Gratitude uniquely predicts satisfaction with life: Incremental validity above the domains and facets of the five factor model

The authors tested whether gratitude could explain variance in satisfaction with life (SWL) after controlling for both the domains and the facets of the Big Five. The GQ6 measure of gratitude, the NEO-PI-R measure of the Big Five, and the SWL scale were completed by 389 adults. Gratitude was correlated with each of the Big Five domains, and at the facet level showed a distinctive profile whereby gratitude was most strongly correlated with the facets representing well-being and social functioning. Gratitude explained an additional 9% of the variance in SWL after controlling for the Big Five domains (r = .30), and an additional 8% after controlling for the facets (r = .28). The results support perspectives suggesting that gratitude has a unique relationship with SWL, and clarifies how gratitude relates to personality at the facet level.