Focusing on Close Relationships Associated With Improved Outcomes in a Workplace Gratitude Randomized Controlled
Katherine J Gold1, Margaret L Dobson, Ananda Sen
1From the Department of Family Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan (K.J.G., M.L.D., A.S.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan (K.J.G.); and Department of Biostatistics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan (A.S.).
Objective:
Gratitude programs may improve well-being among health care workers, but it is unknown whether the content of practices matters.
Methods:
We conducted a text-based randomized controlled trial of "Three Good Things" (3GT) in a large academic primary care department. Participants responded to texts thrice weekly for 3 weeks and listed good things that happened that day. We measured depression, positive affect, gratitude, and life satisfaction for "immediate intervention" and "delayed" intervention groups. We coded >4600 entries and used multivariable regression to control for department age, role, and gender to see if content affected well-being.
Results:
A total of 223 of 468 individuals (48%) enrolled. Close relationships and identifying valuable people in one's life were associated with the strongest benefits, but not all "good things" improved outcomes.
Conclusions:
Focusing gratitude on relationships may be most impactful.
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