Journal Article Review
1
Running head: Journal Article Review
Self Forgiveness: The Step Child of Forgiveness
Catherine Demere’ Bowen
Liberty University
June 28, 2012
Journal Article Review 2 Self Forgiveness: The Step Child of Forgiveness
Summary
The general topic of forgiveness has received a magnitude of attention and research on a conceptual level in recent years. Hall and Fincham consistently noted, however, that self-forgiveness had little to no empirical study or research documented and believe this is a critical piece to an individual’s overall emotional health. In an effort to stimulate additional research on the subject, they wrote the aforesaid journal article. The article describes self-forgiveness by definition in both a spiritual and a psychological context. Much insight is given to the similarities and differences between self-forgiveness, or intrapersonal forgiveness, and interpersonal forgiveness. Many conceptual distinctions are addressed and appropriately confirm the need for further research on self-forgiveness as it relates to the inflated interest in the importance and nature of forgiveness in general. In addition, much discussion covers the relation of self-forgiveness to interpersonal forgiveness in regards to the importance, or even necessity, of one to the other.
A theoretical model of self-forgiveness is outlined and described in relation to forgiveness of interpersonal transgressions. Self-inflicted pain takes on a particular importance as a catalyst to the healing process in both self-forgiveness and interpersonal forgiveness. Finally, different types of determinants are described and analyzed in relation to the theoretical model and its limitations. Journal Article Review 3
Interaction
Self-forgiveness is an intriguing topic, from my own personal perspective, and one that immediately caught my
Running head: Journal Article Review
Self Forgiveness: The Step Child of Forgiveness
Catherine Demere’ Bowen
Liberty University
June 28, 2012
Journal Article Review 2 Self Forgiveness: The Step Child of Forgiveness
Summary
The general topic of forgiveness has received a magnitude of attention and research on a conceptual level in recent years. Hall and Fincham consistently noted, however, that self-forgiveness had little to no empirical study or research documented and believe this is a critical piece to an individual’s overall emotional health. In an effort to stimulate additional research on the subject, they wrote the aforesaid journal article. The article describes self-forgiveness by definition in both a spiritual and a psychological context. Much insight is given to the similarities and differences between self-forgiveness, or intrapersonal forgiveness, and interpersonal forgiveness. Many conceptual distinctions are addressed and appropriately confirm the need for further research on self-forgiveness as it relates to the inflated interest in the importance and nature of forgiveness in general. In addition, much discussion covers the relation of self-forgiveness to interpersonal forgiveness in regards to the importance, or even necessity, of one to the other.
A theoretical model of self-forgiveness is outlined and described in relation to forgiveness of interpersonal transgressions. Self-inflicted pain takes on a particular importance as a catalyst to the healing process in both self-forgiveness and interpersonal forgiveness. Finally, different types of determinants are described and analyzed in relation to the theoretical model and its limitations. Journal Article Review 3
Interaction
Self-forgiveness is an intriguing topic, from my own personal perspective, and one that immediately caught my
References: Hall, J. & Fincham, F. (2005). Self Forgiveness: The step-child of forgiveness. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, volume number 24, 621-637.