Meditative prayer, hope, adult attachment, and forgiveness: A proposed model.

Abstract

The present study tested a theoretical model of the relationship between meditative prayer and interpersonal forgiveness with hope and adult attachment as mediator variables. Results supported the proposed multiple mediation model as determined by multiple measures of model fit with the data. Significant direct effects were observed between meditative prayer and hope, hope and adult attachment, and adult attachment and forgiveness. A significant total indirect effect was found between meditative prayer and forgiveness. A significant specific indirect effect was also observed between meditative prayer and adult attachment with hope as the mediator, and between hope and forgiveness with adult attachment as a mediator. The concept of affect regulation is proposed as a possible unifying mechanism of the variables in the proposed model and implications are discussed in terms of existing literature and promoting interpersonal forgiveness in counseling.