Forgivenesss and health : scientific evidence and theories relating forgiveness to better health

"This volume collects the state-of-the-art research on forgiveness and mental and physical health and well-being. It focuses specifically on connections between forgiveness and its health and well-being benefits. Forgiveness has been examined from a variety of perspectives, including the moral, ethical, and philosophical. Ways in which to become more forgiving, and evolutionary theories of revenge and forgiveness have also been investigated and proposed. However, little attention has been paid to the benefits of forgiveness. This volume offers an examination of the theory, methods, and research utilized in understanding these connections. It considers trait and state forgiveness, emotional and decisional forgiveness, and interventions to promote forgiveness, all with an eye toward the positive effects of forgiveness for a victim's health and well-being. Finally, this volume considers key moderators such as gender, race, and age, as well as, explanatory mechanisms that might mediate links between forgiveness and key outcomes"--Provided by publisher Front Matter....Pages i-x Introduction: Context, Overview, and Guiding Questions....Pages 1-9 Front Matter....Pages 11-11 Defining Forgiveness: Historical Roots, Contemporary Research, and Key Considerations for Health Outcomes....Pages 13-28 A Conceptual Model of Forgiveness and Health....Pages 29-42 Measuring Forgiveness in Health-Related Contexts....Pages 43-58 Front Matter....Pages 59-59 Forgiveness and Physiological Concomitants and Outcomes....Pages 61-76 Forgiveness and Mental Health....Pages 77-90 Forgiveness and Physical Health in Healthy Populations....Pages 91-106 Forgiveness and Health in Patient Populations....Pages 107-121 The Role of Forgiveness in Chronic Pain and Fibromyalgia....Pages 123-137 Forgiveness and Problematic Substance Use....Pages 139-154 Forgiveness and Subjective Well-Being: Discussing Mechanisms, Contexts, and Rationales....Pages 155-169 Front Matter....Pages 171-171 Sex, Forgiveness, and Health....Pages 173-187 Forgiveness of Others, Race/Ethnicity, and Health: A Nascent Area of Inquiry....Pages 189-204 Aging, Forgiveness, and Health....Pages 205-220 Culture, Forgiveness, and Health....Pages 221-235 Front Matter....Pages 237-237 Forgiveness and Health in Nonmarried Dyadic Relationships....Pages 239-253 Forgiveness, Family Relationships and Health....Pages 255-270 Forgiveness Interventions to Promote Physical Health....Pages 271-285 Front Matter....Pages 287-287 Concluding Thoughts: Summary and Integration, Models, and Research Agendas....Pages 289-301 Back Matter....Pages 303-306 "This volume collects the state-of-the-art research on forgiveness and mental and physical health and well-being. It focuses specifically on connections between forgiveness and its health and well-being benefits. Forgiveness has been examined from a variety of perspectives, including the moral, ethical, and philosophical. Ways in which to become more forgiving, and evolutionary theories of revenge and forgiveness have also been investigated and proposed. However, little attention has been paid to the benefits of forgiveness. This volume offers an examination of the theory, methods, and research utilized in understanding these connections. It considers trait and state forgiveness, emotional and decisional forgiveness, and interventions to promote forgiveness, all with an eye toward the positive effects of forgiveness for a victim's health and well-being. Finally, this volume considers key moderators such as gender, race, and age, as well as, explanatory mechanisms that might mediate links between forgiveness and key outcomes."--Prové de l'editor Recent years have seen burgeoning scientific research into forgiveness, and its links to our physical and mental well-being. As a single-source summary of current knowledge of how forgiveness and health connect, this is a key addition to the literature