- NEW YORK (Reuters Health)
- To err is human and to forgive divine, according to the old adage, but
humans who forgive are known to experience significant physical and mental
health benefits from doing so. Now researchers report that these beneficial
health effects appear to vary by age, along with the willingness to forgive
others, the willingness to forgive oneself and the feeling of being
forgiven
by God.
-
- "Taken together, our findings emphasize that
forgiveness
is a multidimensional phenomenon," write study lead author Dr. Loren
L. Toussaint of the University of Michigan and colleagues. "There
are age differences in some forms of forgiveness and in their relationship
to health."
-
- Their conclusions are based on survey responses from
more than 1,400 adults during a 5-month study period.
-
- In general, young adults (18-44 years) reported that
they were less likely to forgive others than middle-aged (45-64) and older
adults (65 and older). They were also less likely than older adults to
believe that they had been forgiven by God, the investigators report in
the Journal of Adult Development.
-
- Among survey participants of all ages, however, reports
of forgiveness of themselves and others were associated with decreased
psychological distress, including feelings of restlessness, hopelessness
and nervousness.
-
- Further, young adults who reported high levels of
self-forgiveness
were more likely to be satisfied with their lives, whereas middle age and
older adults who reported high levels of forgiveness of others were more
likely to report increased life satisfaction.
-
- But not all foregiving is immediately beneficial, the
findings suggest. Proactive forgiveness-asking for forgiveness, rather
than granting it--was associated with increased psychological distress
among all study participants. Other acts of proactive forgiveness would
include asking God's forgiveness for hurting someone or praying for someone
who has hurt them.
-
- The researchers speculate that this may be because such
proactive individuals are "'taking the first step' in the process
of forgiveness," which may lead to heightened stress.
-
- In other findings, attendance at religious services was
associated with decreased psychological distress, particularly among young
and middle-aged adults, and increased life satisfaction among young and
old adults. Service attendance was also associated with higher self-rated
health among all age groups.
-
- The study was partly supported by a grant from the
National
Institute of Mental Health.
-
- SOURCE: Journal of Adult
Development 2001;8:249-257.
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