title: Forgive to live: forgiveness, health, and longevity.
abstract: This study examined multiple types of forgiveness as predictors of mortality and potential psychosocial, spiritual, and health mechanisms of the effects of forgiveness on longevity. Data from a nationally representative sample of United States adults ages 66 and older assessed forgiveness, health, religiousness/spirituality, and socio-demographics (N = 1,232). God's unconditional forgiveness and conditional forgiveness of others initially emerged as statistically significant predictors of mortality risk. However, only conditional forgiveness of others remained a significant predictor of mortality after controlling for religious, socio-demographic, and health behavior variables. Mediators of the association between conditional forgiveness of others and mortality were examined, and a statistically significant indirect effect was identified involving physical health. These findings suggest that conditional forgiveness of others is associated with risk for all-cause mortality, and that the mortality risk of conditional forgiveness may be conferred by its influences on physical health.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Luther College, Decorah, IA 52101, USA. touslo01@luther.edu
authors.forename: Loren L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Toussaint
authors.forename: Amy D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Owen
authors.forename: Alyssa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cheadle
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D061347:Forgiveness; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008136:Longevity; D008297:Male; D009026:Mortality; D029181:Spirituality