The more grateful you are, the less lonely you feel.

People who tend to feel more grateful tend to feel less lonely - Photo: ofhsoupkitchen

A meta-analysis of data from 26 studies found a moderate inverse association between gratitude and loneliness. In other words, people who tend to feel more grateful tend to feel less lonely.

More gratitude, less loneliness

Loneliness is a distressing and pervasive emotional experience that can lead to a variety of negative outcomes, including depression, cardiovascular problems, and cognitive decline. In contrast, gratitude is often associated with positive emotional states, which are linked to better physical and psychological health.

Researchers have been intrigued by the potential connection between the two experiences.

Although some individual studies have shown that gratitude can reduce feelings of loneliness, there has been no comprehensive analysis to consolidate these findings and consider their overall significance.

"I have often been interested in the link between positive psychology and psychological health. Gratitude is an important positive psychological construct that has implications for both mental and physical health. On the other hand, loneliness is the unpleasant emotional experience of lacking social connection," said study author James B. Hittner, professor of psychology at the College of Charleston (USA).

The researchers conducted a meta-analysis, combining the results from multiple studies to identify common trends. After searching several academic databases for studies examining the relationship between gratitude and loneliness, they found 26 relevant studies, with a total of 9,679 participants.

Strong connection

Meta-analysis found that individuals with higher levels of gratitude tend to experience lower levels of loneliness. Researchers found that if an individual randomly scored above average on gratitude, there was a 62.4% chance that he or she would also score below average on loneliness.

“We were surprised by the overall analysis, which showed a strong association between gratitude and loneliness,” Hittner said. “The results showed that higher levels of gratitude were associated with greater interpersonal resilience, which in turn reduced the level of loneliness they felt.”

“These findings also suggest that it would be beneficial to modify intervention programs to enhance gratitude to reduce loneliness,” Hittner added.

The researchers also suggest several directions for future research. One area of interest is exploring the mechanisms underlying the relationship between gratitude and loneliness.

Longitudinal studies could also provide valuable insights, by following individuals over time to examine how changes in levels of gratitude affect loneliness. This approach would help clarify the direction of causality and identify potential mediating factors.

“One research question of interest is whether the strength of the association between gratitude and loneliness is similar to the strength of the association between gratitude and other negative emotions, such as depression, anxiety, and fear,” Hittner says.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/cang-biet-on-cang-bot-cam-giac-co-don-20240615124307928.htm