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Vitality among university students:
exploring the role of gratitude
and resilience
Naval Garg
Delhi Technological University, Delhi, India, and
Ayatakshee Sarkar
Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, India
Abstract
Purpose –Vitality is an occurrence of having extremely high energy, stamina, physical or mental vigor. This
study tends to investigate whether gratitude and resilience lead to vitality. In particular, it tends to examine the
necessity and sufficiency of gratitude and resilience for vitality among Indian university students.
Design/methodology/approach –The collected data are analyzed with the help of different statistical tools
like the measure of central tendency, standard deviation, correlation, linear and multiple regression, and
necessary condition analysis.
Findings –The results establish both gratitude and resilience as sufficient and necessary conditions for the
occurrence of vitality among students. Theoretical and practical implications, along with scope for future
researchers, are also elaborated.
Practical implications –Though universities are the active change agents and change-makers in the lives of
the students, the onus of positive transformation lies on both students and the university administration. Hence
these prosocial measures like gratitude and resilience, which are self-regulating, self-professed and competent,
help to build internal psychological resources to promote sustainable vitality.
Originality/value –The present study is probably the first study that explores sufficiency and necessity of
resilience and gratitude for vitality among students. The findings suggest that university administration may
rely on gratitude and resilience-based interventions to enhance vitality of students.
Keywords Vitality, Gratitude, Resilience, Necessary condition analysis
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Youth is one of the essential pillars of society. They play an indispensable role in the process
of the evolution of appropriate solutions to the contemporary issues of the community. Apart
from active participation in present societal problems, they also give hope of a bright future to
a country. But, unfortunately, today’s youth encounters several problems like radicalization,
psychological distress, techno-stress, unemployment, lack of direction, and loss of interest
and vigor. According to well-documented research studies, college students have to face some
specific challenges like academic or peer pressure (Kessler et al., 2005), conflicting
relationships with parents or guardian (Kisch et al., 2005), engaging in substance abuse
(Brener et al., 1999), newly found freedom (Shufelt and Cocozza, 2006), experienced sexual
victimization such as sexual identity (Kisch et al., 2005), psychological insecurity (Garg, 2015)
or violence (Barrios et al., 2000). These problems represent a more significant issue with the
mental health of the students. If these issues are not addressed adequately, they may lead to
second or third-degree disorders such as chronic anxiety or depression (Singh et al., 1997),
self-harm, or suicidal tendencies (Silverman et al., 1997).
Mental health of students has implications for many aspects of eudemonic and subjective
well-being, which leads to better academic performance (Kessler et al., 1995), better
interpersonal, and social skills (Ettner, 1997;Kessler et al., 1998), enhanced creativity (Chawla,
2002), greater awareness and meaningfulness in life (Herman and Marlowe, 2005). Though
India has the largest youth population in the world, research on the youth’s“Common Mental
Vitality among
university
students
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
https://www.emerald.com/insight/2051-6614.htm
Received 29 March 2020
Revised 3 June 2020
Accepted 27 July 2020
Journal of Organizational
Effectiveness: People and
Performance
© Emerald Publishing Limited
2051-6614
DOI 10.1108/JOEPP-03-2020-0041
Disorders”or CMD is minimal (Eisenberg et al., 2009;Stallman, 2010;McNair et al., 1971;Garg,
2015). Therefore adequate research is urgently needed to bring self-sustaining interventions
that will take care of the youth population (Cvetkovski et al., 2012).
Amid the availability of different interventions to deal with these adulthood challenges,
academic experts and researchers commonly argue lack of vitality as one of the reasons for
the emergence of mental health-related issues among students. Vitality is an occurrence of
having extremely high energy, stamina, physical or mental vigor (Ryan and Frederick, 1997).
Youth who are high in their vitality quotient will always be infused with energy and full of
life. They will be proactive and fully engaged in whatever work that they undertake
(Tummers et al., 2015). Also, they will be physically and mentally strong (Kark and Carmeli,
2009). Past research studies have linked vitality with better mental health (Nix et al., 1999),
better ability to cope with stress (Ryan and Frederick, 1997) and greater subjective well-being
(Salama-Younes, 2011). Higher vitality also enhances the ability to bounce back from any
adversary life situation, including physical illness, thus making the person more robust
(Ryan and Deci, 1996).
However, there is a shortage of literature examining the prosocial antecedents of vitality
(Niemiec et al., 2010;Baruch et al., 2014;Tummers et al., 2018;Garg and Sharma, 2015), hence
this study is one of the pioneers attempts to understand the key factors leading to vitality.
Accordingly, this study tends to investigate whether gratitude and resilience lead to vitality.
In particular, it tends to examine the necessity and sufficiency of gratitude and resilience for
vitality among Indian university students. Since universities are the principal agents to
promote mental health and vitality of their students; hence this study would serve as a
fundamental intervention. The research paper is broadly divided into four parts. Firstly, the
concept of vitality is discussed. Secondly, the theoretical background of the proposed
relationship between gratitude, resilience and vitality is explored. Further, the relationship
between these three variables is investigated with the help of various statistical tools,
including correlation, regression and necessary condition analysis. And in the last part of the
paper, theoretical and practical implications of the study, limitations of the study scope for
future researchers are discussed.
Literature review
Vitality
Vitality is defined as“the experience of having energy available to one’s self”(Ryan and
Frederick, 1997, p. 2). Nix et al. (1999) referred to subjective vitality as a positive feeling that
develops from experience of having energy available to the self. The word vitality has been
derived from “vita”or “life.”The etymological source of the term “vitality”is the very essence
of life, and it has been defined as “an animating life force”or “principle of life.”According to
the Oxford English Dictionary, “an individual with vitality has vigor and liveliness, general
energy for life.”In everyday use, vitality is typically used to explain someone full of energy
and liveliness, someone who is spirited and spontaneous. The word has both physical and
mental connotations, as it refers to being healthy, alive, vibrant, energetic (physical), and
mentally or psychologically. It is the very physical state of aliveness that cultivates one to
fulfill one’s calling or attains a real sense of purpose (Stern, 2010). Vitality is not something
constricted to oneself; instead, it is contagious, as the energy spreads across everyone around,
which Peterson and Seligman (2004, p. 273), articulates as “infectiously energize those with
whom they come into contact.”Out of the five strengths that promote human health,
happiness and well-being, vitality is central and fundamentally essential, and the other forces
being gratitude, hope, optimism and the capacity to render absolute love (Bourhis et al., 1981).
The concept of vitality has been discussed in different cultures with diverse nomenclature.
Taoist, an ancient Chinese civilization, referred to it as “Jingo,”which means a feeling of full of
mental energy (Liao, 1990). The Japanese call it “Chi,”which means energy that keeps one’s
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physical and psychological health. Indians use the word “Prana”that signifies life force.
McNair et al. (1971) derive similar term –vigor –to define a positive mood state. It is an
essential self-originated internal energy, which is not initiated by some external threat (Ryan
and Frederick, 1997). Ryan and Deci (2001) “characterized it as an entity full of energy,
enthusiasm, aliveness, non-fatigue, weariness, and exhaustion, and proved that when the
subjective vitality is in a lower level, irritability and fatigue will be created and it may not
make full use of potential to do activities. But when the subjective vitality is in a higher level,
sufficient energy will be created to do such activities, and the mood is in proper status, so all
duties and activities are performed very good”(Fini et al., 2010, p. 150).
Previous studies have concluded positive associations between subjective vitality and
diverse dimensions of positive psychology such as contentment with life (Ryan and
Frederick, 1997;Uysal et al., 2014), self-efficacy (Sariçam, 2015), motivation and self-
confidence (Ryan and Frederick, 1997;Fini et al., 2010), autonomy, competence and
relatedness (Patrick et al., 2007;Sheldon et al., 1996;Muraven et al., 2008;Nix et al., 1999;Ryan
et al., 2010), subjective happiness (Uysal et al., 2013,2014), authenticity (Gocet-Tekin and
Satici, 2014), positive mental health (Salama-Younes, 2011;Kasser and Ryan, 2001). Also,
previous studies have stated negative relationship between vitality and burnout (Sariçam,
2015), depressive symptoms (Niemiec et al., 2010;Ginter and Gazda, 1997), psychological
distress (Ryan and Frederick, 1997), external locus of control (Ryan and Frederick, 1997),
negative affectivity and neuroticism. Although adequate researches are explaining the
effects of vitality, studies on antecedents of vitality are rare (Shriom, 2011). These antecedents
are divided into four categories by Shriom (2011) –organizational, group, job and individual
resources. The present paper focuses on two crucial personal resource-based antecedents, i.e.
gratitude and resilience. It tends to explore the relationship between gratitude and resilience
with vitality.
Gratitude and vitality
The word gratitude has been derived from the Latin root “Gratia,”which means an
expression of thankfulness. It could be understood at three different levels of analysis, i.e.
affective trait, mood and emotional state. As an affective trait, it is defined as a “general
tendency to recognize and respond with grateful emotions to the roles of other people’s
benevolence in the positive experiences and outcomes that one obtains”(McCullough et al.,
2002, p. 112). Watkinson (2009) explained trait gratitude in terms of three dimensions. Firstly,
gratitude has a sense of abundance or a lack of some deprivation which means grateful people
always believe that whatever they have is enough, and they do not crave for more. Such
people happily accept the things in hand, and more importantly, they feel honored to have
them. There is hardly any sense of lacking or a feeling of deprivation in their behavior.
Secondly, there is a strong sense of appreciation for the simple pleasures of life. A person with
a grateful trait feels happy at simple things such as fresh air, clean drinking water, excellent
weather, unexpectedly meeting an old friend, etc. Thirdly, trait gratitude has social
appreciation or appreciation for others. This aspect is relational and interpersonal, in which
manifestation of gratitude is related to another person. For inference, a person feels grateful
because of the love that he receives from his family, colleagues, friends, etc. Thus gratitude as
a trait is often resistant, steady and lasting for a longer duration.
On the other hand, gratitude as an emotional state “is immediate and often a brief
psychological response to an appraisal of a particular circumstances”(Watkinsons, 2014). As
an emotion, it is defined as a feeling of thankfulness. In summation, trait gratitude may be
viewed more as “the being of gratitude, whereas gratitude emotion is related to the feelings of
gratitude”(Watkins, 2014, p. 22). As a mood, gratitude can serve to be an intervention to
enhance or uplift for a brief or more extended time (McCullough et al., 2004). Although there
are several perspectives of gratitude, they can be essentially summarized under four buckets.
Vitality among
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Firstly, there is no obligation for a benefactor to help the beneficiary. Secondly, the benefit
received from a benefactor has a particular utility to the recipient. Thirdly, the beneficiary
recognizes the generous act of the benefactor. And lastly, the beneficiary aspires to
reciprocate the feelings of the benefactor.
The present study investigated gratitude as an affective trait. And the proposed
association between gratitude and vitality is theoretically based on Fredrickson’s (1998)
broaden-and-build theory of positive emotion. According to Fredrickson, positive emotions
like gratitude “broaden people’s momentary thought-action repertoires and build their
enduring social resources”(Fredrickson, 2004, p. 147). Grateful people creatively explore
several activities as probable reflections of their gratitude. And one of the proposed ways of
reflection in action with full energy is referred to as vitality by researchers. Previous
researchers have argued that grateful people experience higher levels of positive emotions
such as vitality, happiness, life satisfaction (Emmons and Shelton, 2002;McCullough et al.,
2002). Studies have also shown that gratitude has been positively correlated with vitality,
optimism and decreased state of depression in young adults (McCullough et al., 2002;Garg
and Gera, 2019). Although numerous researchers including Christopher and Schlenker (2004),
Deci and Ryan (2008),Kasser and Kasser (2001),Garg (2018) and Yurchisin and Johnson
(2004) reported a positive association between gratitude and various constructs of positive
psychology, the studies on gratitude and vitality are scared. Also, these studies were
conducted in western settings, and researchers advocate research in the eastern context for
cross-validation of results. Moreover, previous studies investigated the sufficiency of
gratitude for vitality only. This study goes the extra mile through examining the necessity of
gratitude for the occurrence of vitality among university students.
Resilience and vitality
Masten et al. (1990) gave a comprehensive definition of resilience. According to these authors,
resilience is defined as a process, capacity or outcome of successful adaptation under
challenging situations. According to The American Psychological Association, resilience is
“the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or even
significant sources of stress—such as family and relationship problems, serious health
problems, or workplace and financial stressors. It means ‘bouncing back’from painful
experiences.”As a capacity, resilience is one’s capacity to adapt to challenging and stressful
circumstances (Masten et al., 1990). As a process, it is defined as reintegration to normal
functioning after a traumatic event (Luthar et al., 2000;Garg, 2017a). And as a result,
resilience is referred to as constructive and valuable outcomes achieved after successfully
overcoming a challenging event (Richardson, 2002). In most straightforward words, it is one’s
potential to bounce back from any adverse situation.
In recent years, researchers have also begun to investigate the association of resilience
with positive psychological dimensions like vitality. Resilience and vitality are often
associated with higher levels of eudemonia, which is again related to absolute happiness,
well-being and satisfaction (Kent et al., 2015;Garg, 2017b). And, hence understanding the
association of these two constructs becomes all the more crucial. Studies have also
demonstrated that both resilience and vitality, though being an independent construct but
have been interrelated in promoting strong leadership skills, the development of critical
thinking and to maintain balance across all spheres of life (Antunes and Franco, 2016). Thus,
resilienceand vitality have also been an essential attribute of a job. Resilience and vitality lens
model of involuntary job loss effects depicts that resilience builds up vitality and which in
turn impacts unintentional job loss among the principals of a high school (Simon and Gibson,
2019). Even organization researchers have argued that the modus operandi of any
responsible leadership is to build certain character strengths in which resilience and vitality
are the crucial ones (Antunes and Franco, 2016). The “Job-Demands-Resources (JDR) model”
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(Demerouti et al., 2001;Bakker and Demerouti, 2007) clearly explains that resilience serves as
an antecedent of sustainable employability, vigor or vitality of the employees, dedication and
absorption. Empirical studies confirm that resilience is related to indicators of vitality and
workability (Avey et al., 2009,2011). Also, resilience can be seen as a personal resource that
helps to deals with several job demands and therefore help to conserve or even lead to
increased vitality and workability and hence a possible reduction in absenteeism (Dutton
et al., 2005;Garg, 2017c). Resilience, therefore, results in different resource gains in people and
hence leads to better vitality. Again, few previous pieces of research hint at the association
between two constructs, but research studies in India settings are scare. Also, no previous
study has examined the necessity of resilience for vitality.
Research framework
Objectives, sample and procedures
The present study aimed to examine the necessity and sufficiency of gratitude and resilience
for vitality among university students. The sample comprised 300 university students
enrolled in various private and public universities across Delhi –National Capital Region
(NCR), Haryana and Punjab. These students were approached either personally or through
emails. Out of these 300 students, 180 (60%) were male, and 120 (40%) were female. The age of
respondents ranged from 18 to 27 years, with an average age of 22.7 years. Also, 92 students
were from the science stream, 102 were from management and commerce stream, and the rest
were from various art courses like history, geography, etc.
Measures
Gratitude. Gratitude was measured with the help of an individual’s dispositional gratitude
scale –Gratitude Resentment and Appreciation Test (short form) developed by Watkins et al.
(2003). It comprised 16 statements rated on a 9-point scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree)
to 9 (strongly agree). Five items were reverse-scored on this scale. The 16 items included “I
really don’t think that I’ve gotten all the good things that I deserve in life,”“Every Fall I really
enjoy watching the leaves change colors,”and “Although I’m basically in control of my life, I
can’t help but think about all those who have supported me and helped me along the way.”
Resilience. Resilience was accessed using the “Brief Resilience Scale”developed by Smith
et al. (2008). It measured one’s ability to bounce back or recover from stress. It is a six items
scale rated on a 5-point scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). These
six statements included, “It does not take me long to recover from a stressful event,”“I tend to
take a long time to get over set-backs in my life,”and “I tend to bounce back quickly after
hard times.”
Vitality. Vitality was calculated using the Subjective Vitality Scale (SVS) developed by
Ryan and Frederick (1997). It is a 7-item self-report instrument that measures an individual’s
level of vitality on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (not at all true) to 7 (very true). It is
composed of items like “I look forward to each new day,”“Sometimes I am so alive I just want
to burst,”and “I nearly always feel awake and alert.”
Reliability, validity and multicollinearity
Reliability refers to the degree to which similar results are obtained under consistent
conditions (Malhotra and Dash, 2010). Here, reliability is accessed using Cronbach’s alpha
values, which represents internal consistency reliability. Cronbach’s alpha should be greater
than 0.70 to confirm reliability (George and Mallery, 2003). Table 1 highlights Cronbach’s
alpha value of all three variables of the study (gratitude 50.736, resilience 50.883, and
vitality 50.820). Further, it is suggested to explore composite reliability along with
Cronbach’s alpha (Cronbach and Shavelson, 2004). Again, Hair et al. (2013) advocated that the
value of composite reliability should also be greater than 0.70 to reaffirm reliability. Further,
Vitality among
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convergent validity is determined with the help of average variance extracted (AVE), which
was calculated by summation of square of each factor loading divided by the number of
indicators. These AVE values are reported in Table 1 (please see gratitude 50.628,
resilience 50.623 and vitality 50.631). These values are greater than 0.50, which, according
to Fornell and Larker (1981), confirms convergent validity. Also, multicollinearity was
investigated using the variance inflation factor (VIF), which should be less than 5 (Kline,
2009). This study did not have a problem with multicollinearity, as all VIF values are less than
5(Table 1).
Common method bias
Researchers argue that common method variance severely hampers reliability and validity
estimates of the study. Also, it leads to inflated or deflated estimates of the relationship
between two constructs, affect hypothesis testing, lead to type I or type II error, and deflated
interaction effect (Podsakoff et al., 2012). Podsakoff et al. (2012) suggested both procedural
and statistical remedies minimize common method bias. Accordingly, different techniques of
common method bias minimization have been used in this study. Firstly, prevalidated
measurement scales with different rating scales are used for three variables, gratitude (nine-
point), resilience (5-point) and vitality (7-point). Secondly, the anonymity of the respondents
was assured and strictly maintained. Also, respondents were convinced of the academic
usage of collected data. Such assurance motivates respondents to respond more accurately
and positively (Podsakoff et al., 2012). Apart from these qualitative approaches, the Harman
one-factor was also used. Items of different measures were subjected to factor analysis, and
the emergence of more than factors negates the chances of common method variance.
Statistical method
The collected data are analyzed with the help of different analytical tools like the measure of
central tendency, standard deviation, correlation, linear and multiple regression, and Necessary
Condition Analysis. The correlation coefficient measures strength or degree of relationship
between two variables. Further, gratitude and resilience are regressed on vitality to assess
whether gratitude and resilience (independent variable) explain vitality (criterion variable). Dul
(2016) argued that regression examines only sufficiency and not the necessity of the condition.
Regression is based on additive causality (i.e.Y5aþb
1
X
1
þb
2
X
2
þb
3
X
3
þ...), which means
that reduction in the value of one of the independent variables leads to decline in value of
dependent variable too. However, this decline in the value of the criterion variable can be
compensated by increasing the values of another predictor variable. Regression only assumes
that independent variables are sufficient to improve the outcome.
On the contrary to regression analysis, Necessary Condition Analysis examines the
necessity of a condition. “A necessary cause is a constraint, a barrier, an obstacle, a bottleneck
that must be managed to allow the desired outcome to exist. Every single necessary cause
must be in place, place, as there is no additive causality that can compensate for the absence of
the necessary cause”(Dul, 2016, p. 11). The satisfaction of necessary conditions is a must for
Variable Mean SD
α
CR AVE VIF
Gratitude 6.04 1.223 0.736 0.804 0.628 1.17
Resilience 3.10 0.536 0.883 0.875 0.623 1.17
Vitality 4.71 1.050 0.820 0.894 0.631 –
Note(s): Primary data, SD –Standard deviation,
α
–Cronbach’s alpha, CR –Composite reliability
AVE –Average variance extracted, VIF –Variance inflation index
Table 1.
Descriptive statistics
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the occurrence of the outcome variable; however, the fulfillment of necessary conditions does
not guarantee the presence of the outcome variable (Dul, 2016). The necessary condition is
based on multiplicative causality (i.e. Y5a.b
1
X
1
.b
2
X
2
.b
3
X
3
...) where zero value of any
determinant will reduce the outcome to zero.
The necessity of an independent variable may be investigated, drawing a scatter diagram
considering the dependent variable on X-axis and criterion variable on Y-axis. Further, a
ceiling line that demarcates area without observations (“Empty Zone”) from an area with
observations (“Full Zone”) is drawn. And, the presence of empty upper-left corner region of
the graph confirms the necessity of the condition (Dul, 2016). Effect size indicates the strength
of the necessary condition. Value of effect size lies between zero and one such that
0<d< 0.1 –small effect size,
0.1 ≤d< 0.3 –medium effect,
0.3 5d< 0.5 –large effect and
0.5 5d< 1.0 –very large effect size
Thus, data are analyzed using regression and necessary condition analysis for investigating
sufficiency and necessity of gratitude and resilience for the vitality of the students.
Result and analysis
Table 1 shows means, standard deviations, and reliability, validity and multicollinearity
estimates of variables of the study. Table 2 elucidates the correlation among variables of the
study. A statistically significant positive correlation is reported among the three variables of
the study. It concludes that the vitality of students increases with gratitude and resilience.
The correlation only indicates the direction of relationship and regression estimates one
variable (dependent variable) based on other variables (dependent variables). Thus, gratitude
and resilience are regressed separately on vitality.
Table 3 demonstrates a result of linear regression analysis that considers gratitude as an
independent variable and vitality as a dependent variable. The following regression equation
is derived. A positive and significant regression coefficient confirms the existence of a
Variables Gratitude Resilience Vitality
Gratitude 1
Resilience 0.323** 1
Vitality 0.354** 0.260** 1
Note(s): **Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level
Source(s): Primary data
Model
Unstandardized
coefficients Standardized coefficients
tSig.BStd. error Beta
(Constant) 2.872 0.290 9.893 0.000**
Gratitude 0.304 0.047 0.354 6.453 0.000**
Note(s): **Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level
Source(s): Primary data
Table 2.
Correlation matrix
Table 3.
Linear regression
analysis (DV –vitality
and IV –gratitude)
Vitality among
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positive relationship between gratitude and vitality. Table 4 states that gratitude explains
12.5% of variations in the vitality of the students.
Vitality ¼2:872 þ0:354 Gratitude (1)
Table 5 represents the results of linear regression analysis, where resilience is regressed over
vitality. Regression equation (2) is derived from the results. Again, a significantly positive
regression coefficient establishes resilience as a sufficient condition for vitality. Table 6 states
that resilience explains 6.8% variations in vitality. Now, it would be interesting to examine
the combined effect of gratitude and resilience on vitality.
Vitality ¼3:131 þ0:260 Resilience (2)
Table 7 represents the result of multiple regression analysis that considers vitality as
independent variable and gratitude and resilience as two dependent variables. Regression
Model RRsquare Adjusted Rsquare Std. error of estimate FSig.
1 0.354 0.125 0.122 0.984 41.665 0.000**
Note(s): **Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level
Source(s): Primary data
Model
Unstandardized
coefficients Standardized coefficients
tSig.BStd. error Beta
(Constant) 3.131 0.350 8.958 0.000**
Gratitude 0.511 0.111 0.260 4.589 0.000**
Note(s): **Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level
Source(s): Primary data
Model RRsquare Adjusted Rsquare Std. error of estimate FSig.
2 0.260 0.068 0.064 1.017 21.056 0.000**
Note(s): **Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level
Source(s): Primary data
Model
Unstandardized
coefficients Standardized coefficients
tSig.BStd. error Beta
(Constant) 2.124 0.382 5.562 0.000**
Resilience 0.314 0.112 0.160 2.800 0.005**
Gratitude 0.267 0.049 0.310 5.412 0.000**
Note(s): **Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level
Source(s): Primary data
Table 4.
Model summary
(DV –vitality and
IV –gratitude)
Table 5.
Linear regression
analysis (DV –vitality
and IV –resilience)
Table 6.
Model summary
(DV –vitality and
IV –resilience)
Table 7.
Multiple regression
analysis
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equation-3 is derived. Table 8 concludes that both variables define 15.3% variations in
vitality. It is interesting to note that the regression coefficient of gratitude decreases, and that
of resilience increases in combining both variables in a single equation. Three regression
equations establish gratitude and resilience as a sufficient condition for vitality. Now, NCA
plot and associated NCA statistics are explored to check the necessity of gratitude and
resilience for the occurrence of vitality.
Vitality ¼0:382 þ0:310 Gratitude þ0:160 Resilience (3)
Figure 1 represents the NCA plot between gratitude and vitality. And as per Dul (2016), the
presence of an empty upper-left zone reveals that gratitude is a necessary condition for the
occurrence of vitality among students. Similar results are obtained from Figure 2, which
highlights an NCA graph plotted between resilience and vitality. Thus, it may be inferred
from the findings of the study that gratitude and resilience are both sufficient and necessary
conditions for the vitality of Indian university students (see Table 9).
Discussion and conclusion
Vitality is a fundamental sphere of influence of one’s health, as it comprises both physical
and mental components of well-being. With regards to physical health, it encompasses
characteristics such as a high level of energy and feeling healthy and fit. The psychological
elements of vitality are a lower level of fatigue, calmness in the mind, mental resilience and
overall eudemonic wellbeing. It is critical to understand that these two factors of vitality are
complementary to each other and not mutually exclusive. Psychological factor stimulates
Model RRsquare Adjusted Rsquare Std. error of estimate FSig.
3 0.392 0.153 0.148 0.971 26.199 0.000**
Note(s): **Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level
Source(s): Primary data
Resilience
Vitality
12345
321 4567
OLS
CE-FDH
CR-FDH
NCA Plot : Resilience - Vitality
Source(s): Primary Data
Table 8.
Model summary
Figure 1.
NCA plot (Gratitude
and vitality)
Vitality among
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physical aspects, and vice versa is also true. Given these considerations, researchers,
academicians and policymakers are showing renewed interest in vitality to solve student-
related challenges. But unfortunately, few studies have explored factors leading to vitality.
Accordingly, the present study investigates the sufficiency and necessity of gratitude and
resilience for vitality among university students. The results establish both gratitude and
resilience as sufficient and necessary conditions for the occurrence of vitality among
students.
The study mainly focuses on the mental factors of vitality for two crucial reasons. Firstly,
because of the cruciality of the component; secondly, the hue and cry to address the mental
health concerns of the Indian youth, especially the ones pursuing their education in the
universities. In the literature, several studies are emphasizing on the biological or the physical
aspects of vitality. And the mental interventions of vitality have already been tested in the
context of organizations. Still, there is a shortage in the study of vitality, explaining its
psychological factors and impact on the youth pursuing university degrees. Thus, this study
makes a unique contribution to factors that are self-sustaining, efficient and self-supporting,
in promoting vitality in Indian Youth. It has also been conceptualized and supported by a
theoretical model, tested empirically. The researchers have also problematized and
conceptualized vitality in the spirit of prosocial behaviors and not restricted to medicine.
Practical implications of the study
The prosocial predictors of vitality, i.e. gratitude and resilience, are two constructs derived
from positive psychology and positive scholarship literature; hence the interventions are
around the discipline. And, interestingly, gratitude-based interventions (GBI) do not only fit
the shoe-string budget of the university students but at the same time, they are self-
regulating, self-sustaining and efficient. Several GBIs enhance both the state and trait
Source(s): Primary Data
OLS
CE-FDH
CR-FDH
Vitality
3214567
NCA Plot : Gratitude - Vitality
Gratitude
2468
Relationship CE –FDH CR –FDH
Gratitude and vitality 0.207 0.170
Gratitude and resilience 0.238 0.210
Source(s): Primary data
Figure 2.
NCA plot (Resilience
and vitality)
Table 9.
NCA statistics
JOEPP
personality of students. And one such intervention is the daily practice of journaling. In this
self-reflective practice, a student needs to keep a journal and write down various things or
persons for which they feel thankful. In short, it is a tool for self-expression.
On the other hand, on an interpersonal level, interactive methods such as saying a genuine
“thank you”to someone in the university such as your peer who has helped you to in the
assignment, or the university teacher who has contributed to crack the problematic case
study or it may even be your hostel warden who has provided you with secure and
comfortable accommodation in the hostel. There can be multiple benefactors that a student
can feel grateful for. Sometimes there can even be transpersonal gratia such as feeling
thankful about the universe or the cosmos. Other GBIs include interventions including
“gratitude journals”(Froh et al., 2008), “gratitude letters”(Seligman and Happiness, 2002;
Sergeant and Mongrain, 2011), “gratitude letters visits”“cultivating mindfulness”(Langer,
2014;Langer et al., 2010), “gratitude collages”(Reivich et al., 2011), “sharing positive events”
(Gable et al., 2004), and “meditation and progressive muscle relaxation techniques”(Shapiro
et al., 2002). All these interventions have proven to have several neuro-psychological,
physiological benefits.
Similarly, resilience-based interventions (RBIs) are also needed for the holistic
development of students, which comprises both mental and physical components. RBIs
help to resolve various interpersonal conflicts, which youth encounters in the universities.
One such example of resilience-based intervention is a program designed among the
American youth named “The Resolving Conflict Creativity Program”targeted for the child
and adolescents in America, where it teaches communication skills, anger management and
constructive dialog to resolve conflict. This program helps to reduce social-cognitive and
behavioral risks for violence or any self-harming tendencies and promotes a positive climate
in the university.
Though universities are the active change agents and change-makers in the lives of the
students, the onus of positive transformation lies on both students and the university
administration. Hence these prosocial measures like gratitude and resilience, which are self-
regulating, self-professed and competent, help to build internal psychological resources to
promote sustainable vitality.
Theoretical implications of the study
The present study makes at least three noteworthy contributions to the existing literature.
Firstly, the current empirical study expands the sphere of influence of gratitude, which is
often criticized for the lack of research in social sciences and adult psychology. Numerous
scholars (please see Fredrickson, 2004;Emmons and Crumpler, 2000) have highlighted the
dire need for further exploration of the utility of gratitude in well-being. In this background,
this study provides empirical evidence of the association between vitality and gratitude and
thereby contributes to the growing literature of gratitude. Secondly, this study offers another
explanation and implementation of Fredrickson’s (1998) broaden-and-build theory of positive
emotion. And thirdly, researchers like Shriom (2011) argued that the studies investigating
antecedents of vitality are rare. This study explored both the necessity and sufficiency of
gratitude and resilience for the occurrence of vitality among university students. Thus, the
present study expands the literature of vitality by establishing gratitude and resilience as two
antecedents of vitality.
Limitations, scope for future studies and conclusion
Although the present study provides empirical support for an association between gratitude,
resilience and vitality, the research is marred with certain limitations too. Firstly, two
dependent variables (gratitude and resilience) and one independent variable (vitality) have
Vitality among
university
students
been collected from the same sample and at the same time. It may lead to a common method
error. Although, both procedural and statistical remedies were used to minimize it,
longitudinal study or double source method could be used by future researchers for more
reliable and valid results. Secondly, the present study is based on a sample size of only 300
students studying in the Delhi-NCR region. A larger sample size based on the pan India
population would enhance the efficacy of generalization of the results. Thirdly, this study is
based on a single-dimensional scale of vitality and resilience. Future researchers may utilize
the multidimensional scale of these variables for deep insight into the concluded relationship
between three variables. Further, researchers may also explore these relationships in
organizational context instead of academic settings. Such a study brings greater
organizational value and utility.
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Corresponding author
Naval Garg can be contacted at: naval.garg@dtu.ac.in
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