Lin Article Critique: Forgiveness Therapy

Lin Article Critique: Part 1
Title and Introduction
Liberty University

Lin Article Critique: Part 1
Title & Introduction In the article Effects of forgiveness therapy on anger, mood, and vulnerability to substance use among inpatient substance-dependent clients (Lin, Mack, Enright, Krahn, & Basking, 2004), anger is the greatest deterrent for relapse in individuals who are trying to overcome substance-abuse addictions. A new approach to anger, forgiveness therapy, “posits that resentment and its accompanying anger are often justifiable responses to severe wrongs” (Lin et al., 2004, p. 1115). Forgiveness when given and received, allows for hope to be restored in human kindness. Jesus tells to forgive as
The study consisted of twelve individual therapy sessions for each group and administered by the same therapist (Lin et al., 2004). The aim of the study was to test the two groups and determine if anger, depression, anxiety and vulnerability would decrease as a result of the individual therapies. Participants, six for forgiveness therapy and four for alcohol/drug counseling, attended a four-month follow-up to which there was a significant difference in the two groups. The forgiveness therapy group showed a substantial decrease in alcohol/drug vulnerabilities, where as alcohol/drug counseling remained about the same. The reason, researchers suggest is that forgiveness therapy did not focus on drug vulnerabilities, but “centered on the client’s thoughts, behaviors and feelings about someone other than themselves” (Lin et al., 2004, p.
Has the researcher cited sources for “factual” statements? Yes. Rating Scale 4. The researcher did cite factual statements in the introduction using several inventories and manuals such as: State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory, The Project Match 12 Step Manual, Cognitive-behavioral Coping Skills Manual, Twelve Step Facilitation Therapy Manual, and Relapse Research and the Reasons for Drinking Questionnaire (Lin et al., 2004). 5. Has the researcher avoided citing a large number of resources for a single point? No. Rating Scale of 1. The introduction of this article gives approximately nine citations of research related to anger, approximately thirteen citations for forgiveness therapy and approximately five citations for substance abuse. Pyrczak (2008) does state that more than 6 citations for a single point are often found inappropriate. 6. Is current research cited? Yes and No. Rating Scale of 2. The current research listed in the introduction of this article is roughly nine citations between the years of 2000 – 2004, where as the other citations range from 1985 – 1999 and are of the majority. 7. Has the researcher noted any gaps in the literature? Yes. Rating Scale of