Abstract
The ability to forgive is considered important in the successful maintenance of relationships. In this study, a multifactorial model predicting two forms of forgiveness was examined in a combined community and university sample (N = 110) who reported on their ability to manage emotions, their tendency to empathize (through perspective taking, empathic concern, and personal distress), and their disposition to forgive others and self. Findings suggested that the ability to manage and repair emotions predicted a greater disposition to forgive, and that perspective taking mediated the relationship between emotion management and forgiveness of others. A multifactorial model for other-forgiveness was completely replicated in significant others' (N = 104) reports about participants, although significant others' results only partially replicated participant findings for self-forgiveness.
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