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Effects of Free Response and Prompted Gratitude Journaling on Middle School Students' Subjective Well-Being

Boyd, Rachel
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=dayton1555948916379404

Abstract Details

2019, Specialist in Education (Ed.S.), University of Dayton, School Psychology.
Positive psychology researchers study gratitude journaling frequently as an intervention that aims to increase feelings of gratitude and overall subjective well-being (SWB). One question arising from previous research is what possible variables increase the effectiveness of gratitude journaling amongst middle school students. The present study explored the effect of prompted daily gratitude journaling compared to daily free write gratitude journaling on seventh grade students’ levels of gratitude and SWB. The study involved 22 participants, half of whom wrote in a blank gratitude journal daily and the other half of whom responded to a gratitude prompt of, “I am grateful to ______ because ______.” The researcher measured outcomes using pre- and post-test data from questionnaires designed to measure one’s positive and negative affect, overall life satisfaction, and inclination to express gratitude. Based on pre-, post-, and follow up test data, students in the prompt condition did not experience higher levels of gratitude, positive affect, or subjective well-being, nor lower levels of negative affect, when compared to students in the free response condition. Implications for future practice include pairing a teaching component with the journaling to increase effectiveness and including a more specific prompt to elicit gratitude towards others.
Sawyer Hunley, Dr. (Advisor)
Susan Davies, Dr. (Committee Member)
Meredith Montgomery, Dr. (Committee Member)
69 p.
Counseling Education; Education; Psychology; School Counseling
gratitude; gratitude journaling; positive psychology; subjective well-being; middle school; journaling

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Boyd, R. (2019). Effects of Free Response and Prompted Gratitude Journaling on Middle School Students' Subjective Well-Being [Electronic thesis or dissertation, University of Dayton]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=dayton1555948916379404

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Boyd, Rachel. Effects of Free Response and Prompted Gratitude Journaling on Middle School Students' Subjective Well-Being. 2019. University of Dayton, Electronic thesis or dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=dayton1555948916379404.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Boyd, Rachel. "Effects of Free Response and Prompted Gratitude Journaling on Middle School Students' Subjective Well-Being." Electronic thesis or dissertation, University of Dayton, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=dayton1555948916379404

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

dayton1555948916379404
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This open access ETD is published by University of Dayton and OhioLINK.