Gratitude Interventions in Individuals With Diabetes: An Integrative Review

Diabetes is a chronic, complex condition, which requires intensive daily management for adequate glycemic control. The burden of daily tasks necessary for diabetes self-management can negatively impact psychosocial outcomes. The practice of gratitude in patients with chronic conditions has demonstrated improvement in poor psychosocial outcomes. The purpose of this review is to examine the effect of gratitude interventions on glycemic and psychosocial outcomes in individuals with diabetes. We searched 5 databases in September 2024 to identify research articles that met inclusion criteria. Six studies met inclusion criteria. Interventions included gratitude journaling, gratitude therapy, writing a gratitude letter, and gratitude reflection. Results indicate gratitude is a feasible intervention and may improve anxiety and depressive symptoms, quality of life, and coping with diabetes. There was heterogeneity in intervention delivery and results. Further research is required to ascertain the extent of correlation between gratitude, and glycemic and psychosocial outcomes.