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In patients experiencing substantial hurts, betrayals, or humiliations, resentments often fester, fueling depressed and enraged emotional states (some lasting decades) and associated nonadaptive behaviors. To help such patients transcend these traumas, clinicians sometimes encourage them to forgive their offenders. Investigators conducted a review and meta-analysis of reports on specific psychotherapies promoting forgiveness.
From the 54 included studies, the researchers calculated 53 effect sizes comparing forgiveness therapy to no treatment (2323 patients) and 22 effect sizes of comparisons with alternative treatments (1716 patients). Treated populations included incest survivors, alcohol- or drug-dependent individuals, and parents of spec…