The Relationship Between Rumination about Interpersonal Offense and Psychological Well-Being: The Mediation Effect of Forgiveness

Abstract

The present study set out to explore the mediating role of forgiveness between the levels of rumination about interpersonal offense and psychological well-being in university students. The research utilized a correlational research design. The participant group consisted of a total of 342 students who were studying in the teaching departments of Gaziantep University in the 2020-2021 academic year. The Turkish versions of the Psychological Well-Being Scale, the Rumination about an Interpersonal Offense Scale, and the Heartland Forgiveness Scale were used as data collection tools. Structural equation modeling was performed on the data using the AMOS 20.0 program to analyze the direct effect of the rumination about interpersonal offense variable and the mediating effect of the forgiveness variable on the variable of psychological well-being. The results of the research revealed a significant negative correlation between rumination about interpersonal offense and forgiveness as well as rumination about interpersonal offense and psychological well-being, while forgiveness and psychological well-being were detected to be positively correlated. Finally, according to the SEM analysis, it was concluded that forgiveness is a partial mediator in the relationship between rumination about interpersonal offense and psychological well-being. Individual and group counseling or psycho-education programs may be prepared based on cognitive-behavioral therapy. These counseling activities or programs should focus on context-specific rumination rather than general rumination and forgiveness and cognitions about forgiveness.