Validation of the Gratitude/Awe Questionnaire and Its Association with Disposition of Gratefulness

Self-transcendent feelings such as gratitude, compassion, and awe are highly relevant for human societies. So far, empirical research has focused more on the relational aspects of these feelings (concrete persons), and less on the spiritual aspects referring to the Sacred in a person’s life. We inte...

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Main Authors: Arndt Büssing, Daniela R. Recchia, Klaus Baumann
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2018-04-01
Series:Religions
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/9/4/117
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author Arndt Büssing
Daniela R. Recchia
Klaus Baumann
author_facet Arndt Büssing
Daniela R. Recchia
Klaus Baumann
author_sort Arndt Büssing
collection DOAJ
description Self-transcendent feelings such as gratitude, compassion, and awe are highly relevant for human societies. So far, empirical research has focused more on the relational aspects of these feelings (concrete persons), and less on the spiritual aspects referring to the Sacred in a person’s life. We intended to validate an extended version of the former three-item Gratitude/Awe scale. This extended scale was designed with a focus on the experiential aspects of being moved and touched by certain moments and places/nature, on related reactions of pausing with daily activities, and on the subsequent feelings of awe and gratitude. Enrolling 183 test persons (67% women; 59% with a Christian confession) in a cross-sectional study, we can confirm that the seven-item Gratitude/Awe scale (GrAw-7) has good psychometric properties (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.82) and moderate correlation (r = 0.42) with grateful disposition (GQ-6 questionnaire). Structured equation modeling (SEM) confirmed that both constructs, although moderately related, are different. While Gratitude/Awe was best predicted by the frequency of meditation practice, a grateful disposition was best predicted by the frequency of praying and by general life satisfaction. The GrAw-7 scale is not contaminated with specific religious topics or quality of life issues, and can be easily implemented in larger studies.
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spelling doaj.art-a75c8a14984c4e1a9bf88716ab904b382022-12-22T00:04:14ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442018-04-019411710.3390/rel9040117rel9040117Validation of the Gratitude/Awe Questionnaire and Its Association with Disposition of GratefulnessArndt Büssing0Daniela R. Recchia1Klaus Baumann2Professorship Quality of Life, Spirituality and Coping, Faculty of Heath, Witten/Herdecke University, 583131 Herdecke, GermanyProfessorship Quality of Life, Spirituality and Coping, Faculty of Heath, Witten/Herdecke University, 583131 Herdecke, GermanyIUNCTUS—Competence Center for Christian Spirituality, Philosophical-Theological Academy, 48149 Münster, GermanySelf-transcendent feelings such as gratitude, compassion, and awe are highly relevant for human societies. So far, empirical research has focused more on the relational aspects of these feelings (concrete persons), and less on the spiritual aspects referring to the Sacred in a person’s life. We intended to validate an extended version of the former three-item Gratitude/Awe scale. This extended scale was designed with a focus on the experiential aspects of being moved and touched by certain moments and places/nature, on related reactions of pausing with daily activities, and on the subsequent feelings of awe and gratitude. Enrolling 183 test persons (67% women; 59% with a Christian confession) in a cross-sectional study, we can confirm that the seven-item Gratitude/Awe scale (GrAw-7) has good psychometric properties (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.82) and moderate correlation (r = 0.42) with grateful disposition (GQ-6 questionnaire). Structured equation modeling (SEM) confirmed that both constructs, although moderately related, are different. While Gratitude/Awe was best predicted by the frequency of meditation practice, a grateful disposition was best predicted by the frequency of praying and by general life satisfaction. The GrAw-7 scale is not contaminated with specific religious topics or quality of life issues, and can be easily implemented in larger studies.http://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/9/4/117awegratitudespiritualityvalidationquestionnaire
spellingShingle Arndt Büssing
Daniela R. Recchia
Klaus Baumann
Validation of the Gratitude/Awe Questionnaire and Its Association with Disposition of Gratefulness
Religions
awe
gratitude
spirituality
validation
questionnaire
title Validation of the Gratitude/Awe Questionnaire and Its Association with Disposition of Gratefulness
title_full Validation of the Gratitude/Awe Questionnaire and Its Association with Disposition of Gratefulness
title_fullStr Validation of the Gratitude/Awe Questionnaire and Its Association with Disposition of Gratefulness
title_full_unstemmed Validation of the Gratitude/Awe Questionnaire and Its Association with Disposition of Gratefulness
title_short Validation of the Gratitude/Awe Questionnaire and Its Association with Disposition of Gratefulness
title_sort validation of the gratitude awe questionnaire and its association with disposition of gratefulness
topic awe
gratitude
spirituality
validation
questionnaire
url http://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/9/4/117
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