Research Article
Year 2019,
Volume: 5 Issue: 14, 717 - 723, 15.09.2019
Abstract
Trait forgiveness is a
tendency to forgive others across a wide range of interpersonal circumstances. Though
there is growing evidence to suggest that failure to forgive is closely related
to indicators of poor mental health as depression, anxiety and anger, less
attention has been paid to the relationship between trait forgiveness and
mental health. In order to study the mechanism of the relationship of these
two variables, we introduce rumination as a third variable, which has been
proved to correlate negatively with state forgiveness and positively with
mental health problems. We hypothesized that an individual’s mental health
could be predicted by his/her trait forgiveness and rumination. We tested this
hypothesis using a survey, in which five hundred and thirty-seven college
students (175 males and 362 females) from five universities in China were
investigated with Trait Forgiveness Scale (TFS), Ruminative Response Scale
(RRS), Centre for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D), Self-Rating
Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Trait Anger Scale (TAS). Descriptive statistics and
inferential statistics were adopted to analyse the data of survey with SPSS 21.
Results indicate that (a) significant gender difference exists in trait
forgiveness, that is, trait forgiveness of female students is significantly
higher than that of male students (t
= -2.06, p< 0.05); (b) students in
Low Forgiveness Group (the Lower 27%) have higher scores of depression, anxiety
and anger than those in High Forgiveness Group (the Upper 27%)(t = -5.86, -6.07 and -7.48，respectively, ps < 0.001);
(c) trait forgiveness negatively correlates with rumination (r = -0.21, p< 0.001), depression (r
= -0.30, p< 0.001), anxiety (r = -0.31, p< 0.001) and anger (r
= -0.34, p< 0.001), while
rumination positively correlates with depression (r = 0.61, p< 0.001),
anxiety (r = 0.55, p< 0.001) and anger (r = 0.36, p< 0.001); (d) among the predictive variables, trait forgiveness
is the best one, which accounts for 8.7%，9.5% and 11.6%
of the variation in depression, anxiety and anger; (e) rumination serves as a
partial mediator variable between trait forgiveness and mental health. These
results imply that although trait forgiveness and rumination both affect mental
health, the affecting paths were different. Trait forgiveness may affect mental
health directly, or indirectly through rumination.
References
- Berry, J. W., Worthington, E. L., Parrott, L., O Connor, L. E., & Wade, N. G. (2001). Dispositional forgivingness: Development and construct validity of the Transgression Narrative Test of Forgivingness (TNTF). Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27(10), 1277-1290. Brown, R. P. (2003). Measuring individual differences in the tendency to forgive: Construct validity and links with depression. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 29(6), 759-771. Enright, R. D., & Fitzgibbons, R. P. (2015). Forgiveness therapy: An empirical guide for resolving anger and restoring hope: American Psychological Association. Enright, R. D., Freedman, S., & Rique, J. (1998). The psychology of interpersonal forgiveness. In D. Tutu, R. D. Enright, & J. North (Eds.), Exploring forgiveness (pp. 46-62). Madison: University of Wisconsin Press. Freedman, S. R., & Enright, R. D. (1996). Forgiveness as an intervention goal with incest survivors. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 64(5), 983-992. Friedberg, J. P., Adonis, M. N., Von Bergen, H. A., & Suchday, S. (2005). Short communication: September 11th related stress and trauma in New Yorkers. Stress and Health, 21(1), 53-60. Han, X., & Yang, H. (2009). Chinese version of Nolen-Hoeksema Ruminative Responses Scale (RRS) used in 912 college students：Reliability and validity. Chinese Journal of Clinical Psychology, 17(05), 550-551. Hirsch, J. K., Webb, J. R., & Jeglic, E. L. (2011). Forgiveness, depression, and suicidal behavior among a diverse sample of college students. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 67(9), 896-906. Lawler-Row, K. A., Karremans, J. C., Scott, C., Edlis-Matityahou, M., & Edwards, L. (2008). Forgiveness, physiological reactivity and health: the role of anger. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 68(1), 51-58. Li, X. (2011). Study on the forgiveness and its correlation with mental health among college students. Modern Preventive Medicine, 38(14), 2763-2766. Luo, Y., Zhang, D., Liu, Y., & Liu, Y. (2011). Reliability and validity of the Chinese version of Trait Anger Scale in college students. Chinese Mental Health Journal, 25(9), 700-704. McCullough, M. E., Bellah, C. G., Kilpatrick, S. D., & Johnson, J. L. (2001). Vengefulness: Relationships with forgiveness, rumination, well-being, and the Big Five. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27(5), 601-610. McCullough, M. E., Bono, G., & Root, L. M. (2007). Rumination, emotion, and forgiveness: Three longitudinal studies. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92(3), 490-505. McCullough, M. E., & Witvliet, C. V. O. (2002). The psychology of forgiveness. In C. R. E. Snyder & S. J. Lopez (Eds.), Handbook of positive psychology (pp. 446-455). New York: Oxford University Press. Nolen-Hoeksema, S., Wisco, B. E., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2008). Rethinking rumination. Perspectives on psychological science, 3(5), 400-424. Paleari, F. G., Regalia, C., & Fincham, F. (2005). Marital quality, forgiveness, empathy, and rumination: A longitudinal analysis. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 31(3), 368-378. Radloff, L. S. (1977). The CES-D scale: A self-report depression scale for research in the general population. Applied psychological measurement, 1(3), 385-401. Reed, G. L., & Enright, R. D. (2006). The effects of forgiveness therapy on depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress for women after spousal emotional abuse. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 74(5), 920-920-929. Sandage, S. J., & Jankowski, P. J. (2010). Forgiveness, spiritual instability, mental health symptoms, and well-being: Mediator effects of differentiation of self. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 2(3), 168-168-180. Seybold, K. S., Hill, P. C., Neumann, J. K., & Chi, D. S. (2001). Physiological and psychological correlates of forgiveness. Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 20(3), 250-259. Spielberger, C. D. (1988). Manual for the state-trait anger inventory (STAXI). Odessa: Psychological assessment resources. Suchday, S., Friedberg, J. P., & Almeida, M. (2006). Forgiveness and rumination: a cross‐cultural perspective comparing India and the US. Stress and Health, 22(2), 81-89. Tse, W. S., & Yip, T. (2009). Relationship among dispositional forgiveness of others, interpersonal adjustment and psychological well-being: Implication for interpersonal theory of depression. Personality and Individual Differences, 46(3), 365-368. Webb, J. R., Robinson, E. A. R., & Brower, K. J. (2011). Mental health, not social support, mediates the forgiveness-alcohol outcome relationship. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 25(3), 462-473. Wen, Z., Chang, L., Hau, K.-T., & Liu, H. (2004). Testing and application of the mediating effects. Acta Psychologica Sinica, 36(5), 614-620. Wen, Z., & Ye, B. (2014). Analyses of Mediating Effects: The Development of Methods and Models. Advances in Psychological Science, 22(5), 731-745. Yang, X. (2013). Study on the measurement, influencing factors and functions of trait forgiveness in college students. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China, Zhang, D., & Wu, Y. (2012). Social support mediating between trait forgiveness and mental health. Chinese Journal of Clinical Psychology, 20(4), 577-579. Zung, W. W. (1971). A rating instrument for anxiety disorders. Psychosomatics: Journal of Consultation and Liaison Psychiatry, 12(6), 371-379.
Year 2019,
Volume: 5 Issue: 14, 717 - 723, 15.09.2019
Abstract
References
- Berry, J. W., Worthington, E. L., Parrott, L., O Connor, L. E., & Wade, N. G. (2001). Dispositional forgivingness: Development and construct validity of the Transgression Narrative Test of Forgivingness (TNTF). Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27(10), 1277-1290. Brown, R. P. (2003). Measuring individual differences in the tendency to forgive: Construct validity and links with depression. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 29(6), 759-771. Enright, R. D., & Fitzgibbons, R. P. (2015). Forgiveness therapy: An empirical guide for resolving anger and restoring hope: American Psychological Association. Enright, R. D., Freedman, S., & Rique, J. (1998). The psychology of interpersonal forgiveness. In D. Tutu, R. D. Enright, & J. North (Eds.), Exploring forgiveness (pp. 46-62). Madison: University of Wisconsin Press. Freedman, S. R., & Enright, R. D. (1996). Forgiveness as an intervention goal with incest survivors. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 64(5), 983-992. Friedberg, J. P., Adonis, M. N., Von Bergen, H. A., & Suchday, S. (2005). Short communication: September 11th related stress and trauma in New Yorkers. Stress and Health, 21(1), 53-60. Han, X., & Yang, H. (2009). Chinese version of Nolen-Hoeksema Ruminative Responses Scale (RRS) used in 912 college students：Reliability and validity. Chinese Journal of Clinical Psychology, 17(05), 550-551. Hirsch, J. K., Webb, J. R., & Jeglic, E. L. (2011). Forgiveness, depression, and suicidal behavior among a diverse sample of college students. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 67(9), 896-906. Lawler-Row, K. A., Karremans, J. C., Scott, C., Edlis-Matityahou, M., & Edwards, L. (2008). Forgiveness, physiological reactivity and health: the role of anger. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 68(1), 51-58. Li, X. (2011). Study on the forgiveness and its correlation with mental health among college students. Modern Preventive Medicine, 38(14), 2763-2766. Luo, Y., Zhang, D., Liu, Y., & Liu, Y. (2011). Reliability and validity of the Chinese version of Trait Anger Scale in college students. Chinese Mental Health Journal, 25(9), 700-704. McCullough, M. E., Bellah, C. G., Kilpatrick, S. D., & Johnson, J. L. (2001). Vengefulness: Relationships with forgiveness, rumination, well-being, and the Big Five. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27(5), 601-610. McCullough, M. E., Bono, G., & Root, L. M. (2007). Rumination, emotion, and forgiveness: Three longitudinal studies. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92(3), 490-505. McCullough, M. E., & Witvliet, C. V. O. (2002). The psychology of forgiveness. In C. R. E. Snyder & S. J. Lopez (Eds.), Handbook of positive psychology (pp. 446-455). New York: Oxford University Press. Nolen-Hoeksema, S., Wisco, B. E., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2008). Rethinking rumination. Perspectives on psychological science, 3(5), 400-424. Paleari, F. G., Regalia, C., & Fincham, F. (2005). Marital quality, forgiveness, empathy, and rumination: A longitudinal analysis. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 31(3), 368-378. Radloff, L. S. (1977). The CES-D scale: A self-report depression scale for research in the general population. Applied psychological measurement, 1(3), 385-401. Reed, G. L., & Enright, R. D. (2006). The effects of forgiveness therapy on depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress for women after spousal emotional abuse. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 74(5), 920-920-929. Sandage, S. J., & Jankowski, P. J. (2010). Forgiveness, spiritual instability, mental health symptoms, and well-being: Mediator effects of differentiation of self. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 2(3), 168-168-180. Seybold, K. S., Hill, P. C., Neumann, J. K., & Chi, D. S. (2001). Physiological and psychological correlates of forgiveness. Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 20(3), 250-259. Spielberger, C. D. (1988). Manual for the state-trait anger inventory (STAXI). Odessa: Psychological assessment resources. Suchday, S., Friedberg, J. P., & Almeida, M. (2006). Forgiveness and rumination: a cross‐cultural perspective comparing India and the US. Stress and Health, 22(2), 81-89. Tse, W. S., & Yip, T. (2009). Relationship among dispositional forgiveness of others, interpersonal adjustment and psychological well-being: Implication for interpersonal theory of depression. Personality and Individual Differences, 46(3), 365-368. Webb, J. R., Robinson, E. A. R., & Brower, K. J. (2011). Mental health, not social support, mediates the forgiveness-alcohol outcome relationship. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 25(3), 462-473. Wen, Z., Chang, L., Hau, K.-T., & Liu, H. (2004). Testing and application of the mediating effects. Acta Psychologica Sinica, 36(5), 614-620. Wen, Z., & Ye, B. (2014). Analyses of Mediating Effects: The Development of Methods and Models. Advances in Psychological Science, 22(5), 731-745. Yang, X. (2013). Study on the measurement, influencing factors and functions of trait forgiveness in college students. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China, Zhang, D., & Wu, Y. (2012). Social support mediating between trait forgiveness and mental health. Chinese Journal of Clinical Psychology, 20(4), 577-579. Zung, W. W. (1971). A rating instrument for anxiety disorders. Psychosomatics: Journal of Consultation and Liaison Psychiatry, 12(6), 371-379.
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Details
| Primary Language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal Section | Articles |
| Authors | |
| Publication Date | September 15, 2019 |
| Submission Date | July 15, 2019 |
| Published in Issue | Year 2019Volume: 5 Issue: 14 |
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