Predicting students’ psychological well-being based on forgiveness and meaning in life: the mediating role of positive and negative affects

AuthorsSadoughi, M., & Hesampour, F.
JournalJournal of Modern Psychological Researches
Paper TypeFull Paper
Published At2018
Journal GradeISI
Journal TypeTypographic
Journal CountryIran, Islamic Republic Of

Abstract

Abstract

As two important virtues, forgiveness and meaning in life enhance mental health and have received much importance by researchers in positive psychology. The present descriptive, correlational study aimed to predict students’ psychological well-being based on forgiveness and meaning in life by considering the mediating role of positive and negative affects. To this end, 377 students from the University of Kashan, Iran, were selected through multi-stage sampling and filled out Steger Meaning in life Questionnaire, Ehteshamzadeh et al. Interpersonal forgiveness scale, Positive & Negative affect Schedule (PANAS) and Ryff psychological well-being Questionnaire. The data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling in Amos (version 22). The results showed that forgiveness and meaning in life could significantly predict students’ psychological well-being; moreover, positive and negative affect have a mediating role in the relationship between forgiveness, and meaning in life with psychological well-being. Considering the modeling indices, it could be argued that the proposed model has a good fitness, and it has good agreement with the empirical data. In this model, all regression weights are statistically significant, and predictor variables could explain .77 of the variance of psychological well-being.The implication is that positive and negative affects could be increased, leading to students’ psychological well-being, by enhancing students’ forgiveness and meaning in life.

Keywords: forgiveness and meaning in life, psychological well-being, positive and negative affects

Full Paper