Letters of gratitude: Improving well-being through expressive writing

dc.creator	Steven M. Toepfer & Kathleen Walker
dc.date	2009-11-01T00:00:00Z
dc.date.accessioned	2015-07-20T22:10:25Z
dc.date.available	2015-07-20T22:10:25Z
dc.identifier	2030-1006
dc.identifier	https://doaj.org/article/e55287855ed443fb98561b0e107aa02a
dc.identifier.uri	http://evidence.thinkportal.org/handle/123456789/13605
dc.description	Researchers have shown that about 40% of our happiness is accounted for by intentional activity whereas 50% is explained by genetics and 10% by circumstances (Lyubomirsky, Sheldon & Schkade, 2005). Consequently, efforts to improve happiness might best be focused in the domain of intentional activity: willful and self-directed activity (Sheldon & Lyubomirsky, 2007). Such activity is nested in the "sustainable happiness model" proposed by Lyubomirsky, Sheldon, and Schkade (2005) which states that happiness is in part within our ability to manage. Earlier work (Fordyce, 1977; 1983) supports the premise that individuals can sustain levels of happiness through volitional behavior. The current pilot study explored one such intentional activity - composing letters of gratitude. It was hypothesized that writing three letters of gratitude over time would enhance important qualities of subjective well-being in the author; happiness, life-satisfaction, and gratitude.
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	University of Antwerp
dc.relation	http://www.jowr.org/articles/vol1_3/JoWR_2009_vol1_nr3_Toepfer_Walker.pdf
dc.relation	https://doaj.org/toc/2030-1006
dc.rights	CC BY-NC-ND
dc.source	Journal of Writing Research , Vol 1, Iss 3, Pp 181-198 (2009)
dc.subject	Expressive writing
dc.subject	gratitude
dc.subject	letters
dc.subject	well-being
dc.subject	Philology. Linguistics
dc.subject	P1-1091
dc.subject	Language and Literature
dc.subject	P
dc.subject	DOAJ:Linguistics
dc.subject	DOAJ:Languages and Literatures
dc.subject	Psychology
dc.subject	BF1-990
dc.subject	Philosophy. Psychology. Religion
dc.subject	B
dc.subject	DOAJ:Psychology
dc.subject	DOAJ:Social Sciences
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	DOAJ:Education
dc.subject	DOAJ:Social Sciences
dc.subject	Philology. Linguistics
dc.subject	P1-1091
dc.subject	Language and Literature
dc.subject	P
dc.subject	DOAJ:Linguistics
dc.subject	DOAJ:Languages and Literatures
dc.subject	Psychology
dc.subject	BF1-990
dc.subject	Philosophy. Psychology. Religion
dc.subject	B
dc.subject	DOAJ:Psychology
dc.subject	DOAJ:Social Sciences
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	DOAJ:Education
dc.subject	DOAJ:Social Sciences
dc.subject	Philology. Linguistics
dc.subject	P1-1091
dc.subject	Language and Literature
dc.subject	P
dc.subject	Psychology
dc.subject	BF1-990
dc.subject	Philosophy. Psychology. Religion
dc.subject	B
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	Philology. Linguistics
dc.subject	P1-1091
dc.subject	Language and Literature
dc.subject	P
dc.subject	Psychology
dc.subject	BF1-990
dc.subject	Philosophy. Psychology. Religion
dc.subject	B
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	Philology. Linguistics
dc.subject	P1-1091
dc.subject	Language and Literature
dc.subject	P
dc.subject	Psychology
dc.subject	BF1-990
dc.subject	Philosophy. Psychology. Religion
dc.subject	B
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.title	Letters of gratitude: Improving well-being through expressive writing
dc.type	article