@article{ref1,
title="The effects of forgiveness therapy on depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress for women after spousal emotional abuse",
journal="Journal of consulting and clinical psychology",
year="2006",
author="Reed, Gayle L. and Enright, Robert D.",
volume="74",
number="5",
pages="920-929",
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.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0022-006X",
doi="10.1037/0022-006X.74.5.920",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.74.5.920"
}