Attribution Retraining in Forgiveness Therapy

Abstract

This paper focuses on the central role of attributions in psychotherapy, particularly in the forgiveness process. Self-enhancing and self-defeating attributions are defined with special emphasis given to those attributions that lead to unforgiveness. The relative effect of positive and negative attributions on the individual is also examined. Based on classical models of attribution theory and attribution retraining methods, an attribution-retraining program for use in forgiveness therapy is described. A case study is utilized to illustrate the use of attribution retraining in the context of forgiveness.