Date of Award
2026
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Social Work
First Advisor
Terry Northcut
Abstract
Although gratitude has been widely studied in social science, existing scholarship has largely relied on Western worldviews and quantitative research frameworks, limiting understanding of lived gratitude experiences within diverse spiritual and cultural contexts, including Eastern spiritual traditions. In Won Buddhism, originating in South Korea, gratitude holds a central place in spiritual life and is understood as an essential practice. This qualitative study explores the views of Won Buddhist older adult practitioners regarding their experiences, benefits, and challenges of engaging in spiritually grounded gratitude practice. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 practitioners aged 65 and older from English-speaking Won Buddhist communities. Data were analyzed using constant comparative thematic analysis within a constructivist paradigm, supported by iterative reflexive analysis and supplemental AI-assisted tools. Seven overarching themes emerged. Together, these findings reveal that gratitude is a multidimensional, spiritually grounded way of life, expanding the conceptual scope of gratitude across three interconnected dimensions: ontological, relational–ethical, and developmental. The themes highlight gratitude as an embodied and relational practice integrated into daily life, shaping resilience, meaning, and well-being in later life across physical, psychological, spiritual, and ecological dimensions. They also illuminate the benefits, challenges, and transformative pathways associated with sustained spiritual cultivation. The study offers meaningful implications for gratitude research, gerontological social work, social work education and practice, ecospiritual development, and Won Buddhist communities. Ultimately, this study shows how insights from older adults’ spiritually grounded gratitude practice can strengthen everyday resilience and relationships, supporting aging well and inspiring more caring, connected, and ecologically mindful ways of living together, grounded in interdependent understandings of life.
Recommended Citation
Lee, Sungsim, "A Qualitative Study of Gratitude Practice Among Won Buddhist Older Adults and Implications for Gerontological Social Work" (2026). Dissertations. 4306.
https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss/4306
