Showing papers by "Everett L. Worthington published in 1997"
TL;DR: Evidence is found consistent with the hypotheses that the relationship between receiving an apology from and forgiving one's offender is a function of increased empathy for the offender and that forgiving is uniquely related to conciliatory behavior and avoidance behavior toward the offending partner.
Abstract: Forgiving is a motivational transformation that inclines people to inhibit relationship-destructive responses and to behave constructively toward someone who has behaved destructively toward them. The authors describe a model of forgiveness based on the hypothesis that people forgive others to the extent that they experience empathy for them. Two studies investigated the empathy model of forgiveness. In Study 1, the authors developed measures of empathy and forgiveness. The authors found evidence consistent with the hypotheses that (a) the relationship between receiving an apology from and forgiving one's offender is a function of increased empathy for the offender and (b) that forgiving is uniquely related to conciliatory behavior and avoidance behavior toward the offending partner. In Study 2, the authors conducted an intervention in which empathy was manipulated to examine the empathy-forgiving relationship more closely. Results generally supported the conceptualization of forgiving as a motivational phenomenon and the empathy-forgiving link.
1,441 citations
TL;DR: For example, this paper found that couples receiving enrichment counseling had higher relationship satisfaction and quality-of-couple skills at posttest and at the 3-week follow-up than did written-assessment-only (control) couples.
Abstract: Strategic hope-focused relationship enrichment is a brief, eclectic, research-based program to enhance couples' relationships. Couples (N = 51; 16 married, 24 cohabiting, 11 engaged) completed 5 sessions of enrichment counseling (n - 26) or 3 written assessments (n = 25) from 1 of 12 counselors. Couples receiving enrichment counseling had higher relationship satisfaction and quality-of-couple skills at posttest and at the 3-week follow-up than did written-assessment-only (control) couples. Conditions did not differ in terms of quality of overall attraction or 2 measures of commitment. We concluded that relationship enrichment using this program was effective, powerful, and cost-effective. Future research should focus on testing the effectiveness of the program presented in a group format. Couples often seek assistance from counseling psychologists to enrich their relationships, and these psychologists must not only intervene effectively but cost-effectively as well. Many relationship-enrichment programs have been proposed (for reviews, see Alexander, Holtzworth-Munroe, & Jameson, 1994; Guerney & Maxson, 1990; Zimpfer, 1988), and in most of these programs, couples meet in groups to discuss prescribed topics (e.g., the Association of Couples for Marriage Enrichment [ACME], Mace & Mace, 1984; Marriage Encounter, Calvo, 1975) or to learn and
59 citations
TL;DR: The authors explored an interactive framework for understanding how gender influences the counseling process in religious counseling and found that female counselors were perceived as more religious and effective than were their male counterparts, and that perception of counselors' religiousness partially mediates the influence of gender on perceived effectiveness of the counselor.
Abstract: This study explored an interactive framework for understanding how gender influences the counseling process in religious counseling. Participants (N = 314) viewed 1 of 16 videotapes in which either a male or female counselor interacted with a male or female client about a religious problem. Counselors either supported or challenged the clients' religious values. It was found that female counselors were perceived as more religious and effective than were their male counterparts. Multiple regression was used to demonstrate that perception of counselors' religiousness partially mediates the influence of gender on perceived effectiveness of the counselor. Results illustrate that the effects of gender on the counseling process can be predicted with an interactive model. Participants' religiousness also interacted with intervention type to influence their perceptions of the counselors.
46 citations
01 Jan 1997
TL;DR: Forgiveness is a motivational transformation that inclines people to inhibit relationship-destructive responses and to behave constructively toward someone who has behaved destructively toward them as mentioned in this paper, and the authors describe a model of forgiveness based on the hypothesis that people forgive others to the extent that they experience empathy for them.
Abstract: Forgiving is a motivational transformation that inclines people to inhibit relationship-destructive responses and to behave constructively toward someone who has behaved destructively toward them. The authors describe a model of forgiveness based on the hypothesis that people forgive others to the extent that they experience empathy for them. Two studies investigated the empathy model of forgiveness. In Study 1, the authors developed measures of empathy and forgiveness. The authors found evidence consistent with the hypotheses that (a) the relationship between receiving an apology from and forgiving one's offender is a function of increased empathy for the offender and (b) that forgiving is uniquely related to conciliatory behavior and avoidance behavior toward the offending partner. In Study 2, the authors conducted an intervention in which empathy was manipulated to examine the empathy-forgiving more closely. Results generally supported the conceptualization of forgiving-as a motivational phenomenon and the empathy-forgiving link.
17 citations