Effect of Optimism and Gratitude Practices on Emotional Recovery After a Medical Crisis amongst adolescents

Abstract

Adolescence is a very critical stage in developmental stage because it is characterized by an increased emotional sensitivity, identity formation and susceptibility to stress. A medical crisis, a hospital admission, a long-term disease, or surgery or traumas during this time can greatly interfere with the psychological health and emotional stability. The current article discussed the influence of optimism and gratitude on emotional healing among adolescents who suffered a medical crisis in the last one year. The research design used was a quantitative, correlational research that used a sample of 100 adolescents who are 13-19 years of age and selected using purposive sampling. The Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS-24), gratitude (Gratitude Questionnaire (GQ-6), and optimism (Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R)) were used to measure emotional recovery, gratitude, and optimism respectively. However, SPSS was used to analyze descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis. Findings had shown strong positive relationships between optimism, gratitude, and emotional recovery. The regression analysis indicated that both optimism and gratitude were significant predictors of the emotional recovery, with optimism being the more significant one. The results indicate that positive cognitive orientation and gratitude disposition are positive psychological aspects that promote resilience and recovery after a medical disaster. The article shows the significance of incorporating positive psychology programs in the medical and educational context of adolescents to facilitate comprehensive healing and permanent psychological resilience.