Forgiveness and Health across Racial-Ethnic Cohorts: Exploring the Conditioning Roles of Religious Attendance and Closeness to God in the Study on Stress, Spirituality, and Health.

Abstract

Empirical research has found a robust association between greater forgiveness and well-being, but we know little of how this may operate in diverse samples of respondents. This study draws on data from the Nurses' Health Study II (NHSII; White women) and the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) to address this gap and test the possible moderating role of religious attendance and perceived closeness with God. Regression results suggest that self and other forgiveness were associated with lower depressive symptoms in both samples. Yet, the relationship between self-forgiveness and lower depressive symptoms was stronger for White women who attended religious services more frequently and had a closer perceived relationship with God. In the South Asian sample, these same moderation patterns were observed, but for the forgiveness of others only. We suggest several directions for future research on forgiveness and well-being beyond predominantly White, Christian samples.