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

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.

Evaluation of an online self‐help version of the REACH forgiveness program: Outcomes and predictors of persistence in a community sample

“…While these results contrast with significant findings in prior meta‐analyses, our effect sizes were not substantially different from prior studies: our sample depression, d = 0.20; Wade et al. (), d = 0.34; and Akhtar and Barlow (), d = 0.37, all small effects; our sample stress d = 0.43, Akhtar and Barlow meta‐analysis stress d = 0.66.…”

“…Emotional forgiveness increased substantially by postintervention (M = 27.39).Significant pre-post improvements in the randomized controlled trial: were also not observed in depression and stress symptoms in this community sample. While these results contrast with significant findings in prior metaanalyses, our effect sizes were not substantially different from prior studies: our sample depression, d = 0.20; Wade et al (2014), d = 0.34;and Akhtar and Barlow (2016), d = 0.37, all small effects; our sample stress d = 0.43, Akhtar and Barlow meta-analysis stress d = 0.66.…”

“…(2014) also found that the studies of forgiveness interventions not only promoted forgiveness relative to untreated controls, but they also typically resulted in reduced depression (k = 10; forgiveness Δ+ = .60; depression Δ− = 0.34) and anxiety (k = 7; forgiveness Δ+ = 1.34; anxiety Δ− = 0.63), even though forgiveness interventions usually do not discuss depression or anxiety. Similarly, a recent forgiveness and well-being meta-analysis (Akhtar & Barlow, 2016) found a small effect for depression (N = 415, standardized mean difference [SMD] = −0.37), and larger effects for subjective stress and distress (N = 267, SMD = −0.66) and anxiety N = 78, SMD = −1.13. Forgiveness interventions can also contribute to increases in dispositional forgivingness (Wade et al, 2014).…”

What Would I Know About Mercy? Faith and Optimistic Expectancies Among African Americans

“…Research on psychiatric symptomatology has highlighted the positive mental health effects of believing in a benevolent God and the deleterious mental health effects of believing in a punitive God (Silton et al 2014). Further, emerging evidence from psychotherapeutic interventions suggest that targeting forgiveness may diminish anger, anxiety, depression, and substance abuse vulnerability (Akhtar and Barlow 2016; Reed and Enright 2006; Wade et al 2014; Lin et al 2004). Deploying such interventions among African Americans may be particularly beneficial for improving psychological well-being and diminishing risk of comorbid health disparities (Grayman-Simpson et al 2016).…”

Forgiveness as an Intervention among Caregivers of Dementia Patients: Case Report

“…For her case, the support group centralizes on forgiveness intervention. The stages of forgiveness therapy are: i) recognition ii) acceptance iii) emotional cleansing iv) reconstruction and v) ultimate forgiveness [1].…”