Elaine Sue May Tan

Psychology (Sunway) | Year 3 | Degree: Bachelor of Science (Hons) Psychology

Forgiveness and Mental Health: Examining the Relationship Between Big Five Personality and Forgiveness

The emergence of the field of positive psychology with its advocacy of different beneficial, life-transforming and health-promoting elements has cultivated individual strength and morale in recent years. From the various positive elements under the wide horizon of positive psychology, forgiveness is one element that has gained the interests of researchers and practitioners worldwide in the area of mental health. Does the capacity of forgiveness intertwine with personality? Is forgiveness a significant variable of the mental health for Malaysian? The present study aims to examine the impact of forgiveness on mental health, the difference between self- and other-forgiveness, and the relationship between Big Five Personality and forgiveness measures (self- and other-forgiveness). To test the hypothesis that forgiveness has a significant impact on mental health, and that personality is related to forgiveness, a cross-sectional study involving 185 participants using convenience sampling was conducted. Participants responded to a survey comprising the Big Five Personality Trait Short Questionnaire, Heartland Forgiveness Scale and General Health Questionnaire. The results showed that both self- and other-forgiveness have significant impacts on mental health; and, the Big 5 personality was associated with forgiveness, such that agreeableness, extraversion and openness were positively associated with forgiveness whereas neuroticism was negatively associated with forgiveness, although no association was found between conscientiousness and forgiveness. The findings of this study shed light to the efficacy of existing forgiveness interventions and the incorporation of personality in the practice of psychotherapy

Elaine Sue May Tan

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Elaine Sue May Tan

Psychology (Sunway) | Year 3 | Degree: Bachelor of Science (Hons) Psychology

Forgiveness and Mental Health: Examining the Relationship Between Big Five Personality and Forgiveness

Does the capacity of forgiveness intertwine with personality?

Is forgiveness a significant variable of the mental health for Malaysian?

To investigate whether forgiveness affects mental health.

To determine the difference between self- and other-forgivenes.

To find out the relationship between each Big Five Personality trait and forgiveness.

185 adults aged between 19-60 years old
67 men and 118 women
General public recruited via social media platforms
The majority of participants were Christians, university graduates, full-time employees, and single.

The Big Five Personality Trait Short Questionnaire (BFPTSQ)
The Forgiveness of Self and Forgiveness of Other(s) subscales of the Heartland Forgiveness Scale
The 12-Item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12)

RESULTS & CONCLUSION

Both self- and other-forgiveness have a significant impact on mental health.
Self-forgiveness has a stronger association with mental health as compared to other-forgiveness.
Agreeableness was positively associated with other-forgiveness but not self-forgiveness; High neuroticism was associated with a lower tendency to forgive oneself and others; High extraversion is associated with a high tendency to forgive oneself and others; Conscientiousness was not associated with forgiveness; High openness is associated with a high tendency to forgive others but not oneself.

Theoretical implications in support to the propositions of the stress-and-coping model of forgiveness by Lazarus and Folkman (1984).
Clinical implications based on the importance of both personality and forgiveness to mental health, in which practitioners may help clients by incorporating their understanding of clients’ personalities and forgiveness tendencies into the focus of their psychotherapy sessions.
Practical implications in the field of education, such as the practice of prevention and intervention strategies in combating psychological stress among undergraduates.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to thank my supervisor Dr Grace Yap for her guidance and advice during the course of this research. I am also thankful to my family and friends for their kind words of encouragement and advice while conducting the research. Lastly, I would like to thank my parents for the opportunity of education.

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