The Role of Life Satisfaction and Coping Style in the Relationship between Gratitude and School Belonging

Abstract

Abstract. Many researches have already been conducted to study the effect of gratitude. Researchers have found that gratitude positively correlates to mental wellbeing, social integration, traits and performance. However, few researchers illustrated how the gratitude worked in helping students adapt themselves to school climate. This study recruited407undergraduate students to examine the relationships betweengratitude and school belonging. It was hypothesized that Gratitude was associated positively and significantly with life satisfaction and positive coping style, both of which were positively and significantly related to school belonging. And life satisfaction and positive coping style played a mediating role in the relationship between gratitude and school belonging. The hierarchical regression analyses indicated that gratitude could significantly predict positive coping style and more life satisfaction, which played a complete mediating role in the relationship of gratitude and school belonging. This research suggests that the gratitude is an effective intervention in helping students adapt themselves to school climate socially and affectively.

Gratitude and Its Relationship to Resilience and Academic Performance among University Students

“…Other studies also supported the claim that gratitude is positively related to seeking social support (Faeq, 2016). Qin et al (2015) highlighted how students would use their social support to sustain themselves and seek help when facing difficulties. Qin et al (2015) also said that students would develop positive coping strategies and do their best to solve problems instead of dwelling on problems and falling into depression.…”

“…Qin et al (2015) highlighted how students would use their social support to sustain themselves and seek help when facing difficulties. Qin et al (2015) also said that students would develop positive coping strategies and do their best to solve problems instead of dwelling on problems and falling into depression. Grateful students endured stressful events well by seeing things on the bright side and getting along well with others, contributing to their mental well-being (Qin et al, 2015).…”

“…Qin et al (2015) also said that students would develop positive coping strategies and do their best to solve problems instead of dwelling on problems and falling into depression. Grateful students endured stressful events well by seeing things on the bright side and getting along well with others, contributing to their mental well-being (Qin et al, 2015). Gratitude helps students deal with problems with positive coping skills, which enable students to blend into the school environment academically, interpersonally, and mentally, which is beneficial for their adjustment to the school setting and increases their sense of belonging to the school (Swanson, Valiente, Lemery-Chalfant, & O'Brien, 2011;Qin et al, 2015).…”

Investigation of the Effects of Purpose in Life, Grit, Gratitude, and School Belonging on Mental Distress among Chinese Emerging Adults

“…Low sense of school connectedness has also been identified as a predictor of depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms among adolescents [ 44 ] and a significant correlate of internalizing problem behaviors among university students [ 45 ]. Among Chinese undergraduate students, school belonging was shown to have a positive relationship with gratitude [ 46 ], but the relationship between school belonging and either grit or purpose in life is not clear.…”