Abstract:
The individual and dyadic associations between dispositional forgiveness of self, others,
and situations and mental and physical health in individuals involved in romantic
relationships were examined. Sex differences in the relationship between dispositional
forgiveness and health were examined. Sex differences in the dyadic relationship
between forgiveness and health were also examined. The dispositional forgiveness
scores of 297 partners involved in a romantic relationship were used to predict their own
as well as their partners' physical and mental health. Both members of the relationship
separately completed an Internet-based questionnaire assessing personality traits,
relationship variables, and physical and mental health. The couple was provided with
monetary compensation. Analyses revealed that women's dispositional forgiveness of
self, others, and situations were positively associated with their own physical and mental
health. Similarly, men's dispositional forgiveness of self, others, and situations were
positively associated with their own mental and physical health. At the individual level,
there were no sex differences in the relationship between dispositional forgiveness and
health, nor were there sex differences in men and women's reports of dispositional
forgiveness. Analyses revealed that men's forgiveness of others and situations were
positively associated with their female partners' mental health. There were no partner
effects for women or for physical health. The implications of these results for research in
the forgiveness-health literature and research on forgiveness in romantic relationships
were discussed as were directions for future research.
