Study shows teaching gratitude can reduce burnout

Health care workers who learned and practiced skills to increase positive emotions like gratitude, mindful awareness and self-compassion improved their well-being and reduced stress and anxiety, a study found. The research, published in PLOS ONE, enrolled 554 health care workers in a five-week, online, self-guided intervention that targeted positive emotion to improve well-being. Participants learned how to notice and savor positive events, gratitude, mindful awareness, positive reappraisal, personal strengths, attainable goals and self-compassion. The 9% of workers who completed all five weekly skill lessons improved significantly more on positive emotions compared to those who did not use them. The authors plan additional studies to increase engagement. (Northeastern Now article, 6/25/24)