# GratePic mHealth App Feasibility Study

> **NIH NIH R43** · GRATEPIC, INC. · 2021 · $52,000

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
The purpose of this project is to evaluate the effectiveness of GratePic, a mobile health (mHealth) application dedicated to
helping users enhance gratitude. A large body of empirical research indicates a strong association between gratitude and
psychological well-being, to include: reduction in depressive symptoms, a decrease in suicidal ideations, an increased sense
of meaning in life, and less aggressiveness with more pro-social behavior. The most common technique for increasing
gratitude is the text gratitude journal, where individuals write down things for which they are grateful. While the traditional
text gratitude journal is an accepted and proven technique for cultivating gratitude, there are significant limitations with this
intervention. We propose that images are a better medium for the gratitude journal. GratePic is a gratitude journal of images–
a social network where users can cultivate gratitude in their daily lives. GratePic combines a picture with gratitude in order
to form a "gratepic"; an image representing appreciation for what is valuable and meaningful to the user. We will use a RCT
design to assess the relationship between GratePic and gratitude, well-being, depressive symptoms, positive affect, gratitude
fatigue, and user engagement. We expect images representing gratitude will elicit a strong positive response from the user,
and we also expect the social network feature will enrich the gratitude journaling process for the user and provide a more
engaging environment.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10304644
- **Project number:** 3R43NR018622-01S1
- **Recipient organization:** GRATEPIC, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Christopher Lawson Arrington
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $52,000
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-03-27 → 2022-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10304644

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10304644, GratePic mHealth App Feasibility Study (3R43NR018622-01S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10304644. Licensed CC0.

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