Forgiveness and Chronic Pain: A Cohort Study

Background: Chronic pain is a major public health issue. It is a complex condition comprising biological, social and psychological elements, which can be challenging to manage. Forgiveness is a recognised effective intervention in various health conditions. Research has shown promising results using forgiveness as an intervention in the management of pain. This study aims to examine the relationship between forgiveness and other variables in patients suffering from chronic pain in the setting of a chronic pain clinic. Methods: Institutional ethical approval was granted for this study. Patients attending a chronic pain clinic for the first time were invited to complete a questionnaire comprising a brief socio-demographic survey and questionnaires including the Heartland Forgiveness Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Pain and Anxiety Symptoms Scale and Perceived Injustice. Results: 104 adult patients were included. The mean age was 59 years. Back pain was the most common chronic pain presentation. The Heartland Forgiveness Scale (HFS) was found to have a good internal consistency among the Irish population. This study found that 55% of patients attending the pain clinic were not forgiving. Negative correlations were identified between forgiveness and pain, and forgiveness and injustice. Conclusion: The majority of patients attending a chronic pain clinic were not forgiving as measured on the HFS. There was a negative correlation between forgiveness and pain. The results have shown that forgiveness could be beneficial as a therapeutic intervention among patients attending a chronic pain clinic.

Forgiveness(宽恕)概念解析及其中国式内涵初探

20世纪后期,西方心理学研究者开始将"forgiveness"这一具有道德意义的心理现象从宗教中剥离开来,进行系统的研究。他们一般认为宽恕(1)是发生于人际伤害之后,(2)是心理状态由消极向积极方向转变的过程,(3)该过程是受害者一方的主动的内部过程,而非第三方驱使的结果。由于"forgiveness"曾有的宗教背景和广泛而复杂的含义,无法找到与其完全对等的当代中文词语,"宽恕"则是最接近的表达。但是,"宽恕"本身具有丰富的中国文化内涵,中国人的宽恕心理有其自身的特点。如,中国人重视宽恕特质;中国人重视宽恕与公正的平衡状态;中国人的宽恕含有人际策略的意味。总的来说,中文语境中的"宽恕"与作为心理学研究对象的"forgiveness"并不存在本质上的差异,今后的研究可以继续沿着西方心理学家已开辟的道路进行下去。但是,由于文化差异可以考虑一些与文化有关的心理因素和研究主题。

State Scholarship and Loan Forgiveness Programs in the United States: Forgotten Driver of Access to Health Care in Underserved Areas

State-supported programs providing loans and scholarships in exchange for service in under-served areas provide an important source of financial support for medical students while encouraging them to select careers in primary care. The purpose of this research was to seek a better understanding of these often unheralded but important state sources of support, and learn if they have continued to grow in the twenty-first century. Administrative data were obtained on state-supported programs operating in 2008 that provided financial support to students, resident or practicing physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, dentists, and licensed mental healthcare providers in exchange for service in an underserved area. The authors identified numbers, types of state-supported programs, program workforce strength, and features of state programs. In 2008, 75 state programs, operating in 37 states, collectively had 5113 program participants under contract. Loan repayment programs (n = 42, 56%) were the most common type of state-supported programs. Practitioners signed initial contracts in 2008 totaled 1173, with more non-physicians (n = 681, 58%) signing initial contracts than physicians (n = 492, 42%). Additionally, 2803 practitioners were serving in programs in 2008. Field placement was also slightly greater among non-physicians in 2008 (n = 1433, 51%) than physicians (n = 1370, 49%). State support-for-service programs remains an important source of financial assistance for those willing to make service commitments in underserved areas. Moreover, these programs continue to increase in size, even amidst the economic malaise, and provide an obligated primary care workforce in underserved areas.

Forgiveness as the Guiding Principle for Individual Rebirth and Modern Universal Renaissance

In this paper, I first create new frameworks for a reflection on “human” and “humanism” in the time of globalization. As our intellectual perception of the world is becoming more universal and all-inclusive, so should also our hearts. The heart is the inner most core of being human, to become able to expand in unprecedented dimensions of human existence. In this context, I propose forgiveness as the guiding principle of expansion and inclusion, and consequently of becoming more human. If memory helps us to survive, forgetting allows us to go on living. The practice of forgetting, and consequently of reconciliation, is the distinctive and complex moment of human existence, when the human agent makes him/herself open and available to the present moment, and lives fully in the present moment. Once doing so, the present moment becomes the space in which s/he can reconcile with his/her past and shape his/her future. In the second part, I check possible impediments on our way to expansion and inclusion, as well as in our process of forgiveness and reconciliation. Pata？jali, in his instructions to yogis talks about kleshas, i.e. impediments or afflictions, which are weakening our way of thinking and acting. These kleshas include ignorance, ego, attachment, aversion, and the clinging to life. I take these kleshas also as afflictions on our way to becoming more human, or as impediments in our process of forgiveness and reconciliation. Finally, I reflect on the human urge to become more human. In our time of globalization, we are challenged to look at this urge from a universal perspective. This urge, bound with an inevitable process of forgiveness and reconciliation, challenges each religion and its dogmatic teaching, and represents the evaluative criterion. The spirituality, or religion, that which promulgates and lives forgiveness and reconciliation will automatically excel because it will succeed, without losing its own identity, to integrate and include otherness of the other.

Forgiveness education in fibromyalgia: A qualitative inquiry

The purpose of this qualitative study was to assess perspectives on the acceptability and the potential applicability of a forgiveness education in patients with fibromyalgia. The concept and tools of forgiveness were presented to thirteen women (age: 40 - 54 years) with a previous diagnosis of fibromyalgia. Subjects participated in 1 of 2 focus groups following a 90-minute education session in which forgiveness was presented as an emotion-focused coping strategy to deal with interpersonal stressors. Qualitative assessment of focus group discussions reveals 3 themes: 1) forgiveness is healthy and reduces pain, 2) forgiveness is within a patient’s personal control, and 3) forgiveness education is similar to other types of patient education and is well received. Our results suggest that forgiveness education is acceptable and feasible in patients with fibromyalgia. This justifies further exploration of forgiveness as an emotion-focused self- management strategy to decrease psychological distress.

Gender Differences in Quality of Attachment to God, Forgiveness, Altruism, and Mental Health in College and Seminary School Students

The aim of the current study was to investigate gender differences in quality of attachment to God, forgiveness, altruism and mental health in college and seminary school students as well. To fulfil the stated goal 993 individuals were selected by means of stratified sampling procedures and the following measures were distributed among them： Muslim-Spiritual Attachment Scale, Kin Altruism, Reciprocal Altruism Enright Forgiveness Inventory, and Symptom Checklist-90 Revised. Analysis of data using t test revealed significant differences between male and female students （/9 〈 0.01）. Moreover, data indicated that interpersonal sensitivity was higher in male students while somatization complains was higher among female students. Analysis of data showed that quality of secure attachment in female students were higher than male students （P 〈 0.01）. Moreover, female students were higher in altruism, especially in domain of compassion （P 〈 0.05）. In addition female students were higher in perceiving God as a Safe Haven and providing them with comfort and tranquility. Moreover, females students were higher in altruism （p 〈 0.05）, and forgiveness （p 〈 0.01）. The analysis of data revealed that female students were higher in the secure attachment to God, sympathy toward others and they scored higher in somatization complain while male students were higher in the interpersonal sensitivity. Theoretical implication and practical application of findings have been discussed in the original paper. Findings in this project were consistent with body of research findings. Theoretical implication and practical usage of the current study was described in the original paper. Data revealed that female student were higher in secure attachment to God, altruism and forgiveness. Showing emotional stability and higher spirituality.

On Forgiveness and Justice＂ The Difficulties of Western Societies in Achieving a Coherent Discourse about Forgiveness＊

Forgiveness plays a main role in transitional justice, it is important to verify how forgiveness is justified by contemporary societies. No contemporary mentality can avoid the intuition that we are facing a reality that seems to belong to the field of religion. Hence, what interests us is precisely the moral consideration of this discussion. Facing the morality of forgiveness, the questions that are raised with respect to each type are： whether it is possible to forgive and whether one should forgive. The inherent contradiction of those who affirm the obligatory nature of forgiveness results in the supererogatory character of forgiveness. If all forgiveness is supererogatory in itself, then all forgiveness is always presented as something undeserved. Thus, we do not have supporting points to embark on a discourse about forgiveness. The result is that our political communities do not really know how to manage situations such as transitional justice.

Uncovering the Mist of Forced Forgetting: On Forgiveness in The Buried Giant

The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro begins with an elderly couple who start a quest for the past memory which disap pears under the spell of the she-dragon Querig.During,individual confrontations and collective revenges work together to disclose the dark secrets that have been withheld.At the same time,it probes into the problem of forgiveness:can forced forgetting enable individuals or collectives forget their dark history for either love or peace?Based on the analysis of the individual and collective memories embodied in the novel,the present paper by virtue of Paul Ricoeur’s theory of abuses of memory,especially forced forget ting exhumes Ishiguro’s critical attitude towards forced forgetting,which ignores the threatening elements of love and peace like vi olent revenge and betrayal.

滨崎步魅惑视听双绝《Forgiveness》盛装上市

流行教主滨崎步魅力再展,化身花精灵,携着她出道第30张单曲《Forgiveness》翩翩而至。在日本,单曲续延了阿步的畅销神话,成为了她个人第17张首日便登上Oricon冠军宝座的单曲。《Forgiveness》对滨崎步个人而言是一张意义非常的作品,因此ayu希望能有全新突破。除了亲自创作歌词之外,她亦希望在唱片主题方面带来一些新构思,结果就想到了这个以“向地球道歉”作为主题的新意念。ayu指全碟均有着一种告白,忏悔的意思,她希望乐迷们明白到人类的愚昧,然后及时行善!对于这个题材,ayu也担心年轻一辈能否接受得来,于是便在作词时花尽心思,尽量在歌词中加入一些大家都能有共鸣的要素,令到乐迷们能够感受到其歌曲的主旨!

Forgiveness Boosts Health;Effect Varies with Age

古谚云,人难免错误,宽恕别人是神圣的。但是,据知,宽恕他人者之身心能获益匪浅。现在研究人员报告称,这种健康受益似乎随年龄的变化而变化,且与宽恕他人、宽恕自己和感受上帝的宽恕的意愿有关。

The Interweaving of Native Culture and Traditional Healing Practices in the Treatment of Trauma Lessons Learned

The premise of this abstract focuses on lessons learned as a clinician through the process of being invited into the homes, lives and stories of trauma and incredible resilience for native survivors of Indian residential schools. Through the process of unravelling stories of past trauma with a view to recovery/freedom from symptoms, meaningful therapy requires the weaving together of traditional beliefs and practices with trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy approaches. Culturally, the relevant treatment respects traditional beliefs and focuses on their innate resiliency historically within their culture. As a clinician invited intimately through the therapeutic relationship into the lives of First Nations abuse survivors, the healing power of cultural identity was discovered along them. Similarly, the author＇s role as therapist was one of teachers, who guided them through the process of telling their stories to the peace and acceptance utilizing therapeutic techniques from an eclectic spectrum of therapeutic approaches. All the while, it should interweave their stories and native beliefs into the therapy journey. It was a process of co-creating healing through a mutual respect of the shared roles as guide, teacher, story teller and healer. Culturally, the relevant psychotherapy requires the weaving of two world views to create a basket of healing.

Rational Drug Delineation: A Global Sensitivity Approach Based on Therapeutic Tolerability to Deviations in Execution

Noncompliance to therapeutic regimen is a real public health problem with tremendous socioeconomic consequences. Instead of direct intervention to patients, which can add extra burden to the already overloaded health system, alternative strategies oriented to drugs’ own properties turns to be more appealing. The aim of this study was establish a rational way to delineate drugs in terms of their “forgiveness”, based on drugs PK/PD properties. A global sensitivity analysis has been performed to identify the most sensitive parameters to dose omissions. A Comparative Drug Forgiveness Index (CDFI), to rank the drugs in terms of their tolerability to non compliance, has been proposed. The index was applied to a number of calcium channel blockers, namely benidipine, nivaldipine, manidipine and felodipine. Using the calculation, benedipine and manidipine showed the best performance among those considered. This result is in accordance with what has been previously reported. The classification method developed here proved to be a powerful quantitative way to delineate drugs in terms of their forgiveness and provides a complementary decision rule for clinical and experimental studies.

宽恕如何可能?——关于《密阳》的神学反思

"在我宽恕他之前,上帝怎能赦免他的罪?"这是韩国电影《密阳》(Secret Sunshine,2007)~①中,爱子惨遭杀害的母亲对"上帝的宽恕"发出的质问。这个尖锐的问题触及了现时代有关信仰和宽恕的痛处。在此方面,我们面临双重危机:既是无信仰、无宽恕的危机,也是有信仰和宽恕的危机。如果说,无信仰、无宽恕是物质主义让精神花园荒漠化的后果,那么,信仰和宽恕的危机,很多时候也正是物质主义的荒漠所滋生的海市蜃楼——原教旨主义——的危机。原教旨主义的狂热与物质主义的狂热针锋相对。

Forgive for Good Health

They say to forgive is divine.It may be good for your health,too,research-ers report. [初译]俗话说,宽容是神圣的美德。研究表明,宽容同样有益身心健康。 [改译]常言说,宽容乃圣德。研究表明,宽容有益健康。 [小析]鲁迅先生在《答北斗杂志社问》中曾经说过:写完之后,至少看两遍,竭力将可有可无的字、句、段删去。是否可以改为:“译”完之后……。 The results of a new study suggest that people with forgiving natures mayhave lower blood pressure than less forgiving folks. [初译]最新科研显示,宽厚仁慈者比狭隘苛刻者的血压更低。