Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Handbook of the Psychology of Self-Forgiveness pp 75–86Cite as

The Measurement of Dispositional Self-Forgiveness

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

Abstract

In this chapter, I critique measures of dispositional self-forgiveness. I conclude that existing measures are limited because they are concerned with measuring only one facet of the self-forgiveness construct, specifically, self-regard. In addition, the majority of studies are correlational in nature and focus on relations with other trait-level variables. Relatively few studies test relations between dispositional self-forgiveness and responses to victims in the context of specific transgressions. As such, it is difficult to know how to interpret the existing literature. I therefore identify ways in which researchers could improve upon present measures of dispositional self-forgiveness. I also suggest ways in which researchers could better test how a person with a strong self-forgiving disposition may act in response to specific transgressions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   219.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   279.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   279.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  • Barber, L., Maltby, J., & Macaskill, A. (2005). Angry memories and thoughts of revenge: The relationship between forgiveness and anger rumination. Personality and Individual Differences, 39, 253–262.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bast, D., & Barnes-Holmes, D. (2014). A first test of the implicit relational assessment procedure as a measure of forgiveness of self and others. The Psychological Record, 64, 253–260.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, W. K., & Foster, C. A. (2002). Narcissism and commitment in romantic relationships: An investment model analysis. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 28, 484–495.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carpenter, T. P., Tignor, S. M., Tsang, J.-A., & Willett, A. (2016). Dispositional self- forgiveness, guilt- and shame-proneness, and the roles of motivational tendencies. Personality and Individual Differences, 98, 53–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cheavens, J. S., Cukrowicz, K. C., Hansen, R., & Mitchell, S. M. (2016). Incorporating resilience factors into the interpersonal theory of suicide: The role of hope and self- forgiveness in an older adult sample. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 72, 58–69.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cibich, M., Woodyatt, L., & Wenzel, M. (2016). Moving beyond “shame is bad”: How a functional emotion can become problematic. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 10(9), 471–483. doi: 10.1111/spc3.12263

  • Cornish, M. A., & Wade, N. G. (2015). A therapeutic model of self-forgiveness with intervention strategies for counselors. Journal of Counseling & Development, 93(1), 96–104.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davis, D. E., Yee Ho, M., Griffin, B. J., Bell, C., Hook, J. N., Van Tongeren, D. R., … Westbrook, C. J. (2015). Forgiving the self and physical and mental health correlates: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 62, 329–335.

    Google Scholar 

  • Enright, R. D., & The Human Development Study Group. (1996). Counseling within the forgiveness triad: On forgiving, receiving, forgiveness, and self-forgiveness. Counseling and Values, 40, 107–126.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fisher, M. L., & Exline, J. J. (2006). Self-forgiveness versus excusing: The roles of remorse, effort, and acceptance of responsibility. Self and Identity, 5, 127–146.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goldring, J., & Strelan, P. (2017). The forgiveness implicit association test. Personality and Individual Differences, 108, 69–78.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greenwald, A. G., Poehlman, T. A., Uhlmann, E. L., & Banaji, M. R. (2009). Understanding and using the implicit Association test: III. Meta-Analysis of Predictive Validity. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 97, 17–41.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Griffin, B. J., Worthington, E. L., Jr., Lavelock, C. R., Greer, C. L., Lin, Y., Davis, D. E., & Hook, J. N. (2015). Efficacy of a self-forgiveness workbook: A randomized control trial with interpersonal offenders. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 62, 124–136.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hall, J. H., & Fincham, F. D. (2005). Self-forgiveness: The stepchild of forgiveness research. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 24, 621–637.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, L. M., Johnson, J. L., & Ripley, J. (2011). A “perfect” storm: Perfectionism, forgiveness, and marital satisfaction. Individual Differences Research, 9, 199–209.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leach, M. M., & Lark, R. (2004). Does spirituality add to personality in the study of trait forgiveness? Personality and Individual Differences, 37, 147–156.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Macaskill, A. (2012). Differentiating dispositional self-forgiveness from other-forgiveness: Associations with mental health and life satisfaction. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 31, 28–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maltby, J., Macaskill, A., & Day, L. (2001). Failure to forgive self and others: A replication and extension of the relationship between forgiveness, personality, social desirability, and general health. Personality and Individual Differences, 29, 1–6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mauger, P. A., Perry, J. E., Freeman, T., Grove, D. C., McBride, A. G., & McKinney, K. E. (1992). The measurement of forgiveness: Preliminary research. Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 11, 170–180.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCullough, M. E. (2008). Beyond revenge: The evolution of the forgiveness instinct. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • McGaffin, B. J., Lyons, G. C. B., & Deane, F. P. (2013). Self-forgiveness, shame, and guilt in recovery from drug and alcohol problems. Substance Abuse, 34, 396–404.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McNulty, J. K., & Fincham, F. D. (2012). The pitfalls of valenced labels and the benefits of properly calibrated psychological flexibility. American Psychologist, 67, 576–577.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rangganadhan, A. R., & Todorov, N. (2010). Personality and self-forgiveness: The roles of shame, guilt, empathy and conciliatory behavior. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 29, 1–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raskin, R., & Terry, H. (1988). A principal-components analysis of the narcissistic personality inventory and further evidence of its construct validity. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54, 890–902.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Romero, C., Kalidas, M., Elledge, R., Chang, J., Liscum, K. R., & Friedman, L. C. (2006). Self-forgiveness, spirituality, and psychological adjustment in women with breast cancer. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 29, 29–36.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ross, S. R., Hertenstein, M. J., & Wrobel, T. A. (2007). Maladaptive correlates of the failure to forgive self and others: Further evidence for a two-component model of forgiveness. Journal of Personality Assessment, 88, 158–167.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ross, S. R., Kendall, A. C., Matters, K. G., Wrobel, T. A., & Rye, M. S. (2004). A personological examination of self and other-forgiveness in the five factor model. Journal of Personality Assessment, 82, 207–214.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Seybold, K. S., Hill, P. C., Neuman, J. K., & Chi, D. S. (2001). Physiological and psychological correlates of forgiveness. Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 20, 250–259.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strelan, P. (2007a). Who forgives others, themselves, and situations? The roles of narcissism, guilt, self-esteem, and agreeableness. Personality and Individual Differences, 42, 259–269.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Strelan, P. (2007b). The prosocial, adaptive qualities of just world beliefs: Implications for the relationship between justice and forgiveness. Personality and Individual Differences, 43, 881–890.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tangney, J. P., Boone, A. L., & Dearing, R. (2005). Forgiving the self: Conceptual issues and empirical findings. In E. L. Worthington Jr. (Ed.), Handbook of forgiveness (pp. 143–158). New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tangney, J. P., Boone, A. L., Fee, R., & Reinsmith, C. (1999). Multidimensional forgiveness scale. Fairfax, VA: George Mason University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, L., Snyder, C. R., Hoffman, L., Michael, S. T., Rasmussen, H. N., Billings, L. S., … Roberts, D. J. (2005). Dispositional forgiveness of self, others, and situations. Journal of Personality, 73, 313–359.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walker, D. F., & Gorsuch, R. L. (2002). Forgiveness within the big five personality model. Personality and Individual Differences, 32, 1127–1137.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wohl, M. J., DeShea, L., & Wahkinney, R. L. (2008). Looking within: Measuring state self-forgiveness and its relationship to psychological wellbeing. Canadian Journal of Behavioral Science, 40, 1–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wohl, M. J., & McLaughlin, K. J. (2014). Self-forgiveness: The good, the bad, and the ugly. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 8, 422–435.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Woodyatt, L., & Wenzel, M. (2013). Self-forgiveness and restoration of an offender following an interpersonal transgression. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 32, 225–259.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Woodyatt, L., & Wenzel, M. (2014). A needs-based perspective on self-forgiveness: Addressing threat to moral identity as a means of encouraging interpersonal and intrapersonal restoration. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 50, 125–135.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Worthington, E. L., Jr. (2001). Five steps to forgiveness: The art and science of forgiving. New York: Crown.

    Google Scholar 

  • Worthington, E. L., Jr., Lavelock, C., Witvliet, C. O. V., Rye, M. S., Tsang, J.-A., & Toussaint, L. (2014). Measures of forgiveness: Self-report, physiological, chemical, and behavioral indicators. In G. J. Boyle, D. H. Saklofske, & G. Matthews (Eds.), Measures of personality and social psychological constructs (pp. 474–502). Amsterdam: Elsevier.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yao, S., Chen, J., & Yu, X. (2016). Mediator roles of interpersonal forgiveness and self-forgiveness between self-esteem and subjective wellbeing. Current Psychology. doi: 10.1007/s12144-016-9447-x

  • Zechmeister, J. S., & Romero, C. (2002). Victim and offender accounts of interpersonal conflict: Autobiographical narratives of forgiveness and unforgiveness. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 82, 675–686.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia

    Peter Strelan

Authors
  1. Peter Strelan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Peter Strelan .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, Flinders University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

    Lydia Woodyatt

  2. Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA

    Everett L. Worthington, Jr.

  3. School of Psychology, Flinders University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

    Michael Wenzel

  4. San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, California, USA

    Brandon J. Griffin

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 Springer International Publishing AG

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Strelan, P. (2017). The Measurement of Dispositional Self-Forgiveness. In: Woodyatt, L., Worthington, Jr., E., Wenzel, M., Griffin, B. (eds) Handbook of the Psychology of Self-Forgiveness. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-60573-9_6

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation