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Gratitude and depressive symptoms: the role of positive reframing and positive emotion

14 important questions on Gratitude and depressive symptoms: the role of positive reframing and positive emotion

What are proposed mediators in the relationship between gratitude and (fewer) depressive symptoms? (2)

1. Positive reframing
2. Positive emotions

With what outcome measures does gratitude seem to have a relation? (8) And why is this evidence not so strong?

1. Positive emotions
2. Mood
3. Coping behaviors
4. Physical health symptoms
5. Optimism
6. Life satisfaction
7. Decreased negative affect
8. Sense of coherence

The evidence for these relations is however not so strong because studies only found differences to the hassles condition

What is the theory behind the proposed link between gratitude, positive reframing, and depressive symptoms?

That people higher in trait gratitude are more inclined to positively reframe negative events or situations, which should elicit a grateful state and thereby reduce depressive symptoms (some evidence)

What is the theory behind the link between gratitude and positive emotion?

Gratitude may build other positive emotional states that are at odds with the low positive emotionality of depression and can undo the effects of negative emotions.

What was the finding of the first study that aimed at examining the direct relationship between gratitude and depressive symptoms?

That higher gratitude expression at time 1 was associated with fewer depressive symptom scores twelve weeks later (replicates findings from prior research)

What was the finding of the study aiming to provide evidence that trait gratitude is associated with positive reframing, and that positive reframing is associated with fewer depressive symptoms?

That positive reframing was a significant mediator of the proposed relationship, which supports the hypotheses

What was the finding of the study aiming to test whether positive reframing generates state gratitude?

That people who positively reframed their negative experience reported feeling more grateful for the negative event than people who did not (but: could also be that the findings were due to thinking positive thoughts rather than to the positive reframing).

What was the finding of the study aiming to rule out the possibility of positive thoughts accounting for the results of the third study?

That those who positively reframes their negative experience reported feeling more grateful than those who wrote about positive feelings

What was the finding of the study aiming to more directly test whether state gratitude was causally related to fewer depressive symptoms compared to a control group?

That people who had thought and written about opportunities and blessings reported higher gratitude scores and fewer depressive symptoms than those in the control group

What was the finding of the study aiming to test positive emotions as a mediator?

That higher gratitude expression at time 1 was associated with fewer depressive symptoms twelve weeks later, and that positive emotions functioned as a significant mediator in the relationship

What was the finding of another study aiming to test positive emotions as a mediator?

That there were fewer depressive symptoms and marginally higher positive affect in participants who had kept a gratitude journal at time 2 than in control participants. Statistically significant indirect effect.

What was the finding of a study that simultaneously tested all paths to see if both mediators are significant if included in a single model?

Higher gratitude scores at time 1 were associated with fewer depressive symptoms twelve weeks later, and both indirect paths were statistically significant (of which neither was significantly greater than the other). There is also support for depression mediating the relationship between gratitude and positive reframing, and gratitude and positive emotion

What do the findings of this meta-analysis show? (3)

1. It shows how gratitude may be related to depressive symptoms
2. The findings support the broaden-and-build theory in the dual role of gratitude building other positive emotions
3. Findings suggest that one way to increase happiness and decrease the likelihood of experiencing depressive symptoms is to consider the things in life for which one is grateful

What further research needs to be done on the application of positive reframing? (2)

1. Test whether engaging in the process repeatedly may enhance one's trait of gratitude and reduce or prevent depressive symptoms
2. Establish boundary conditions regarding whether some life experiences are better left untouched by positive reframing processes (may be extremely hurtful or could build resilience

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Positive Clinical Psychology

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Gratitude and depressive symptoms: the role of positive reframing and positive emotion

14 important questions on Gratitude and depressive symptoms: the role of positive reframing and positive emotion

What are proposed mediators in the relationship between gratitude and (fewer) depressive symptoms? (2)

With what outcome measures does gratitude seem to have a relation? (8) And why is this evidence not so strong?

What is the theory behind the proposed link between gratitude, positive reframing, and depressive symptoms?

What is the theory behind the link between gratitude and positive emotion?

What was the finding of the first study that aimed at examining the direct relationship between gratitude and depressive symptoms?

What was the finding of the study aiming to provide evidence that trait gratitude is associated with positive reframing, and that positive reframing is associated with fewer depressive symptoms?

What was the finding of the study aiming to test whether positive reframing generates state gratitude?

What was the finding of the study aiming to rule out the possibility of positive thoughts accounting for the results of the third study?

What was the finding of the study aiming to more directly test whether state gratitude was causally related to fewer depressive symptoms compared to a control group?

What was the finding of the study aiming to test positive emotions as a mediator?

What was the finding of another study aiming to test positive emotions as a mediator?

What was the finding of a study that simultaneously tested all paths to see if both mediators are significant if included in a single model?

What do the findings of this meta-analysis show? (3)

What further research needs to be done on the application of positive reframing? (2)

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