Situational Characteristics and Emotional Forgiveness: A Two‐Wave Study With Socially Maladjusted Youths in Poland

ABSTRACT Forgiveness is a coping strategy that facilitates psychological well‐being and reduces stress, leading to growing interest in identifying its key predictors. This study examined how situational characteristics, as defined by the DIAMONDS model, influenced emotional forgiveness among socially maladjusted youths in Poland. Utilizing a two‐wave longitudinal design with 354 participants aged 11–18 years, with assessments conducted at 3‐month intervals, this research explored the effects of the situational dimensions Duty, Intellect, Adversity, Mating, pOsitivity, Negativity, Deception, and Sociality (DIAMONDS) on emotional forgiveness outcomes. The findings indicated that Adversity impeded the reduction of negative emotions, while Duty supported constructive emotional processing; pOsitivity exhibited a nuanced impact, influencing both positive and negative emotional responses in different ways. These results underscore the importance of both situational context and individual perceptions in shaping forgiveness. We call for integrated approaches that consider both personality traits and situational factors to provide a more comprehensive understanding of forgiveness. Further longitudinal research is recommended to explore these dynamics among socially maladjusted youths.