Does apologizing help? The role of self-blame and making amends in recovery from bereavement.

It is well documented that emotional traumas can affect physical as well as mental health (Lazarus, 1982; Monat & Lazarus, 1985). Moreover, there is elaborate empirical support for the mediating role of cognitive processes in recovery from trauma (Janoff-Bulman, 1992; Taylor, 1989). However, the way in which cognitions associated with self-blame or guilt influence adaptation to distressing events remains obscure (Tennen & Affleck, 1990).

This article presents the results of an investigation into the relationship between attributions of self-blame for adverse experiences and subsequent psychological recovery from these experiences. It explores whether self-blaming is accompanied by acts of reparation or making amends. Earlier research on self-blame and adaptation to trauma has generally ignored the amends-making reaction to self-blame. This study began with the hypothesis that making amends is a crucial component of the process because it potentially facilitates recovery.

The issue of self-blame, making amends, and adjustment was investigated using a sample of individuals who had experienced the death of a loved one. Adjustment to the death of a loved one was selected because this type of loss is asso...

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