The Role of Forgiveness in Conflict Resolution and Relationship Satisfaction in Romantic Relationships

Abstract

Forgiveness is one of the factors of coping with conflict and forming long-term romantic satisfaction, especially for college students. This qualitative study examines subtle effects of the conditional and unconditional forgiveness (of partners and others) as an input to the conflict style and relationship satisfaction. It also describes the mechanism of the mediating role exercised by these variables, personality traits and affective attachment repertory. Using thematic analysis, the current study dissects the lived experiences of participants to specify the dynamics of forgiveness, highlighting forgiveness’ evidence as fostering the process of emotional restoration and as maintaining relational bonds. Controlling for gender, level of education, cultural ethnicity, environmental, socio-economic conditions, the current study makes an attempt at offering an ethologically and multidimensionally meaningful view of forgiveness in romantic relations, and taking into consideration that prior relational experiences may act as extraneous variables.