The Effect of Gratitude on the Mental Health of Healthcare Workers as Measured by Burnout and Depression

Burnout and depression have been considered long-standing issues among healthcare workers worldwide. Current interventions for managing poor mental health include exercise, medical treatments, mindfulness, and workplace changes. The practice of gratitude has shown significant improvements in mental health in the general population, and it has been proposed as a potential intervention for healthcare workers. This scoping review aimed to assess the effect of gratitude on the mental health of healthcare workers as measured by burnout and depression. The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature and Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online databases were searched using medical subject headings (e.g., gratitude journaling and burnout). Studies that were not published in a peer-reviewed journal, included non-healthcare workers, did not implement gratitude interventions, or had outcomes unrelated to burnout and/or depression were excluded. Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria. The practice of gratitude resulted in improvements in burnout and depression in the heterogeneous populations of healthcare workers. Practicing gratitude, alone or in combination with another practice, has been shown to potentially improve and/or prevent burnout and depression among healthcare workers.