What Good Is Gratitude in Youth and Schools? A Systematic Review and Meta‐analysis of Correlates and Intervention Outcomes

Abstract

The development of gratitude in youth has received increasing attention during the past several years, and gratitude-based interventions have often been recommended for use in schools. Yet, the empirical status of the correlates of gratitude and the effects of gratitude-based interventions on youths' outcomes remains unclear. The present study addressed this ambiguity by systematically reviewing and meta-analyzing original empirical journal articles investigating gratitude in youth through September 2014 (N = 20). Findings from the meta-analysis of correlates indicate small-to-moderate convergent and discriminant evidence for gratitude as a subjective well-being indicator in youth, yet other results indicate that gratitude measures have relatively poor test-retest reliability and/or predictive validity and that they have questionable concurrent validity with other gratitude measures. Moreover, findings from the meta-analysis of intervention outcomes indicate that gratitude-based interventions are, as a whole, generally ineffective and that much more intervention research is warranted. Implications of these findings for theory, future research, and the practice of school psychology are discussed. C 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Subjective Well-Being and Gratitude Among South African Adolescents

“…By implication, policies and programs to enhance youth well-being could consider these interrelationships in developing interventions. However, as Renshaw and Olinger Steeves (2016) reported, more research regarding the effectiveness of gratitude interventions to promote well-being is warranted.…”

“…Furthermore, gratitude may motivate adolescents to engage in future benevolent actions (Froh, Bono, & Emmons, 2010). A recent meta-analysis (Renshaw & Olinger Steeves, 2016) suggested that gratitude is positively correlated to life satisfaction and negatively correlated to distress. Gratitude can be intentionally practiced, and some studies reported that engaging in gratitude activities lead to enhanced SWB in adolescents (Froh, Sefick, & Emmons, 2008; Khanna & Singh, 2016).…”

“…Gratitude can be intentionally practiced, and some studies reported that engaging in gratitude activities lead to enhanced SWB in adolescents (Froh, Sefick, & Emmons, 2008; Khanna & Singh, 2016). Although Renshaw and Olinger Steeves (2016) cautioned against the over-enthusiastic implementation of gratitude interventions among youth, it remains an important factor in adolescent well-being.…”

Validation of the Gratitude Questionnaire in Filipino Secondary School Students

“…Previous research indicates that gratitude is associated with a wide range of positive psychological outcomes (see Renshaw & Steeves, 2016 for a review). Gratitude is linked to higher positive affect (McCullough et al, 2002) and life satisfaction (Datu, 2014; Datu & Mateo, 2015; Froh, Emmons, Card, Bono, & Wilson, 2011; McCullough et al, 2002; Wood, Joseph, & Maltby, 2008; 2009).…”

“…Furthermore, as previous studies concentrated on exploring the association of gratitude with school adjustment and well-being outcomes, Renshaw and Steeves (2016) point out that “there is little evidence to suggest that gratitude in youth has practically meaningful associations with performance-based or informant-rated variables that educators and school psychologists tend to value” (p. 300). Although Froh et al (2011b) have assessed the relationship between gratitude and academic outcomes in the Western context, the study did not explicitly examine the factorial validity of the gratitude questionnaire.…”