Psychology
Thankful for My SmartPhone: Results of an iPhone-delivered Gratitude Intervention
Document Type
Oral Presentation
Location
Indianapolis, IN
Subject Area
Psychology
Start Date
11-4-2014 1:00 PM
End Date
11-4-2014 2:15 PM
Sponsor
Tim Steenbergh (Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion)
Description
Past research suggests that lasting increases in happiness can remain up to six months after individuals engage in a gratitude intervention (Seligman et al., 2005). While other studies have shown similar, positive impacts on happiness, they have relied on, at most, once daily gratitude reflections (Emmons & McCullough, 2003). We expanded on these studies by using an experimental pretest-posttest design to measure the effects of a Smartphone-delivered gratitude intervention that prompted in-the-moment reflection of gratitude. Participants were randomly assigned to a full-gratitude group (n=53), a partial gratitude group (n=48), or a control group (n=51). The intervention lasted for 14 days and all participants were given three prompts to respond to throughout the day, as well as an end-of-day prompt. The full gratitude group was given three gratitude prompts throughout the day and one end-of-day intervention. The partial gratitude group was only given an end-of-day gratitude intervention, while the control group was given neutral prompts and end-of-day questions. ANOVA revealed no group differences in readiness to change, gratitude, life satisfaction, or positive and negative affect. The implications of these findings should be addressed in future studies, specifically by changing the number of interventions per week or creating more diversity in intervention tasks.
Thankful for My SmartPhone: Results of an iPhone-delivered Gratitude Intervention
Indianapolis, IN
Past research suggests that lasting increases in happiness can remain up to six months after individuals engage in a gratitude intervention (Seligman et al., 2005). While other studies have shown similar, positive impacts on happiness, they have relied on, at most, once daily gratitude reflections (Emmons & McCullough, 2003). We expanded on these studies by using an experimental pretest-posttest design to measure the effects of a Smartphone-delivered gratitude intervention that prompted in-the-moment reflection of gratitude. Participants were randomly assigned to a full-gratitude group (n=53), a partial gratitude group (n=48), or a control group (n=51). The intervention lasted for 14 days and all participants were given three prompts to respond to throughout the day, as well as an end-of-day prompt. The full gratitude group was given three gratitude prompts throughout the day and one end-of-day intervention. The partial gratitude group was only given an end-of-day gratitude intervention, while the control group was given neutral prompts and end-of-day questions. ANOVA revealed no group differences in readiness to change, gratitude, life satisfaction, or positive and negative affect. The implications of these findings should be addressed in future studies, specifically by changing the number of interventions per week or creating more diversity in intervention tasks.