Definition of marital infidelity forgiveness: A qualitative study

The majority of experts agree on what forgiveness is not. Nonetheless, there are numerous diverse definitions of forgiveness. This research consisted of two studies: 1) a qualitative analysis of forgiveness of marital infidelity from the perspective of lived experience persons who have been betrayed, and 2) a qualitative investigation of the infidelity from the perspective of couples therapy experts. In both studies, the current research approach was thematic analysis from the category of qualitative research methods. Six major themes, including the definition of forgiveness, were identified in the first study: "passing on," "letting go," "not seeking revenge," "emotional healing," "personal explanation of forgiveness," and "desire to forgive." In the second study, the meaning of forgiveness was examined from the perspective of specialists based on their theoretical and clinical expertise, as well as their individual views and attitudes as experts. This study identified three major themes entitled emotional healing, cognitive revision of emotion, and the decision to forgive. In summarizing the two research presented in this article, it should be noted that the themes collected from both investigations can be categorized differently.