Bibliography of Narrative Reviews and Meta-Analyses on Forgiveness (2004–2018)

The science of forgiveness continues to proliferate. In this chapter, we summarize narrative reviews and meta-analyses published after the first edition of the Handbook of Forgiveness (Worthington, 2005). A total of 22 narrative reviews and 17 meta-analyses were collected. We organized the retained records into five domains: (a) conceptualization and measurement, (b) individual and personality differences, (c) health and well-being, (d) dyads, organizations, and societies, and (e) clinical intervention. Findings indicated that forgiveness is a complex, multi-dimensional response to a perceived transgression that occurs within interrelated offense-specific, individual, interpersonal, and collective contexts. Whereas a large body of research has accrued on the description, prediction, and manipulation of forgiving others, investigators are only beginning to explore topics including self-forgiveness and inter-group forgiveness. We conclude this chapter by offering an omnibus model of forgiveness and a brief research agenda.