Gratitude Interventions: Effective Self-help? A Meta-analysis of the Impact on Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety

David R. Cregg and Jennifer S. Cheavens ()
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David R. Cregg: The Ohio State University
Jennifer S. Cheavens: The Ohio State University

Journal of Happiness Studies, 2021, vol. 22, issue 1, No 20, 413-445

Abstract: Abstract Research suggests gratitude interventions—designed to increase appreciation of positive qualities, situations, and people in one’s life—may improve psychological well-being (e.g., Seligman et al. in Am Psychol 60:410–421, 2005. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.60.5.410 ). Accordingly, mental health practitioners have promoted gratitude interventions as a means of self-help. However, results from previous reviews suggest that well-being improvements associated with gratitude interventions may be attributable to placebo effects (Davis et al. in J Couns Psychol 63:20–31, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1037/cou0000107 ; Wood et al. in Clin Psychol Rev 30:890–905, 2010, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2010.03.005 ). With this meta-analysis, we examined the efficacy of gratitude interventions (k = 27, N = 3675) in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety at post-test and follow-up periods. Gratitude interventions had a small effect on symptoms of depression and anxiety at both post-test (g = − 0.29, SE = 0.06, p

Keywords: Gratitude; Thanks; Intervention; Positive psychology; Depression; Anxiety (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1007/s10902-020-00236-6

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