Examining the impact of forgiveness on suicidality among college student problematic drinkers: The mediating role of depression, hopelessness, and psychache.

Abstract

Objective: To explore how forgiveness relates to psychological distress and suicidality among college student problematic drinkers. Participants: 383 college students (ages 18 to 25). Methods: Participants provided demographic information and completed self-report questionnaires. Data was analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics, including Hayes PROCESS macro for testing indirect effects. Results: Psychache, but not depression or hopelessness, significantly played an indirect role in the relationship between forgiveness and suicidality. Higher levels of each of forgiveness of self and of uncontrollable situations were associated with lower levels of psychache and in turn lower levels of suicidality. Conversely, forgiveness of others was linked to higher levels of psychache and suicidality. Conclusions: These results underscore the complexity of the relationship between forgiveness, psychological distress, and suicidality, emphasizing the importance of targeted interventions. Further research is needed to investigate the underlying mechanisms driving the adverse effects of forgiveness of others.