Does Religious Motivation Influence the Conceptualization and Acceptability of Forgiveness as a Therapeutic Intervention?

Abstract

This study addresses a gap in the research related to understanding how religious motivation (both extrinsic and intrinsic) relates to attitudes towards forgiveness as a therapeutic intervention. Our findings provide evidence that intrinsic religious motivation was associated with acceptability of forgiveness framed as a spiritual issue and overall, while extrinsic-social religious motivation was not associated with acceptance of forgiveness intervention framed in any way. Extrinsic–personal religious motivation was associated with greater acceptability of forgiveness framed as a spiritual issue, but it was also related to the misconception of forgiveness as relationship reconciliation. Implications for MFTs are discussed.

Acknowledgments

Ryan B. Seedall and Mark H. Butler are equal authors.