The ObservatoryThe effect of gratitude: what the research actually shows
An honest look at how big gratitude's effect actually is, according to the research
How it works
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Gratitude journals are sometimes described as a cure-all. Before the answer key: what do you think the numbers actually show?
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Why does it work?
The effect of gratitude interventions on well-being is positive but small (Hedges g around 0.2), and even smaller for symptoms of low mood and worry (g around 0.1), according to a review of controlled studies (Davis, Choe, Meyers m.fl., 2016). It is a real but modest effect, not the dramatic change gratitude exercises are sometimes marketed as.
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