Application of the Gratitude Intervention in the Healthcare Field: Scoping Review

Zi Lin,1, Yuan Fang,2, Wei Xiao,1 Miya Yao,3 Li Chen1 1Department of Critical Care Medicine, Wuhan Children’s Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Health Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430000, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of General Internal Medicine II, West Campus of Wuhan Children’s Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Health Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430000, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Genetic Metabolism and Endocrinology, Wuhan Children’s Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Health Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430000, People’s Republic of ChinaThese authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Li Chen, Department of Critical Care Medicine, Wuhan Children’s Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Health Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No. 100 Hong Kong Road, Jiangan District, Wuhan, Hubei, 430000, People’s Republic of China, Email 15972048582@163.comPurpose: To review the application of gratitude intervention measures in healthcare and to provide a reference for their clinical implementation and effective promotion.Methods: A computerized search of PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL, and CNKI databases was performed, covering studies published up to January 2025. Relevant studies on the application of gratitude interventions in healthcare were screened, and the review was conducted using the Arksey and O’Malley scoping review framework and reported in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guideline.Results: A total of 34 studies were included in the analysis, covering three types of health issues: mental disorders or stress (50%), chronic diseases (26%), and tumors (24%). Gratitude interventions, primarily delivered by researchers and healthcare staff, include gratitude recording (76%), gratitude expression (50%), gratitude videos (6%), gratitude meditation (24%), gratitude sharing (15%), with gratitude recording and gratitude expression being the most commonly used. The application methods of gratitude interventions include online (n = 18, 53%), offline (n = 12, 35%), and a combination of both (n = 4, 12%). Although the study populations, intervention types, frequencies, durations, and evaluation methods varied across studies, gratitude interventions demonstrated varying degrees of improvement in patients’ psychological status, physical health, quality of life, social support, interpersonal relationships, and other outcomes.Conclusion: A range of gratitude intervention strategies can be applied in healthcare settings to support mental and physical well-being. Gratitude recording and gratitude expression appear to be the most feasible options for routine practice, but the heterogeneity of the current evidence suggests that implementation should be tailored cautiously. Future research should focus on developing standardized intervention procedures, optimizing telemedicine-based delivery, and evaluating long-term effects.Keywords: gratitude interventions, well-being, mental health, physical health, scoping review