Gratitude

Past research has shown increases in social support, positive affect, mindfulness, and life satisfaction are associated with gratitude (Emmons & McCullough, 2003). However, only one study has looked at trait gratitude in conjunction with positive and negative coping styles (Wood, Joseph, & Linley, 2007). Wood et al. (2007) found that trait gratitude was positively correlated with the following coping styles: use of emotional social support, use of instrumental social support, positive reinterpretation and growth, active, and planning. Trait gratitude was negatively associated with behavioral disengagement, self-blame, substance use, and denial coping styles. The coping styles associated with trait gratitude have not been evaluated for state gratitude. For the current study, 108 students from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee completed the following questionnaires: social support, depression, forgiveness, coping, anxiety, life satisfaction, affect, and mindfulness. State gratitude was positively correlated with positive coping (i.e., positive reinterpretation and growth (r = .494, p \u3c .001), active (r = .287, p \u3c .01), religious (r = .287, p \u3c .01), use of instrumental social support (r = .421, p \u3c .001), use of emotional social support (r = .362, p \u3c .001), acceptance (r = .277, p \u3c .01), and planning (r = .393, p \u3c .001)), but not associated with negative coping (p \u3e .05). Our results replicated Wood et al. (2007), except for a negative correlation between mental disengagement and trait gratitude (r = -.368, p \u3c .05). Further, no significance was found for trait gratitude and self-blame (p \u3e .05).These results suggest that the impact of gratitude on coping styles might be better explained by looking at both state and trait gratitude