ISSN 1671-3710
CN 11-4766/R
主办:中国科学院心理研究所
出版:科学出版社

›› 2009, Vol. 17 ›› Issue (5): 1010-1015.

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Review of Studies on Forgiveness Intervention: Effect of Forgiveness on Psychotherapy

ZONG Pei;BAI Jin-Rong   

  1. Department of Psychology, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang 050091, China
  • Received:1900-01-01 Revised:1900-01-01 Online:2009-09-15 Published:2009-09-15
  • Contact: BAI Jin-Rong

Abstract: Forgiveness is helpful to reduce anger, relieve pain and heal a harmful experience. In western countries, forgiveness intervention has been used in clinical and educational areas. The results show that it can significantly decrease the participants’ negative emotions such as anger, depression and anxiety and increase their positive feelings like hope and self-esteem. The Process Model and REACH Model are two typical theoretical models concerning forgiveness intervention. Both theories comprise many phases, among which defining forgiveness, recalling the hurt, building empathy, acknowledging one’s own offenses, committing to forgiving and overcoming unforgiveness are important phases to promote individual forgiveness and deserve special attention during forgiveness intervention.

Key words: forgiveness, forgiveness intervention, theoretical model