Adolescents' Forgiveness as a Mechanism of Self-Regulation of Depressive Feelings

A large number of studies have demonstrated the role of forgiveness as an effective mechanism of self-regulation of depressive feelings. The present study aimed at exploring the associations among dimensions particularly relevant to adolescents’ well-being, including forgiveness, anger, depression and Hedonic Balance (HB). We used a structural equation modelling approach to test the fully mediational role of the different dimensions of anger in the relationship between forgiveness and depression. The sample included 773 adolescents (69% girls). Forgiveness was positively and negatively related to, respectively, HB and depression, through a general effect of anger: more forgiving adolescents had higher HB and lower depression, with a lower general tendency to experience anger. The model invariance was supported across gender. Our findings suggest that forgiveness could be a significant protective factor against depression for adolescents, helping them to effectively manage anger, thus fostering emotional health. Educational and clinical implications of our study regard the potential of forgiveness as a well-being resource that can be promoted both in educational and clinical settings.