Title : Forgiveness as a psychological resource for healthy aging: An integrative conceptual model and a multidimensional assessment framework
Abstract:
Enhancing quality of life in the context of longevity has become a major priority in Contemporary interdisciplinary research. Scientific attention has progressively shifted from models primarily emphasizing biological and functional decline toward identifying and fostering the psychological resources that enable optimal functioning in later life. In this context, although psychological resilience has become a central focus of research on healthy aging, the role of forgiveness in promoting mental health has received considerably less scholarly attention. This imbalance is noteworthy, given that forgiveness is increasingly recognized as a key psychological resource that facilitates adaptation to losses, changes in social roles, and major life transitions that accompany aging. Within the broader biopsychosocial framework of aging, a key priority for psychology is to move beyond approaches predominantly focused on biological survival and physical functioning toward the identification and cultivation of psychological resources that promote healthy aging. Among these resources, forgiveness, psychological well-being, and meaning in life have emerged as fundamental dimensions of human functioning. Despite accumulating evidence linking forgiveness to enhanced emotional self-regulation, greater psychological flexibility, and lower levels of anxiety, it remains one of the least investigated psychological resources in the context of healthy aging. This presentation aims to examine the potential role of forgiveness in promoting healthy aging and longevity while introducing an original integrative conceptual model that explains the psychological pathways through which forgiveness may influence successful aging. Based on this theoretical framework, the instrument was not specifically developed for older adults, but it provides a foundation for future studies investigating forgiveness in aging populations. The proposed model provides a theoretical framework for future empirical research and suggests new directions for psychological interventions to promote resilience, psychological well-being, and healthy aging. The presentation discusses potential applications in psychotherapy, positive psychology, and gerontological research, highlighting forgiveness as a promising yet underutilized psychological resource for supporting longevity and quality of life.
