View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by University of Kentucky University of Kentucky UKnowledge Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, Educational, School, and Counseling and Counseling Psychology Psychology 2011 AN EXAMINATION OF THE PROCESS OF FORGIVENESS AND THE RELATIONSHIP AMONG STATE FORGIVENESS, SELF- COMPASSION, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING EXPERIENCED BY BUDDHISTS IN THE UNITED STATES Masami Matsuyuki University of Kentucky, [email protected] Right click to open a feedback form in a new tab to let us know how this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Matsuyuki, Masami, "AN EXAMINATION OF THE PROCESS OF FORGIVENESS AND THE RELATIONSHIP AMONG STATE FORGIVENESS, SELF-COMPASSION, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING EXPERIENCED BY BUDDHISTS IN THE UNITED STATES" (2011). Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology. 1. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/edp_etds/1 This Doctoral Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact [email protected]. STUDENT AGREEMENT: I represent that my thesis or dissertation and abstract are my original work. Proper attribution has been given to all outside sources. I understand that I am solely responsible for obtaining any needed copyright permissions. I have obtained and attached hereto needed written permission statements(s) from the owner(s) of each third-party copyrighted matter to be included in my work, allowing electronic distribution (if such use is not permitted by the fair use doctrine). 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Masami Matsuyuki, Student Dr. Pam Remer, Major Professor Dr. Rory Remer, Director of Graduate Studies AN EXAMINATION OF THE PROCESS OF FORGIVENESS AND THE RELATIONSHIP AMONG STATE FORGIVENESS, SELF-COMPASSION, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING EXPERIENCED BY BUDDHISTS IN THE UNITED STATES ____________________________________ DISSERTATION _____________________________________ A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the Requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the College of Education at the University of Kentucky By Masami Matsuyuki Lexington, Kentucky Co-Directors: Dr. Pam Remer, Associate Professor of Counseling Psychology and Dr. Rory Remer, Professor of Counseling Psychology Lexington, Kentucky 2011 Copyright© Masami Matsuyuki 2011 ABSTARACT OF DISSERTATION AN EXAMINATION OF THE PROCESS OF FORGIVENESS AND THE RELATIONSHIP AMONG STATE FORGIVENESS, SELF-COMPASSION, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING EXPERIENCED BY BUDDHISTS IN THE UNITED STATES The purpose of this study was to investigate the process of forgiveness and the relationship among state forgiveness, self-compassion, and psychological well-being experienced by Buddhists in the United States. An integral feminist framework was developed for this mixed-method study. For the quantitative component of this study, a convenience sample of 112 adults completed an online survey. Multiple regression analysis was performed to examine: (a) the impact of gender, age, and the years spent in Buddhist practice on state forgiveness and self-compassion; (b) the outcome of psychological well-being in relation to state forgiveness and self-compassion; and (c) self-compassion as a mediator for the relationship between state forgiveness and psychological well-being. Quantitative results indicated: (a) state forgiveness positively predicted psychological well-being; (b) the years spent in Buddhist practice positively predicted self-compassion; (c) self- compassion positively predicted psychological well-being; and (d) self-compassion partially mediated the relationship between state forgiveness and psychological well- being. Age did not predict any of the three primary variables. Gender did not predict state forgiveness. For the qualitative component of this study, this researcher purposefully selected four adults from a local Buddhist community in central Kentucky and conducted two in- depth interviews to explore their subjective experiences of forgiveness within their own contexts. A holistic-content narrative analysis revealed unique features of each interviewee’s forgiveness process interwoven with the socio-cultural, family and relational contexts. From a phenomenological analysis, common themes and elements of the interviewees’ forgiveness processes emerged. Qualitative findings corresponded to the quantitative results concerning state forgiveness as a route to psychological well- being, the positive relationship between Buddhist practice and compassion, and the role of self-compassion in the relationship between state forgiveness and psychological well- being. Qualitative findings also suggested the following. First, two-way compassion toward self and the offender was a facilitating factor for forgiveness that may be unique to Buddhists. Second, one’s actual experience of forgiveness may encompass not only cognitive, affective, and behavioral changes, but also transformation of self and perspective on meaning and purpose in life. Third, Enright and his colleagues’ (1998) stage and process models of forgiveness were useful to understand Buddhists’ experiences and processes of forgiveness. KEYWORDS: Forgiveness, Self-Compassion, Psychological Well-Being, Buddhists, Mixed-Method Feminist Research Masami Matsuyuki____________________ Student’s Signature November 11, 2011___________________ Date AN EXAMINATION OF THE PROCESS OF FORGIVENESS AND THE RELATIONSHIP AMONG STATE FORGIVENESS, SELF-COMPASSION, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING EXPERIENCED BY BUDDHISTS IN THE UNITED STATES By Masami Matsuyuki Pam Remer, Ph.D._____________________ Co-Director of Dissertation Rory Remer, Ph.D.____________________ Co-Director of Dissertation Rory Remer, Ph.D.____________________ Director of Graduate Studies November 11, 2011____________________ Date Acknowledgements I want to thank my committee, Dr. Pam Remer, Dr. Rory Remer, Dr. Sharon Rostosky, Dr. Beth Goldstein, and Dr. Jean Wiese, for their continuous support throughout my unusually long dissertation process. They all let me count on their expertise in different areas and helped me to grow as a researcher. Special thanks to Pam for chairing the committee and allowing me to pursue the topic about which I feel passionate and to Rory for co-chairing the committee and providing me with the guidance and encouragement that I needed to push through the hard times. I also want to thank Dr. Lee Blonder for her service as the outside examiner. I want to thank several psychologists who also contributed to the inception and completion of this dissertation. Dr. Lise DeShea taught me how to use statistics as a tool, introduced me to the field of forgiveness research, and assisted me to obtain the funding for this study. Dr. Judith Broadus helped me to solicit participants for this study. Dr. Vincent Dummer lent me his office to conduct the interviews in private. Dr. Geraldo Lima and Dr. Jeeseon Park-Saltzman were available for consultation when I was finalizing the research design for the quantitative component and when I was deciding how to present the qualitative findings, respectively. I appreciate their mentorship. This dissertation was made possible by the Aryle & Ellen Turner Thacker Endowment Fund for Dissertation Research and by the participants who took their time and shared their personal experiences with me. I appreciate their support. Also, I am grateful to my family and friends whose love and generosity sustained me through my dissertation process. Special thanks to the members of the Wilber/Integral Study Group, Dr. Jutta Kausch, Dr. Gordon Liddle, and my beloved husband, Jim Robertson. iii Table of Contents Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................... iii List of Tables ..................................................................................................................... x List of Figures ................................................................................................................... xi Chapter One: Introduction .............................................................................................. 1 Psychology of Forgiveness ........................................................................................... 1 Concern 1: Definitions of forgiveness ...................................................................