(PS2-B46) The Effect of Trait Gratitude on Use of Adaptive Emotion Regulation Strategies in Response to Positive and Negative Events: A Daily Diary Study

Trait gratitude has been associated with positive mental health outcomes, including higher subjective well-being and improved psychological outcomes, such as fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression. However, we know less about how gratitude exerts its effects. While recent research has found associations between trait gratitude and adaptive coping, little research exists on the interaction between gratitude and coping strategy use in daily life. In the current study, we expand upon past research by utilizing Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) to investigate how gratitude may influence daily affect, momentary negative affect, and the use of coping strategies in response to stressful daily events among a sample of young adults. Specifically, we examined how trait gratitude prospectively predicted the use of problem-solving, rumination, cognitive reappraisal, and social support following daily stressful life events.

Participants were 125 undergraduate students who completed a baseline survey, a laboratory visit, and a week of follow-up surveys measuring trait gratitude, depressive symptoms, and positive and negative affect and coping strategies. The main effects of trait gratitude on daily state affect were examined using hierarchical linear modeling. Consistent with the hypothesis, results demonstrated that participants with higher trait gratitude reported lower daily negative affect (𝛽 = -0.14, p = .025) and higher positive affect (𝛽 = 0.19, p = .010). However, counter to hypotheses, participants with higher trait gratitude did not experience more or less negative affect in response to negative events (𝛽 = -0.06, p = .385).

Additionally, results indicated associations between trait gratitude and social support seeking as well as problem-solving in response to stressors. Participants with higher trait gratitude utilized greater problem-solving in response to negative events (𝛽 = 0.18, p = .001) and engaged in greater social support seeking in response to negative events (𝛽 = 0.13, p = .028). However, participants with higher trait gratitude did not use either more or less cognitive reappraisal in response to negative events, but results were trending towards significance (𝛽 = 0.14, p = .080). Similarly, counter to hypotheses, participants with higher trait gratitude did not utilize more or less rumination in response to negative events (𝛽 = 0.02, p = .742) nor did they report less cognitive suppression in response to negative events (𝛽 = -0.01, p = .883). Overall, findings indicate trait gratitude may not decrease the use of negative coping strategies but instead may promote the use of active, adaptive forms of coping.