Gratitude and the self

The amplification theory of gratitude posits that gratitude amplifies the good in people's lives and orients them toward seeking out those good things. This study tested the hypothesis that gratitude would amplify the good that people see in themselves as evidenced by higher levels of self-compassion and self-acceptance. A second hypothesis was that grateful people would tend to derive their self-worth from intrinsic domains. Participants (N = 290) completed an online survey. Structural equation modeling with latent variables showed strong positive relationships between gratitude, self-compassion, and self-acceptance. Multiple regression analyses showed that grateful people tended to stake their self-worth in intrinsic domains. Results suggest that gratitude helps to reshape the relationship with the self in ways that are conducive to positive psychological functioning.