Longitudinal relationship between trait gratitude and subjective well-being in adolescents: Evidence from the bi-factor model

Neural basis underlying the association between thought control ability and happiness: The moderating role of the amygdala

Thought control ability (TCA) plays an important role in individuals' health and happiness. Previous studies demonstrated that TCA was closely conceptually associated with happiness. However, empirical research supporting this relationship was limited. In addition, the neural basis underlying TCA and how this neural basis influences the relationship between TCA and happiness remain unexplored. In the present study, the voxel-based morphometry (VBM) method was adopted to investigate the neuroanatomical basis of TCA in 314 healthy subjects. The behavioral results revealed a significant positive association between TCA and happiness. On the neural level, there was a significant negative correlation between TCA and the gray matter density (GMD) of the bilateral amygdala. Split-half validation analysis revealed similar results, further confirming the stability of the VBM analysis findings. Furthermore, gray matter covariance network and graph theoretical analyses showed positive association between TCA and both the node degree and node strength of the amygdala. Moderation analysis revealed that the GMD of the amygdala moderated the relationship between TCA and happiness. Specifically, the positive association between TCA and self-perceived happiness was stronger in subjects with a lower GMD of the amygdala. The present study indicated the neural basis underlying the association between TCA and happiness and offered a method of improving individual well-being.

Evaluating the Structure of Subjective Well-Being: Evidence From Three Large-Scale, Long-Term, National Longitudinal Studies

To inform the tripartite structure of subjective well-being (SWB), national longitudinal studies from the United States, Germany, and Australia were used to estimate random-intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPM) in which between- and within-individual variation in life satisfaction (LS), positive affect (PA), and negative affect (NA) was examined over periods of up to two decades. The RI-CLPMs incorporated a hierarchical conceptualization in which LS, PA, and NA are indicators of a latent SWB factor and a causal systems conceptualization in which PA and NA are inputs to LS. Results from all three samples indicated substantial loadings from LS, PA, and NA on latent SWB factors between and within individuals. Cross-lagged effects were observed among all three SWB components, rather than unidirectional from PA and NA to LS. The present findings provide valuable new insights concerning the tripartite structure of SWB between and within individuals over extended periods of time.

Being Thankful for What You Have: A Systematic Review of Evidence for the Effect of Gratitude on Life Satisfaction

Background

Many studies suggest a link between gratitude and life satisfaction, including experimental tests of gratitude interventions. This paper presents a systematic review of recent literature on the influence of gratitude on life satisfaction. The aim of this research is to better understand the nature of the relationship between gratitude and life satisfaction and to evaluate the state of literature.

Methodology

A systematic search was conducted using four databases (APA PsycInfo, Scopus, Web of Science, and EBSCO), targeting articles published since 2010. Correlational studies were included if they used the GQ6 measure of gratitude and the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS). Intervention studies were included if they reported effects of a gratitude manipulation on SWLS scores. Forty-four articles (N = 16,529) focusing on gratitude and life satisfaction were ultimately selected. Among the selected studies, 18 employed experimental designs and 26 were cross-sectional studies. Five studies also presented cross-lagged analyses from two or more timepoints.

Results

The review indicated a substantial positive correlation between gratitude and life satisfaction. Various potential mediators were also identified, including meaning in life, social support, and self-esteem. Some experimental research suggested that gratitude interventions may increase life satisfaction compared to neutral control conditions, although evidence was mixed. There was stronger evidence for these effects in people from Western countries. However, there is no strong evidence that gratitude interventions outperform positively valenced control conditions. Thus, it is possible that the effects of intervention could be caused by demand- or placebo effects.

Conclusion and Recommendation

While it is clear that there is a link between gratitude and life satisfaction, the extent to which gratitude causes life satisfaction and the mechanism underlying that link require further exploration. We suggest that experimental work test effects of changes in gratitude that cannot be explained by placebo- or demand effects. We also encourage more interactive interventions as well as research that investigates third variables that could underlie both gratitude and life satisfaction.

How Trait Gratitude Influences Adolescent Subjective Well-Being? Parallel-Serial Mediating Effects of Meaning in Life and Self-Control

The relationship between trait gratitude and subjective well-being is well documented in the literature. Recently, growing attention has been given to examining which factors are determinants in the relationship. However, there are no studies to present a comprehensive model of how meaning in life and self-control jointly play a role in this relationship. This study investigated parallel and serial mediation of the presence of meaning, the search for meaning, and self-control in the relationship between trait gratitude and subjective well-being. A total of 764 adolescents (Mage = 14.10, SD = 1.43, 48.43% males) from three middle schools in China completed a six-item measures of gratitude questionnaire form, a meaning in life questionnaire, a middle school students' self-control ability questionnaire, and a satisfaction with life scale. The study revealed that trait gratitude affected the presence of meaning and subsequently affected subjective well-being. In addition, trait gratitude affected self-control through the presence of meaning and the search for meaning, and it subsequently affected subjective well-being. Therefore, the presence of meaning, the search for meaning, and self-control played an important role in the positive effects of trait gratitude on adolescent subjective well-being. The findings were in line with the intrinsic and extrinsic goal theory of gratitude and provided new insight to inform the improvement of adolescent subjective well-being in the future.

Dear technology, you are not welcome: exploring ungratefulness towards technology

Purpose

Technology has become all-pervasive and one of the essential requirements of life. The blessings of science and technology are countless, and today, it is almost impossible to imagine life without applications of technology. And at the same time, positive psychologists have advocated practicing gratitude for the betterment of personal and professional growth and development. But ironically, the area of gratitude toward technology remains unexplored. The purpose of this study is to investigate the difference in gratitude for the technological and non-technological aspects of life.

Design/methodology/approach

The first study compared gratitude for three parameters – sense of abundance, social appreciation and appreciation for others. The second study was based on the “counting blessing” exercise, in which respondents were asked to write five things for which they feel grateful in life. The Friedman test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used to compare the ranked data. In the third study, respondents were distributed into two groups. Both groups were given a puzzle to solve; first, group members were informed that they would interact with other human beings, and the second group was informed that they would interact with bots.

Findings

All three studies concluded that respondents are relatively less grateful for the contributions of technologies.

Originality/value

This is probably the first study that investigated gratefulness for technology.

Machiavellianism and learning-related subjective well-being among Chinese senior high school students: A moderated mediation model

Based on the life history theory and broadening construction theory, the study aimed to investigate the influence of Machiavellianism on the learning-related subjective well-being and the underlying mechanism, 582 Chinese senior high school students (16.8 ± 0.9 years old) including 289 girls (48.3%) and 310 boys were recruited to participate in this study, and they anonymously filled out questionnaires regarding Machiavellianism, learning-related subjective well-being, gratitude, and subjective family economic level. The results showed that: (1) a higher level of Machiavellianism was associated with a lower level of learning-related subjective well-being; (2) gratitude partially mediated the relationship between Machiavellianism and learning-related subjective well-being; (3) subjective family economic level moderated the links between Machiavellianism and learning-related subjective well-being, and between gratitude and learning-related subjective well-being. This study explained how and when Machiavellianism affected Chinese senior high school students’ learning-related subjective well-being and provided a deeper understanding of the relationship between Machiavellianism and learning-related subjective well-being.

The associations among athlete gratitude, athlete engagement, athlete burnout: A cross-lagged study in China

The purpose of this study is to explore the causal relationship among athlete gratitude, athlete engagement, athlete burnout by cross-lag analysis of longitudinal associations. Two questionnaire surveys were conducted on 352 Chinese athletes with an interval of 1 year using gratitude questionnaire, athlete engagement questionnaire and athlete burnout questionnaire. The analysis yielded four main findings. (1) The overall level of athlete gratitude and athlete engagement was high in China. Chinese athletes at master level had higher levels of gratitude and athlete engagement than athletes at I and II grades. (2) Athlete gratitude is a significant negative predictor of athlete burnout, and also a significant positive predictor of athlete engagement. (3) Athlete engagement and athlete burnout are mutually causal and can be mutually predicted. (4) Athlete gratitude indirectly affects athlete burnout through athlete engagement, and also indirectly affects athlete engagement through athlete burnout. The results of the current study demonstrated the important value of gratitude in the growth process of athletes, and clarified the mechanism of gratitude affecting athlete engagement and athlete burnout. These findings have important implications for athlete development by raising athlete gratitude, motivating athlete engagement levels and relieve athlete burnout.

Associations of family subjective socioeconomic status with hedonic and eudaimonic well-being in emerging adulthood: A daily diary study

Empirical evidence based on retrospective measures has shown that family subjective socioeconomic status (FSSS) was connected to well-being, but few studies have examined this relationship using a daily diary design. Here, we examined the link between FSSS and well-being as well as the mediating roles of social support and self-esteem in a total of 220 emerging adults using a 14-day daily diary design. The multilevel regression analysis found that FSSS positively predicted two types of well-being, including hedonic well-being (HWB) and eudaimonic well-being (EWB). Moreover, the multilevel 2-2-1 mediation analysis indicated that social support and self-esteem performed as independent mediators of the associations between FSSS and two types of well-being. The mediating effect of self-esteem also had no significant difference from that of social support. Furthermore, when age, gender, and family objective socioeconomic status were controlled, these findings remained significant. The implications and limitations of the findings are also discussed.

Gratitude and depressive symptoms in Chinese nurses: A longitudinal cross-lagged study

Nurses have a relatively higher rate of depressive symptoms compared to other people. Previous studies have reported that gratitude is correlated with depressive symptoms among healthcare workers. The purpose of this study was to explore the causal relationship between gratitude and depressive symptoms among Chinese nurses. We collected data over 4 months, with 393 nurses at Time 1 and 241 at Time 2. All participants completed online questionnaires. We employed the structural equation models to test the hypotheses. The results revealed that gratitude at Time 1 could predict depressive symptoms at Time 2, and depressive symptoms at Time 1 could predict gratitude at Time 2. These results remained significant after controlling for gender, age, education, marital status, professional title, general positive affect, and negative affect. The findings provide initial evidence about the causal relationship between gratitude and depressive symptoms among Chinese nurses. Hospital administrators can intervene in depressive symptoms of nurses by developing gratitude interventions. Furthermore, nurses with lower levels of depressive symptoms feel more grateful.

#Grateful: Longitudinal Associations Between Adolescents' Social Media Use and Gratitude During the COVID-19 Pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, some ways of using social media-such as directly communicating with friends-may have helped adolescents thrive. We examined longitudinal associations between high school adolescents' social media use and gratitude across a 15-month period before and during the pandemic (n = 704, Mage  = 15.10; 52% girls). The trajectories of gratitude and the importance of social media for meaningful conversations with friends-but not frequency of social media use-were positively associated over time. At the within-person level, gratitude predicted increased importance of social media for meaningful conversations, but not vice-versa. Findings suggest that gratitude may be associated with and may motivate using social media to foster social connection, but may not increase overall social media use.

Longitudinal and Gender Measurement Invariance of the Gratitude Questionnaire in Chinese Adolescents

The 5-item Gratitude Questionnaire (GQ-5) is one of the most commonly used instruments to measure dispositional gratitude in adolescents. The purpose of this study was to verify the longitudinal measurement invariance (LMI) and gender measurement invariance (GMI) of the GQ-5 that was administered to an adolescent sample twice over the course of 18 months (N = 669). Single-group confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was adopted to examine the LMI and multiple-group CFA was conducted to assess the GMI. The results showed that the GQ-5 had strong invariance (i.e., equality of factor patterns, loadings, and intercepts) across time and gender. Validation of latent factor mean differences showed that females had higher gratitude scores than males. In addition, the GQ-5 exhibited good internal consistency indices across time and a moderate stability coefficient was also found across an 18-month time interval in adolescents. In summary, our study showed that LMI and GMI of the GQ-5 are satisfactory and the GQ-5 is a reliable instrument for measuring gratitude in adolescents.