TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2012//
TI  - The potential of forgiveness as a response for coping with negative peer experiences
JO  - Journal of Adolescence
A1  - Flanagan, Kelly S.
A1  - Vanden Hoek, Kristin K.
A1  - Ranter, Jennifer M.
A1  - Reich, Holly A.
SP  - 1215
EP  - 1223
VL  - 35
IS  - 5
N2  - Coping strategies employed by adolescents in response to negative peer experiences are related to their adjustment. This study examines the potential of forgiveness as a coping response for negative peer experiences in early adolescence. Participants were 616 6th through 8th grade students at a middle school (46% girls) who completed self-report measures of bullying and victimization experiences, general coping strategies in response to bullying, social anxiety, self-esteem, and a measure of forgiveness to a self-identified experience of being bullied or hurt by a peer. Forgiveness was positively associated with conflict resolution, advice and support seeking strategies, and negatively associated with revenge seeking. Forgiveness was also positively associated with concurrent self-esteem and negatively associated with social anxiety. Further, forgiveness was related to social anxiety and self-esteem after accounting for bullying behavior and victimization experiences, general coping responses, and gender. Developmental considerations of forgiveness and implications for this response are considered.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0140-1971
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2012.04.004
ID  - ref1
ER  -