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Clinical Trial
. 2003 Feb;84(2):377-89.
doi: 10.1037//0022-3514.84.2.377.

Counting blessings versus burdens: an experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life

Robert A Emmons  1 , Michael E McCullough
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Counting blessings versus burdens: an experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life

Robert A Emmons et al. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2003 Feb.

Abstract

The effect of a grateful outlook on psychological and physical well-being was examined. In Studies 1 and 2, participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 experimental conditions (hassles, gratitude listing, and either neutral life events or social comparison); they then kept weekly (Study 1) or daily (Study 2) records of their moods, coping behaviors, health behaviors, physical symptoms, and overall life appraisals. In a 3rd study, persons with neuromuscular disease were randomly assigned to either the gratitude condition or to a control condition. The gratitude-outlook groups exhibited heightened well-being across several, though not all, of the outcome measures across the 3 studies, relative to the comparison groups. The effect on positive affect appeared to be the most robust finding. Results suggest that a conscious focus on blessings may have emotional and interpersonal benefits.

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