eprintid: 3110
rev_number: 6
eprint_status: archive
userid: 69
dir: disk0/00/00/31/10
datestamp: 2016-02-22 12:11:03
lastmod: 2016-02-22 12:11:03
status_changed: 2016-02-22 12:11:03
type: article
metadata_visibility: show
creators_name: Worthington, Everett L.
creators_name: Van Oyen Witvliet, Charlotte
creators_name: Pietrini, Pietro
creators_name: Miller, Andrea J.
creators_id: 
creators_id: 
creators_id: pietro.pietrini@imtlucca.it
creators_id: 
title: Forgiveness, health, and well-being: a review of evidence for emotional versus decisional forgiveness, dispositional forgivingness, and reduced unforgiveness
ispublished: pub
subjects: RC0254
subjects: RC0321
divisions: CSA
full_text_status: none
keywords: Forgiveness; Health; Cancer; Cardiovascular Intervention; Peripheral nervous system; Central nervous system; Stress Coping
abstract: The extant data linking forgiveness to health and well-being point to the role of emotional forgiveness, particularly when it becomes a pattern in dispositional forgivingness. Both are important antagonists to the negative affect of unforgiveness and agonists for positive affect. One key distinction emerging in the literature is between decisional and emotional forgiveness. Decisional forgiveness is a behavioral intention to resist an unforgiving stance and to respond differently toward a transgressor. Emotional forgiveness is the replacement of negative unforgiving emotions with positive other-oriented emotions. Emotional forgiveness involves psychophysiological changes, and it has more direct health and well-being consequences. While some benefits of forgiveness and forgivingness emerge merely because they reduce unforgiveness, some benefits appear to be more forgiveness specific. We review research on peripheral and central nervous system correlates of forgiveness, as well as existing interventions to promote forgiveness within divergent health settings. Finally, we propose a research agenda.
date: 2007
date_type: published
publication: Journal of behavioral medicine
volume: 30
number: 4
publisher: Springer
pagerange: 291-302
id_number: 10.1007/s10865-007-9105-8
refereed: TRUE
issn: 0160-7715
official_url: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10865-007-9105-8
citation:   Worthington, Everett L. and Van Oyen Witvliet, Charlotte and Pietrini, Pietro and Miller, Andrea J.  Forgiveness, health, and well-being: a review of evidence for emotional versus decisional forgiveness, dispositional forgivingness, and reduced unforgiveness.  Journal of behavioral medicine, 30 (4).  pp. 291-302.  ISSN 0160-7715      (2007)