Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice, Vol 14(3), Sep 2025, 204-220; doi:10.1037/cfp0000260
Processes that occur in romantic relationships can impact both relational and personal well-being. For example, relational hurts big and small are an unfortunate feature of all relationships, and some partners are better at moving on from these offenses than are others. In this study, we used an adult attachment framework to examine self-forgiveness and partner-forgiveness following relational transgressions as mediators between adult attachment and well-being outcomes. In a sample of U.S. adults in a romantic relationship of 1+ year (N = 302), we tested a hypothesized structural equation model in which a positive model of self (low attachment anxiety) predicted personal well-being directly and as mediated by intrapersonal (internal) aspects of self- and partner-forgiveness, and in which a positive model of others (low attachment avoidance) predicted relational well-being directly and as mediated by interpersonal (relational) aspects of self- and partner-forgiveness. Results supported these predictions but also suggested a path from a positive model of others to intrapersonal aspects of partner-forgiveness. Findings suggest that the ability to forgive oneself and one’s partner following relationship transgressions can explain part of the connection between attachment and well-being. Results further suggest the importance of examining both internal and relational aspects of self-forgiveness and partner-forgiveness. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)