A Religious Comparative Study on the Influence of Gratitude in Depression from a South Indian State

Background: Gratitude is considered one of the 24-character strengths contributing to psychological well-being. Most religions consider gratitude to be a core virtue with spiritual foundations. For many religious individuals, recognizing the positive aspects of life, such as grace and abundance from God or sacred entities, fosters a persistent sense of gratitude. Gratitude can enhance psychological well-being and happiness and reduce depression, especially in a religious context. However, this potential has been less explored, particularly in India. Method: We examined the predictive effect of gratitude in depression from a religious community sample N= 228 from Kerala state in South India, including Hindus (n= 113) and Christians (n= 115), to compare the effects. We utilized Gratitude Questionnaire-6 (GQ-6) to measure gratitude and depression subscale from DASS-21 to measure depression, and data was analyzed using Jamovi software. Results/Findings: Regression analyses combining Christians and Hindus indicated that gratitude is a negative predictor of depression (R²= 0.20, β= -0.42). Separated analyses for communities showed a significant prediction among Hindus (R²= 0.35, β= -0.57) and Christians (R²= 0.06, β= -0.24), wherein a significantly higher effect among Hindus. Independent sample t-test revealed significantly higher gratitude among Christians (Cohen’s d= 0.57) and higher depression among Hindus (Cohen’s d= 0.33). Implications: Research findings show that Hindus may benefit more from gratitude interventions in reducing depression compared to Christians. Further research is required to examine the relationship between gratitude and depression in different regions of India.