A Professional Development Workshop to Facilitate Self-Forgiveness.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Psychology
• Health and Wellness

Background:

• Forgiveness is linked to improved relationships, self-esteem, and cardiovascular health.
• It also reduces anxiety, depression, stress, and boosts immune function.
• Self-forgiveness, forgiveness of others, and forgiveness of situations are key components.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of a workshop designed to promote forgiveness in medical education professionals.
• To evaluate the impact of a brief intervention on participants' capacity to forgive.

Main Methods:

• A 1-hour workshop was delivered at a medical education conference.
• The workshop incorporated didactic presentations, group discussions, and guided self-forgiveness meditation.
• The Heartland Forgiveness Scale (HFS) measured forgiveness pre- and post-intervention.

Main Results:

• 91 medical education professionals participated.
• Total HFS scores significantly increased post-intervention (P=.013).
• Significant improvements were observed in forgiveness of self (P=.012) and forgiveness of others (P=.020).

Conclusions:

• A brief guided meditation and discussion intervention is feasible for medical education professionals.
• The workshop effectively improved immediate tendencies toward self-forgiveness and forgiveness of others.
• This intervention shows promise for enhancing psychological well-being in this population.