Cognitive Schema Mediates between Gratitude and Life Satisfaction Among Indian Adults

Abstract

Background: The study examines relationships amidst gratitude and life satisfaction and how schematic processing interacts with those relationship. Mediational analysis was used to explore the mechanisms.

Method: The study comprised 711 respondents (Mean age 34.13; 379 Females and 332 Males; Aged 18-45 yrs.) from the educated urban population residing in the National Capital Region (NCR). The participants completed measures, namely Gratitude Questionnaire-6 (GQ-6), Brief Core Schema Scale (BCSS) and Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS),

Result: The correlation results indicate that GQ-5 is positively and significantly correlated with SWLS (ρ=0.46, p<.001).  Structural equation modelling (SEM) showed a good fit [Chi-Square/degree of freedom (χ²)/df=3.07; Goodness of Fit Index (GFI)=.88; Comparative Fit Index (CFI)=.91; Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA)=.054. The relationship between gratitude (GQ-5) and life satisfaction (SWLS) was significant (total effect, B = 0.66 r2 = 0.266, p<0.001). The overall indirect effect for the mediator model was B = .16 (95% CI = .010 to .20). The direct effect is 75% (.50/.66). Indirect effect is 25% (0.16/0.66).

Conclusion: The interconnection of gratitude and life satisfaction is basic in gratitude literature, and the present study tries to explain an understanding of the same in the middle-aged urban-class Indian population. The study contributes to gratitude literature, where life satisfaction is paramount. We quantified the interconnection of gratitude and life satisfaction via schematic processing.