Forgiveness: How it Manifests in our Health, Well-being, and Longevity

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Penn collection
Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) Capstones
Degree type
Discipline
Subject
forgiveness
positive psychology
health
well-being
choice
longevity
positive medicine
rumination
unforgiveness
Alternative and Complementary Medicine
Clinical and Medical Social Work
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Immunology and Infectious Disease
Medical Humanities
Medical Immunology
Medical Sciences
Other Medical Specialties
Other Medicine and Health Sciences
Other Mental and Social Health
Other Social and Behavioral Sciences
Preventive Medicine
Social Work
Funder
Grant number
License
Copyright date
Distributor
Related resources
Contributor
Abstract

Forgiveness is a character strength and process that, when practiced, is associated with improved psychological well-being, physical health outcomes, and longevity. Forgiveness can serve as a protective factor that buffers against poor health and psychological consequences. Common misconceptions about forgiveness can serve as barriers to the desire to cultivate this protective strength, as forgiveness is often conflated with permissiveness, and perceived as permission for a transgressor to engage in hurtful conduct. The benefits of forgiveness, however, are most significant for the individual who has been transgressed, rather than the transgressor. Failing to forgive, or unforgiveness, is the practice of engaging in ruminative thoughts of anger, vengeance, hate, and resentment that have unproductive outcomes for the ruminator, such as increased anxiety, depression, elevated blood pressure, vascular resistance, decreased immune response, and worse outcomes in coronary artery disease. Practicing forgiveness enables the transgressed individual to reduce their engagement in rumination thus reducing their experience of anger, resentment, and hate. Forgiveness, then, is a pathway to psychological well-being and health outcomes.

Advisor
Date Range for Data Collection (Start Date)
Date Range for Data Collection (End Date)
Digital Object Identifier
Series name and number
Publication date
2017-08-08
Journal title
Volume number
Issue number
Publisher
Publisher DOI
Journal Issue
Comments
Recommended citation
Collection