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Assessing the Importance of Childhood Context in the Development of Hope and Optimism

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  • Jason Fletcher

    (University of Wisconsin)

Abstract

This paper explores the importance of adolescent environments as a key determinant of hope and optimism. Data were taken from the prospective, nationally representative National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health to calculate correlations in hope and optimism among individuals who attended the same secondary school. These correlations generate upper-bound estimates of the influence of adolescent environments and suggest relatively modest contributions, accounting for 1–3% of population variation. In contrast, sibling correlations account for approximately 10% of the variation. Taken together, the results suggest that interventions that shape schools and neighborhoods during adolescence are likely to have relatively small benefits for hope and optimism development.

Suggested Citation

  • Jason Fletcher, 2020. "Assessing the Importance of Childhood Context in the Development of Hope and Optimism," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(7), pages 2419-2427, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:21:y:2020:i:7:d:10.1007_s10902-019-00186-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-019-00186-8
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Fletcher, Jason, 2018. "Crushing hope: Short term responses to tragedy vary by hopefulness," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 201(C), pages 59-62.
    2. Karin Hederos Eriksson & Randi Hjalmarsson & Matthew J. Lindquist & Anna Sandberg, 2016. "The importance of family background and neighborhood effects as determinants of crime," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 29(1), pages 219-262, January.
    3. Jason M. Fletcher & Jinho Kim, 2019. "Learning hope and optimism: classmate experiences and adolescent development," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(5), pages 409-412, March.
    4. Kunz, Jim & Page, Marianne E. & Solon, Gary, 2003. "Are point-in-time measures of neighborhood characteristics useful proxies for children's long-run neighborhood environment?," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 79(2), pages 231-237, May.
    5. Goldsmith, Arthur H & Veum, Jonathan R & Darity, William, Jr, 1997. "The Impact of Psychological and Human Capital on Wages," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 35(4), pages 815-829, October.
    6. Kimberly Thomson & Kimberly Schonert-Reichl & Eva Oberle, 2015. "Optimism in Early Adolescence: Relations to Individual Characteristics and Ecological Assets in Families, Schools, and Neighborhoods," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 16(4), pages 889-913, August.
    7. Gary Solon & Marianne E. Page & Greg J. Duncan, 2000. "Correlations Between Neighboring Children In Their Subsequent Educational Attainment," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 82(3), pages 383-392, August.
    8. Greg Duncan & Johanne Boisjoly & Kathleen Mullan Harris, 2001. "Sibling, peer, neighbor, and schoolmate correlations as indicators of the importance of context for adolescent development," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 38(3), pages 437-447, August.
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