We do not know the extent to which gratitude interventions
might be effective in people with affective disorders, such as
(sub)clinical depression. If a daily gratitude focus can augment
positive affect, as Studies 2 and 3 suggest, then perhaps such
intervention may be effective in alleviating milder forms of depressed
affect. Can thankfulness be incorporated into cognitive–
behavioral interventions modeled after those that are effective in
instilling a sense of optimism (Buchanan, Gardenswartz, & Seligman,
1999)? If so, might these also be effective in the prevention
or alleviation of debilitating negative affect, anger, and resentment