Development and Initial Validation of a Comprehensive Model of Forgiveness Following Interpersonal Conflict

1 online resource (205 pages) : PDF

2014

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Psychological research on forgiveness has become increasingly prevalent over the past several years. However, there remain significant gaps in the theory guiding this research. This dissertation developed and tested a comprehensive model of the state forgiveness process across two studies. The first study used a constructivist grounded theory approach to discover the major themes in the forgiveness process. Thirteen interviewees discussed recent experiences of having been wronged by someone. From these interviews seven major categories emerged: history, the event, immediate aftermath, festering, fading, apology, and letting go and moving on. The second study tested the validity and usefulness of the model using questionnaire data from 185 university students. The hypotheses in the second study fell under two aims: identifying significant predictors of state forgiveness and identifying important life outcomes predicted by forgiveness. All hypotheses, with the exception of one, regarding main effects were fully or partially supported; however, those involving interaction effects were not supported. Modifications were made to the proposed model based on results from both studies within the context of past findings in the forgiveness literature. Overall, the model performed well under scrutiny and proved useful in guiding hypothesis development and results interpretation. Implications and limitations of the present findings are discussed in detail as well as directions for future research.

doctoral dissertations

Clinical psychology

Ph.D.

Apology
Forgiveness
Psychology
Reconciliation
Relationships
Wrongdoing

Health Psychology

Peterman, Amy
Reeve, Charlie

Calhoun, Lawrence
Tedeschi, Richard
Wierzalis, Edward

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2014.

This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). For additional information, see http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/.

Copyright is held by the author unless otherwise indicated.

DAngelo_uncc_0694D_10582

http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.13093/etd:1405