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The Effects of Gratitude Journaling on Turkish First Year College Students’ College Adjustment, Life Satisfaction and Positive Affect

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Abstract

This study examined the effects of gratitude journaling on first-year college students’ adjustment, life satisfaction, and positive affect. Students who scored high (i.e., scores between 35 and 56) on the Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen et al. in Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 24, 385–396, 1983) and low (i.e., scores between 48 and 144) on the University Life Scale (Aladağ et al. in Türk Psikolojik Danışma ve Rehberlik Dergisi, 2(20), 41–47, 2003) were invited to participate in the study. Among the 24 students who met the criteria, 21 volunteered to participate. Students in the experimental group (11) kept a gratitude journal for 3 weeks, whilst those in the control group (10) were not involved in any gratitude-related activity. Results indicated that students in the experimental group had significantly higher post-test scores on gratitude, adjustment to university life, life satisfaction, and positive affect. Results related to gratitude interventions, positive emotions and college student adjustment are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Educational Sciences, Psychological Counseling and Guidance, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey

    Şerife Işık

  2. Gazi Üniversitesi Gazi Eğitim Fakültesi, Beşevler, Ankara, Turkey, 06500

    Şerife Işık

  3. Department of Leadership and Counseling, Drake University, 123 Education Building, Des Moines, IA, 50311, USA

    Bengü Ergüner-Tekinalp

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  1. Şerife Işık
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Işık, Ş., Ergüner-Tekinalp, B. The Effects of Gratitude Journaling on Turkish First Year College Students’ College Adjustment, Life Satisfaction and Positive Affect. Int J Adv Counselling 39, 164–175 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10447-017-9289-8

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