The Negative Influence of Un-Forgiveness on the Affects

Forgiveness implies abandoning of negative feelings (Holter, Magnuson, Knutson, Knutsson-Enright, & Enright, 2008), while unforgiveness implies a range of negative emotions such as anger resentment, anxiety and depression (Berry, Worthington, O’Connor, Parrot & Wade 2005). Recent reviews have highlighted potential benefits of forgiveness and potential disadvantages of un-forgiveness for physical health Goals. Examining the mediating role of anger and depression in the associations between two dimensions of the Trait Forgivingness Scale (TFS) (forgiving disposition and resentment), identified in the Italian validation of the questionnaire, and negative affect, in adolescence. Results. Both forgiving disposition and resentment predict indirectly the negative affects, through the mediating effect of depression, while only resentment predicts the negative affects through the mediating role of anger. Resentment has also a direct effect on negative affect. Discussion. The disposition to forgive might be an important factor in decreasing the negative affects, and thus depression and anger. Similarly, resentment might be an important factor in increasing the negative affects. Clinical psychologists and psychotherapists might consider including techniques to enhance the disposition to forgive in the psychotherapeutic process, in those cases in which hostility and anger negatively affect patients’ quality of life.