Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY – Two studies that looked at how we express gratitude found that women are better able then men to feel and express gratitude towards others and thus derive the social and personal benefits that come from such expressions. But among adolescents, while girls tended to express gratitude more readily than boys, boys may actually derive more of a benefit when they are able to do so.

Jeffrey J. Froh, Psy.D., assistant professor of psychology at Hofstra who specializes in studying the effects of expressing gratitude, was involved in both studies. The first, a multi-study paper on adults led by Todd B. Kashdan, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology at George Mason University, was published online last week in the Journal of Personality. The second paper on adolescents, led by Dr. Froh, is slated for publication later in 2009 in the Journal of Adolescence

Gratitude is the emotion of "thankfulness and joy" experienced when people receive something beneficial, such as a gift, or when someone does something kind or helpful for them. Using three groups of adults to examine different aspects of gratitude, the first paper found that women are better able to benefit from expressions of gratitude, which contributes to personal well-being and encourages pro-social behavior. Men, on the other hand, find expressing gratitude to be challenging, anxiety provoking and burdensome.

"Therefore, compared with men, women are more likely to be altruistic and help out others, both of which promote deep and broad social ties. Consequently, to the degree that gratitude encourages such behavior, women increase their chances for well-being because the presence of strong social relationships is perhaps the single greatest cause of happiness," Dr. Kashdan wrote.

The gender difference in expressing gratitude is directly related to how men and women react to expressions of gratitude, according to the studies. "Asking for help and relying on other people is part of navigating the everyday hassles and major stressors of modern life with some semblance of health," Dr. Kashdan wrote. "Research shows that men are less likely to seek help from friends, family, or medical professionals due to fears of being evaluated negatively and the embarrassment of being dependent on others."

"Gender differences in gratitude is an understudied topic," Dr. Froh said of the adult study. "Not only did women report being more grateful, but they seem to benefit more from it when expressed."

In the adolescent study, which examined 154 middle school students, the researchers found that "Girls, on average, reported slightly elevated levels of gratitude compared with boys. But this was only at the trend level. Boys, however, might derive more benefits from expressing gratitude compared with girls," Dr. Froh said. "Girls are socialized to express these softer emotions more than boys. So when a boy expresses thanks it’s a big deal. In a sense, they’re going beyond their expected gender role."

Beyond examining gender differences, the study with adolescents is the first to examine the effects of gratitude on numerous aspects of well-being. Students answered questions about their well-being, social support, pro-social behavior, physical symptoms, gratitude in response to aid, and overall gratitude.

The study concluded that gratitude in early adolescents was related to social, emotional, and physical benefits, with those benefits extending beyond what can be explained by their overall level of positive emotions.

In a study published in 2008, Dr. Froh found that middle school students who counted their blessings and acknowledged the things they were grateful for reported higher levels of well-being than those who did not. Specifically, students who counted their blessings reported more gratitude, optimism, life satisfaction, and less negative emotions. The most significant finding was the robust relationship between gratitude and satisfaction with school experience at both the immediate post-test and 3-week follow-up.

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