Loren Toussaint

• Ph.D.
• Professor at Luther College

Objectives: This study aimed first, to investigate the relation between forgivingness and depressive symptoms in elderly individuals and second, to explore whether the developmental task of integrity/despair is a possible underlying process in this relation. Both aims were studied in a sample of community-dwelling elderly individuals as well as in...

To examine risk and resilience factors that affect health, lifetime stress exposure histories, dispositional forgiveness levels, and mental and physical health were assessed in 148 young adults. Greater lifetime stress severity and lower levels of forgiveness each uniquely predicted worse mental and physical health. Analyses also revealed a graded...

The present study evaluated "Restore: The Journey Toward Self-Forgiveness," a brief psycho-spiritual curriculum for encouraging self-forgiveness. This was a randomized, wait-list controlled trial including 83 cancer patients and caregivers. Restore encourages self-acceptance, self-improvement, and commitment using prayer/meditation, reflection, and...

Objective: This study examined the prospective association between unforgiveness and self-reported physical health and potential positive psychological mediators of this association. Design: Participants were a national sample of 1024 USA's adults of ages 66 years and older. Data were collected at two time points separated by three years. Main Outc...

The present investigation examines the prospective associations of religiousness/spirituality with depression and the extent to which various dimensions of forgiveness act as mediating mechanisms of these associations. Data are from a nationally representative sample of United States adults who were first interviewed in 1998 and reinterviewed six m...

Background/Objectives: This study examines the attitudes of German hospice professionals toward physician-assisted suicide (PAS), focusing on ethical conflicts, emotional challenges, and institutional readiness within an unregulated legal context. Methods: A 2023 survey of 558 hospice workers used 13 closed-ended items to assess perspectives on PAS...

Background: It is widely known that losing a baby is a stressful experience in a woman’s life. However, the mechanisms through which loss and grief affect mental health are complex and multifaceted. Based on the framework of stress-and-coping theory, this cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the potential moderating effects of social support, re...

Forgiveness is a coping strategy that facilitates psychological well-being and reduces stress, leading to growing interest in identifying its key predictors. This study examined how situational characteristics, as defined by the DIAMONDS model, influenced emotional forgiveness among socially maladjusted youths in Poland. Utilizing a two-wave longit...

The purpose of the study was to determine the relationship between anger, hostility, physical aggression, verbal aggression, and emotional forgiveness (positive emotional forgiveness and reduction of negative emotions) in a longitudinal study design. Data were analyzed from 366 juveniles aged 10–18 (M = 15.18, SD = 1.63) who completed questionnaire...

This study delves into the intricate relationship between morality and episodic forgiveness (i.e. emotional and decisional), guided by moral foundations theory. Survey data were collected from 927 English-speaking Canadians, aged 18–57, using the Moral Foundations Questionnaire, Decision to Forgive Scale, and Emotional Forgiveness Scale. Employing...

Forgiveness is increasingly recognized as an important factor that influences both psychological and physical well-being. This review synthesizes current models connecting forgiveness of others with health, including Enright’s Process Model, the REACH Forgiveness model, the stress-and-coping model of forgiveness, and the biopsychosocial-spiritual a...

Background Compared to ordinary student in the same age group, nursing students experience notably higher rates of depression and anxiety. Negative life events (NLEs) and resilience were recognized as risk factors and protective factors, respectively. There is little literature on the complex interaction of these factors among nursing students. Ob...

This study investigated the mediating role of self-forgiveness in the relationship between the sanctification of suffering and mental well-being in individuals with chronic pain, aiming to integrate psychological and religious/spiritual coping strategies into pain management. Utilizing a three-wave longitudinal design, the study tracked changes in...

This review article explores forgiveness education as a multidimensional process encompassing cognitive, emotional, physiological, and neural aspects. Foundational CBT-based frameworks, including Enright’s model, REACH, Forgiveness for Good, and Restore, provide structured and effective methods for fostering forgiveness of others and oneself. Build...

Background Religiousness has been consistently linked to positive health outcomes and flourishing, yet the underlying mechanisms are complex and not well-understood. The forgiveness and relational spirituality model offers a framework to explore the moderated mediation among religious commitment, health, and forgiveness by God. Understanding these...

The purpose of this study is to assess the relationship between emotional forgiveness (presence of positive emotions towards the offender and reduction of negative emotions towards the offender) and personality traits (agreeableness, neuroticism, conscientiousness, openness to experience and extraversion) in the perspective of a longitudinal study...

Within psychological research, the concept of forgiveness has gained recognition for its potential impact on health, underlining the need for culturally adapted assessment tools and longitudinal studies to substantiate its effects. In this two-phase research project, we initially adapted the Rye Forgiveness Scale (RFS) to measure state forgiveness...

Church hurt may be defined as a negative social interaction or doctrinal difference that takes place between co-religious individuals or within religious communities, leading to interpersonal religious and spiritual struggle. This type of religious and spiritual struggle is theorized to affect the belonging dimension of religiosity. This study soug...

The purpose of this study is to assess the relationship between emotional forgiveness (presence of positive emotions towards the offender and reduction of negative emotions towards the offender) and personality traits (agreeableness, neuroticism, conscientiousness, openness to experience and extraversion) in the perspective of a longitudinal study...

The current study investigated the relationship among executive functioning, activation of the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), and forgiveness among students enrolled in Christian colleges in the United States. Guided by the regulatory model of forgiveness framework, employing a two-study methodology, our aim was to uncover the neuroc...

Cross-sectional studies have shown that individual differences can be associated with pro-social emotions. However, little is known about how personality may predict subsequent forgiveness and gratitude/awe. This study investigates the longitudinal influence of the Big Five traits (assessed by the Ten-Item Personality Inventory), supplemented by na...

(1) Background: Forgiveness is one way to deal with negative experiences. The protective–protective model and the resource-caravan model assume that positive resources come together and support coping. In this study, we tested the association of religiosity, decisional and emotional forgiveness, and the indirect associations running through self-co...

The present study focused on the roles of self-forgiveness and feeling divine forgiveness in mitigating the adverse effects of stress on substance use cravings in Trinidad and Tobago. We assessed 869 individuals (62 percent of whom were women) through self-report online questionnaires. A moderation analysis using the PROCESS macro and a bootstrappi...

Objectives: Patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) often experience poor well-being. Common limitations of the studies on this topic involve using the variable-centered and deficit-based approaches. In this study, we used the person-centered approach to identify profiles of positive (life satisfaction and health status) and neg...

The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of a new middle-school-classroom forgiveness curriculum in promoting forgiveness and reducing anger. The students in this study were 153 fourth through eighth graders in three regional parochial schools. The students were assigned to forgiveness education or control groups in the fall semester a...

Guided by the bio-psycho-socio-spiritual approach, this randomized controlled trial assessed the efficacy of a self-forgiveness intervention among 60 HIV-positive individuals in Poland. Participants underwent a 90-min "Restore: The Journey Toward Self-Forgiveness" session, in contrast to a wait-list control group. The intervention significantly enh...

In times of stress, the tendency for our aspects of well-being, such as happiness, to decline becomes default. To combat this, some individuals practice gratitude, and others may seek support from a Higher Power (Krause, N. & Hayward, D. R. 2012; Llenares et al., 2020; Rosmarin et al., 2012). In this study, we recruited participants via social medi...

Background Chronic conditions such as rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) can cause significant distress and reduced well-being. Commonly, research has emphasized understanding distress (depression, anxiety, and pain symptoms) to the relative exclusion of well-being. Moreover, research on the well-being of patients with RMDs has been domi...

I am both humbled and honored to be able to write about Everett L. Worthington Jr., a mentor, role model, and inspiration for myself and others. I met Ev over 20 years ago, and although I did not know it at the time, he would become one of the single most influential figures in my academic life. Ev is the very definition of a mentor. His work influ...

Introduction Gender roles may impact men with fibromyalgia, causing a high number of negative emotional states and affective disorders. There are few studies that detect men’s high emotional suffering. This study examined the emotional experience of men with fibromyalgia. Methods A qualitative cross-cultural study utilized inductive thematic analy...

Background: Forgiveness is one form of emotion-focused coping, and the positive effects of such a practice on mental well-being have been confirmed by numerous meta-analyses. The biopsychosocial model assumes that feeling burdened is determined by a number of physical, psychological, and social factors, suggesting a multidimensional relationship be...

Research is developing regarding the beneficial association of spirituality with numerous health outcomes in people living with HIV (PLWH); however, little attention has been paid to the association of these variables with forgiveness and acceptance of HIV status. This cross-sectional study used a sample of 648 PLWH from the United States aged 18–6...

Research suggests that forming a fresh framework of significance and reconstructing the spiritual underpinnings of one’s existence may empower a victim of sexual abuse to move beyond the grasp of the distressing incident. This longitudinal study investigates the interplay between forgiveness, spirituality that provides transcendent meaning-making,...

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of a forgiveness public health intervention at promoting forgiveness, mental health, and flourishing. Methods: Colombian students (N = 2,878) at a private, nonreligious university were exposed to a 4-week forgiveness community campaign and were assessed pre- and post-campaign. Results: Forgiveness, mental h...

The experience of grace is currently attracting increased empirical interest. Validated instruments to assess aspects of the experience of grace in a secularized context are scarce which limits current psychological research on grace in other than highly religious populations. We present a bottom-up construction of the Experiencing Grace Scale (EGS...

The present study explores mechanisms that may facilitate strengths-based adaptive outcomes following exposure to traumatic events such as the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana. We investigated the interactive relationships of spirituality with meaning-making concerning trauma symptomology and PTG. Data was collected in person and via surveys during the C...

Agresja i przemoc w środowisku szkolnym są uznawane za jeden z najpoważniejszych problemów, z którymi musi mierzyć się szkoła. Stanowią również jeden z największych zagrożeń dla zdrowia psychicznego dzieci i młodzieży, nierzadko bywają przyczyną urazów fizycznych, a w skrajnych przypadkach mogą doprowadzić do śmierci. Przemoc generuje poważne, różn...

Return to nature' has become a buzzword in both scientific and public discourse. The growing interest in this phenomenon calls for the development of reliable tools for scientific research, for example the adaptation of various connectivity to nature (CN) scales developed by researchers from other cultural circles and other countries. The purpose o...

Objective According to cognitive theories, anxiety disorders may result from distorted beliefs, sensations, feelings, and decisions, leading to an overestimation of the danger presented by various stimuli. Methods In this two‐wave longitudinal study of 435 German patients with anxiety disorders, we assessed the association of negative persistent t...

Physical exercise is an indispensable element in the multidisciplinary treatment of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). The present study examined if men diagnosed with FMS engaged in any type of physical activity or exercise, the perceived effects from exercise, and who specifically recommended exercise. A qualitative cross-cultural study was performed i...

Introduction Clinical Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) is a psychophysiological intervention that includes cognitive and somatic elements, utilizing techniques from both Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Prolonged Exposure therapy (PE). Because only a single meta-analysis existed examining EFT for PTSD, this systematic review and meta-analys...

The purpose of this study was to examine the mediating role of moral foundations in the relationship between religion and environmentalism. The online survey data was collected from 616 young adult Catholics from Poland aged 19-25, who are likely to be affected by climate change more than any other generation before them. Regression analysis showed...

Long COVID affects approximately 10–30% of individuals after an acute COVID-19 infection (Ceban, Ling, et al. 2022; Ortona and Malorni, 2022). Numerous symptoms, including extreme fatigue, can persist for months, resulting in social and economic hardship for individuals and their families (Ortona and Malorni 2022). Therefore, approaches that offer...

This article reports the Polish adaptation of the Questionnaire to Assess Affective and Cognitive Empathy (QAACE) by Zoll and Enz – a multidimensional self-report questionnaire used to measure empathy in children aged 8-14. The QAACE is based on a two-factor cognitive-emotional model of empathy. It has a number of international adaptations and offe...

Fibromyalgia patients experience difficulties in their daily lives that are difficult to identify and recognize due to the stigma associated with the disease. Nurses can help identify them to establish biopsychosocial coping and treatment. The main aim of this study was to explore Spanish nurses’ perceptions of the illness experiences of their fibr...

The purpose of the present study was to examine intergenerational transmission of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) from parents to children and examine the buffering influence of forgiveness of oneself and others. Participants were 150 parents and children enrolled in Head Start in an upper midwestern, rural state who volunteered to complete qu...

Research to date has shown that HIV infection is a highly stressful experience for individuals, and one of the key adaptive resources after such painful experiences may be forgiveness. The aim of the present study was to examine the associations between dispositional forgiveness (assessed using Mullet’s Forgivingness Questionnaire and Toussaint’s F...

The present study examines connections between patient expectations and health-related quality of life. We explore a key distinction between expectations about general health and expectations for functional improvement. Patients were 1444 individuals with multiple conditions experiencing chronic pain who were seeking treatment at the Gastein Healin...

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a chronic musculoskeletal disorder of unknown etiology that affects up to 5.0% of the world population. It has a high female predominance, between 80 and 96%. Due to the low number of diagnosed men, research work has focused mainly on women. The extensive body of literature on sex differences in pain in the general po...

Experiencing war arouses feelings of injustice, which in turn can activate angry feelings towards God. The purpose of the present study was to assess the relationship between anger towards God, faith maturity, interpersonal decisional forgiveness, psychological well-being and spiritual well-being among war refugees from Ukraine who arrived in Polan...

In this chapter, we examine the association between forgiveness and flourishing. We begin by identifying what forgiveness and flourishing are. We then move to considering conceptual models as well as evidence supporting the connection between forgiveness and flourishing. An early model of the forgiveness and mental health relationship offers a begi...

Previous studies indicate that perceptions of nature and thought-provoking silence can have positive consequences for individual functioning. The purpose of the present study was to assess the relationships between religious coping (assessed with the Brief RCOPE), perceptions of nature and silence (a subscale of the Perception of Change Questionnai...

Although race/ethnicity is associated with substantial differences in risk for depression and other diseases of aging in the United States, the processes underlying these health disparities remain poorly understood. We addressed this issue by examining how levels of a robust marker of inflammatory activity, C-reactive protein (CRP), and depression...

Aim To conduct a Chinese translation and validation of the Friedman Life Balance Scale (FLBS). Background Prevalence of mental disorders is high among nursing students. Life balance is important for nursing students, which may help them increase efficiency in their studies and develop physical and psychological health. Yet, little is known about l...

Spirituality is widely believed to play an important role in securing health, and modern health care is increasingly being combined with spiritual care. This state of affairs is generating widespread interest in the construct from practitioners and researchers, resulting in the need to develop accurate and comprehensive measures of spirituality. Th...

According to past research, religious attitudes can strongly influence individuals’ beliefs and behaviors. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationships between spirituality (the Scale of Spirituality; dimensions include religious spirituality, expanding consciousness, searching for meaning, sensitivity to art, doing good, and sensitivi...

https://doi.org/10.1515/spircare-2022-0042 This article reviews work that my colleagues and I have conducted over the past 20 years examining connections of forgiveness of others and self-forgiveness with flourishing. I also highlight our work investigating psychoeducational approaches to forgiveness education. Definitions of forgiveness of others...

Background: Cannabidiol (CBD), one of the major cannabinoids derived from the cannabis plant, is available over the counter. CBD is often used by patients for the management of insomnia, yet research supporting CBDs effectiveness as a treatment for insomnia is inadequate. Objective: The objective of this review was to critically evaluate the litera...

Experiencing war arouses feelings of injustice, which in turn can activate angry feelings toward God. The purpose of the present study was to assess the relationship between anger toward God, faith maturity, interpersonal decision-making, forgiveness, psychological well-being and spiritual well-being among war refugees from Ukraine who arrived in P...

This paper describes the development of a resilience-based self-help group (SHG) curriculum for an illiterate, adult, female population in rural Bihar and highlights lessons learned for future program development. We describe the curriculum development and include tables with all elements of the curriculum in its final form. We describe two differe...

Objective: Although substantial research has separately investigated forgiveness, rumination, and depression in the United States, few studies have investigated all three constructs in the same sample and we know of no studies that have examined how forgiveness, rumination, and depression are interrelated across cultures. Method: To address this...

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a common and disabling disorder characterized by chronic widespread pain, fatigue, and dyscognition. Previous studies have shown strong positive correlations between pain, fatigue, and dyscognition. However, bidirectional relationships, particularly with dyscognition modeled as a predictor, have rarely been established. The pur...

This study examined the extent to which Christian religious affiliation promoted greater forgiveness and search for meaning and consequently may have mitigated posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in the wake of the devastation and loss following two hurricanes in Puerto Rico in 2017. Participants included 511 surviving Puerto Ricans. Most...

Early childhood is a critical period to intervene for obesity, developmental and behavioural problems. Data from 1065 children in 14 Northeast Iowa Community Action Head Starts (HS) were collected between 2011 and 2018. Body mass index (BMI) and developmental scores were assessed at the beginning of each school year and compared after the first yea...

This study examined the prospective relationships between preschoolers’ body mass index (BMI) and cognitive development. BMI, cognitive (i.e., Brigance), sex, and age data were collected from seven cohorts of children attending Head Start from 2012 to 2018. Children (N = 324) with two years of complete data were included. After controlling for the...

Reports of adverse psychological outcomes, including depression, anxiety, and rising suicide rates, have increased worldwide since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Research indicates that forgiveness, meaning-making, and spirituality may buffer the adverse psychological effects of trauma. Our past work suggests that posttraumatic growth may foll...

Trauma is a growing public health concern as global crises increase. Trauma can result in significant adverse psychological outcomes such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Past research indicates that forgiveness may buffer the adverse psychological effects of trauma. We hypothesized that restoring individual and collective sense of meaning...

Abstract: Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is characterized by generalized chronic musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbance, as well as cognitive, somatic, and other symptoms. Most people affected by FMS are women, and studies analyzing this condition in men are scarce. In this study, we discuss the physical and psychological symptoms of FMS...

We provide an overview of the science on forgiveness and mental health. We define forgiveness of others and self-forgiveness, summarize a brief history of the science of forgiveness, and review the theory, measurement, and evidence on forgiveness and mental health connections. We suggest that stress-and-coping theories of forgiveness of others and...

Prior research suggests that meaning-making and forgiveness are associated with lower post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) following exposure to trauma. Few studies have examined these factors in the aftermath of natural disasters. This study therefore aimed to investigate the relationship between meaning-making and forgiveness, and their associat...

Trauma is a growing public health concern as global crises increase. Trauma can result in significant adverse psychological outcomes such as PTSD. Past research indicates that forgiveness may buffer the adverse psychological effects of trauma. We hypothesized that restoring individual and collective sense of meaning promotes forgiveness toward self...

Background: The GHG combines several treatment factors such as exposure to low level radon and to high numbers of negative ions, high humidity and mild hyperthermia in a moderate altitude (1280 m) above sea level. Early spa reactions, including short-term worsening of specific (e.g. pain) or general symptoms (e.g. fatigue) or a deterioration of sle...

This study examined the extent to which Christian religious affiliation promoted greater forgiveness and search for meaning and consequently may have mitigated posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in the wake of the devastation and loss following two hurricanes in Puerto Rico in 2017. Participants included 511 surviving Puerto Ricans. Most...

Recording of heart rate variability (HRV) is a non-invasive and continuous measurement method that allows investigating the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and its reaction to environmental influences. For a precise measurement of HRV data, a carefully chosen study design and environment are required to minimize secondary influences. One major influ...

Objective To identify correlates of quality of life (QoL) measured with the Quality of Life Scale (QOLS) in participants of a multidisciplinary day hospital treatment program for fibromyalgia (FM). Methods In this cross-sectional, observational study, “real world” data from 480 FM patients including socio-demographics, pain variables and questionn...

Recording of heart rate variability (HRV) is a noninvasive and continuous measurement method that allows investigating the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and its reaction to environmental influences. For a precise measurement of HRV data, a carefully chosen study design and environment is required to minimize secondary influences. One major influen...

The purpose of this study was to examine multiple direct and indirect pathways of the association between older age and mental health through COVID-19-related stress perceptions, meaning in life, and forgiveness of situations. Participants were 1,382 U.S. adults who were part of the Harvard Digital Lab for the Social Sciences panel who volunteered...

Recording of heart rate variability (HRV) is a noninvasive and continuous measurement method that allows investigating the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and its reaction to environmental influences. For a precise measurement of HRV data, a carefully chosen study design and environment is required to minimize secondary influences. One major influen...

Spiritual bypassing is the propensity to avoid emotional discomfort and pain through exercising spiritual beliefs and practices. The Spiritual Bypass Scale-13 (SBS-13) was developed to assess the two major components of spiritual bypassing – avoidance and spiritualising. The purpose of this study was to translate the SBS-13 into Korean and examine...

Childhood obesity has reached epidemic rates nationwide and may be associated with impaired cognitive function. A growing body of evidence suggests that poorer academic performance for children with obesity and overweight is related to declines in executive function skills. This study aimed to identify biological mediators between obesity and overw...

"Data Extravaganza" invited oral presentation

Fibromyalgia has a significant impact on the lives of patients; symptoms are influenced by psychological factors, such as psychological flexibility and catastrophizing. The objective of this study was to determine the importance of these variables in moderating the association between the severity and impact of fibromyalgia symptoms. A total of 187...

Purpose To explore the perception of the illness and the experience of the illness for relatives of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) patients. Materials and methods This qualitative interpretative study adopted a grounded theory research methodology with a purposive sample. We conducted a focus group with 11 family members of FMS patients. There were s...

Research suggests that multiple forms of relaxation training (e.g., progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, breathing exercises, visualization, and autogenics) can help individuals reduce stress, enhance relaxation states, and improve overall well-being. We examined three different, commonly used approaches to stress relaxation—progressive muscl...

Background Stigma, defined as social devaluation of an individual, can be an important stressor for chronic pain patients [1]. Not every condition is stigmatized. A relevant factor for illness stigmatization seems to be whether the cause is mental-behavioural or physical. Chronic pain is often regarded as an imaginary illness or caused by psycholog...

Background In chronic pain care a multidimensional perspective with attention to patients’ cognitions, emotions, and their ability to cope is needed (1). Previous studies are also pointing to the role of experiencing meaningfulness in life in the adjustment to disability.Therefore care should additionally focus on the existential domain of patients...

Theory and evidence suggests that person-centred models may be especially relevant for elucidating the role of perfectionism in health and well-being in those with chronic health conditions. This may be particularly true for conditions, such as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), in which perfectionism is known to play a prominent role in health outcom...

Purpose The purpose of the present study was to investigate body mass index, multi-morbidity, and COVID-19 Risk Score as predictors of severe COVID-19 outcomes. Patients Patients from this study are from a well-characterized patient cohort collected at Mayo Clinic between January 1, 2020 and May 23, 2020; with confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis defined...

Introduction: The present study examined psychometric properties of the Korean version of the

Objective To describe the process and outcome of creating a patient cohort in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in order to better understand the process of and predict the outcomes of COVID-19. Patients and Methods A total of 1169 adults aged 18 years of age or older who tested positive in Mayo Clinic Rochester or the Mayo Clinic Midwest...

Aim: This study aimed to analyse risk and protective factors for teen suicide and bullying. Background: Research shows that high percentages of bully-victims report suicidal thinking or suicide attempts. Design: This was an international integrative review. Data sources: Five databases including CINAHL, Scopus, PubMed, Google Scholar and Cuiden wer...

Introduction: Fibromyalgia (FM) is a pathology that causes physical, psychological, and social problems. For this reason, it requires treatment that involves all of these elements. The main of study is to examine multidisciplinary rehabilitation treatment (MRT) in fibromyalgia and to identify healthcare approaches developing effective MRT tools fo...