The expression of gratitude by children and young adolescents in different societies is the topic of this special issue. We introduce the concept of gratitude as a virtue, explaining its differences from gratitude viewed as a positive emotion. Although most research on gratitude uses samples from Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) societies (primarily from the United States), we discuss the importance of studying the development of gratitude across different cultural groups. Despite the evidence to suggest that the expression of gratitude is viewed as desirable across multiple societies and historical periods, there is no reason to assume that developmental pathways found in one or other WEIRD society would be found in non-WEIRD societies or that the latter would have similar pathways. Children's gratitude expression across countries is explored in this special issue using Baumgarten-Tramer's (1938) paradigm as well as Kağıtçıbaşı's (2007) framework to address both differences and similarities across cultures.

Adolescents’ social and emotional lives reflect and inform their well-being. Yet, we know little about how social emotions, like gratitude and envy, are expressed in social relationships and shape well-being among adolescents living outside of wealthy, minority world settings. In many parts of the world, including Guatemala, poverty and economic hardship are among the most common challenges of adolescents. In an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design, Study 1 explored how Guatemalan youth living with scarce resources experience and respond to gratitude and envy. Interviews with 22 Guatemalan adolescents ( Mean age = 14.55 years, SD = .74, 59% girls) about their experiences with envy and gratitude were coded based on Auerbach and Silverstein’s (2003) approach. Findings revealed that envy ignited anger and rifts in close relationships with friends and family. Conversely, gratitude was rooted in reciprocity and often motivated youth to act kindly on another’s behalf. In Study 2, adolescents ( N = 64, Mean age = 14.15, SD = 1.05, 55% girls) completed locally adapted measures of envy, gratitude, and life satisfaction. A multiple regression analysis revealed that envy was associated with lower and gratitude with higher life satisfaction, consistent with studies in other cultural contexts. In sum, the use of locally developed measures of the social emotions envy and gratitude revealed the expected relations with well-being, negative for envy and positive for gratitude. For Guatemalan youth facing daily hardships, discouraging envy and fostering gratitude may help to boost well-being and nurture positive close relationships.

Abstract. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, motherwork has increased. Mothers, including in Guatemala, have taken on expanded responsibilities of virtual schooling and keeping the family safe and healthy, in addition to prepandemic familial and professional contributions. Twelve Guatemalan mothers of children under age 7 were interviewed about how they negotiated the pandemic; data were coded using thematic analysis and consensual qualitative research frameworks. Analysis revealed six themes: daily stressors, fostering children's development, implementing coping strategies, utilizing technology, establishing closer relationships, and achieving personal and occupational growth. Guatemalan mothers tapped into existing ideologies of motherhood, relied on traditional values of Guatemalan culture – faith, family, and gratitude – prioritized their children's well-being, and found unexpected benefits. Social policies that specifically address women's conditions, agency, and strengths could forward achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 5, Gender Equality, in Guatemala.

Gratitude, although studied throughout history by scholars from diverse backgrounds, has been largely understudied in psychology until recently. The psychological literature on gratitude is expanding, but it is still particularly limited with children. The authors compared younger (first- and second-grade students; n = 30) and older (fourth- and fifth-grade students; n = 27) children on gratitude-related ratings surrounding gift giving vignettes that included either a desirable (e.g., a birthday cupcake) or an undesirable (e.g., a melted ice cream cone) gift. Empathy was also measured. Hierarchical regressions revealed different patterns of predictors for desirable and undesirable gifts. For desirable gifts, liking significantly predicted gratitude and liking predicted effort. For undesirable gifts, older children and those who perceived the target as liking the gift more predicted higher gratitude ratings. Finally, higher gratitude rating predicted both higher ratings of giver effort (i.e., intention or how hard did the giver try to give a nice gift) and liking of the undesirable gifts. More research on children's understanding of gratitude is needed but these results suggest that school-aged children take into account givers' intentions and thoughts behind gift giving in determining feelings of gratitude. Limitations and directions for future research are also discussed.

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