Positive Education for School Leaders: Exploring the Effects of Emotion-Gratitude and Action-Gratitude

Abstract

This qualitative study describes the effect of two gratitude interventions designed to trigger emotion-gratitude (gratitude diary) and action-gratitude (gratitude letter) in school leaders. Case study methodology was applied to analyse reflective journals of 27 school leaders. The gratitude diary served to foster a more balanced view of the positive and negative events that occur at school, to engage in more appreciative problem solving (with respect to their role as mediators), to see the value in relationships, and to experience positive emotions such as hope, happiness and optimism. However, the gratitude diary also triggered a frustration in school leaders who were dealing with the parad..