Dissertation Defense Announcement

The College of Education announces the Final Dissertation of

Adam Frose

for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy

May 4, 2018 at 11:00 AM in Room 103, Ball Hall

Advisor: Suzanne Lease

Gratitude Interventions With Physical Therapy Patients

ABSTRACT: Physical injuries and ailments affect many people each year, causing pain, loss of mobility, and decreased functionality in their daily lives. Given that psychological factors affect physical recovery, interventions that can be added to physical therapy to bolster psychological resilience could substantially enhance positive health outcomes for patients. Gratitude interventions have been shown to increase a variety of positive health outcomes. The study explored whether providing gratitude interventions to physical therapy patients would increase positive physical functioning addressed in physical therapy as well as overall life satisfaction and gratitude in comparison to a control group of patients receiving physical therapy as usual. Three one-way ANOVAs revealed no significant differences between the two groups on physical functioning, satisfaction with life, or gratitude scores. However, the study was limited by a small sample size, which makes it difficult to draw conclusions about the efficacy of the intervention. Limitations of the study, implications, and future research directions are provided.