IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jhappi/v18y2017i5d10.1007_s10902-016-9776-3.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Unique Contributions of Positive Schemas for Understanding Child and Adolescent Life Satisfaction and Happiness

Author

Listed:
  • R. M. Tomlinson

    (University of Guelph)

  • L. Keyfitz

    (University of Guelph)

  • J. S. Rawana

    (York University)

  • M. N. Lumley

    (University of Guelph)

Abstract

Much research has examined negative cognitive schemas as associates of psychopathology. Although some research has established relations between positive cognitive schemas and psychopathology, little research has examined positive cognitive schemas in the context of well-being among children and adolescents. In the current study, contributions of positive schemas to two indicators of well-being, namely happiness and life satisfaction, were examined. Specifically we examined how positive schemas predict well-being beyond negative schemas, whether age and gender moderate the relations between positive schemas and well-being, and the contributions of specific positive schema themes to well-being. 282 child and adolescent boys (n = 122) and girls (n = 160) aged 8–18 (M = 13.37, SD = 2.18), completed measures of positive schemas, negative schemas, life satisfaction, and happiness. Results indicated that positive schemas related to life satisfaction and happiness beyond negative schemas, supporting the importance of examining positive schemas in models of well-being. Positive schemas were more strongly tied to happiness in older adolescents versus younger children, but the relations between positive schemas and life satisfaction did not vary as a function of age. Gender effects indicate that the relation between positive schemas and life satisfaction and happiness was stronger for females than for males. When the relative contributions of positive schema themes (i.e., trust, worthiness, optimism, success, self-efficacy) were explored in the prediction of life satisfaction and happiness, worthiness emerged as the strongest predictor. Results emphasize the importance of considering positive schemas in models of well-being among children and adolescents.

Suggested Citation

  • R. M. Tomlinson & L. Keyfitz & J. S. Rawana & M. N. Lumley, 2017. "Unique Contributions of Positive Schemas for Understanding Child and Adolescent Life Satisfaction and Happiness," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 18(5), pages 1255-1274, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:18:y:2017:i:5:d:10.1007_s10902-016-9776-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-016-9776-3
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10902-016-9776-3
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10902-016-9776-3?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. E. Huebner & Julie Seligson & Robert Valois & Shannon Suldo, 2006. "A Review of the Brief Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 79(3), pages 477-484, December.
    2. Robert Cummins & Helen Nistico, 2002. "Maintaining Life Satisfaction: The Role of Positive Cognitive Bias," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 3(1), pages 37-69, March.
    3. Nansook Park & Christopher Peterson, 2006. "Character Strengths and Happiness among Young Children: Content Analysis of Parental Descriptions," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 7(3), pages 323-341, September.
    4. Sonja Lyubomirsky & Heidi Lepper, 1999. "A Measure of Subjective Happiness: Preliminary Reliability and Construct Validation," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 46(2), pages 137-155, February.
    5. Carmel Proctor & P. Linley & John Maltby, 2009. "Youth Life Satisfaction: A Review of the Literature," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 10(5), pages 583-630, October.
    6. Julie Seligson & E. Huebner & Robert Valois, 2005. "An Investigation Of A Brief Life Satisfaction Scale With Elementary School Children," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 73(3), pages 355-374, September.
    7. Mark Holder & Ben Coleman & Judi Wallace, 2010. "Spirituality, Religiousness, and Happiness in Children Aged 8–12 Years," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 11(2), pages 131-150, April.
    8. Shannon Suldo & Michael Frank & Ashley Chappel & Melanie Albers & Lisa Bateman, 2014. "American High School Students’ Perceptions of Determinants of Life Satisfaction," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 118(2), pages 485-514, September.
    9. Benjamin Funk & E. Huebner & Robert Valois, 2006. "Reliability and Validity of a Brief Life Satisfaction Scale with a High School Sample," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 7(1), pages 41-54, March.
    10. Susana Marques & Shane Lopez & Joanna Mitchell, 2013. "The Role of Hope, Spirituality and Religious Practice in Adolescents’ Life Satisfaction: Longitudinal Findings," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 251-261, March.
    11. Mark Holder & Ben Coleman, 2009. "The Contribution of Social Relationships to Children’s Happiness," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 10(3), pages 329-349, June.
    12. Noreen E. Mahon & Adela Yarcheski & Thomas J. Yarcheski, 2005. "Happiness as Related to Gender and Health in Early Adolescents," Clinical Nursing Research, , vol. 14(2), pages 175-190, May.
    13. Julie Seligson & E. Huebner & Robert Valois, 2003. "Preliminary Validation of the Brief Multidimensional Students' Life Satisfaction Scale (BMSLSS)," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 61(2), pages 121-145, February.
    14. Ferran Casas & Jorge Sarriera & Jaime Alfaro & Mònica González & Sara Malo & Irma Bertran & Cristina Figuer & Daniel Cruz & Lívia Bedin & Angela Paradiso & Karin Weinreich & Boris Valdenegro, 2012. "Testing the Personal Wellbeing Index on 12–16 Year-Old Adolescents in 3 Different Countries with 2 New Items," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 105(3), pages 461-482, February.
    15. E. Huebner & Rich Gilman & James Laughlin, 1999. "A Multimethod Investigation of the Multidimensionality of Children's Well-Being Reports: Discriminant Validity of Life Satisfaction and Self-Esteem," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 46(1), pages 1-22, January.
    16. Shannon Suldo & Devon Minch & Brittany Hearon, 2015. "Adolescent Life Satisfaction and Personality Characteristics: Investigating Relationships Using a Five Factor Model," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 16(4), pages 965-983, August.
    17. Mark Holder & Andrea Klassen, 2010. "Temperament and Happiness in Children," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 11(4), pages 419-439, August.
    18. Tara Terry & E. Scott Huebner, 1995. "The relationship between self-concept and life satisfaction in children," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 35(1), pages 39-52, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Rew, Lynn & Slesnick, Natasha & Johnson, Karen & Aguilar, Rodolfo & Cengiz, Adem, 2019. "Positive attributes and life satisfaction in homeless youth," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 1-8.
    2. Hye-Ryoung Kim & Hwa-Mi Yang, 2021. "The Mediating Effect of Life Satisfaction on Relation between Perceived Physical Attractiveness and Health-Promoting Lifestyle in Korean Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-10, July.
    3. Seon, Youngwoon & Smith-Adcock, Sondra, 2023. "Adolescents’ meaning in life as a resilience factor between bullying victimization and life satisfaction," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    4. Kathlyn M. Cherry & Brae Anne McArthur & Margaret N. Lumley, 2020. "A Multi-Informant Study of Strengths, Positive Self-Schemas and Subjective Well-Being from Childhood to Adolescence," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(6), pages 2169-2191, August.
    5. Marja Lindberg & Mikael Nygård & Fredrica Nyqvist & Mia Hakovirta, 2021. "Financial Stress and Subjective Wellbeing among Children -Evidence from Finland," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(2), pages 799-819, April.
    6. Kyung Eun Jahng, 2019. "Exploring Pathways to Middle School Students’ Life Satisfaction," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 12(5), pages 1643-1662, October.
    7. Badri Bajaj & Ragini Gupta & Santoshi Sengupta, 2019. "Emotional Stability and Self-Esteem as Mediators Between Mindfulness and Happiness," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 20(7), pages 2211-2226, October.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Lotta Uusitalo-Malmivaara, 2012. "Global and School-Related Happiness in Finnish Children," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 13(4), pages 601-619, August.
    2. Zi Jia Ng & Eugene Scott Huebner & Alberto Maydeu-Olivares & Kimberly Joy Hills, 2018. "Confirmatory Factor Analytic Structure and Measurement Invariance of the Brief Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale (BMSLSS) in a Longitudinal Sample of Adolescents," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 11(4), pages 1237-1247, August.
    3. Mònica González-Carrasco & Ferran Casas & Sara Malo & Ferran Viñas & Tamar Dinisman, 2017. "Changes with Age in Subjective Well-Being Through the Adolescent Years: Differences by Gender," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 18(1), pages 63-88, February.
    4. Mònica González-Carrasco & Ferran Casas & Ferran Viñas & Sara Malo & M. Eugènia Gras & Lívia Bedin, 2017. "What Leads Subjective Well-Being to Change Throughout Adolescence? An Exploration of Potential Factors," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 10(1), pages 33-56, March.
    5. Carmel Proctor & P. Linley & John Maltby, 2009. "Youth Life Satisfaction: A Review of the Literature," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 10(5), pages 583-630, October.
    6. Janette McDougall & Virginia Wright & Megan Nichols & Linda Miller, 2013. "Assessing the Psychometric Properties of Both a Global and a Domain-Specific Perceived Quality of Life Measure When Used with Youth Who Have Chronic Conditions," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 114(3), pages 1243-1257, December.
    7. Jorge J. Varela & Javier Guzmán & Jaime Alfaro & Fernando Reyes, 2019. "Bullying, Cyberbullying, Student Life Satisfaction and the Community of Chilean Adolescents," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 14(3), pages 705-720, July.
    8. Luisa Losada-Puente & Alexandra M. Araújo & Jesús Miguel Muñoz-Cantero, 2020. "A Systematic Review of the Assessment of Quality of Life in Adolescents," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 147(3), pages 1039-1057, February.
    9. Mònica González-Carrasco & Ferran Casas & Asher Ben-Arieh & Shazly Savahl & Habib Tiliouine, 2019. "Children’s Perspectives and Evaluations of Safety in Diverse Settings and Their Subjective Well-Being: A Multi-National Approach," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 14(2), pages 309-334, April.
    10. Kathlyn M. Cherry & Brae Anne McArthur & Margaret N. Lumley, 2020. "A Multi-Informant Study of Strengths, Positive Self-Schemas and Subjective Well-Being from Childhood to Adolescence," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(6), pages 2169-2191, August.
    11. Mark Holder & Andrea Klassen, 2010. "Temperament and Happiness in Children," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 11(4), pages 419-439, August.
    12. Mònica González-Carrasco & Marc Sáez & Ferran Casas, 2020. "Subjective Well-Being in Early Adolescence: Observations from a Five-Year Longitudinal Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-20, November.
    13. Ferran Casas & Mònica González-Carrasco, 2021. "Satisfaction with Meaning in Life: a metric with Strong Correlations to the Hedonic and Eudaimonic Well-Being of Adolescents," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(5), pages 1781-1807, October.
    14. Lotta Uusitalo-Malmivaara & Juhani Lehto, 2013. "Social Factors Explaining Children’s Subjective Happiness and Depressive Symptoms," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 111(2), pages 603-615, April.
    15. Robert F. Valois & Jelani C. Kerr & Michael P. Carey & Larry K. Brown & Daniel Romer & Ralph J. DiClemente & Peter A. Vanable, 2020. "Neighborhood Stress and Life Satisfaction: Is there a Relationship for African American Adolescents?," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 15(1), pages 273-296, March.
    16. Jaime Alfaro & Javier Guzmán & Catalina García & David Sirlopú & Fernando Reyes & Jorge Varela, 2016. "Psychometric Properties of the Spanish Version of the Personal Wellbeing Index-School Children (PWI-SC) in Chilean School Children," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 9(3), pages 731-742, September.
    17. Javier Guzmán & Jaime Alfaro & Jorge J. Varela, 2019. "Sense of Community and Life Satisfaction in Chilean Adolescents," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 14(3), pages 589-601, July.
    18. Roberto Baiocco & Valeria Verrastro & Lilybeth Fontanesi & Matteo Pio Ferrara & Jessica Pistella, 2019. "The Contributions of Self-Esteem, Loneliness, and Friendship to Children’s Happiness: The Roles of Gender and Age," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 12(4), pages 1413-1433, August.
    19. Jacky C. K. Ng & Victor C. Y. Lau & Sylvia Xiahua Chen, 2020. "Why are Dispositional Enviers not Satisfied With Their Lives? An Investigation of Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Pathways Among Adolescents and Young Adults," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(2), pages 525-545, February.
    20. Keith J. Zullig & Robert F. Valois & Gerald R. Hobbs & Jelani C. Kerr & Daniel Romer & Michael P. Carey & Larry K. Brown & Ralph J. DiClemente & Peter A. Vanable, 2020. "Can a Multilevel STI/HIV Prevention Strategy for High Risk African American Adolescents Improve Life Satisfaction?," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(2), pages 417-436, February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:18:y:2017:i:5:d:10.1007_s10902-016-9776-3. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.