The study examined the relationships among gratitude, materialism, and sustainable consumption behavior (SCB), exploring whether gratitude functions as a protective factor against consumerism among the youth. Using a descriptive-correlational cross-sectional design, survey data were collected from 109 Filipino college students (Mage = 22.2 years old; SD = 2.02; age range = 18–21 years old; 63.3% female; 70.6% middle-income households) who completed adapted measures of gratitude, materialism, and SCB. Results revealed nuanced associations among the three constructs. At the bivariate level, there were inverse associations between gratitude and materialism, and between materialism and SCB. At the multivariate level, a mediation analysis using bias-corrected bootstrapping indicated that the indirect association between gratitude and SCB via materialism was partially supported: higher gratitude was associated with lower endorsement of materialistic beliefs about happiness, which, in turn, was associated with greater environmental care and responsibility. This study addresses a gap in the literature by examining these constructs in a Filipino context. It further recommends incorporating gratitude-building practices and developing institutional programs that promote sustainability awareness. Overall, the study suggests that gratitude is linked to lower materialism and may indirectly foster more sustainable lifestyles among young people.
Benavente et al. (2026) studied this question.