Dispositional forgiveness and gratitude among older people

Abstract

This work analysed whether the three factors of forgivingness observed in adults – lasting resentment, sensitivity to circumstances, and unconditional forgiveness – were also present in older people. In addition, it examined whether gratitude accounted for a significant portion of the variance of dispositional forgiveness beyond that of socio-demographic variables. The sample comprised one hundred and nine old people (65 women and 44 men, mean age = 70.3 years). The same three-factor structure that emerged in adults was also evidenced in older people. The expectation of (a) a negative correlation between lasting resentment, and gratitude, and (b) a positive correlation between unconditional forgiveness and gratitude was supported. Furthermore, results showed that gratitude explained a significant amount of variance of lasting resentment, and unconditional forgiveness.