Date on Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation
5-2020
Document Type
Doctoral Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph. D.
Department
Psychological and Brain Sciences
Degree Program
Clinical Psychology, PhD
Committee Chair
Salmon, Paul
Committee Co-Chair (if applicable)
Sephton, Sandra
Committee Member
Sephton, Sandra
Committee Member
DeCaro, Marci
Committee Member
Cash, Elizabeth
Committee Member
Mitchell, Amanda
Author's Keywords
mindfulness; gratitude; depression; undergraduates
Abstract
The practice and research of mindfulness has increased exponentially in recent decades; however, the study of gratitude maintains modest growth. While the overlap between gratitude and mindfulness may be intuitive, empirical investigation is lacking. The present study sought to investigate the relative and combined influence of mindfulness and gratitude with symptoms of depression in undergraduates. The current study explored these constructs in the context of a mindfulness-based intervention known as Koru. One hundred undergraduate participants provided self-report measures of demographics, mindfulness, gratitude, and symptoms of depression prior to the intervention and again immediately following. Participants were required to complete electronic logs each evening responding to whether they meditated, meditation duration and type and what they were grateful for. Correlational analyses revealed that at baseline, gratitude was significantly associated with state but not trait mindfulness. Gratitude, state mindfulness, and trait mindfulness were all significantly negatively related to depression at baseline. Following Koru, gratitude significantly increased from baseline to follow-up, while symptoms of depression significantly decreased. Koru class attendance and gratitude log completion significantly predicted the slope of reduction in depression. Slope of change in state mindfulness mediated the change in symptoms of depression. Results of the intervention demonstrate promise for the reduction in depression and increase in gratitude through practicing mindfulness. Finally, results of mediation analyses suggest that the increase in mindfulness may be contributing to the beneficial results of Koru. Overall, implementation of mindfulness-based interventions on college campuses—that incorporate both mindfulness and gratitude—may help alleviate psychological distress.
Recommended Citation
Rodgers, Allison, "The intersection of mindfulness and gratitude: examining the roles of gratitude and mindfulness practices within a 4-week mindfulness-based intervention on depressive symptoms in undergraduates." (2020). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 3475.
https://doi.org/10.18297/etd/3475
