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Social Indicators Research

Erschienen in:

25.01.2015

How Belief in a Just World Benefits Mental Health: The Effects of Optimism and Gratitude

verfasst von: Feng Jiang, Xiaodong Yue, Su Lu, Guangtao Yu, Fei Zhu

Erschienen in: Social Indicators Research | Ausgabe 1/2016

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Abstract

Past research suggests that individuals’ belief in a just world (BJW) is closely connected with their mental health. To clarify the underlying mechanism, the current study proposes that BJW encourages optimism and gratitude which then mediates the relationship between BJW and mental health as indicated by subjective well-being (SWB) and depression. A sample of 1,200 undergraduates yields results indicating that (a) BJW influences optimism, gratitude, SWB, and depression after controlling for gender, age, income, and personality; (b) optimism and gratitude mediate BJW effects by increasing SWB and decreasing depression. The issues of BJW’s adaptive functions are discussed.

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The questionnaire used in this study is part of a large scale survey that uses short measurements to keep participants from becoming impatient. Thus the personality scale is very brief.

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Titel: How Belief in a Just World Benefits Mental Health: The Effects of Optimism and Gratitude
verfasst von: Feng Jiang
Xiaodong Yue
Su Lu
Guangtao Yu
Fei Zhu
Publikationsdatum: 25.01.2015
Verlag: Springer Netherlands
Erschienen in: Social Indicators Research / Ausgabe 1/2016
Print ISSN: 0303-8300
Elektronische ISSN: 1573-0921
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-015-0877-x

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