Research on the Benefits of Forgiveness for Adolescents

A recent study published in the Universal Journal of Multidisciplinary Research examined how forgiveness can help adolescents in Junior High Schools in Bimbilla, Ghana. Researchers wanted to see if learning to forgive helps students feel less angry or sad, and whether age or gender made a difference.

Students from eight schools took forgiveness lessons, which caused them to feel better emotionally. They also started to feel more positive toward the people who had hurt them.

This topic is important because it shows that teaching forgiveness in schools can improve students’ mental health. As they learn how to let go of anger and hurt, they may feel more at peace and focus more on learning.

Understanding the Research

The study was done in Junior High Schools in the Nanumba North Municipality of Ghana. They chose 8 schools and randomly picked 60 students to take part.

Before any teaching began, the students filled out surveys about how they were feeling using special tools that measured forgiveness, depression, and anger.

The study had three main parts: before the lessons (pre-test), during the forgiveness sessions (intervention), and after the lessons (post-test).

Students were divided into groups and received forgiveness counselling, and the sessions were based on two models: 

• The Enright Process Model
  
• The REACH model

These models helped students learn what forgiveness is, why it matters, and how to let go of hurt. They included discussions, role-playing, writing letters, and learning how to feel compassion for the people who had hurt them.

These were the findings:

• Forgiveness helped students feel better - They reported feeling lighter, calmer, and more emotionally mature after the forgiveness sessions.
• Increased self-acceptance - They said they felt more content with themselves and their past.
• Increased confidence in dealing with difficult situations - According to the students, forgiveness helped them handle challenges better. They learned to use better coping skills.
• Both forgiveness models were effective - The results showed that students of all age groups benefited equally from the REACH and Process models.
• Gender and age did not affect the outcomes - Whether a student was younger or older, male or female, did not make a difference in how well they responded to the forgiveness sessions.

Practical Strategies for Parents and Caregivers

Based on the study’s encouraging results, it’s clear that teaching forgiveness can make a real difference in young people’s emotional health.

Here are ways you can encourage forgiveness in your child or teen:

Model forgiveness at home

If you make a mistake, apologize sincerely. If someone wrongs you, talk openly (and calmly) about how you are choosing to forgive.

For example, if your partner forgets to do a chore they promised to take care of, instead of getting upset, you say in front of your child, “I was frustrated at first, but I’ve decided to let it go. We all make mistakes sometimes, and I know you didn’t do it on purpose.”

Help your child see things from the other person’s point of view

Empathy is a key part of forgiveness. It’s when we learn to consider how others might be feeling or what might have caused their actions that it becomes easier for us to let go of resentment.

It’s important to keep in mind that empathy doesn’t excuse bad behavior, but it makes forgiveness easier.

For example, if your child feels upset because a classmate didn’t invite them to a birthday party, you might tell them, “That sounds really disappointing. I wonder if something else was going on. Maybe they had a small guest list, or their parents made the decision.”

Take time to acknowledge their hurt

When your child has been wronged, it’s natural for us to want to help them “move on” quickly. We might feel tempted to say things like, “Just forgive them” or “Be the bigger person.”

These messages come from a good place, but they can make kids feel like their pain is being brushed aside. Before encouraging forgiveness, start by sitting with them in their hurt. Let them talk about what happened and how it made them feel. Once their feelings have been acknowledged, you can introduce the idea of forgiveness.

The study recommends offering forgiveness counseling to students of all ages and genders, as both the REACH and Process models were effective.

We invite you to check out our All About Forgiveness Handout, Managing Stress With Forgiveness Handout, and Self-Forgiveness Worksheet.  For more character building resources feel free to explore our full collection of Character Education Posters.