The Role of Gratitude in Subjective Happiness: A Cross-sectional Lifespan Analysis

A BSTRACT Background: Gratitude and happiness are more than just a state of mind or a gesture. Practicing and expressing gratitude leads to a positive impact on the physical, psychological, and social functioning of individuals. The overlapping nature of gratitude and happiness along with the evolutionary mechanism of gratitude leads to the question of whether the presence of these effects is consistent from young adulthood to old age or across the lifespan. Thus, the objective of the present study was to explore the association between gratitude and happiness in different stages of life. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that explores various life stages of total 135 individuals by dividing them into three groups (18–34 years, 35–54 years, and 55–65 years). Results: The overall results suggest that a positive relationship has been found between gratitude and happiness in different life stages. There was a significant difference between the three groups with respect to happiness, with P = 0.000, and a relationship between happiness and gratitude was found significant in Group A ( P = 0.000) and Group B ( P = 0.001). Conclusion: It can be concluded that in different life stages, a positive relationship has been found between gratitude and happiness. Thus, one should exercise gratitude in order to enhance self-control and feelings of happiness and improve their goal attainment.