The Role of Divine Forgiveness on Depressive Experiences Through Self-Forgiveness and Self-Condemnation on Hispanic/Latino American Population: Serial Mediation Analyses

This quantitative study examined the role of divine forgiveness on depressive experiences by self-forgiveness and self-condemnation in a sample of Hispanic/Latinos. Since research indicates a positive association between divine forgiveness, self-forgiveness, and well-being, this study’s importance includes gaining knowledge to increase well-being and exploring virtue ethics and theological perspectives. This research addressed a significant gap in the literature by interaction of divine forgiveness, self-forgiveness, self-condemnation, and depressive symptoms on the Hispanic/Latino population of believers. The research questions are whether the direct and indirect effects of divine forgiveness on depressive experiences will be serially mediated first by self-forgiveness and by self-condemnation. The study employed a serial mediation model using Hayes’ PROCESS macro model 6 to evaluate direct and indirect effects. The study utilized an online Qualtrics Survey to collect the data in English and Spanish, with a sample total of 128 participants from Hispanic/Latino origin who believe in God from various universities, and community. Findings showed that divine forgiveness had significant indirect effect on depressive experiences serially mediated by self-forgiveness and self-condemnation. In addition, divine forgiveness predicts greater levels of self-forgiveness. Self-forgiveness was associated with reduced levels of self-condemnation, and with lower depressive experiences levels. Further, divine forgiveness had no indirect effect on depressive experiences mediated by self-condemnation. These results confirm that the effect of divine forgiveness on depressive experiences is fully mediated by self-forgiveness and self-condemnation.