Does practicing gratitude increase life satisfaction, well-being and happiness among undergraduate students?

Byrne, Clara (2020) Does practicing gratitude increase life satisfaction, well-being and happiness among undergraduate students? Undergraduate thesis, Dublin, National College of Ireland.

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Abstract

This study had two main aims. The first aim was to investigate if keeping a gratitude journal will increase college undergraduate student’s level of life satisfaction, subjective well-being and subjective happiness. The second aim was to investigate if there is a gender difference between males and females regarding their levels of life satisfaction, subjective well-being and subjective happiness.
This study also had two main hypotheses. The first hypothesis suggested that those who engage in the gratitude reflective journal intervention will have increased scores in their levels of life satisfaction, subjective well-being and subjective happiness compared to those who are not assigned to the gratitude reflective journal condition. The second hypothesis suggested that there will be gender differences present between males and females in relation to their levels of life satisfaction, subjective well-being and subjective happiness.
The Satisfaction With Life scale (Diener, 1985 & Pavot, 1991), the Positive and Negative Affect scale (Diener, 1985 & Pavot, 1991; Watson et al., 1998), and the Subjective Happiness scale (Lyumbomirsky & Lepper, 1999) was used to measure life satisfaction, subjective well-being and subjective happiness.
Results were statistically non-significant, but they suggest that gratitude journaling may be beneficial to undergraduate students as it can be used to improve quality of life, well-being and mental health overall. However, further exploration is needed to confirm or discount this. The implications of this study suggest that gratitude journaling when used consistently for a longer period of time i.e. a few weeks or months could be very helpful to university students overall and this journaling could even help individuals who are beginning their transition into university.
Keywords: [Gratitude, life satisfaction, well-being, happiness, university students, mental health hygiene].

Item Type:	Thesis (Undergraduate)
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > Psychology L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB2300 Higher Education R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA790 Mental Health
Divisions:	School of Business > BA (Honours) in Psychology
Depositing User:	Mr Kevin Loughran
Date Deposited:	24 May 2021 12:34
Last Modified:	24 May 2021 12:34
URI:	https://norma.ncirl.ie/id/eprint/4837

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