TY - JOUR
T1 - Forgiveness, depression, and suicidal behavior among a diverse sample of college students
AU - Hirsch, Jameson K.
AU - Webb, Jon R.
AU - Jeglic, Elizabeth L.
PY - 2011/9
Y1 - 2011/9
N2 - Depression and suicide are significant public health concerns for college-age young adults. Meaning-based characteristics, such as forgiveness, a voluntary coping process involving offering, feeling, or seeking a change from negative to positive cognitions, behaviors, and affect toward a transgressor, may buffer such poor mental health outcomes. Utilizing mediation analyses, we examined cross-sectional associations between forgiveness, depression, and suicidal behavior in a diverse student sample reporting mild to severe depressive symptoms. The effect of self-forgiveness on suicidal behavior was fully mediated by depression; self-forgiveness was associated with depression and, in turn, with suicidal behavior. Forgiveness of others was directly associated with suicidal behavior. Prospective research is needed, yet self and other-forgiveness may be appropriate targets for promotion in suicide prevention efforts.
AB - Depression and suicide are significant public health concerns for college-age young adults. Meaning-based characteristics, such as forgiveness, a voluntary coping process involving offering, feeling, or seeking a change from negative to positive cognitions, behaviors, and affect toward a transgressor, may buffer such poor mental health outcomes. Utilizing mediation analyses, we examined cross-sectional associations between forgiveness, depression, and suicidal behavior in a diverse student sample reporting mild to severe depressive symptoms. The effect of self-forgiveness on suicidal behavior was fully mediated by depression; self-forgiveness was associated with depression and, in turn, with suicidal behavior. Forgiveness of others was directly associated with suicidal behavior. Prospective research is needed, yet self and other-forgiveness may be appropriate targets for promotion in suicide prevention efforts.
KW - College students
KW - Depressive symptoms
KW - Forgiveness
KW - Prevention
KW - Suicidal behavior
KW - Suicide ideation and attempts
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79961127743&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/jclp.20812
DO - 10.1002/jclp.20812
M3 - Article
C2 - 21633957
AN - SCOPUS:79961127743
SN - 0021-9762
VL - 67
SP - 896
EP - 906
JO - Journal of Clinical Psychology
JF - Journal of Clinical Psychology
IS - 9
ER -