Gratitude predicts hope and happiness: A two-study assessment of traits and states

Abstract

Gratitude is the appreciation of a gift received; happiness is the enjoyment of a present good; and hope is the desire for a valued future. Two studies investigated gratitude as a predictor of hope and happiness. In Study 1, hierarchical regressions (N = 181) revealed that trait gratitude exceeded other constructs (forgivingness, patience, self-control) in predicting trait hope and happiness. In Study 2, we experimentally tested the impact of a gratitude-related writing intervention on state hope and happiness. Participants (N = 153) first wrote about a current, meaningful, hoped-for outcome and completed state hope and happiness measures. Participants were randomly assigned to either (a) gratefully remember a past hope that had been fulfilled or (b) a control condition. The grateful remembering condition (vs. control) prompted significant increases in state hope and happiness, commending grateful remembering as a practice that can bolster present happiness and hope for the future.

Keywords:

• Gratitude
• hope
• happiness

Notes

1. Using a stepwise hierarchical regression analysis for total flourishing scores (α = 0.94), in Step 1, forgivingness (β = 0.35, t = 4.56, p < 0.001), self-control (β = 0.14, t = 1.93, p = 0.056), and patience (β = 0.10, t = 1.34, p = 0.182) together accounted for 21% of flourishing scores, (adjusted R² = 0.21; F = 17.14, p < 0.001) In Step 2, gratitude (β = 0.54, t = 8.81, p < 0.001) accounted for an additional 24% of the variance in flourishing scores (adjusted R² = 0.45; R² = 0.24; F = 37.81, p < 0.001).