DOI
https://doi.org/10.25772/7JMJ-3S42
Defense Date
2014
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Everett L. Jr. Worthington
Abstract
Insofar as forgiveness of oneself enables one to responsibly manage the consequences of wrongdoing, the practice of self-forgiveness may be essential to the preservation of one’s physical, psychological, relational, and spiritual health. In the present thesis, an intervention wait-list design was employed to investigate the efficacy of a 6-hour self-directed workbook designed to promote self-forgiveness. University students (N = 204) who reported perpetrating an interpersonal offense and who experienced some sense of remorse were randomly assigned to either an immediate treatment or wait-list control condition, and assessments were administered on three occasions. Participants’ self-forgiveness ratings increased in conjunction with completion of the workbook, and the effect of treatment depended upon self-administered dose and baseline levels of dispositional self-compassion in some cases. In summary, the workbook appeared to facilitate the process of responsible self-forgiveness among perpetrators of interpersonal wrongdoing, though replication trials are needed in which lower rates of attrition reduce the possibility of biased results.
Rights
© The Author
Is Part Of
VCU University Archives
Is Part Of
VCU Theses and Dissertations
Date of Submission
April 2014