Gratitude and Chinese College Students’ Well-Being and Coping

• In Event: Poster Session 17
  In Poster Session: Social Influences on Learning

Abstract

Gratitude is a fundamentally emotional disposition that promotes individuals’ well-being and adaptive functions towards life (McCullough, et al., 2002; Emmons, & McCullough, 2003). Although studies on gratitude increased recently, few were done with diverse populations, especially Asian population. To address this gap, Chinese college students were examined (N = 847). Consistent with previous research, gratitude was positively correlated with positive affect, happiness, vitality, hope, and negatively correlated with negative affect and negative coping strategies. The cross-cultural differences – gratitude was negatively correlated with life satisfaction and some religion, did not affect the functions of gratitude towards positive outcomes. Research findings support the importance of grateful thinking among Chinese students and more studies are needed in various cultures.

Authors

• Wei Liu, The University of Alabama

• Cecil D. Robinson, The University of Alabama

• Nathan Simmons, The University of Alabama