Forgiveness, Locus of Control, and Perfectionism: A Mixed Method Study

The present study aims to explain forgiveness through locus of control and perfectionism. This study has been carried out within the framework of the mixed research method in which quantitative and qualitative research approaches were dealt with together. The study group consists of the university students. In the quantitative results reveal that the external locus of control is a negatively significant explanatory factor of adaptive perfectionism and a positively significant explanatory factor of maladaptive perfectionism. Moreover, the external locus of control explains forgiveness negatively. In addition, adaptive perfectionism is the positive explanatory factor of forgiveness, and maladaptive perfectionism is the negative explanatory factor of forgiveness. In the qualitative results of the study, it is understood that the statements of most of the participants with high scores of adaptive perfectionism and internal locus of control are gathered under the theme of forgiveness, whereas the statements of those with high scores of maladaptive perfectionism and external locus of control are under the theme of unforgiveness.