Keywords
satisfaction with life
forgiveness
empathy
mediation
How to Cite
Abstract
Introduction: Voluntary blood donation can be considered as an expression of pro-social behaviour, resulting from empathetic motives and a desire to help those in need of a transfusion of whole blood or it’s components, as it was demonstrated by numerous studies. The process of donation is carried out in accordance with the prescribed stages, which include the initial qualification and examination of the blood and exclusion of any diseases or postoperative complications that may have negative consequences for the future recipient. In view of the current trend in psychological research in the group of blood donors, we decided to examine the factors that may coexist and enhance empathy in this group, these factors being the disposition to forgiveness and satisfaction with life.
Method: Main purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between life satisfaction, disposition to forgiveness, and empathy quotient, the level of explanation of empathy by life satisfaction and forgiveness, and the mediating role of forgiveness between life satisfaction and empathy in a group of honorary blood donors. The study group amounted to 111 subjects (72 women and 39 men). The mean age of the subjects was 24.9 years (SD=8.7). The study variables were measured using the scales: SWLS, HFS and SSIE.
Results: The results of the conducted study showed associations between forgiveness and empathy and life satisfaction, and a satisfactory level of explanation of empathy by forgiveness (with a higher proportion of positive forgiveness) and life satisfaction. Mediation analysis also showed that forgiveness indirectly explains the relationship of life satisfaction and empathy. The correlation of blood donation seniority with life satisfaction and general and negative forgiveness was also found to be significant.
Conclusions: The results of the conducted study can be considered as a contribution to further, more extensive research within the group of honorary blood donors. The results were confirmed in the literature, indicating a strong relationship between forgiveness and empathy, which may constitute a basis for the conclusion that forgiveness and life satisfaction resulting from longer length of blood donation may strengthen the level of empathy, as well as empathy itself may strengthen the level of forgiveness and life satisfaction.
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