Dispositional and Contextual Predictors of Forgiveness in Adults with Limb Amputation

Abstract

Although people with limb amputation are exposed to different offenses related to their physical disability, there is no research exploring ways they cope with such stressors. One of prosocial methods of dealing with interpersonal transgressions is forgiveness. The aim of the study was to investigate relationships between dispositional forgiveness, contextual factors, and decisional and emotional forgiveness of a particular offense in people living with limb loss. One hundred and two persons (58 females and 44 males) with limb amputation aged 18 to 75 (M = 41.69, SD = 14.39) took part in a study. Participants completed the Heartland Forgiveness Scale, the Decision to Forgive Scale, the Emotional Forgiveness Scale and five items regarding transgressions related to limb amputation. Results revealed that disposition to forgive and contextual factors like apology and relationship quality, but not the severity of transgression, were related to acts of forgiveness following particular transgressions. However, different variables explained distinct aspects of episodic forgiveness. Decisional forgiveness was related to disposition to forgive and apology being offered by the wrongdoer. Reduction of negative emotions was explained by dispositional overcoming unforgiveness, whereas presence of positive emotions was associated only with contextual factors (apology and quality of the relationship). The findings demonstrated the complexity of experiencing forgiveness in the population of amputees. Introducing the practical implications of the study in rehabilitation and counseling for people who lost their limbs is recommended.

Keywords:

• amputation
• loss of limb
• forgiveness
• apology
• healthcare

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Availability of data and material

Data available on request from the corresponding author.

Authors’ contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by Kinga Kaleta, Justyna Mróz and Stanisława Byra. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Kinga Kaleta and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Ethics approval

The study was conducted in accordance with fundamental ethical principles.

Consent to participate: Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Consent for publication

All authors gave their consent for publication of the manuscript in the present form.