Despite mounting interest in the psychology of gratitude, scholarship on the clinical applications of gratitude to psychotherapy has been fairly limited. Therefore, the aims of this article are to describe the Gratitude Group Program, the first known therapeutic model to focus on the cultivation of gratitude as its core goal, as well as to provide preliminary evidence for its effectiveness. Grounded primarily in positive psychology, but also in an assimilative integration of cognitive-behavioral, existential, narrative, and interpersonal perspectives, the Gratitude Group Program is a psychoeducation therapeutic group intervention that addresses diverse facets of gratitude. Evidence from a preliminary, one-group, prepost design study showed a significant and clinically meaningful decrease in psychological distress and increase in state gratitude, satisfaction with life, and meaning in life among college students who participated in the group program. Moreover, the effect sizes for decreases in psychological distress at the conclusion of the group program (d ϭ 1.19) and 30 days later (d ϭ 1.37) are comparable to that found in previous research on psychotherapy in university counseling centers. The practical implications of these findings are discussed. Clinical Impact StatementThis study suggests that participation in a brief psychoeducational group program that focuses on cultivating gratitude may improve people's mental health. At the end of five group sessions (1.5 hr per session), college students reported decreased psychological distress and increased gratitude, satisfaction with life, and meaning in life.

Parents play an important role in the development of their college-bound children, including engagement in risk behaviors and associated consequences. Still, few studies have investigated parental concerns about their children's transition into college. The aim of this study was to describe parental concerns about substance use and sexual assault and to test differences between parents of sons and parents of daughters in their levels of concern and communication. Data are from 450 parents of incoming students to a large, midwestern university. Parents responded to questions regarding their concerns about substance use and sexual assault. Results found that parents of sons are more concerned about substance use while parents of daughters are more concerned about sexual assault. Parents of daughters also communicate more about sexual assault than parents of sons. Finally, there was a positive relationship between relationship quality and communication about sexual assault. Implications for future research and the development of parent-based prevention are explored.