Predicting forgiveness based on attachment style, life orientation and self-esteem in high school students

Forgiveness is a motivational and multi-dimensional structure that has long entered into the psychology literature but it is a relatively new topic and has received much attention of psychological approaches, especially positive psychology. We conducted the study on 420 male and female high school students in Evaz city. The data collection instruments included interpersonal forgiveness scale, attachment style inventory, life orientation and the Rosenberg self-esteem scale. Multiple regression analysis showed a direct connection between forgiveness and self-esteem and positive life orientation and there was a significant inverse relationship between forgiveness and ambivalent attachment style and avoidance and negative life orientation (p < .05). The model predicted 19% variance of male's forgiveness and 9% variance of female's forgiveness. Participants with insecure attachment style were less inclined to be forgiving. Using strategies to improve self-esteem and increase attention to the positive side of life in students will be effective to improve their psychological well-being and forgiveness.