Forgiveness And Psychological Well-Being Among Adolescents: Cognitive And Emotional Dynamics In Post-Suicide Attempt Recovery

Abstract

Recovery after a suicide attempt in adolescence is not adequately described by the absence of a subsequent attempt. It also involves rebuilding emotional stability, self-evaluation, relationships, meaning, and the capacity to engage with life. This integrative review examines forgiveness as a potentially relevant process within that broader recovery trajectory, with particular attention to cognitive and emotional mechanisms linking forgiveness to psychological well-being. Peer-reviewed literature on adolescent suicidality, recovery, forgiveness, self-forgiveness, cognitive appraisal, emotion regulation, and psychological well-being was integrated through a targeted conceptual review. The literature suggests three related pathways. First, cognitive change may occur when adolescents move from rigid self-condemnation, global negative beliefs, and repetitive rumination toward more differentiated appraisals of the suicidal crisis and the events surrounding it. Second, emotional recovery may involve tolerating painful affect, reducing persistent anger and shame, and developing more adaptive emotion-regulation strategies. Third, forgiveness of self, others, or uncontrollable situations may support well-being when it emerges voluntarily and is distinguished from excusing harm, forced reconciliation, or premature closure. Evidence directly testing forgiveness among adolescents after a suicide attempt remains limited; therefore, forgiveness should be considered a plausible adjunctive recovery process rather than an established suicide-specific treatment. Clinical application should remain embedded within evidence-based suicide care, including safety planning, risk monitoring, family involvement when appropriate, and treatments with empirical support for suicidal adolescents. The review proposes a cognitive-emotional framework in which forgiveness may contribute to psychological well-being by reducing maladaptive rumination and self-condemnation while supporting emotional regulation, self-acceptance, relational repair, and renewed meaning.