Enhancing Happiness: The Role of Gratitude Interventions

Abstract

The study was aimed at investigating the effect of gratitude interventions on happiness and affect. Undergraduate female college students (n= 150) in the age group of 18-21 years participated in the study. The study followed the pre-test post-test design with placebo controlled group where participants in the two experimental groups received different gratitude based interventions and participants in the control group participated in a neutral task. All participants filled questionnaires on happiness and affect before and after intervention. There were no significant differences among the three groups on the three variables before intervention. Mixed-design split-plot ANOVA results showed that there was a significant increase in happiness and positive affect and a significant decrease in negative affect in both the experimental groups as compared to the control group after intervention. The findings show the crucial role of gratitude based interventions on enhancing happiness and that experiencing as well as expressing gratitude is more beneficial than just experiencing gratitude. Implications for the study are discussed.