Understanding and optimising gratitude interventions: the right methods for the right people at the right time

OBJECTIVE

Gratitude has consistently been associated with various beneficial health-related outcomes, including subjective wellbeing, positive mental health, and positive physical health. In light of such effects, positive psychology researchers and practitioners have often implemented gratitude interventions in an attempt to build individuals' orientations toward appreciation and thankfulness. Recent meta-analyses and reviews have revealed, however, that these interventions often have mixed effects on gratitude or other health outcomes. With this issue in mind, we aimed to identify (a) contextual considerations that may impact the effectiveness of these approaches, and (b) recommendations for the optimisation of gratitude interventions.

METHODS AND MEASURES

Seventeen mental health professionals or experienced health psychology researchers engaged in semi-structured interviews to address the research questions.

RESULTS

Thematic analysis of the data resulted in three contextual themes-cultural considerations, personal characteristics, and life experience-that were discussed as factors likely to influence intervention effectiveness. With respect to recommendations, participants highlighted the importance of encouraging deep engagement in gratitude tasks, consistent repetition of those tasks, and the value of interpersonal expressions of gratitude.

CONCLUSION

Discussion is centred on suggestions for future research on gratitude and on implications for the implementation of gratitude interventions.

How trait gratitude relates to teachers' burnout and work engagement: job demands and resources as mediators

The benefits of gratitude in the workplace, in general, and for teachers, in particular, are still understudied. In the present study, we investigated whether teachers' trait gratitude is linked to their work engagement and burnout. Moreover, we explored whether perceived job demands and job resources mediate the relation between employees' gratitude and these two outcomes. A sample of 312 Romanian teachers participated in the study. Participants filled out questionnaires assessing trait gratitude, perceived job characteristics, as well as burnout and work engagement. Results indicated that teachers' trait gratitude was positively associated with their work engagement and negatively with burnout. The relation between trait gratitude and work engagement was mediated by perceived job resources, whereas the link between trait gratitude and burnout was mediated by both job demands and job resources. Our findings suggest that educational institutions could cultivate teachers' gratitude in order to create a healthier and more motivated workforce.

Assessing Burnout in Subgroups of Athletes Based on Gratitude and Perceived Coach-Athlete Relationship

The purpose of this study was to examine distinct groups of athletes based on their gratitude and coach-athlete relationships (CAR) and to compare the groups on three dimensions of athlete burnout: sense of reduced accomplishment, emotional and physical exhaustion, and sport devaluation. Types of gratitude measured included general trait gratitude, general state gratitude, and sport state gratitude. Cluster analysis with 576 intercollegiate athletes showed four distinct groups: "ungrateful in life and sport, and disconnected from the coach" (Group 1), "highly grateful in life and sport, and well-connected with the coach" (Group 2), "generally less grateful in life, but connected with the coach" (Group 3), and "generally grateful in life, but disconnected from the coach" (Group 4). Group 1 reported the highest levels of burnout. In contrast, Group 2 reported the lowest levels of burnout. Athletes in Groups 3 and 4 (which were similar on sport state gratitude, but differed on other indicators) reported moderate levels of burnout, but Group 4 athletes were more burned out than Group 3 athletes. Specifically, both groups reported similar levels of devaluation; yet, Group 4 scored higher on reduced sense of accomplishment and emotional/physical exhaustion than Group 3. Examination of group composition revealed that male athletes were overrepresented in Group 2 and underrepresented in Group 4, and Group 1 athletes tended to identify as non-religious. Taken together, findings point to the protective role that gratitude and a positive CAR may play in athlete burnout prevention.