*인제대학교 의과대학 신경정신과학교실, †울산대학교 의과대학 정신과학교실, ‡삼성서울병원 정신과, §계요병원 정신과, ∥가톨릭대학교 의과대학 정신과학교실
*Department of Neuropsychiatry, College of Medicine, The Inje University of Korea, Goyang, †Department of Psychiatry, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, ‡Department of Psychiatry, Samsung Medical Center, Seou
Gratitude manifests itself in several forms with distinct psychological properties. The common forms of gratitue experience could be structured into three hierarchical levels of analysis: gratitude as affective traits, gratitude as a mood, and gratitude as an emotion. Research has shown that gratitude is a pleasant state and is linked with positive emotions including contentment, happiness, pride, and hope. In addition, gratitude is related to physical health and pain reduction. Dispositional gratitude is related to but distinct from trait measures of positive affect, vatality, optimism, envy, depression, and anxiety. Although gratitude overlaps with other positive feelings, it also possesses a unique pattern of appraisals that distinguishes it from happiness. Further researches on gratitude are needed in future. (Korean J Str Res 2008;16:115∼122)