The Effect of Optimism and Trait Gratitude on Student's Resilience: the Mediating Role of Gratitude toward God

 Resilience is one of the important structures in positive psychology that refers to one's growth and experience of adverse conditions. It is psychological and intrinsic power that protects human beings against the disadvantages one faces in life and helps maintain one's mental health when exposed to risk factors. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of optimism and trait gratitude on resilience of Tabriz University students with the mediating role of gratitude toward God.

 This is a descriptive correlational study and its sample population included all graduate students of Tabriz University in the academic year 2018-2019. Out of these students, 240 were selected by multiple random sampling method from the faculties of Mathematics, Civil Engineering, and Psychology. Data were collected using the Scheier and Carver Optimism Questionnaire, the GQ-6 Questionnaire, the Gratitude toward God Questionnaire (Neal Krause) and the Connor Davidson Resiliency Questionnaire (CD- RISC). Path analysis was used to analyze the data. In the present study, all the ethical considerations were observed and the authors declared no conflict of interests.

 The results showed that students' resilience was directly predicted by trait gratitude (β=0.276) and gratitude toward God (β=0.308). Resilience is also indirectly predicted by trait gratitude (β=0.147) and optimism (β=0.038) by the mediating role of gratitude toward God. The results show that 24% of students' resilience is explained by optimism, gratitude toward God, and trait gratitude.

 Based on the findings, trait gratitude and optimism increase resilience through gratitude toward God.