Citation

Reed GL, Enright RD. J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 2006; 74(5): 920-929.

Affiliation

Department of Educational Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706-1386, USA. gaylelreed@charter.net

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, American Psychological Association)

DOI

10.1037/0022-006X.74.5.920

PMID

17032096

Abstract

Emotionally abused women experience negative psychological outcomes long after the abusive spousal relationship has ended. This study compares forgiveness therapy (FT) with an alternative treatment (AT; anger validation, assertiveness, interpersonal skill building) for emotionally abused women who had been permanently separated for 2 or more years (M = 5.00 years, SD = 2.61; n = 10 per group). Participants, who were matched, yoked, and randomized to treatment group, met individually with the intervener. Mean intervention time was 7.95 months (SD = 2.61). The relative efficacy of FT and AT was assessed at p < .05. Participants in FT experienced significantly greater improvement than AT participants in depression, trait anxiety, posttraumatic stress symptoms, self-esteem, forgiveness, environmental mastery, and finding meaning in suffering, with gains maintained at follow-up (M = 8.35 months, SD = 1.53). FT has implications for the long-term recovery of postrelationship emotionally abused women.

Language: en