Dr. Carl Thoresen and Dr. Fred Luskin, Stanford University
This work studies five modes of forgiveness training. It also evaluates gender differences in attitudes and willingness regarding forgiveness, with the goal of making forgiveness possible for men and women.

From a decade-old grudge against the third-grade bully to deep-seated rage against a cheating spouse, millions of Americans harbor long-term grievances.

Now, Dr. Carl Thoresen, a professor at Stanford University, and his colleague, Dr. Fred Luskin, are exploring whether the unresolved anger that blights many people's lives can be alleviated with the help of an age-old concept - forgiveness.

After 25 years working with "Type A" personalities - people who are characterized by impatience, being quick to anger and a harboring of hostility - Thoresen had seen for himself over and over the physical and psychological benefits that forgiveness can bring.

So, five years ago, Thoresen teamed up with Luskin, the author of a highly-structured psychological treatment program that teaches adults about forgiveness. Together, the pair launched a comprehensive research project: The Stanford Forgiveness Study.

Working with almost 200 participants aged 25 to 50 who have unresolved feelings of hurt or hostility, Thoresen and Luskin will assign participants randomly to one of five treatment groups or a control group. Each group will receive a different level of forgiveness training during an eight week period with time devoted to sharing their forgiveness experiences.

As well as evaluating the impact of forgiveness trainings on these groups, the Stanford study takes a bold step into uncharted territory: the impact of gender on forgiveness. By ascertaining whether men or women are more likely to forgive, and whether men and women regard forgiveness differently, the researchers hope to learn how to make forgiveness accessible to both genders.

Thoresen and Luskin hope the impact of their work will be preventative as well as therapeutic. "It's our hope that family and school violence, including shootings, road rage, gang violence and workplace conflict will be diminished - if not avoided - if more people understand the role that forgiveness can play in interpersonal relations," says Thoresen, "It takes courage and commitment to act in a more forgiving fashion. It's not at all a sign of weakness but a mark of strength."

Dr. Carl Thoresen is a professor of Education, Psychology and Psychiatry at Stanford University. Dr. Fred Luskin is a research associate at the Stanford Center for Research in Disease Prevention.

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