“Even the Smallest Things Are Blessings”: Students’ Perspectives on the Effects of Gratitude Activities

Gratitude is an emotion and disposition associated with the appreciation of the positive in life and the favours received from others. Gratitude activities are one of the most common elements of positive psychology interventions aiming to promote children’s and youth’s wellbeing. These activities require participants to notice, reflect and share on the blessings they received and express gratitude and appreciation to people who served as their benefactors. Most studies on gratitude applied quantitative approaches, usually correlational or experimental in nature, and studies focusing on the experiences of students during gratitude activities are rare if not non-existent. This article addresses this gap as it aimed to present the qualitative results of a study focusing on the effectiveness of teacher-implemented gratitude intervention activities involving secondary students as participants. The results are drawn from the written reflections on gratitude activities of 97 students. The results of the study suggest the effects of gratitude on the cognitive and social realms, with some hints of effects in the affective realm.