Psikolojik İyi Oluşun Yordayıcıları Olarak Şükran, Umut, İyimserlik ve Yaşam Doyumu

Abstract

Problem Durumu: 19. yüzyılın sonlarında başlayıp İkinci Dünya Savaşı’na kadar devam eden süreçte, psikoloji alanında genel anlamda hayatın negatif yönlerine odaklanan, sorunları teşhis ve tedaviye yoğunlaşan ve bireylerin güçlü yönleri yerine sorunlu yönlerine odaklanan bir yaklaşımın egemen olduğu görülmektedir. Özellikle İkinci Dünya Savaşı’ndan sonra savaşın etkisi, hümanizm anlayışının yaygınlaşması, hayatın pozitif yönlerini kucaklamaya yönelik ihtiyaç psikolojide hakim paradigmada farklılaşmalara neden olmuştur. Bu çerçevede Carl Rogers, Abraham Maslow gibi öncülerin çalışmalarının etkisiyle insanların güçlü yönlerine olan vurgu artmaya başlamıştır. Pozitif psikoloji yaklaşımı patoloji (hastalık) odaklı bu bakış açısına önemli eleştiriler getirmiş ve psikolojinin hayatın pozitif yönlerini kucaklaması gerektiğini ve bireylerin güçlü yönlerine odaklanarak onların iyi oluşlarını arttırmayı hedeflemesi gerektiğini ileri sürmüştür. Bu çerçevede ortaya çıkan ortaya çıkan çalışmalar 2000’li yılların başında Pozitif Psikoloji alanının sistematik olarak ortaya çıkmasına zemin hazırlamıştır. Pozitif psikoloji yaklaşımının yaygınlaşmasıyla birlikte mutluluk, iyi oluş, yaşam doyumu gibi konular sıkılıkla araştırılmaya başlanmıştır. Bu bağlamda bireylerin yaşam doyumlarını ve iyi oluş düzeylerini yordayan değişkenlerin ortaya konulması ve bu değişkenlere ilişkin çeşitli kuramsal ve uygulamalı çalışmaların gerçekleştirilmesi önem kazanmıştır. Bu bağlamda şükran, umut, iyimserlik ve yaşam doyumu değişkenlerinin birbirileriyle olan ilişkilerinin ortaya konulması ve bu değişkenlerin iyi oluşu yordama düzeylerinin ortaya konulmasının yararlı olacağı düşünülmektedir.

Keywords

• İyi oluş
• şükran
• umut
• iyimserlik
• yaşam doyumu

Gratitude, Hope, Optimism and Life Satisfaction as Predictors of Psychological Well-Being

Abstract

Purpose: The mainstream psychology has mostly focused on the negative factors that threaten human mental health. With the emergence of positive psychology approach, the human strengths have started to be studied and the number of studies on the issue of happiness and well-being has increased. The aim of this research is to reveal the level of prediction for psychological well-being by the variables of gratitude, hope, optimism and life satisfaction.

Method: Research sample consisted of 510 students from various faculties and departments of four different universities. The study group consisted of 359 female (70.4%) and 151 male (29.6%) university students. The age range of participants varied between 17 and 30. 

Findings: All the variables discussed in the study were positively related to each other, and the variables of gratitude, optimism, hope, and life satisfaction all together accounted for about 51% of the variance of psychological well-being. Gratitude was determined as the most predictive variable for well-being and it was followed by the variables; hope, optimism, and life satisfaction, respectively. Accordingly; gratitude predicted 35.4% of the variance in well-being alone; gratitude and hope predicted 45.4% together; gratitude, hope, and optimism predicted 48.8% together; while gratitude, hope, optimism, and life satisfaction predicted 50.7% percent altogether.

Implications for Research and Practice: These findings are thought to be important in terms of revealing variables that predict well-being with a high level of variance. It is thought that these findings can be used in the field of mental health especially by the researchers and practitioners using intervention studies. Especially, since the gratitude level accounts for 35.4% of the variance in well-being alone, gratitude interventions can effectively be used to improve well-being level.

Keywords

• well-being
• gratitude
• hope
• optimism
• life satisfaction

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