Forgiveness Therapy for the Promotion of Mental Well-Being: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Jane Barlow

257 citations0/0 files storedTrauma Violence & Abuse

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Forgiveness and Related Behaviors Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions

Abstract

Interpersonal hurts and violence against the individual have a high prevalence and are associated with a range of long-term problems in terms of psychological functioning. There is a growing body of research highlighting the role of forgiveness therapy in improving different aspects of psychological health in populations who have experienced diverse types of hurt, violence, or trauma. This article reports the findings of a systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy of process-based forgiveness interventions among samples of adolescents and adults who had experienced a range of sources of hurt or violence against them. Randomized controlled trials were retrieved using electronic databases and an examination of reference sections of previous reviews; each study was assessed for risk of bias. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) and confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess treatment effects. The results suggest that forgiveness interventions are effective in reducing depression (SMD = -0.37, 95% CI [-0.68, -0.07]), anger and hostility (SMD = -0.49, 95% CI [-0.77, -0.22]), and stress and distress (SMD = -0.66, 95% CI [-0.91, -0.41]) and in promoting positive affect (SMD = -0.29, 95% CI [-0.52, -0.06]). There was also evidence of improvements in state (SMD = -0.55, 95% CI [-0.88, -0.21) and trait (SMD = -0.43, 95% CI [-0.67, -0.20]) forgiveness. The findings provide moderately strong evidence to suggest that forgiving a variety of real-life interpersonal offenses can be effective in promoting different dimensions of mental well-being. Further research is, however, needed.

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References

2008Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions 2002The world report on violence and health 2009Psychological Well‐being: Evidence Regarding its Causes and Consequences†2000Helping clients forgive: An empirical guide for resolving anger and restoring hope.1996Forgiveness as an intervention goal with incest survivors.1996Counseling Within the Forgiveness Triad: On Forgiving, Receiving Forgiveness, and Self‐Forgiveness 2013Efficacy of psychotherapeutic interventions to promote forgiveness: A meta-analysis.2004Intervention Studies on Forgiveness: A Meta‐Analysis

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2023The social cost of depression: Investigating the impact of impaired social emotion regulation, social cognition, and interpersonal behavior on social functioning 2020Managing service recovery experience: Effects of the forgiveness for older consumers 2023The evidence-base for positive psychology interventions: a mega-analysis of meta-analyses 2018A Fourth Wave of Psychotherapies: Moving Beyond Recovery Toward Well-Being 2020The Relationship between Basic Hope and Depression: Forgiveness as a Mediator

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