Differences between Self-forgiveness and Interpersonal Forgiveness in Relation to Mental Health

TENKLOVÁ, Lenka and Alena SLEZÁČKOVÁ. Differences between Self-forgiveness and Interpersonal Forgiveness in Relation to Mental Health. Journal of the Indian Academy of Applied Psychology. Puduchery: Indian Academy of Applied Psychology, 2016, vol. 42, No 2, p. 281-289. ISSN 0019-4247.

Basic information

• Original name: Differences between Self-forgiveness and Interpersonal Forgiveness in Relation to Mental Health
• Authors: TENKLOVÁ, Lenka (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution) and Alena SLEZÁČKOVÁ (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution).
• Edition: Journal of the Indian Academy of Applied Psychology, Puduchery, Indian Academy of Applied Psychology, 2016, 0019-4247.

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Article in a journal
• Field of Study: 50100 5.1 Psychology and cognitive sciences
• Country of publisher: India
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• RIV identification code: RIV/00216224:14210/16:00090854
• Organization unit: Faculty of Arts
• Keywords in English: forgiveness; positive mental health; trait depression; trait anxiety; quality of interpersonal relationships
• Tags: rivok
• Tags: International impact, Reviewed

Abstract

The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between forgiveness and mental health and to examine the potential differences between two types of forgiveness: self-forgiveness and interpersonal forgiveness. A level of mental health was operationalized as a syndrome of an individual’s well-being symptoms, including positive mental health, trait depression, trait anxiety and the perceived quality of interpersonal relationships. The research sample consisted of 331 respondents, aged 16 to 69 years. The tools used included the Heartland Forgiveness Scale, Mental Health Continuum Scale – Short Form, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, State-Trait Depression Inventory and Positive Relations with Others Scale from the Psychological Well-Being Scale. Basic demographic data including subjective assessment of the general state of health were administered. The results have shown a statistically significant correlation between forgiveness and all the investigated variables. Self-forgiveness has been found to be in a tighter correlation with the investigated variables than interpersonal forgiveness.