.1007/s10902-022-00575-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 had negative effects on individuals and nations worldwide. However, based on literature suggesting that crises can trigger growth, we propose that it may have also triggered individuals' character strengths development, especially among those having experienced moderate levels of difficulty during the pandemic and having received social support. The participants' (N = 1700) 24 character strengths were assessed twice: before and during COVID-19. At the second assessment, participants also reported the level of impact COVID-19 had on their lives, and their perceived social support. MANOVA analysis revealed a general increase in character strengths, with significant - but mainly negligible or small - increases in 17 strengths: appreciation of beauty and excellence, bravery, prudence, creativity, curiosity, fairness, gratitude, honesty, hope, judgment, kindness, leadership, perspective, self-regulation, social intelligence, spirituality, and zest. Across the 24 strengths, the reported level of COVID-19's impact (i.e., low, moderate, or high) was not associated with different changes during the pandemic. Univariate analyses showed that such changes were significant only in curiosity, forgiveness and kindness. The multivariate effect of social support on changes in character strengths was significant. Specifically, it enhanced the increase in love, prudence, curiosity, forgiveness, gratitude, honesty, hope, judgment, leadership, humility and zest during COVID-19, although the interactions effect sizes were small. The results suggest that, in the time frame examined in this study, character development processes triggered by COVID-19 were evident, yet specific changes in strengths were relatively mild. Some of these processes may have been enhanced by social support. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10902-022-00575-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahar Amoury Naddaf
- Department of Leadership and Policy in Education, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Shiri Lavy
- Department of Leadership and Policy in Education, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
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Cook KV, Kurniati NMT, Suwartono C, Widyarini N, Worthington Jr. EL, Cowden RG. Differential effects of decisional and emotional forgiveness on distress and well-being: A three-wave study of Indonesian adults. Front Psychol 2022; 13:918045. [PMID: 36275245 PMCID: PMC9582772 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.918045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Research suggests that interpersonal forgiveness is beneficial to individual functioning, but few longitudinal studies have explored the independent contributions of decisional and emotional forgiveness to reducing different forms of distress and improving multidimensional well-being. In this three-wave (T1: December 2020; T2: January 2021; T3: February 2021) prospective study of predominantly young Indonesian adults (n = 595), we examined the associations of decisional and emotional forgiveness with three indicators of distress and 10 components of well-being. Applying the outcome-wide analytic template for longitudinal designs, our primary analysis involved estimating two sets of linear regression models (one set for decisional forgiveness and one set for emotional forgiveness) in which the outcomes were regressed on each interpersonal forgiveness process (one outcome at a time). Adjusting for a range of covariates (including prior values of decisional forgiveness, emotional forgiveness, and all 13 outcomes) assessed at T1, decisional forgiveness assessed at T2 was associated with an increase in seven components of well-being (i.e., life satisfaction, physical health, sense of purpose, promote good, delayed gratification, content with relationships, satisfying relationships) approximately 1 month later at T3. In contrast, emotional forgiveness assessed at T2 was associated with an increase in a single component of well-being (i.e., satisfying relationships) assessed at T3. Neither decisional nor emotional forgiveness assessed at T2 showed evidence of associations with any of the subsequent indicators of distress assessed at T3. Our findings suggest that, at least within a principally collectivistic cultural context such as Indonesia, decisional forgiveness in the aftermath of a transgression may have greater short-term benefits for well-being compared to emotional forgiveness. Implications of the findings for research and interventions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaye V. Cook
- Department of Psychology, Gordon College, Wenham, MA, United States
- *Correspondence: Kaye V. Cook,
| | | | - Christiany Suwartono
- Faculty of Psychology, Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Nilam Widyarini
- Faculty of Psychology, Gunadarma University, Depok, West Java, Indonesia
| | | | - Richard G. Cowden
- Human Flourishing Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
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Kaleta K, Mróz J. Gender Differences in Forgiveness and its Affective Correlates. JOURNAL OF RELIGION AND HEALTH 2022; 61:2819-2837. [PMID: 34357497 PMCID: PMC9314294 DOI: 10.1007/s10943-021-01369-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Although women are believed to be more forgiving than men, the results of many studies comparing women with men vary. Moreover, little is known about unique correlates or differential patterns of experiencing forgiveness by gender. In the present study, we compared men and women in terms of their level of dispositional forgiveness and its emotional correlates, namely positive and negative affect, anxiety, and emotional control. The sample consisted of 625 individuals aged 19-69, of whom 478 (76.5%) were women and 147 (23.5%) were men. Polish versions of the Heartland Forgiveness Scale (HFS), the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), the Courtauld Emotional Control Scale (CECS), and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were used. Men showed a higher level of general forgiveness and greater willingness to overcome unforgiveness than women, but there was no significant difference in positive facets of the disposition to forgive. In both genders negative affect, anxiety, and control of anger and of depression were negatively related to dimensions of dispositional forgiveness, and positive affect was positively associated with forgiveness. In females control of anxiety was negatively and in males it was positively related to facets of forgiveness. Gender moderated a number of links between affective traits and forgiveness of self and of situations beyond control, but not forgiveness of others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kinga Kaleta
- Department of Psychology, The Jan Kochanowski University, ul. Krakowska 11, 25-029 Kielce, Poland
| | - Justyna Mróz
- Department of Psychology, The Jan Kochanowski University, ul. Krakowska 11, 25-029 Kielce, Poland
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Gao J, Leung HK, Fan J, Wu BWY, Sik HH. The neurophysiology of the intervention strategies of Awareness Training Program on emotion regulation. Front Psychol 2022; 13:891656. [PMID: 35936346 PMCID: PMC9355299 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.891656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Emotion regulation is essential for healthy living. Previous studies have found that mental training such as compassion meditation could help with emotion regulation. However, the underlying neural mechanism and possible intervention strategies of group-based Mahayana Buddhist intervention involved in emotion regulation are still unclear. This event-related potential (ERP) study investigated how compassion and wisdom meditations, two key components of the Awareness Training Program (ATP), may regulate emotion during different mental processing stages, namely attention deployment, cognitive change, and response modification. Eighty-five middle-aged working adults with moderate stress were voluntarily recruited for this study, using a 128-channel electroencephalogram system. After 7 weeks of training, participants (ATP attendance, n = 42; waitlist control, n = 43) were instructed to view negative pictures while practicing compassion or wisdom meditation, with corresponding priming words. Another normal priming condition and a neutral picture condition were set as control conditions. ERP results in the ATP group showed that negative pictures induced greater prefrontal activity (N400 component) in both compassion and wisdom meditation conditions compared with the normal condition, while the control group showed little difference between the conditions. Significantly higher heart rate variability was found in the compassion but not wisdom meditation when compared with the neutral priming condition. Correspondent changes in behavioural data were also found. Converging evidence showed that compassion meditation training could modulate negative emotion processing in stages of attention deployment, cognitive change, and behavioural responses. The prefrontal lobe could play an important role in the process of emotion regulation by compassion meditation, possibly due to the emphasis of the ATP on contemplative practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junling Gao
- Buddhism and Science Research Lab, Centre of Buddhist Studies, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Hang Kin Leung
- Buddhism and Science Research Lab, Centre of Buddhist Studies, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jicong Fan
- School of Data Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China
| | - Bonnie Wai Yan Wu
- Buddhism and Science Research Lab, Centre of Buddhist Studies, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
- *Correspondence: Bonnie Wai Yan Wu,
| | - Hin Hung Sik
- Buddhism and Science Research Lab, Centre of Buddhist Studies, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Hin Hung Sik,
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8
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Event-related potential studies of emotion regulation: A review of recent progress and future directions. Int J Psychophysiol 2022; 176:73-88. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2022.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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9
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Krifa I, Hallez Q, van Zyl LE, Braham A, Sahli J, Ben Nasr S, Shankland R. Effectiveness of an online positive psychology intervention among Tunisian healthcare students on mental health and study engagement during the Covid-19 pandemic. Appl Psychol Health Well Being 2021; 14:1228-1254. [PMID: 34939332 DOI: 10.1111/aphw.12332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Imen Krifa
- Mental illness Epidemiology Research Laboratory, University of Sousse, Sousse, Tunisia.,Higher School of Sciences and Techniques of Health of Sousse, Department of Psychiatry LR12ES04, Farhat Hached University Hospital, Sousse, Tunisia
| | - Quentin Hallez
- Laboratory DIPHE, Department of Psychology, Education and Vulnerabilities, Université Lumière Lyon 2, Lyon, France
| | - Llewellyn Ellardus van Zyl
- Department of Industrial Engineering and Innovation Sciences, University of Eindhoven, Eindhoven, Netherlands.,Optentia Research Unit, North-West University, South Africa.,Department of Human Resource Management, University of Twente, the Netherlands.,Department of Social Psychology, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Amel Braham
- Mental illness Epidemiology Research Laboratory, University of Sousse, Sousse, Tunisia.,Faculty of Medicine of Sousse, Department of Psychiatry LR12ES04, Farhat Hached University Hospital, Sousse, Tunisia
| | - Jihene Sahli
- Laboratory of Research Quality of Care and Management of Maternal Health Services, Faculty of Medicine of Sousse, University of Sousse, Sousse, Tunisia
| | - Selma Ben Nasr
- Mental illness Epidemiology Research Laboratory, University of Sousse, Sousse, Tunisia.,Faculty of Medicine of Sousse, Department of Psychiatry LR12ES04, Farhat Hached University Hospital, Sousse, Tunisia
| | - Rebecca Shankland
- Laboratory DIPHE, Department of Psychology, Education and Vulnerabilities, Université Lumière Lyon 2, Lyon, France
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10
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Xiao S, Li Y, Liu M, Li Y. Electrophysiological Studies of Cognitive Reappraisal Success and Failure in aMCI. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11070855. [PMID: 34198957 PMCID: PMC8301780 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11070855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although successful reappraisal relies on cognitive resources, how cognitive impairment affects brain processes related to cognitive reappraisal is not yet clear. METHODS Forty-four amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) subjects and 72 healthy elderly controls (HECs) were divided into the MCI-Failure (n = 23), MCI-Success (n = 21), HEC-Failure (n = 26), and HEC-Success (n = 46) groups according to changes in self-reported affect using reappraisal. All participants viewed 30 negative and 30 neutral images preceded by straightforward descriptions of these images and 30 negative images preceded by more neutral descriptions. RESULTS Reappraisal failure was found to be more common in people with MCI. Reappraisal failure is associated with altered neurophysiological indices of negative-reappraisal stimuli processing that are reflected in smaller theta responsivity to negative-reappraisal stimuli between 350-550 ms. The MCI-Success group showed enhanced LPP for negative-reappraisal stimuli from 1200 to 3500 ms, reflecting compensatory effort to complete the reappraisal task, while subjects in other groups showed reduced LPP for negative-reappraisal stimuli from 550 to 1200 ms. CONCLUSIONS These findings deepen our understanding of how cognitive decline impacts reappraisal and informs early diagnosis and interventions for MCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shasha Xiao
- School of Communication and Information Engineering, Shanghai Institute for Advanced Communication and Data Science, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China;
| | - Yingjie Li
- School of Communication and Information Engineering, Shanghai Institute for Advanced Communication and Data Science, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China;
- Correspondence: (Y.L.); (Y.L.)
| | - Meng Liu
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China;
| | - Yunxia Li
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China;
- Correspondence: (Y.L.); (Y.L.)
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11
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Samide R, Ritchey M. Reframing the Past: Role of Memory Processes in Emotion Regulation. COGNITIVE THERAPY AND RESEARCH 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10608-020-10166-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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12
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Tang Y, Huang Y. Contextual factors influence the selection of specific and broad types of emotion regulation strategies. BRITISH JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2019; 58:1008-1033. [PMID: 30697756 DOI: 10.1111/bjso.12313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2017] [Revised: 12/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
An emerging focus in the emotion regulation (ER) literature is to consider the importance of context for people's ER strategy choice, given that ER responses that adapt to situational demands have been found to be highly beneficial. However, it remains unclear what (and in what way) contextual factors impact people's ER strategy selections. Also, only a limited number of ER strategies have been extensively studied and little is known about people's selection of broad ER strategy categories (we focus on covert vs. overt ER strategies based on Aldao & Dixon-Gordon's [2014] conceptualization). In the current study, 203 participants were recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk to imagine experiencing either positive or negative emotion in various contextual settings (location: home, social, vs. professional setting × social context: alone vs. with others) and to identify from 16 ER strategies the ones that they would in general deem applicable for each context. Results showed that the aforementioned factors, in various ways, uniquely or interactively predicted the selection of specific and broad ER strategies. Furthermore, personality (neuroticism and extraversion) also influenced participants' ER strategy selection. Overall, this study underscores the importance of including diverse strategies and considering context in the study of ER strategy choices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Tang
- Department of Psychology, Youngstown State University, Ohio, USA
| | - Yun Huang
- School of Information Studies, Syracuse University, New York, USA
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13
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Rasmussen KR, Stackhouse M, Boon SD, Comstock K, Ross R. Meta-analytic connections between forgiveness and health: the moderating effects of forgiveness-related distinctions. Psychol Health 2019; 34:515-534. [PMID: 30632797 DOI: 10.1080/08870446.2018.1545906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We explore meta-analytic associations between health and forgiveness, testing a number of potential theoretical and methodological factors that could alter that association, including the type of forgiveness measure (e.g. state vs. trait), the type of health measure (i.e. physical vs. psychological) and the target of forgiveness (e.g. self- vs. other-forgiveness). DESIGN Our findings below reflect the meta-analysis of 103 independent samples consisting of 606 correlations with a total sample of 26,043 participants. The final sample included papers from 17 countries. The included samples were diverse including students, older adults, divorced mothers, combat veterans and others. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Various health measures, including physical health outcomes (e.g., blood pressure, cortisol levels, bodily pain) and psychological health outcomes (e.g., depression, anxiety, PTSD). RESULTS We found a reliable overall association between forgiveness and health outcomes. The association was stronger for psychological health than for physical health, though associations with cardiovascular health indicators (i.e. heart-rate and blood pressure) were robust. CONCLUSION The findings provided considerable support to current theorizing about the health benefits of forgiveness. It is plausible that forgiveness might improve psychological health and reduce cardiovascular stress.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Susan D Boon
- c University of Calgary , Calgary , Alberta , Canada
| | | | - Rachel Ross
- c University of Calgary , Calgary , Alberta , Canada
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14
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Witvliet CV, Richie FJ, Root Luna LM, Van Tongeren DR. Gratitude predicts hope and happiness: A two-study assessment of traits and states. THE JOURNAL OF POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/17439760.2018.1424924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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