Spiritual Factors and Adjustment in Medical Rehabilitation: Understanding Forgiveness as a Means of Coping

Abstract

Spirituality is an important factor in the lives of people in rehabilitation and healthcare providers must be prepared to address spiritual issues in a competent and informed manner that includes distinguishing between spirituality, religiosity and existentialism. It is important to understand the role of specific spiritual factors in rehabilitation. The need for medical rehabilitation often arises from human error or seemingly unfair circumstances, resulting in a variety of negative emotions and forgiveness can be a powerful tool in the rehabilitative healing process. As such, it is critical to accurately understand the construct of forgiveness, including its definition, steps, and dynamics.