How to become more grateful? The mediating role of resilience between empathy and gratitude
- PDF / 511,459 Bytes
- 10 Pages / 595.276 x 790.866 pts Page_size
- 89 Downloads / 186 Views
How to become more grateful? The mediating role of resilience between empathy and gratitude Agnieszka Lasota 1
&
Katarzyna Tomaszek 1 & Sandra Bosacki 2
Accepted: 6 November 2020 # The Author(s) 2020
Abstract The current study examined the relationship between empathy, resilience, and gratitude. Specifically, the study investigated the potential mediating role of resilience between empathy and gratitude. The study involved 214 participants who completed the Gratitude Resentment and Appreciation Test-Revised (GRAT-R), the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE), and the Resilience Measurement Scale (SPP-25). The results showed significant positive correlations among resilience, empathy, and gratitude. Multiple regression analysis confirmed that resilience, gender, and affective empathy were direct predictors of the level of gratitude. Structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis supported the hypothesis that resilience played a mediating role between empathy and gratitude. Implications for research and the promotion of positive psychology programs for adults are discussed. Keywords Gratitude . Empathy . Resilience . Mediation effect
Introduction The experience of positive emotions may change people’s attitudes and behavior (Fredrickson & Branigan, 2005) and may influence our perception of daily life events. Similar to how positive thinking and actions can trigger pleasant emotions, pleasant emotions can also trigger positive thinking and positive actions (Fredrickson & Joiner, 2002). Thus, studies show the existence of relations between positive affect and prosocial behavior (Fredrickson & Losada, 2005; Snippe et al., 2017). For example, gratitude and affective empathy that resembles abovementioned positive emotions, promote actions that benefit others even at a cost to the self (Lishner, Steinert, & Stocks, 2016). In addition, gratitude is often described as a protective factor that fosters positive functioning (e.g., proactive coping, life satisfaction, well-being, positive beliefs, creativity and altruistic behaviors), and minimizes the
* Agnieszka Lasota [email protected] 1
Institute of Psychology, Pedagogical University of Krakow, Podchorazych 2, 30-084 Krakow, Poland
2
Department of Educational Studies, Faculty of Education, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario L2S 3A1, Canada
risk of psychopathology (e.g., reactive and proactive aggression, suicidal ideation and behaviors, depression and anxiety, traumatic symptoms) (Vernon, Dillon, & Steiner, 2009; IsraelCohen, Florina, Kashy-Rosenbaum, & Kaplan, 2015; Van Dusen, Tiamiyu, Kashdan, & Elhai, 2015; Arnout & Almoied, 2020; García-Vázquez, Valdés-Cuervo, & ParraPérez, 2020). Gratitude is also associated with a higher level of learned focused resilience and lower risk of school stress experiences (Wilson, 2016). Past studies on gratitude confirm significant benefits to a person’s overall functioning in psychological, spiritual, and physical areas in life. Therefore, this study contributes to prior research as we explore th
Data Loading...
