Suicide remains a critical public health concern among emerging adults, with hazardous alcohol use exacerbating the suicide risk in this population. Forgiveness, a construct connected to religion/spirituality, has been identified as a buffer against both suicidal behavior and alcohol problems. This study employs the Spirituality-Forgiveness-Addiction-Recovery Association (SFARA) model to better understand the association between forgiveness and suicidal behavior. We examined the cross-sectional association between multiple dimensions of forgiveness [of: self (FS), others (FO), and uncontrollable situations (FSit)] and suicidal behavior among emerging adult hazardous drinkers, with emotion regulation (cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression) and psychache as mediators. Participants were a U.S. sample of 592 emerging adults (age: 18-25 years; Mage = 22.77; SD = 1.86), recruited via www.Prolific.com, who reported hazardous alcohol use on the AUDIT-C (score: ≥ 3 for females and ≥ 4 for males). The serial mediation model accounted for 50% of the variance in suicidal behavior (6% attributable to mediators). Cognitive reappraisal was the only significant mediator in the association between each of FS and FSit with suicidal behavior. Higher levels of FS and FSit were associated with lower levels of suicidal behavior, through higher levels of cognitive reappraisal. Though psychache was a strong predictor of suicidal behavior (above/beyond depression), it did not play a mediating role. These findings provide empirical support for (1) integrating emotion regulation as a distinct mediating pathway within the SFARA model and (2) the importance of forgiveness and emotion regulation-based interventions in addressing suicide risk and hazardous alcohol use among emerging adults.
Examining the Association between Forgiveness and Suicidal Behavior among Emerging Adult Hazardous Drinkers: The Mediating Roles of Emotion Regulation and Psychache