Sanctifying suffering and fostering self-forgiveness: Exploring pathways to well-being in chronic pain management.

This study investigated the mediating role of self-forgiveness in the relationship between the sanctification of suffering and mental well-being in individuals with chronic pain, aiming to integrate psychological and religious/spiritual coping strategies into pain management. Utilizing a three-wave longitudinal design, the study tracked changes in the sanctification of suffering, self-forgiveness, and mental well-being among American Christians experiencing chronic pain across three time points. A total of 147 participants were involved, completing measures online designed to assess each variable and elucidate causal relationships and mediating effects. Sanctification of suffering demonstrated positive correlations with self-forgiveness and well-being across three time points. Furthermore, analyses using a latent variable cross-lagged panel model indicated that initial sanctification of suffering significantly predicted increases in self-forgiveness, which subsequently contributed to enhanced well-being. These findings underscore the mediating role of self-forgiveness in the association between sanctification of suffering and well-being. The study supports the idea that viewing suffering as sacred can promote self-forgiveness, which in turn enhances mental well-being among American Christians with chronic pain. These findings highlight the importance of integrating spiritual and psychological approaches in the therapeutic management of chronic pain, suggesting that such integrative strategies can significantly enhance patient outcomes.