Forgiveness Boosts Health

    To err is human and to forgive divine, according to the old adage, but humans who forgive are known to experience significant physical and mental health benefits from doing so. Now researchers report that these beneficial health effects appear to vary by age, along with the willingness to forgive others, the willingness to forgive oneself. ``Taken together, our findings emphasize that forgiveness is a multidimensional phenomenon,'' write study lead author Dr. Loren L. Toussaint of the University of Michigan and colleagues. ``There are age differences in some forms of forgiveness and in their relationship to health.''

　俗話說"人孰能無過，寬恕為上"，最近一項試驗表明寬恕別人還能夠有效促進人們自身的身心健康。研究者發現，不同年齡的人對人對己的寬容程度都不同，不同程度的寬容之心對健康的影響也不同。該研究主筆美國密歇根大學的洛倫·L·圖森特博士和他的同事們在研究報告中寫道："總之，我們發現寬容是一種非常復雜的現象。不同年齡段的人寬容之心是不一樣的，其對健康的影響程度也有所不同。"　

  Their conclusions are based on survey responses from more than 1,400 adults during a 5-month study period. In general, young adults (18-44 years) reported that they were less likely to forgive others than middle-aged (45-64)  and older adults (65 and older).

他們是在對1400名成年人進行了為期5個月的調查后才得出這個結論的。總的來說，18至44歲的年輕人在寬容他人方面遠不如45至64歲的中年人和65歲以上的老年人。

   Among survey participants of all ages, however, reports of forgiveness of themselves and others were associated with  decreased psychological distress, including feelings of   restlessness, hopelessness and nervousness.  Further, young adults who reported high levels of  self-forgiveness were more likely to be satisfied with their lives, whereas middle age and older adults who reported high levels of forgiveness of others were more likely to report  increased life satisfaction.      
       各個年齡段的被調查者在對他人和對自己寬容以待的時候，往往會減輕自己的心理壓力，例如減少自己煩躁、絕望和緊張等情緒。 此外，研究還表明，寬容待己的年輕人對自己的生活現狀一般比較滿意，而寬以待人的中老年人對自己的生活現狀一般比較滿意。

       In other findings, attendance at religious services was  associated with decreased psychological distress, particularly  among young and middle-aged adults, and increased life  satisfaction among young and old adults. Service attendance  was also associated with higher self-rated health among all age groups.     
        

    這項研究還發現，中青年人參加宗教祈禱儀式，感受自己被上帝寬恕，減輕了他們的心理壓力，而年輕人和老年人參加宗教祈禱儀式，則提高了他們對生活的滿意度。所有被調查者在參加了宗教祈禱儀式后都對自己的健康狀況感覺良好。