The Relationship Between Willingness to Forgive and Health-Related Quality of Life in Older Adults in Portugal and Spain

TL;DR

This study explores how willingness to forgive is linked to better mental health and quality of life in older adults in Portugal and Spain.

Contribution

The study identifies forgiveness as a potential factor influencing mental health and quality of life in elderly populations.

Findings

Willingness to forgive is positively correlated with health-related quality of life in older adults.

The correlation is particularly strong for mental health and is influenced by education, cohabitation, and work activity.

Promoting forgiveness may support active aging and improve emotional health in the elderly.

Abstract

Objectives: To describe, understand, and correlate willingness to forgive with self-perceived health-related quality of life, including the components of quality of physical health and mental health. Methods: Conducted with 30 older individuals, ≥65 years old, with preserved cognitive abilities, literacy ≥ four years of education, living in Portugal and Spain. The 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12) was used to assess self-perceived health-related quality of life, and the Heartland Forgiveness Scale (HFS) was used to measure willingness to forgive. Results: There was a direct positive correlation between willingness to forgive and perception of health-related quality of life, especially for the mental health component, educational level, cohabitation, and work activity. Conclusions: Forgiveness could play a significant role in the emotional health and quality of life of the elderly. Strategies to develop forgiveness can benefit the active aging process, contributing to improved health-related quality of life in older individuals.