The Power of Gratitude: A Positive Psychology Perspective

Kumud Anand

PSYS1242: Positive Psychology

Dr. Tiana Mash

May 28, 2024

 A Positive Psychology Perspective

The study of human flourishing, ideal experiences, and positive functioning at various stages of

life is known as positive psychology. It places a focus on studies and applications that advance

our knowledge of resilience, contentment, life quality, and personal characteristics. It emphasizes

viewpoints that are strengths and solution focused on how to assist individuals in realizing their

full potential. (What is Positive Psychology? 2023)

How Positive Psychology Focus on Human health and well-being

The decision to think of contentment as a therapeutic objective is one of the most important

contributions of constructive psychology to mental health counselling and therapy. Building on

the good traits and behaviours that people already possess became increasingly important to

positive psychologists. Positive psychology interventions yield greater happiness and longer-

lasting outcomes compared to conventional psychotherapies. People responded more quickly and

had evidence of recovery through beneficial interventions, according to an internet-based poll on

the use positive psychotherapy for serious depression. (Ba, 2024)

What is Gratitude?

Though it can be somewhat challenging to define, most individuals have an innate grasp of what

thankfulness is. Is it a feeling, an attribute, a mannerism. Granted, the definition of thankfulness

varies depending on the individual and the situation.

There are numerous psychological and health advantages linked to expressing appreciation.

Research has demonstrated that gratitude enhances immunity, mood, and sleep quality. Having

gratitude lowers the chances of illness, chronic pain challenges, anxiety, and depression.
 Theories and Models

Perma Model: With his descriptions of the traits of a self-actualized individual, Abraham

Maslow (1962) was among the first psychologists to define "wellbeing." According to Seligman

(2012), the PERMA's five aspects or components are Positive emotion, Engagement,

Relationships, Meaning, Accomplishments. (Madeson, 2024)

The broaden-and-build theory: According to the broaden-and-build idea, good emotional

experiences increase people's short-term thought-action repertoires, which helps them develop

more durable personal resources, such as social, psychological, and physical resources.

Gratitude Interventions: A large body of research has shown how beneficial gratitude

interventions are for enhancing wellbeing. These interventions frequently entail doing acts of

kindness, writing letters of thanks, or maintaining a gratitude notebook. Focusing on one's

blessings might help people feel happier and more content with their lives in general.

Since gratitude supports several important facets of human flourishing, it is an essential

part of larger theories of well-being and flourishing. These include Positive Emotions: Joy,

contentment, and happiness are some of the good feelings that are strongly linked to gratitude.

Social Bonds: Gratitude promotes good connections and develops social ties. Expressing thanks

to others improves the relationship between the giver and the recipient in addition to

acknowledging the compassion they have received.

Self-Actualization: The pursuit of personal development and the achievement of one's potential

can all be aided by gratitude. Gratitude creates an ideal atmosphere for people to live in by

encouraging happy feelings, nourishing social relationships, and developing a sense of meaning

and purpose.
Key research findings on the effect of gratitude on mental health, physical health, and

overall well-being:

Objective: The gratitude intervention is one of the most successful positive psychological

interventions. It involves having participants participate in short activities intended to foster

gratitude on a regular basis. While many systematic reviews and meta-analyses have been done

on the topic of gratitude intervention, none of them have specifically examined the working

population. The purpose of this study was to methodically compile the impact of thankfulness

treatments on the mental health and general wellbeing of workers.

Methods: Using five databases, a systematic search was carried out in February 2021.

Randomized controlled trials that incorporated appreciation practices and measured mental

health or well-being indicators in healthy workers were among the eligible studies. Original

articles or theses written in English were also acceptable.

Results: The inclusion criteria were met by nine out of the 1957 articles. Gratitude list

interventions were used in eight research, with significant improvements observed in depression

and perceived stress; however, the effects on wellbeing were not consistently observed. There

were no appreciable changes in any of the outcomes reported in interventions using gratitude

lists four times or less.

Do gratitude interventions effectively improve mental health and well-being among

workers: Employee appreciation programs may be a useful way to reduce melancholy and

perceived stress, but it's not clear if they will affect overall wellbeing. According to a meta-

analysis done on the general population, the effects of depressive symptoms on mental health

outcomes line up. There has been discussion of three potential mechanisms. The first is that
being grateful was linked to viewing different stimuli and life events positively, which contrasts

with depression and anxiety's selective focus on negative aspects of the self, the outside

environment, and the future. Second, it was suggested that the negative correlation between

feelings of thankfulness and depressive and anxious symptoms could be explained by adopting a

less judgmental, less punitive, and more compassionate self-image. 47 Lastly, researchers have

discovered a link between increased relationship pleasure and connection and thankfulness, 48

well-established defences against psychopathology. (Komase et al., 2021)

Empirical studies that demonstrate the positive outcomes associated with practicing
gratitude:

1.Take note of who you are and what comes to mind when you think about appreciation: It's true

that when you, your family, or your community are going through a terrible period, it might be

intimidating to try to concentrate on being grateful.

2. Create a schedule that is consistent: It's likely that you've heard of thankfulness journals or

perhaps you even maintain one. If you have never done this before, it is advised that you begin

by making a list of one to three items each morning for which you are grateful. If you would like,

you can then progressively increase the number.

3.Mindful Gratitude Practice: To enhance your gratitude practice, incorporate mindfulness by

setting aside some time to savour and be grateful for the things that come your way. Express

thankfulness for these encounters by observing the feelings, ideas, and sensations they bring up.

Examples of how individuals can incorporate gratitude exercises into their routines to
enhance well-being:
Mindful Gratitude Practice: To enhance your gratitude practice, incorporate mindfulness by

setting aside some time to savour and be grateful for the things that come your way. Express

thankfulness for these encounters by observing the feelings, ideas, and sensations they bring up.

Thankfulness Rituals: Establish routines or rituals that serve as a constant reminder to express

thankfulness. This may be having a gratitude conversation with loved ones before bedtime,

saying grace before meals, or keeping a gratitude jar filled with notes of thanks each week.

(Lcsw, 2023)

Looking back on my personal experiences with thankfulness, I've discovered that making

gratitude a regular part of my life has significantly improved my general wellbeing. My attention

has shifted from what I happen to lack to what I must keeping a gratitude diary, which has

increased my sense of prosperity and contentment. I've been able to strengthen my interactions

and sense of feeling connected to the people who have inspired and supported me by expressing

my gratitude through writing letters of gratitude. I've been able to savour the present and develop

a deeper sense of amazement and amazement for the universe around me by engaging in mindful

thankfulness practices.

Conclusion: To sum up, thankfulness is an effective strategy for fostering psychological

flourishing and improving general wellbeing. Incorporating thankfulness practices into our daily

lives can help us develop a more optimistic mindset, fortify our social bonds, and increase our

capacity to bounce back from setbacks. The benefits of thankfulness practice have been

repeatedly shown by empirical research, highlighting its significance in fostering contentment

and pleasure. We may harness thankfulness's transforming potential and lead happier, more

fulfilling lives by using doable techniques for practicing appreciation and considering how it has

affected our lives.

 References

Ba, M. R. C. (2024, March 13). The Connections Between Positive Psychology & Mental Health.
PositivePsychology.com. https://positivepsychology.com/positive-psychology-and-
mental-health/
Komase, Y., Watanabe, K., Hori, D., Nozawa, K., Hidaka, Y., Iida, M., Imamura, K., &
Kawakami, N. (2021). Effects of gratitude intervention on mental health and well-being
among workers: A systematic review. Journal of Occupational
Health, 63(1). https://doi.org/10.1002/1348-9585.12290
Lcsw, J. M. (2023, January 27). Gratitude: A Valuable Tool For Mental Health | Counseling

Works | Naperville Counseling. Counseling

Works. https://www.counselingworks.com/gratitude-a-valuable-tool-for-mental-health/
Madeson, M. (2024, March 11). Seligman’s PERMA+ Model Explained: A Theory of Wellbeing.
PositivePsychology.com. https://positivepsychology.com/perma-model/

What is Positive Psychology? (2023, June 5). https://www.pcom.edu/academics/programs-and-

degrees/positive-psychology/what-is-positive-