Gratitude is associated with greater levels of protective factors and lower levels of risks in African American adolescents

Abstract

The literature suggests gratitude is associated with positive youth development. The current study examined the relationship between gratitude and protective/risk factors among African American youth. Adolescents (N = 389; 50.4% males) ages 12 – 14 completed measures of gratitude (moral affect and life-orientation), protective factors (e.g., academic and activity engagement, family relationship), and high-risk behaviors (e.g., sexual attitudes and behaviors, drug/alcohol use). Results indicated greater moral affect gratitude was the only variable significantly associated with greater academic interest, better academic performance, and more extra-curricular activity engagement. Greater moral affect and life-orientation gratitude both significantly correlated with positive family relationship. Greater life-orientation gratitude was the only variable significantly associated with abstinence from sexual intimacy, sexual intercourse, likelihood of engaging in sex during primary school, and abstinence from drug/alcohol use. The findings suggest that moral affect gratitude may enhance protective factors while life-orientation gratitude may buffer against high-risk behaviors among African American youth.

The Role of Positive Psychology, Cultural, and Family Factors in Latina/o College Students' Vocational Outcome Expectations

“…Researchers found that gratitude is positively related to prosocial behaviors, social adjustment (Froh et al, ), and life satisfaction (Vela, Sparrow, Ikonomopoulos, Gonzalez, & Rodriguez, ), as well as negatively related to suicidal ideation (Li, Zhang, Li, & Ye, ). Ma, Kibler, and Sly () further indicated that moral affect gratitude has a positive correlation with protective factors and life‐orientation gratitude is negatively associated with risk factors. In addition, Froh et al () posited that experiencing and expressing gratitude comprise a simple way to counter negative appraisals and increase school bonding and social adjustment, strengthen supportive relationships, increase prosocial behavior, and enhance meaning in life.…”

“…Researchers found that gratitude is positively related to prosocial behaviors, social adjustment (Froh et al ., 2014), and life satisfaction (Vela, Sparrow, Ikonomopoulos, Gonzalez, & Rodriguez, 2017), as well as negatively related to suicidal ideation (Li, Zhang, Li, & Ye, 2012) . Ma, Kibler, and Sly (2013) further indicated that moral affect gratitude has a positive correlation with protective factors and life-orientation gratitude is negatively associated with risk factors . In addition, Froh et al .…”

The Role of Character Strengths and Importance of Family on Mexican American College Students' Career Decision Self‐Efficacy

“…In addition, Kleiman, Adams, Kashdan, and Riskind () defined gratitude as mindful appreciation that arises from kindness to others. Gratitude has been positively related to grit and protective factors and negatively related to suicidal ideation and attempts (Li, Zhang, Li, & Ye, ; Ma, Kibler, & Sly, ). Froh et al () posited that experiencing and expressing gratitude is a simple way to counter negative appraisals, increase social adjustment, strengthen supportive relationships, and increase prosocial behavior.…”

Longitudinal development of adolescent academic engagement following the Wenchuan earthquake: Domain-specific trajectories

“…For example, the relationship between the positive emotion of gratitude and academic engagement has begun to attract researchers’ attention (e.g. Chao, Zhang, Li, Yu, & Dai, 2010; Li & Gao, 2015; Ma, Kibler, & Sly, 2013; Zhou, Wu, & Chen, 2014c). Gratitude is an emotion that occurs after receiving aid from others that one perceives as costly, valuable, and altruistic (Wood, Maltby, Stewart, & Joseph, 2008).…”