University of Twente Student Theses
The Impact of a Gratitude Intervention on Well-Being: a Randomized Controlled Trial
Hülsing, J.M. (2018) The Impact of a Gratitude Intervention on Well-Being: a Randomized Controlled Trial.
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| Abstract: | Background: Although earlier studies have found positive effects of gratitude interventions on well-being, those interventions were mostly implemented in a student sample and put little emphasis on underlying working mechanisms. This study examines the effects of a gratitude self-help intervention on emotional, psychological, social and overall well-being, as well as the influence on gratitude, positive affect and positive relations in a general sample. Despite the efficacy, gratitude, positive affect and positive relations are examined as possible working mechanisms. Methods: A non-clinical sample consisting of mostly higher educated Dutch women (N=144) was divided at random into a gratitude (N=73) and waitlist condition (N=71). Repeated measure analysis at post-test and follow-up were used to test the effect of the gratitude condition on well-being (MHC-SF), gratitude (GRAT-NL), positive affect (mDES), and positive relations (PGGS). To examine possible underlying working mechanisms, mediational analysis using PROCESS were performed with gratitude, positive affect and positive relations as mediators Results. A significant difference between both conditions in case of emotional (d=.54), psychological (d=.44), social (d=.66) and overall well-being (d=.60), as well as on gratitude (d=.67) and positive affect (d=.75) at post-test was found, where participants scored higher on the measures in comparison to the waitlist group. The effects were maintained at follow-up, except for emotional well-being (p=.054). The treatment effect of the gratitude condition compared to the waitlist condition on well-being was mediated by changes in positive affect and gratitude. No significant difference between the conditions have been found for positive relations at post-test (p=.531) and follow-up (p=.492). The proposed mediational effect of positive relations has also not been found. Conclusion.The implemented gratitude intervention showed promising effects on the sample to improve well-being, gratitude and positive affect. More insights into the working mechanisms behind gratitude and the implementation of the intervention in a different sample are still needed. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 77 psychology |
| Programme: | Psychology MSc (66604) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/76653 |
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