The Relationship Among Resilience, Forgiveness, and Anger Expression in Adolescents

225 Pages·2016·6.35 MB·English

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
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Anderson, Mauren A., "The Relationship Among Resilience, Forgiveness, and Anger Expression in Adolescents" (2006).Electronic
Theses and Dissertations. 416.
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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