| This study examined the efficacy of forgiveness therapy (FT) as an intervention with the adolescent delinquent population that has been hurt by interpersonal transgressions. This study investigated the effectiveness of forgiveness as a clinical intervention in increasing forgiveness of others and reducing disruptive behaviors in the adolescent delinquent population. The forgiveness intervention used in this study is based on the process model developed by Enright and the Human Development Study Group. The research addressed the following questions: Does forgiveness enhance psychological well-being? How can forgiveness be utilized with this population? Participants with a diagnosis of conduct disorder (CD) or oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) from a residential facility for adolescents were recruited and assigned to complete the forgiveness treatment at the residential facility. This study involved the implementation of a 15-week group intervention designed to increase forgiveness of others and decrease externalizing behavioral disorders, such as CD and ODD. Forgiveness was measured using the Enright Forgiveness Inventory (EFI Enright, Rique, & Coyle, 2000). Disruptive behavioral disorders were assessed using the Personality Inventory for Youth (PIY Lachar & Gruber, 1994) and the Devereux Scales of Mental Disorder (DSMD Naglieri, LeBuffe, & Pfeiffer, 1994). Results indicated that the forgiveness intervention was effective in increasing forgiveness in the participants as well as decreasing disruptive behaviors. Scores on forgiveness improved significantly between pre- and posttesting, (t(6) = 4.12, p < 0.05). Results also indicated significant differences were found in the posttreatment score (t(6) = 8.36, p < 0.01) compared to the pretreatment on the PIY delinquency scale. Scores on externalizing behaviors decreased significantly between pre- and posttesting (t (6) = 8.47, p < 0.01). Therefore, forgiveness can be utilized as a clinical intervention to reduce externalizing behaviors. |
