• Media type: E-Article
  • Title: Transgression Severity, Forgiveness, Relationship Satisfaction, and Mental Health in Romantic Relationships : An Actor–Partner Interdependence Mediation Model : An Actor–Partner Interdependence Mediation Model
  • Contributor: Behrens, Carolin; Kröger, Christoph
  • imprint: Hogrefe Publishing Group, 2024
  • Published in: Zeitschrift für Klinische Psychologie und Psychotherapie
  • Language: English
  • DOI: 10.1026/1616-3443/a000731
  • ISSN: 1616-3443; 2190-6297
  • Keywords: Clinical Psychology
  • Origination:
  • Footnote:
  • Description: <jats:p> Abstract: Background: Based on interdependence theory, forgiveness could be a strategy for dealing with interpersonal transgressions in a romantic relationship. Objective: The present study examines the effects of transgression severity on relationship satisfaction and mental health along two forgiveness dimensions – resentment-avoidance and benevolence. Method: 351 opposite-gender couples (age M = 48.24 years, SD = 12.88; relationship duration M = 22.71 years, SD = 12.96) rated four self-report measures. We analyzed the cross-sectional data using an Actor–Partner Interdependence Mediation Model (APIMeM). Results: There was a significant indirect effect of transgression severity through resentment-avoidance for the actor’s and the partner’s relationship satisfaction. The link through benevolence was significant only for the partner’s relationship satisfaction. Regarding mental health, the indirect effects of resentment-avoidance and benevolence were significant for the actor and the partner. Conclusions: The findings support the notion that forgiveness impacts both partners’ relational and individual well-being. </jats:p>