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Review Article Volume 17 Issue 3
Is forgiveness a derivative of resentment?
G Breslavs, O Paramonova
Received: March 18, 2026 | Published: May 29, 2026
Citation: Breslavs G, Paramonova O. Is forgiveness a derivative of resentment? J Psychol Clin Psychiatry. 2026;17(3):106-111. DOI: 10.15406/jpcpy.2026.17.00861
Abstract
It is difficult to overstate the role of resentment and forgiveness in people’s real lives. These phenomena influence all our interpersonal relationships, especially the closest ones. At the same time, much about them remains unclear. This study aims to identify the characteristics of these phenomena, their similarities and differences, as well as their connection to subjective well-being, which is one of the most widely used indicators of happiness. The findings suggest a certain degree of overlap between the concepts of resentment and forgiveness, but also point to significant differences between them. In particular, forgiveness implies a much stronger desire to forgive the offender, as well as a belief in the offender’s remorse, a belief in their good intentions, and a belief that the offense was unintentional. The results of the correlational study showed the expected negative association between resentment and subjective well-being, and a positive association with unhappiness. However, no link was found between resentment and physical or mental health issues, nor were any positive associations found between forgiveness and well-being. These findings, as well as the new methodology for assessing resentment and forgiveness, require further investigation.
Keywords: resentment (unforgiveness), forgiveness, dispositional forgiveness, emotional forgiveness, subjective well-being
©2026 Breslavs, et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and build upon your work non-commercially.