Keywords

Religious commitment, forgiveness, gratitude, Polynesian, Pacific Islanders, well-being, spirituality, mental health, psychology

Abstract

An abundance of research has investigated well-being as it relates to religiosity and character strengths, such as forgiveness and gratitude. However, few studies have investigated how increases in forgiveness and gratitude might explain why religious commitment enhances well-being, particularly for U.S. ethnic/racial minority populations. This study investigated if the character strengths of forgiveness and gratitude mediated the relationship between religious commitment and well-being among Latter-day Saint Polynesian Americans – a fast growing, yet understudied, population. Results indicated that forgiveness and gratitude fully mediated the relationship between religious commitment and self-esteem, and gratitude partially mediated the relationship between religious commitment and satisfaction with life. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Original Publication Citation

Kane, D. K., Allen, G. K., Ming, M., Smith, T. B., Jackson, A. P., Griner, D., Cutrer-Párraga, B., & Richards, P. S. (2021). Forgiveness and gratitude as mediators between religious commitment and well-being among Latter-day Saint Polynesian Americans. Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 24(2), 195-210.https://doi.org/10.1080/13674676.2021.1875205

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

2021

Publisher

Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group

Language

English

College

David O. McKay School of Education

Department

Counseling Psychology and Special Education

University Standing at Time of Publication

Full Professor

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