The Relationship Between Gratitude and Subjective Well-Being: The Moderating Role of Self-acceptance among Individuals With and Without physical Disabilities

Abstract

This cross-sectional comparative study examined the relationship between gratitude and subjective well-being, with self-acceptance as a mediating variable, among individuals with and without physical disabilities. A total of 212 participants — 55 with physical disabilities and 157 without physical disabilities — aged 18 and above were recruited through purposive and convenience sampling from rehabilitation centres, community organizations, and a university setting in Pakistan. The Gratitude, Resentment, and Appreciation Test (GRAT; Watkins et al., 2003), the Self-Acceptance Scale (Berger, 1952), and the World Health Organization Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5; Topp et al., 2015) were administered. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation, mediation analysis via PROCESS Macro (Model 4; Hayes, 2018) with 5,000 bootstrap samples, and independent samples t-tests. Results revealed a significant positive relationship between gratitude and subjective well-being, r(210) = .72, p < .001. Additionally, self-acceptance proved to be a significant mediator between this relationship, with an indirect effect (b = 0.42, 95% BCa CI [0.32, 0.53]). Comparison on independent samples t-tests showed that individuals without physical disabilities scored significantly higher on all three scales than individuals with disabilities. The results highlight the importance of developing gratitude and self-acceptance through clinical or positive psychology interventions in rehabilitation centres, specifically for individuals facing the psychosocial challenges of physical disability.