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Measures of Forgiveness: Self-report, Physiological, Chemical, and Behavioral Indicators

Everett L. Worthington, Jr.
Caroline R. Lavelock
Charlotte V. O. Witvliet
Mark S. Rye
Jo-Ann Tsang
Loren L. Toussaint
All your life you’re told forgiveness is for you. But we’re never told why it’s for you. It means you’re working on owning your life.
Shani Tran
Therapist and Founder, The Shani Project
Forgiveness is nothing less than the way we heal the world. We heal the world by healing each and every one of our hearts. The process is simple, but it is not easy.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Back to Resources

Measures of Forgiveness: Self-report, Physiological, Chemical, and Behavioral Indicators

Everett L. Worthington, Jr.
Caroline R. Lavelock
Charlotte V. O. Witvliet
Mark S. Rye
Jo-Ann Tsang
Loren L. Toussaint
NO. of participants
Date
2015
Type of Evidence
Type of Paper
Integrative/Synthetic Review
Empiricism
open access
Yes
No
sample size

We review 14 measures of forgiveness, including measures of state forgiveness, forgivingness as a disposition or trait, self-reported state self-forgiveness, and trait self-forgivingness. The state forgiveness measures include self-report measures, chemical measures of state unforgiveness and forgiveness, measures of peripheral physiology (i.e., blood pressure, heart rate, skin conductance, and electrical activity of facial muscles) to supplement self-reports – unforgiveness, measures of brain activity associated with forgiveness, and behavioral indices of forgiveness. We also review a ten-item scale and a five-scenario scale of dispositional forgivingness. Self-forgiveness may also be assessed at state (one measure) and trait levels (one measure). These measures of forgiveness and their various targets (self or other) and different levels (state or trait) are generally strong – with considerable evidence supporting estimated reliabilities and construct validities.

Research
North America
Mental Health Professionals
Supporting Research
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