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Interpersonal Forgiveness and Adolescent Depression. The Mediational Role of Self-reassurance and Self-criticism

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Abstract

Objectives

Literature indicates that positive feelings towards oneself and others are important assets for well-being. In this study we intended to test the mediational role of self-reassurance, self-hate and self-inadequateness on the relationships between depression and interpersonal forgiveness, avoidance and revenge, respectively.

Methods

Participants were 2105 adolescents (N= 979 boys; 1126 girls) ranging from 13 to 20 years. Participants completed self-report questionnaires measuring their perceived depressive symptoms (Children’s Depression Inventory), perceived state forgiveness (Transgression-Related Interpersonal Motivations Inventory-18) and perceived Self-Criticism and Self-Reassurance.

Results

The results showed that the feelings towards oneself mediated the associations of feelings and motivations towards others with depression. Specifically, the more participants were benevolent and forgiving, the more they were self-reassured and, as a consequence, the less they reported depressive symptomatology. On the contrary, the more they were avoidant or vengeful, the more they criticised and attacked themselves, and, as a consequence, the more they reported depressive symptomatology.

Conclusions

Overall, our findings highlight the importance of promoting a self-reassuring attitude towards oneself, both to reduce the negative effects of avoidance and revenge on depression, and to increase the beneficial effects of interpersonal forgiveness. Self-criticism only exacerbates the suffering, whereas a warm and reassuring attitude both towards others and oneself reduces depressive symptomatology.

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Author Contributions

B.B.: designed and executed the study, and wrote the paper. M.S.: performed the data analyses. S.P.: designed the study and collaborated in the writing and editing of the final manuscript. R.B. assisted with the data analyses. G.C. wrote part of the results. F.M. collaborated in editing of the final manuscript. G.M.V. designed the study and assisted with the data analyses.

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Education, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy

    Barbara Barcaccia, Susanna Pallini, Roberto Baiocco & Giovanni Maria Vecchio

  2. Associazione di Psicologia Cognitiva APC and Scuola di Psicoterapia Cognitiva srl SPC, Rome, Italy

    Barbara Barcaccia & Francesco Mancini

  3. Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy

    Marco Salvati

  4. Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy

    Giuseppe Curcio

  5. Guglielmo Marconi University, Rome, Italy

    Francesco Mancini

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  1. Barbara Barcaccia
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  2. Marco Salvati
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  3. Susanna Pallini
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Correspondence to Barbara Barcaccia.

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Barcaccia, B., Salvati, M., Pallini, S. et al. Interpersonal Forgiveness and Adolescent Depression. The Mediational Role of Self-reassurance and Self-criticism. J Child Fam Stud 29, 462–470 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-019-01550-1

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