Gratitude predicts well-being via resilience and social support in emerging adults: A daily diary study

• Published in: The journal of positive psychology Vol. 20; no. 2; pp. 360 - 372
• Main Authors: Yang, Kairong, Zhang, Linting, Li, Wenjie, Jia, Ning, Kong, Feng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 04.03.2025; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Adults; diary study; emerging adults; Gratitude; Health psychology; Resilience; Social support; Undergraduate students; Well being
• ISSN: 1743-9760; 1743-9779
• DOI: 10.1080/17439760.2024.2322444

Although previous studies have established a link between daily gratitude and daily well-being, little is known about whether resilience and social support play the mediating role in the predictive effect of daily gratitude on daily well-being. To better understand how gratitude is linked to well-being, the present study adopted a daily diary method to explore the mediating roles. A sample of 153 undergraduates (M age  = 20.27 years, SD age  = 1.83 years) completed the daily questionnaire once a day for 21 consecutive days. Multilevel within-subject mediation analyses indicated that daily resilience and daily social support mediated the relationship between daily gratitude and daily well-being. These findings are in line with the broaden-and-build theory, emphasizing the significant mediating roles of resilience and social support in the gratitude - well-being link at the within-person level.