Author(s)

Deanne L. Swanson

Advisor(s)

Barbara F. Okun

Contributor(s)

Deborah F. Greenwald, Chieh Li.

Date of Award

2011

Date Accepted

3-2011

Degree Grantor

Northeastern University

Degree Level

Ph.D.

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department or Academic Unit

Bouvé College of Health Sciences. Department of Counseling and Applied Educational Psychology.

Keywords

accepting the past, life review, life satisfaction, negative affect, positive affect, self forgiveness

Disciplines

Counseling Psychology

Abstract

The primary purpose of this study was to examine whether or not there is a predictive relationship between life satisfaction, positive affect, negative affect (these three variables widely accepted as determinants of subjective well-being), and acceptance of the past with self forgiveness in older adults. Participants were 101 adults over the age of 65. The sample was derived from members of a continuing education program for older adults in the northeastern United States and from independently living residents at a senior community. Participants completed the Heartland Forgiveness Scale: Forgiveness of Self Subscale (HFS: SF), the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) the Accepting the Past Scale (ACPAST), and a Demographic Worksheet. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed significant relationships between life satisfaction, positive affect, negative affect, accepting the past, Caucasian ethnicity, Native American ethnicity, and the marital status of "divorced" with self forgiveness. Subsequent stepwise regression of life satisfaction, positive affect, negative affect, acceptance of the past, Caucasian ethnicity, Native American ethnicity, and "divorced" on self forgiveness revealed that only positive affect, accepting the past, and being divorced retained significance (p <. 05) as predictors of self forgiveness with accepting the past accounting for the most variance (42%). Implications of the results of this study are discussed as are interventions and suggestions for future research.

Document Type

Dissertation

Rights Holder

Deanne L. Swanson


View Full Text

Click button above to open, or right-click to save.

Share

COinS