Abstract
In the present chapter, we review the adverse effects of unforgiveness on physical health and develop an integrative conceptual model involving precursors as well as mechanisms that may function as a foundation for future empirical investigations on forgiveness and its influence on health. This model suggests that a forgiving personality, positive religious coping experiences, and age all impact the likelihood of a person to forgive. From there, we suggest that this forgiveness leads to decreased negative experiences, decreased risky health behaviors and unhealthy coping mechanisms, increased positive experiences, increased relational well-being, and increased spiritual well-being. These serve as mechanisms between forgiveness and better mental health and well-being, as well as between forgiveness and decreased physiological risk factors. These two factors combine and contribute to better physical health outcomes. We conclude with an agenda for future research in light of this model.
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Notes
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*indicates presence of reference in Supplemental Table.
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Lavelock, C.R. et al. (2015). A Conceptual Model of Forgiveness and Health. In: Toussaint, L., Worthington, E., Williams, D. (eds) Forgiveness and Health. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9993-5_3
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