- Strengthening Positive Psychology
- Speculation, Conceptualization, or Evidence?: A History of Positive Psychology
- Classifying and Measuring Strengths of Character
- Positive Psychology within a Cultural Context
- Stopping the “Madness”: Positive Psychology and Deconstructing the Illness Ideology and the DSM
- Widening the Diagnostic Focus: A Case for Including Human Strengths and Environmental Resources
- Better Together: The Sciences and the Humanities in the Quest for Human Flourishing
- Mental Health: Multiple Perspectives for an Evolving Concept
- Capturing the Complexity and Dynamics of Positive Human Health: Conceptual and Methodological Considerations
- Positive Psychology of Infancy and Early Childhood: Chapter in the Handbook of Positive Psychology
- Resilience in Development
- Positive Psychology for Children and Adolescents: Development, Prevention, and Promotion
- Positive Youth Development: Relational Developmental Systems Approaches to Thriving from Childhood to Early Adulthood
- Territories of Positive Life Span Development: Wisdom and <i>Sehnsucht</i> (Life Longings)
- Subjective Well-Being: The Science of Happiness and Life Satisfaction
- Happiness in Nations: Pursuit of Greater Happiness for a Greater Number of Citizens
- Positive Affectivity: The Disposition to Experience Pleasurable Emotional States
- The Social Construction of Self-Esteem
- Coping through Emotional Approach: The Utility of Processing and Expressing Emotions in Response to Stress
- Thriving on Emotional Intelligence? Bridging Research and Practice
- Creativity
- The Role of Personal Control in Adaptive Functioning
- Well-Being: Mindfulness versus Positive Evaluation
- Optimism
- Optimistic Explanatory Style
- Hope Theory
- Self-Efficacy: The Power of Believing You Can
- The Important Role of Problem Solving Appraisal in Creating a Positive Life Across Cultural Contexts
- Self-Determination
- Curiosity and Interest: The Benefits of Thriving on Novelty and Challenge
- Courage
- Compassion
- Attachment Theory as a Relational Framework for Positive Psychology
- Understanding Empathy: Current State and Future Research Challenges
- Forgiveness
- Progress in the Science of Gratitude
- Love
- Positive Processes in Close Relationships
- Intergenerational Solidarity: Dualities in the Evolution of a Paradigm
- What’s Positive About Self-Verification?
- Reality Negotiation
- Humility: A Qualitative Review
- Toward a Biology of Social Support
- New Perspectives On the Role of the Heart in Positive Emotions, Intuition, and Social Coherence
- Building Emotional Stability and Mental Capacity: The Toughness Model
- The Associations Between Positive Affect and Health: Findings and Future Directions
- Neural Connectivity of the Creative Mind
- Neural and Physiological Mechanisms of Altruism and Empathy
- Family-Centered Positive Psychology: A Framework for Research-based Practices
- School as a Positive Learning and Working Environment
- Positive Psychology on Campus
- Positive Workplaces
- Positive Institutions: Organizations, Laws, and Policies
- Psychotherapy, Counseling, and Coaching: Different Alternatives for Promoting Psychological Well-Being
- Meditation and Positive Psychology
- Spirituality: The Search for the Sacred
- Personal Narratives, Expressive Writing and Wellbeing
- Benefit-Finding
- Pathways to Growth Following Trauma and Loss
- Happiness and Resilience Following Physical Disability
- The Promise of Fostering Greater Happiness
- Meaning in Life: A Unified Model
Abstract and Keywords
The goal of this chapter is to provide an updated review of positive psychology as it relates to child and adolescent development. Rather than focusing on psychopathology and negative outcomes, positive psychology examines the strengths and positive assets of individuals across developmental stages. Researchers have noted the importance of identifying individual strengths versus deficits, which has led to an increase in research examining positive psychology concepts. Although there has been an increase, the relative dearth of positive psychology studies in youth compared to adults suggests additional research is warranted. This chapter examines positive psychology constructs (i.e., hope, optimism, quality of life, and benefit finding/post-traumatic growth) and outlines how these concepts relate to children and adolescents. In addition to providing a general overview, this chapter highlights developmental considerations, measurement and future research directions, prevention and promotion, and settings for the delivery of positive psychology to children and adolescents.
Keywords: benefit finding, hope, optimism, post-traumatic growth, quality of life, children
Texas Tech University
Department of Psychology, University of Dayton
Texas Tech University
Department of Pediatrics, University of Missouri—Kansas City Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics
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- Strengthening Positive Psychology
- Speculation, Conceptualization, or Evidence?: A History of Positive Psychology
- Classifying and Measuring Strengths of Character
- Positive Psychology within a Cultural Context
- Stopping the “Madness”: Positive Psychology and Deconstructing the Illness Ideology and the DSM
- Widening the Diagnostic Focus: A Case for Including Human Strengths and Environmental Resources
- Better Together: The Sciences and the Humanities in the Quest for Human Flourishing
- Mental Health: Multiple Perspectives for an Evolving Concept
- Capturing the Complexity and Dynamics of Positive Human Health: Conceptual and Methodological Considerations
- Positive Psychology of Infancy and Early Childhood: Chapter in the Handbook of Positive Psychology
- Resilience in Development
- Positive Psychology for Children and Adolescents: Development, Prevention, and Promotion
- Positive Youth Development: Relational Developmental Systems Approaches to Thriving from Childhood to Early Adulthood
- Territories of Positive Life Span Development: Wisdom and <i>Sehnsucht</i> (Life Longings)
- Subjective Well-Being: The Science of Happiness and Life Satisfaction
- Happiness in Nations: Pursuit of Greater Happiness for a Greater Number of Citizens
- Positive Affectivity: The Disposition to Experience Pleasurable Emotional States
- The Social Construction of Self-Esteem
- Coping through Emotional Approach: The Utility of Processing and Expressing Emotions in Response to Stress
- Thriving on Emotional Intelligence? Bridging Research and Practice
- Creativity
- The Role of Personal Control in Adaptive Functioning
- Well-Being: Mindfulness versus Positive Evaluation
- Optimism
- Optimistic Explanatory Style
- Hope Theory
- Self-Efficacy: The Power of Believing You Can
- The Important Role of Problem Solving Appraisal in Creating a Positive Life Across Cultural Contexts
- Self-Determination
- Curiosity and Interest: The Benefits of Thriving on Novelty and Challenge
- Courage
- Compassion
- Attachment Theory as a Relational Framework for Positive Psychology
- Understanding Empathy: Current State and Future Research Challenges
- Forgiveness
- Progress in the Science of Gratitude
- Love
- Positive Processes in Close Relationships
- Intergenerational Solidarity: Dualities in the Evolution of a Paradigm
- What’s Positive About Self-Verification?
- Reality Negotiation
- Humility: A Qualitative Review
- Toward a Biology of Social Support
- New Perspectives On the Role of the Heart in Positive Emotions, Intuition, and Social Coherence
- Building Emotional Stability and Mental Capacity: The Toughness Model
- The Associations Between Positive Affect and Health: Findings and Future Directions
- Neural Connectivity of the Creative Mind
- Neural and Physiological Mechanisms of Altruism and Empathy
- Family-Centered Positive Psychology: A Framework for Research-based Practices
- School as a Positive Learning and Working Environment
- Positive Psychology on Campus
- Positive Workplaces
- Positive Institutions: Organizations, Laws, and Policies
- Psychotherapy, Counseling, and Coaching: Different Alternatives for Promoting Psychological Well-Being
- Meditation and Positive Psychology
- Spirituality: The Search for the Sacred
- Personal Narratives, Expressive Writing and Wellbeing
- Benefit-Finding
- Pathways to Growth Following Trauma and Loss
- Happiness and Resilience Following Physical Disability
- The Promise of Fostering Greater Happiness
- Meaning in Life: A Unified Model