Self-Forgiveness and Well-Being: A Correlational Study in a Sample of Greek Population

A great deal of research has been done on the idea of interpersonal forgiveness. The concept of self-forgiveness, however, has not received much attention. Self-forgiveness is defined as the transition from self-alienation to a sense of being at ease with oneself. People's positive experiences and evaluations of their life are included in the notion of well-being. Self-forgiveness is widely acknowledged to enhance psychological well-being but research suggests that self-forgiveness might not always be advantageous. The purpose of this research is to investigate the correlation of self-forgiveness and psychological well-being and the relationship of these variables with individual characteristics. The quantitative method was used. In total, 114 participants were gathered both online via Google forms on social media and face-to-face. The results revealed that there is a positive correlation between self-forgiveness and psychological well-being. Self-forgiveness helps lessen negative emotions associated with psychological or physical issues, such as guilt, shame, wrath, regret or disappointment.