Working through past wrongdoing: Examination of a self-forgiveness counseling intervention

This pilot study examined the effectiveness of a new emotion-focused individual counseling intervention designed to increase self-forgiveness for regretted actions committed against another person. Exactly 26 adult participants (21 completers) who indicated they had unresolved emotions about a past offense enrolled in the study and were randomly assigned to a delayed or immediate treatment condition. Controlling for screening scores, participants who received the treatment had significantly lower self-condemnation and significantly greater self-forgiveness regarding their offense at the end of treatment than did participants who spent time on a waiting list. Again controlling for screening scores, participants who received the treatment had significantly lower general psychological distress and significantly greater trait self-compassion at the end of treatment than did participants who spent time on a waiting list. All treatment gains were maintained at 2-month follow-up. In addition, increases in state self-forgiveness over the course of the intervention predicted lower levels of general psychological distress follow-up. Results of this study demonstrate the utility of this new intervention for helping clients resolve the negative residual effects of unforgiveness toward the self, both for offense-specific and general well-being outcomes.