Whether feeling grateful, having a grateful outlook on life, or engaging in a gratitude practice, research shows gratitude is key to better sleep, longevity, strengthened relationships, greater life satisfaction, and so much more.
Gratitude
Count your Blessings for a Happier Life
This study explores the effect of a grateful outlook on psychological and physical wellbeing. In various studies where participants were randomly assigned experimental conditions of hassles, gratitude listing, and either neutral life events or social comparison, gratitude-outlook groups exhibited heightened wellbeing across several outcome measures relative to the comparison groups.
Counting Blessings versus Burdens: An Experimental Investigation of Gratitude and Subjective Wellbeing in Daily Life
The effect of a grateful outlook on psychological and physical well-being was examined. In Studies 1 and 2, participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 experimental conditions (hassles, gratitude listing, and either neutral life events or social comparison); they then kept weekly (Study 1) or daily (Study 2) records of their moods, coping behaviors, health behaviors, physical symptoms, and overall life appraisals. In a 3rd study, persons with neuromuscular disease were randomly assigned to either the gratitude condition or to a control condition. The gratitude-outlook groups exhibited heightened well-being across several, though not all, of the outcome measures across the 3 studies, relative to the comparison groups. The effect on positive affect appeared to be the most robust finding. Results suggest that a conscious focus on blessings may have emotional and interpersonal benefits. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)
Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(2), 377–389.
Gratitude Helps Manage Difficult Emotions more Effectively
Fredrickson suggests feeling grateful is similar to other positive emotions that help build a person's enduring personal resources and broaden their thinking. This chapter discusses benefits of gratitude including personal and social development, community strength and individual health and wellbeing.
Gratitude, like other Positive Emotions, Broadens and Builds
This chapter examines the feeling of being grateful. It suggests feeling grateful is similar to other positive emotions that help build a person’s enduring personal resources and broaden an individual’s thinking. It describes various ways by which gratitude can transform individuals, organizations, and communities in positive and sustaining ways. It discusses the specific benefits of gratitude including personal and social development, community strength and individual health and well-being.
Fredrickson, B. L. (2004a). Gratitude, Like Other Positive Emotions, Broadens and Builds. In The Psychology of Gratitude (pp. 144–166). Oxford University Press.
Does Counting Blessings Influence Kids' Wellbeing?
Froh et al examined the effects of a grateful outlook on subjective wellbeing and other outcomes of positive psychological functioning in 221 early adolescents. Results indicate that counting blessings was associated with enhanced gratitude, optimism, life satisfaction, and decreased negative affect. Findings also show that there is a significant relationship between gratitude and satisfaction with school experience.
Counting Blessings in Early Adolescents: An Experimental Study of Gratitude and Subjective Wellbeing
The development and manifestation of gratitude in youth is unclear. We examined the effects of a grateful outlook on subjective well-being and other outcomes of positive psychological functioning in 221 early adolescents. Eleven classes were randomly assigned to either a gratitude, hassles, or control condition. Results indicated that counting blessings was associated with enhanced self-reported gratitude, optimism, life satisfaction, and decreased negative affect. Feeling grateful in response to aid mediated the relationship between experimental condition and general gratitude at the 3-week follow-up. The most significant finding was the robust relationship between gratitude and satisfaction with school experience at both the immediate post-test and 3-week follow-up. Counting blessings seems to be an effective intervention for well-being enhancement in early adolescents. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)
Froh, J. J., Sefick, W. J., & Emmons, R. A. (2008). Counting blessings in early adolescents: An experimental study of gratitude and subjective well-being. Journal of School Psychology, 46(2), 213–233.
