Gratitude intervention
A short, assigned exercise that asks people to notice and write down what they are thankful for, such as a weekly gratitude list or a letter.
Trials hand one group the exercise and give the other group a neutral task or nothing. The variable here is the exercise people were asked to do. Feeling grateful as a trait is a different thing, and so is a general habit of positive thinking. Mindfulness on this atlas is a separate practice.
Also called gratitude exercise, gratitude journaling, gratitude letter, counting blessings.
Connected relationships
Meta-analysis of trials · Moderate
Gratitude intervention→Depression
Higher gratitude intervention decreases depression.
In a meta-analysis of randomized trials, people assigned a gratitude exercise reported fewer depression symptoms afterward. A review of working adults points the same way.