The Impact of Gratitude (Shukr) on Emotional and Social Well-being

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of gratitude (shukr) on emotional and social well-being among Muslim adults, integrating perspectives from positive psychology, Islamic psychology and Islamic theology. By utilising a quantitative, cross-sectional design, 266 Muslim adults completed validated measures: the Islamic Gratitude Scale (IGS-10), the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE), and the South Wales Social Well-Being Scale (SWSWBS). Results from 243 participants who met the inclusion criteria revealed overwhelmingly high levels of gratitude, emotional well-being, and social well-being. Correlation analyses demonstrated that gratitude was significantly and positively associated with positive affect (r = 0.469, p < 0.001), affect balance (r = 0.410, p < 0.001), and social well-being (r = 0.387, p < 0.001), while being negatively correlated with negative affect (r = -0.204, p = 0.001). Regression analyses further confirmed that gratitude significantly predicted positive emotional and social outcomes. These findings empirically validate Al Ghazali’s multidimensional model of shukr by highlighting its emotional, verbal, and behavioural dimensions and demonstrating their relevance to emotional and social well being. The results underscore the value of psychological approaches that prioritise positive experiences, resilience, and flourishing alongside established disorder focused models, rather than limiting mental health efforts to symptom alleviation alone. By operationalising shukr as a holistic construct and employing culturally relevant measurement tools, the study addresses important conceptual, theoretical, and methodological gaps in gratitude research. The findings further support the integration of gratitude based, faith consistent interventions into mental health promotion initiatives for Muslim communities, with potential benefits for emotional balance, social connectedness, and long term psychological well being.