ObjectiveThis study tested three conceptual explanatory models that have been theorized to accoun... more ObjectiveThis study tested three conceptual explanatory models that have been theorized to account for the linkages between religious/spiritual (R/S) struggles and psychological distress: the primary model (i.e., R/S struggles lead to psychological distress), the secondary model (i.e., psychological distress leads to R/S struggles), and the complex model (i.e., R/S struggles and psychological distress reciprocally exacerbate each other).MethodsUsing prospective data from a sample of US adults living with chronic health conditions (n = 302), we performed a cross‐lagged panel analysis with three timepoints to test for evidence of potential causal relations between R/S struggles and psychological distress.ResultsConsistent with the complex conceptual model of R/S struggles, we found evidence of positive reciprocal associations between R/S struggles and psychological distress.ConclusionThe findings highlight the importance of attending to the dynamic interplay between R/S struggles and psychological distress when working with adults who have chronic health conditions.
Many studies have reported evidence suggesting that dispositional forgivingness has positive impl... more Many studies have reported evidence suggesting that dispositional forgivingness has positive implications for different domains of well‐being. However, relatively few methodologically rigorous studies have been conducted in the Global South, particularly in post‐conflict settings where forgiveness could play an important role in supporting individual well‐being. In this three‐wave cohort study of predominantly young adult Colombians (n = 1575), we examined the associations of dispositional forgivingness with 20 well‐being outcomes across several domains of well‐being: psychological distress, psychological well‐being, physical health, social well‐being, and character strengths/virtues. Using an outcome‐wide analytic design that included extensive control for potential confounding and reverse causation by adjusting for a range of covariates assessed in Wave 1 (2017), we found that dispositional forgivingness assessed in Wave 2 (2018) was at least modestly associated with improvements ...
This study assessed the relationship between forgiveness as measured by the Enright Forgiveness I... more This study assessed the relationship between forgiveness as measured by the Enright Forgiveness Inventory (EFI) and physical health status with a sample of 101 middle-aged adults and 91 of their college-aged children in the Midwestern United States. When controlling for a variety of demographic and health risk factors (vis., age, sex, body mass index, smoking, alcohol, salt, caffeine, and exercise), forgiveness was inversely related to higher reported incidence of physical symptoms and a variety of somatic illnesses, particularly in the adult sample. In other words those who forgave the least had the most health problems. In the middle-aged sample forgiveness was also specifically related to reported hypertension and heart disease as well as heart disease-related symptoms. Further, the relationship between forgiveness and health was maintained after adjusting for the effects of hostility, and suppressed and expressed anger. Results suggest that forgiving serious offences that lead to deep hurt may decrease vulnerability to disease.
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 2020
Research on the forgiveness of self has largely focused on less severe, more common types of offe... more Research on the forgiveness of self has largely focused on less severe, more common types of offenses among samples within developed westernized nations. In this brief report of a study within a developing nation in Africa, applications of self-forgiveness are extended to incarcerated people. The sample comprised N = 310 males (83.87%) and females (16.13%) who were incarcerated in a medium-security Ghanaian prison ( Mage = 39.35, SDage = 13.28). Participants completed measures of self-forgiveness, shame-proneness, and guilt-proneness. Prison records were examined for criminal history details. We hypothesized that self-forgiveness would correlate negatively with shame-proneness and positively with guilt-proneness. We tentatively hypothesized that this association would be moderated by offense type. Self-forgiveness correlated with both shame- and guilt-proneness in the hypothesized direction. However, neither association was moderated by type of offense. The findings offer further ev...
Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, 2017
This research examined the associations between religiousness, empathy, and intergroup forgivenes... more This research examined the associations between religiousness, empathy, and intergroup forgiveness. The findings of 2 studies conducted in different intergroup contexts showed that empathy mediated the relationship between religiousness and intergroup forgiveness. In Study 1 (N = 911), intergroup forgiveness immediately right after a deadly hijacking incident in Manila was predicted by religiousness, and this association was mediated by empathy. Study 2 (N = 72) replicated the mediating effect of empathy on the relationship between religiousness and intergroup forgiveness in a different context: after typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed here.
Although many scholars have sharply distinguished humility from modesty, several research teams r... more Although many scholars have sharply distinguished humility from modesty, several research teams recently conceptualized modesty as a subdomain of humility. In the present study, we compare these competing conceptualizations using confirmatory factor analyses. In Study 1, a model with general humility (i.e. second-order factor) predicting the subscales of the Relational Humility Scale (RHS) and the Modesty facet of the HEXACO-PI showed adequate fit; and modesty showed one of the stronger factor loadings on the higher order factor. In Study 2, we used a set of items designed to sharpen the potential distinction between modesty (i.e. interpersonal behavior involving moderating attention to self) and humility. Then, we tested a model with a general humility factor (i.e. second-order factor) predicting subscales of the RHS and modesty items. Once again, modesty items loaded strongly on the higher order factor.
ObjectiveThis study tested three conceptual explanatory models that have been theorized to accoun... more ObjectiveThis study tested three conceptual explanatory models that have been theorized to account for the linkages between religious/spiritual (R/S) struggles and psychological distress: the primary model (i.e., R/S struggles lead to psychological distress), the secondary model (i.e., psychological distress leads to R/S struggles), and the complex model (i.e., R/S struggles and psychological distress reciprocally exacerbate each other).MethodsUsing prospective data from a sample of US adults living with chronic health conditions (n = 302), we performed a cross‐lagged panel analysis with three timepoints to test for evidence of potential causal relations between R/S struggles and psychological distress.ResultsConsistent with the complex conceptual model of R/S struggles, we found evidence of positive reciprocal associations between R/S struggles and psychological distress.ConclusionThe findings highlight the importance of attending to the dynamic interplay between R/S struggles and psychological distress when working with adults who have chronic health conditions.
Many studies have reported evidence suggesting that dispositional forgivingness has positive impl... more Many studies have reported evidence suggesting that dispositional forgivingness has positive implications for different domains of well‐being. However, relatively few methodologically rigorous studies have been conducted in the Global South, particularly in post‐conflict settings where forgiveness could play an important role in supporting individual well‐being. In this three‐wave cohort study of predominantly young adult Colombians (n = 1575), we examined the associations of dispositional forgivingness with 20 well‐being outcomes across several domains of well‐being: psychological distress, psychological well‐being, physical health, social well‐being, and character strengths/virtues. Using an outcome‐wide analytic design that included extensive control for potential confounding and reverse causation by adjusting for a range of covariates assessed in Wave 1 (2017), we found that dispositional forgivingness assessed in Wave 2 (2018) was at least modestly associated with improvements ...
This study assessed the relationship between forgiveness as measured by the Enright Forgiveness I... more This study assessed the relationship between forgiveness as measured by the Enright Forgiveness Inventory (EFI) and physical health status with a sample of 101 middle-aged adults and 91 of their college-aged children in the Midwestern United States. When controlling for a variety of demographic and health risk factors (vis., age, sex, body mass index, smoking, alcohol, salt, caffeine, and exercise), forgiveness was inversely related to higher reported incidence of physical symptoms and a variety of somatic illnesses, particularly in the adult sample. In other words those who forgave the least had the most health problems. In the middle-aged sample forgiveness was also specifically related to reported hypertension and heart disease as well as heart disease-related symptoms. Further, the relationship between forgiveness and health was maintained after adjusting for the effects of hostility, and suppressed and expressed anger. Results suggest that forgiving serious offences that lead to deep hurt may decrease vulnerability to disease.
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 2020
Research on the forgiveness of self has largely focused on less severe, more common types of offe... more Research on the forgiveness of self has largely focused on less severe, more common types of offenses among samples within developed westernized nations. In this brief report of a study within a developing nation in Africa, applications of self-forgiveness are extended to incarcerated people. The sample comprised N = 310 males (83.87%) and females (16.13%) who were incarcerated in a medium-security Ghanaian prison ( Mage = 39.35, SDage = 13.28). Participants completed measures of self-forgiveness, shame-proneness, and guilt-proneness. Prison records were examined for criminal history details. We hypothesized that self-forgiveness would correlate negatively with shame-proneness and positively with guilt-proneness. We tentatively hypothesized that this association would be moderated by offense type. Self-forgiveness correlated with both shame- and guilt-proneness in the hypothesized direction. However, neither association was moderated by type of offense. The findings offer further ev...
Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, 2017
This research examined the associations between religiousness, empathy, and intergroup forgivenes... more This research examined the associations between religiousness, empathy, and intergroup forgiveness. The findings of 2 studies conducted in different intergroup contexts showed that empathy mediated the relationship between religiousness and intergroup forgiveness. In Study 1 (N = 911), intergroup forgiveness immediately right after a deadly hijacking incident in Manila was predicted by religiousness, and this association was mediated by empathy. Study 2 (N = 72) replicated the mediating effect of empathy on the relationship between religiousness and intergroup forgiveness in a different context: after typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed here.
Although many scholars have sharply distinguished humility from modesty, several research teams r... more Although many scholars have sharply distinguished humility from modesty, several research teams recently conceptualized modesty as a subdomain of humility. In the present study, we compare these competing conceptualizations using confirmatory factor analyses. In Study 1, a model with general humility (i.e. second-order factor) predicting the subscales of the Relational Humility Scale (RHS) and the Modesty facet of the HEXACO-PI showed adequate fit; and modesty showed one of the stronger factor loadings on the higher order factor. In Study 2, we used a set of items designed to sharpen the potential distinction between modesty (i.e. interpersonal behavior involving moderating attention to self) and humility. Then, we tested a model with a general humility factor (i.e. second-order factor) predicting subscales of the RHS and modesty items. Once again, modesty items loaded strongly on the higher order factor.
We aim to identify client factors that make a significant contribution to Christian counseling ou... more We aim to identify client factors that make a significant contribution to Christian counseling outcomes.
Specifically, do aspects of client spirituality significantly contribute to general and spiritual outcomes beyond the contributions of general client factors?
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Papers by Everett Worthington
Specifically, do aspects of client spirituality significantly contribute to general and spiritual outcomes beyond the contributions of general client factors?