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Although growth and benefit finding have been studied extensively among adults, there is little research on this topic among children and adolescents. In this chapter, we address four questions about benefit finding euid growth among children. First, do children construe benefits from adversity? To the extent that benefit finding is an abstract cognitive skill, one may expect little benefit finding among younger children and increases in benefit finding with age. Second, if benefit finding occurs in children, are the kinds of benefits that children construe from adversity the same as those documented among adults? Third, what is the source of these benefits? Do benefits emerge from characteristics of the child or the stressor, or from the social environment? Finally, what are the implications of benefit finding or growth for well-being among children?We address these four questions by reviewing the sparse literature that exists on benefit finding and growth among children and adolescents. We also incorporate data from an ongoing study of adolescents with diabetes into this discussion. We conclude the chapter by outlining a set of directions for future research. Do Children Construe Benefits From Adversity?In this section we examine the extent to which previous research has shown that children and adolescents construe benefits from adversity. Then, we present data from our study of adolescents with diabetes. Finally, we synthesize our findings with previous research.

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