Effects of a group forgiveness intervention on forgiveness, perceived stress, and trait-anger.
The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of a 6-week forgiveness intervention on three outcomes: (a) offense-specific forgiveness, (b) forgiveness-likelihood in new situations, and (c) health-related psychosocial variables, such as perceived stress and trait-anger. Participants were 259 adults who had experienced a hurtful interpersonal transgression from which they still felt negative consequences. They were randomized to a forgiveness-training program or a no-treatment control group. The intervention reduced negative thoughts and feelings about the target transgression 2 to 3 times more effectively than the control condition, and it produced significantly greater increases in positive thoughts and feelings toward the transgressor. Significant treatment effects were also found for forgiveness self-efficacy, forgiveness generalized to new situations, perceived stress, and trait-anger.
VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Stanford University School of Medicine, Center for Health Care Evaluation, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA. Alexander.Harris2@va.gov
Alex H S
AH
Harris
Frederic
F
Luskin
Sonya B
SB
Norman
Sam
S
Standard
Jennifer
J
Bruning
Stephanie
S
Evans
Carl E
CE
Thoresen
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000786:Anger; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006126:Group Processes; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires