Buddhist Good Karma of Giving, Optimism, and Happiness Among Thai Female Sex Workers

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Web End = Soc Indic Res (2016) 127:903917

DOI 10.1007/s11205-015-0973-y

Vanchai Ariyabuddhiphongs1 Joseph Li1

Accepted: 28 April 2015 / Published online: 3 May 2015 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015

Abstract Thai female sex workers (FSWs) remittance to their original families is considered a good deed (karma) in Buddhism. This study examined the relationship of their giving to optimism and happiness, hypothesizing that giving would predict happiness, and that optimism would mediate the relationship of giving to happiness. Giving was operationally dened as the frequency and amounts of money the FSWs sent to their original families; happiness as the sum of domain life satisfaction and satisfaction with life; and optimism as the belief that good things would happen. Giving, happiness, and optimism were assessed among 329 Thai FSWs. Regression analysis with bootstrapping was used to test the mediating effect of optimism on the giving-happiness relationship. Results supported the mediation model: the indirect effect of Thai FSWs giving to happiness through the mediation of optimism was signicant suggesting the possibility of optimism enhancing happiness. Results supported the Buddhist belief that good deeds return good results, and contributed to the theory of optimism and the study of happiness among Thai FSWs.

Keywords Giving Optimism Happiness Thai female sex workers

1 Introduction

When Thai sex workers sent money home to their parents (McCamish 2002) they might be simply fullling the traditional family role of supporting their parents and siblings (Wawer et al. 1996). Buddhist belief however holds that they are repaying the debt of gratitude to

& Vanchai Ariyabuddhiphongs [email protected]

1 Graduate School, Bangkok University, Rama 4 Road, Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110, Thailand

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Web End = Buddhist Good Karma of Giving, Optimism,and Happiness Among Thai Female Sex Workers

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904 V. Ariyabuddhiphongs, J. Li

their parents (Brahm-sutta, A, 34/470/105),1 and that they will reap the benets of their good deed (karma) of giving (Khantipalo Bhikkhu 1994). We believed that the benets the Thai female sex workers (FSWs) received as a result of their giving would be a sense of optimism and happiness. To test our belief we investigated the benets...