Adults' memories of parental acceptance–rejection in childhood and psychological (mal)adjustment predict forgiveness and vengeance

Abstract

This study investigated relations between emerging adults' memories of parental acceptance–rejection during childhood and the adults' dispositions towards forgiveness and vengeance, as mediated by psychological (mal)adjustment. South Asian (Pakistani) participants, including 242 (25.6%) men (M_age = 21.69, SD = 2.34) and 704 (74.4%) women (M_age = 21.14, SD = 2.09), responded to the short forms of the maternal and paternal Adult Parental Acceptance–Rejection Questionnaires, the Adult Personality Assessment Questionnaire, the Heartland Forgiveness Scale, the Vengeance Scale and a Personal Information Form. Results revealed that memories of both maternal and paternal rejection were correlated with current psychological maladjustment. Paternal rejection amongst women and maternal rejection amongst men predicted the disposition towards vengeance. Maternal acceptance amongst both men and women predicted the disposition towards forgiveness. Paternal acceptance, however, did not predict the disposition towards forgiveness amongst either men or women. Psychological adjustment amongst both men and women mediated relations between maternal and paternal acceptance and the disposition towards forgiveness. However, psychological maladjustment was a significant mediator of the relation between maternal and paternal rejection and the disposition towards vengeance amongst men and women. Implications of the findings and future directions of research are discussed.