Dispositional Forgiveness and Meaning-Making: The Relative Contributions of Forgiveness and Adult Attachment Style to Struggling or Enduring With God

Abstract

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (fifth edition) continues to recognize the role of spirituality in mental health by including a V-Code (V62.89) for Religious or Spiritual Problem (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). As individuals may question basic religious assumptions following negative life events, this study examines attachment style, dispositional forgiveness, and spiritual response after negative life events. Analyses revealed that both forgiveness and secure attachment significantly predicted spiritual struggle and endurance. However, attachment style and forgiveness did not significantly combine to predict spiritual response. Results indicate that both attachment style and dispositional forgiveness are important in spiritual functioning.

KEYWORDS:

• meaning-making
• negative life events
• spiritual functioning
• adult attachment style
• religiosity
• forgiveness