Forgiveness Therapy to Build Hope and Reduce Anxiety and Depression in Battered Women in Pakistan

Abstract

This study examined the impact of forgiveness therapy on battered women in Pakistan. The aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of a forgiveness-focused intervention in reducing depression, anxiety and anger while increasing forgiveness and hope among the battered women within shelter homes. Thirty participants, aged 25–40, were randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group. Participants were recruited from various cities across Punjab, including Hafizabad, Lahore, Gujrat, Khushab, Sargodha and Gujranwala. The Enright Forgiveness Inventory short form (to assess individual levels of forgiveness), the Center for Epidemiological Studies–Depression Scale (CES-D), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, Herth Hope Index, and the Clinical Anger Scale were used as instruments to measure the outcomes of the intervention. The Domestic Violence Scale for Intimate Partners was employed for participant screening. The experimental group underwent 15 therapy sessions, while the control group participants were free to approach the experimental group intervener if they needed help. Results indicated that the experimental group experienced significant improvements in depression, anxiety, anger, hope and forgiveness compared to the control group. The study discusses the implications for treatment and acknowledges its limitations as well.