The Relationship Among Resilience, Forgiveness, and Anger Expression in Adolescents PDF
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The University of Maine DigitalCommons@UMaine Electronic Theses and Dissertations Fogler Library 5-2006 The Relationship Among Resilience, Forgiveness, and Anger Expression in Adolescents Mauren A. Anderson Follow this and additional works at:http://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/etd Part of theChild Psychology Commons,Educational Psychology Commons, and theSchool Psychology Commons Recommended Citation Anderson, Mauren A., "The Relationship Among Resilience, Forgiveness, and Anger Expression in Adolescents" (2006).Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 416. http://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/etd/416 This Open-Access Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UMaine. THE RELATIONSHIP AMONG RESILIENCE, FORGIVEIVESS, AND ANGER EXPRESSION IN ADOLESCENTS BY Maureen A. Anderson B.A. Rhode Island College, 1966 M.Ed. Rhode Island College, 1976 C.A.S. University of Maine, 1999 A THESIS Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education (in Counselor Education) The Graduate School The University of Maine May, 2006 Advisory Committee: Dorothy Breen, Associate Professor of Counselor Education, Thesis Advisor Marc Baranowski Associate Professor of Human Development Theodore Coladarci, Professor of Education William Davis, Professor of Education Constance Perry, Professor of Education Copyright 2006 Maureen A. Anderson THE RELATIONSHIP AMONG RESILIENCE, FORGIVENESS, AND ANGER EXPRESSION IN ADOLESCENTS By Maureen A. Anderson Thesis Advisor: Dr. Dorothy Breen An Abstract of the Thesis Presented in Partial Fullillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education (in Counselor Education) May, 2006 This study was designed to investigate and describe the relationship among resilience, forgiveness and anger expression in adolescents. The purpose of the study was to explore whether certain adolescent resiliencies significantly related to positive or negative affective, behavioral, or cognitive levels of forgiveness and certain types of anger expression in adolescents. This study also investigated whether there were certain adolescent resiliencies and types of forgiveness that can predict lower levels of negative anger expression in adolescents. This research was built on two conceptual models: Wolin and Wolin's (1993) Challenge Model and the Forgiveness Process Model (Enright & Human Development Study Group, 1991). It was based on a quantitative, single-subject correlational research design. A multiple regression analysis was also used to explore possible effects of resilience and forgiveness on anger expression in adolescents. In addition, two demographic variables, Age and Gender, were examined for possible effects on anger expression. Data were gathered from a convenience sample sample of 70 students in three Maine public high schools using three separate assessment instruments: the Adolescent Resiliency Attitudes Scale (ARAS), the Adolescent Version of the Enright Forgiveness Inventory (EFI), and the Adolescent Anger Rating Scale (AARS). Correlational analyses were done on the scales and subscales of these surveys. Significant relationships were found between several adolescent resiliencies and forms of forgiveness as well as between some adolescent resiliencies and types of anger expression. The data indicated that Total Resiliency significantly correlated with Total Forgiveness as well as Total Anger. The findings also identified particular adolescent resiliencies that significantly predicted types of anger expression, while forgiveness did not predict types of anger expression. The data revealed that Age and Gender had no significant affect on anger expression. These findings suggest that the constructs of adolescent resilience and forgiveness have commonalities that can influence how adolescents express anger, and further suggest that intervention and prevention programs expand their focus to incorporate forgiveness skills. The findings from this study can provide critical information to counselors, therapists, and other helping professionals working with adolescents, on approaches to designing and implementing therapy modalities or developmental school guidance programs for adolescents. DEDICATION In memory of my parents Jeremiah J. & Mary A. Harrington and To all my former students who taught me the meaning of resilience and forgiveness. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Every doctoral student should have a committee as wonderful as mine. There are no words that can adequately express my gratitude and appreciation to "The Fantastic Five". Dorothy, not only were you my advisor and committee chair, you were, and are, a fiiend. Thank you for your constant support. Connie, thank you for your unwavering faith and confidence in me. Ted, your patience with me throughout my statistically challenged "epiphanies" went above and beyond the call of duty. You deserve a medal. Bill, your meticulous feedback and your wonderful sense of humor were special gifts that I will always treasure. And Marc, your thoughthlness, words of wisdom, and your availability during your sabbatical, meant a great deal to me. I am indebted to all of you. A very special thank you must go to Dr. Robert Enright for granting me permission to use copyrighted material and answering my many, many queries. Also, a special thank you to Dr. Belinda Biscoe for your prompt emails and telephone calls in response to my, yes, many, many queries. I am thankful to have some great colleagues in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Maine. A very special thank you to Diane Jackson. You have been a continual resource of inspiration, advice, helpful tips, encouragement and "gambare" for me throughout this journey. To Deb, Elena, Tamara, Pam, Barb, Toni, Cathy, Don and Mike, what a trip we've had!! Some of you have finished. For those of you still on the journey, enjoy the ride. The final destination is well worth the many potholes and frost heaves encountered along the way. To Becky, Phyllis, Theresa, Arlene and Cindy, thank you for taking care of all the little details. You made my life run so much more smoothly. Thank you Mike, Karen, Anne and Shannon for all your help. Even though your plates (platters?) were full to overflowing, you went the extra distance for me. Thank you Gayle Anderson for being so accessible and helping me jump through all those IRB hoops. I am blessed with some wonderful friends who have supported me in so many ways. To the GG's: Cyndy, Cecile, Mary and Grace, thank you for all the laughs we have shared over the years. You are true friends in every sense of the word. To Vicky and the gals in the Tuesday Morning Bible Study, thank you for your genuineness, sincerity, warmth and prayers. I have learned so much from all of you. To my "sisters", Kathy and Glennis, a very special thank you for being there even when I was not. I don't know what I did to deserve such wonderful, praying women in my life, but I am so grateful that God saw fit to bless me with your friendship. You have been so patient and unwavering in your support these many years. I am honored to know you. To Marilyn, who would have thought that my son's mother-in-law would become such a wonderful friend and cheerleader? I'll never forget our talks into the wee hours of the night. Thank you for your generosity of home and heart. To Karen, my other "sister", the miles may separate us but your love and care is ever present. You have taught me so much and given so much of yourself to me. There is no way I can ever repay all you have done, and continue to do, for me. You are the most selfless person I know, a genuine model of resilience and forgiveness. Without my family, I could not have begun and completed this journey. To my big brother, John, and sister-in-law, Jean. Thank you so much for your wise counsel during my turbulent adolescent years. You always made time to listen to me, no matter how busy or tired you were. Every teenager should have a John and Jean in their life. To, my sons, Liam and Owen, thank you for seeing my fbture before I could. You always had such faith that the sky was the limit. I also want to thank you both for marrying such wonderful young ladies, who happen to be teachers. I always knew you were smart guys. Becky and Liaq you are gifts to me. I could not have asked for two better daughters-in-law. Thank you for your willingness to listen and, more importantly, to hear me. To Ellie Isabel, my precious granddaughter, you came into this world as I began writing chapter two. How special that I finished chapter five on your first birthday! What a wonderful Godsend you were during those many long days of writing! To my husband, Steve, I could never have done this without your support and encouragement. Thank you for all the computer help; you saved that piece of machinery fiom being thrown out the window on numerous occasions. For your patience, longsuffering, endurance, understanding, and especially those wonderful adjustments I will always love you. Last, but not least, to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In 1976, You planted the seed of a dream in my heart. It was a dream that I never could foresee coming to fruition. But, You have given me the desire of my heart. I hope I have made You proud. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS ... .............................................................................. DEDICATION ..ill ................................................................... ACKNOWLEDGMENTS iv ........................................................................... ... LIST OF TABLES mu Chapter ............................................................................ 1. INTRODUCTION 1 .............................................................................. Background 1 .............................................................. The Purposes of the Study 7 .................................................................. Goal of the Study 10 ............................................................ The Rationale for the Study 10 .................................................................... Research Questions 15 ........................................................................ Age and Gender 15 . . ................................................................ Operational Defhtion 16 ....................................................................... Chapter Summary 18 ................................................................. . 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 20 . . .............................................................................. Resilience -20 ........................................................ The History of Resilience 20 ............................................. Resilience and Positive Psychology 24 . . ........................................................................... Defimtions 26 .......................................................... Theoretical Perspectives 31 . . ....................................................... Internal Reshency Factors 33
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