Forgiveness and Adverse Childhood Experiences: A Scoping Review

Abstract

It is well established that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are strongly associated with a range of adverse outcomes across the lifespan. Approximately two-thirds of the U.S. population report experiencing at least one ACE, placing them at significantly higher risk for poorer health outcomes and relational dysfunction. Forgiveness interventions have emerged as an effective treatment for trauma survivors, yet some studies find that forgiveness can contribute to worse outcomes in certain contexts, and many survivors express reluctance or inability to forgive. We conducted a scoping review following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension guidelines to provide a comprehensive overview of the relationship between ACEs and forgiveness. Studies were included if they reported original empirical research examining forgiveness in relation to, or among survivors of, ACEs, were published in peer-reviewed journals, were written in English, and assessed forgiveness quantitatively or qualitatively. After screening 295 articles, 54 studies met our inclusion criteria. Results revealed that ACEs were associated with reduced forgiveness. Self-forgiveness and situational forgiveness were largely linked to better outcomes, while forgiveness of others showed mixed findings. In contrast, forgiveness of specific perpetrators was associated with better outcomes across studies, though survivors with severe abuse histories typically reported greater difficulty with forgiving. Studies revealed harmful effects when survivors felt pressured to forgive, or not to forgive. Importantly, forgiveness interventions consistently demonstrated positive outcomes, including interventions that focused specifically on self-forgiveness rather than forgiving perpetrators. These findings suggest forgiveness can benefit ACE survivors, but requires trauma-informed implementation that prioritizes survivors’ autonomy and safety.