Forgiveness and the bottle: promoting self-forgiveness in individuals who abuse alcohol.
In the current article, the authors explore the efficacy of a 4-hour self-forgiveness intervention. Participants (n = 79) undergoing a routine alcohol treatment protocol were randomly assigned to an intervention or treatment as usual condition. Those in the intervention condition completed the self-forgiveness intervention. All participants completed measures of self-forgiveness, drinking refusal self-efficacy, and guilt and shame over an alcohol-related transgression. Participants in the intervention condition reported more positive gains on measures of self-forgiveness and drinking refusal efficacy, as well as guilt and shame over alcohol-related offenses. Implications of the self-forgiveness intervention for individuals who misuse alcohol are discussed.
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA. mscherer@jhsph.edu
Michael
M
Scherer
Everett L
EL
Worthington
Joshua N
JN
Hook
Kathryn L
KL
Campana
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000628:therapy*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D061347:Forgiveness; D006167:Guilt; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020377:Self Efficacy; D057566:Self Report; D012752:Shame