University of Twente Student Theses
The Ability to Adapt: our hidden potential : Ability to Adapt as a Mediator Between Gratitude and Well-being, Depressive Symptoms, and Anxiety
Heermann, Julia (2021) The Ability to Adapt: our hidden potential : Ability to Adapt as a Mediator Between Gratitude and Well-being, Depressive Symptoms, and Anxiety.
|
PDF
534kB |
| Abstract: | Although gratitude has proven to benefit not only well-being but also ill-being, the working mechanisms are still unclear. The ability to adapt has been proposed to fill this role; it refers to the way we readjust to challenging situations to maintain life satisfaction. The current study aimed to test the model of ability to adapt as a mediator between gratitude and well-being, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. A six-week gratitude study with an intervention and control group was analysed. All participants completed baseline assessments on gratitude, ability to adapt, well-being, depressive symptoms, and anxiety and a post-test six weeks later. The data set was tested on four levels 1) the correlation between the study variables at pre-test 2) a cross-sectional mediation model at pre-test with ability to adapt as a mediator (n=847) 3) a longitudinal mediation model of the control group (n=392) with ability to adapt as a mediator 4) the intervention was evaluated for its effectiveness in improving the ability to adapt, well-being and depressive symptoms, and anxiety comparing the intervention group (n=224) with the control group (n=392). The findings indicate that ability to adapt mediates the relationship between gratitude and well-being, depressive symptoms, and anxiety not only cross-sectional but also longitudinal. Additionally, the gratitude intervention effectively improved ability to adapt, well-being and reduced depressive symptoms and anxiety. The findings indicate that gratitude has a more direct positive influence on well-being but indirectly affect anxiety and depressive symptoms. Ability to adapt has been suggested to mediate this relationship between gratitude and well-being and ill-being. Conclusion: The present study indicates the ability to adapt to be a working mechanism of gratitude which has a beneficial impact on central positive and negative aspects of mental health. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 77 psychology |
| Programme: | Psychology MSc (66604) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/87725 |
| Export this item as: | BibTeX EndNote HTML Citation Reference Manager |
Show download statistics for this publication
Show download statistics for this publicationRepository Staff Only: item control page