Gratitude, gratitude intervention and well-being in Malaysia

• Main Authors: Noor, Noraini M., Abdul Rahman, Nur Diana, Mohamad Zahari, Muhammad Idlan Afiq
• Format: Article
• Language: English; English; English
• Published: Srinakharinwirot University-Behavioral Science Research Institute 2018
• Subjects: HM Sociology; HM1001 Social psychology
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/32119/1/32119_Gratitude%2C%20Gratitude%20Intervention.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/32119/2/32119_Gratitude%2C%20Gratitude%20Intervention_SCOPUS.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/32119/3/32119_Gratitude%2C%20Gratitude%20Intervention_WOS.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/32119/; https://www.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/IJBS/article/view/123509/101297
• Institution: Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia

Gratitude has generally been neglected by psychologists due to the emphasis on the medical model. A dearth of research on gratitude in Malaysia was the main impetus for these studies. Study 1 compared the gratitude scores Malaysian Malays against the US, UK, China and Japan, along an individualist-collective continuum, and results showed Malays had lower gratitude scores than the others, except for the Japanese. To increase their gratitude scores, Study 2 carried out an intervention using ‘the three good things’ exercise on 59 students over a period of 14 days. The intervention increased gratitude and life satisfaction as well as reduced distress. Furthermore, a hierarchical regression examining the effect of gratitude on well-being controlling for measures of affect and religiosity at Time 1, showed that Time-2 gratitude was only predictive of Time-2 distress. The results are discussed with respect to the collectivist culture of the Malays where negative aspects of the self are valued as a form of self-criticism to help one to constantly improve oneself. Two main implications are noted: that there are cross-cultural differences in the way gratitude is understood and expressed in the Malay culture, and that engaging in positive activity may sometimes be counterproductive to well-being.