Practising gratitude and looking to the future will help safeguard our mental well-being during COVID-19 lockdowns, according to a study in the Journal of Positive Psychology.
In the first study of its kind, researchers from the University of Surrey investigated the effectiveness of three psychological interventions - nostalgia; gratitude; and best possible self (thinking about positive elements of the future) - and how they each affect wellbeing during lockdowns.
Researchers worked with 216 participants who were each assigned to one of four groups, each one practising either nostalgia, gratitude or best possible self, plus a control group.
Those practising a nostalgic approach were instructed to think of a sentimental memory in their life that occurred before the lockdown; for gratitude, participants were encouraged to list three things that went well in their day and why this was; and for best possible self, those involved were asked to think about where they imagine themselves in the future after lockdown has lifted. Those in the control group were each asked to recall the plot of a recent television or film they had viewed.
Researchers found that those who participated in the best possible self and gratitude interventions reported higher levels of social connectedness than those who practised nostalgia. Those in the best possible self group were also found to experience significantly more positive emotion than those in the nostalgia group. Researchers believe that gratitude and best possible self direct attention towards positive aspects of a person's life by giving them hope and prevent individuals from dwelling on their current situation.
Amelia Dennis, a postgraduate researcher at the University of Surrey, said: "All three interventions have proven beneficial to people experiencing a difficult time in their life. However, as lockdowns have continued people have been presented with unusual challenges and many have struggled. We found that looking to the future and appreciating what is positive in our lives currently is more psychologically beneficial than reminiscing about the past."
"The current restrictions and any future lockdowns have removed our sense of control of our lives. For the sake of our wellbeing, we need to acknowledge what we do have rather than regretting what we have lost."
