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The Effect of Gratitude on Elementary School Students’ Subjective Well-Being in Schools: The Mediating Role of Prosocial Behavior

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  • Lili Tian
  • Minmin Du
  • E. Huebner

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the mediational role of prosocial behavior on the relationship between gratitude and subjective well-being (SWB) in school (school satisfaction, positive affect in school, and negative affect in school) in elementary school students. We also explored the moderating effect of gender. A total of 706 Chinese elementary school students (375 males and 331 females) from classes in Grades 4 through 6 completed a packet of questionnaires. This packet consisted of the Gratitude Questionnaire, the Elementary School Students’ Subjective Well-Being in School Scale, and the Prosocial Dimension adapted from the Mental Health Scale of Primary and Secondary School Students. The results showed that individual differences in elementary school students’ (1) gratitude significantly related to SWB in school; (2) prosocial behavior partially mediated the relations between gratitude and school satisfaction and positive affect in school; (3) gender moderated the relation between gratitude and school satisfaction, with boys showing greater benefits of gratitude. Limitations and practical applications of the study are discussed. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015

Suggested Citation

  • Lili Tian & Minmin Du & E. Huebner, 2015. "The Effect of Gratitude on Elementary School Students’ Subjective Well-Being in Schools: The Mediating Role of Prosocial Behavior," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 122(3), pages 887-904, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:122:y:2015:i:3:p:887-904
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-014-0712-9
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ed Diener, 1994. "Assessing subjective well-being: Progress and opportunities," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 31(2), pages 103-157, February.
    2. Jeffrey Froh & Robert Emmons & Noel Card & Giacomo Bono & Jennifer Wilson, 2011. "Gratitude and the Reduced Costs of Materialism in Adolescents," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 12(2), pages 289-302, April.
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    5. Lung Chen & Ying Kee, 2008. "Gratitude and Adolescent Athletes’ Well-Being," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 89(2), pages 361-373, November.
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    2. Maria Giuseppina Bartolo & Anna Lisa Palermiti & Rocco Servidio & Angela Costabile, 2023. "“I Feel Good, I Am a Part of the Community”: Social Responsibility Values and Prosocial Behaviors during Adolescence, and Their Effects on Well-Being," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-13, November.
    3. Ying Yang & Peipei Li & Yu Kou, 2017. "Orientations to Happiness and Subjective Well-Being in Chinese Adolescents," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 10(4), pages 881-897, December.
    4. Esther Yuet Ying Lau & Xingzhou Zhang & Rong-wei Sun & John Chi-Kin Lee, 2024. "“The Sum Is Greater Than the Parts?”—The Role of Student Covitality in Flourishing," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 25(5), pages 1-22, June.
    5. Wang Liu & Tian Su & Lili Tian & E. Scott Huebner, 2021. "Prosocial Behavior and Subjective Well-Being in School among Elementary School Students: the Mediating Roles of the Satisfaction of Relatedness Needs at School and Self-Esteem," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 16(4), pages 1439-1459, August.
    6. Ying Yang & Peipei Li & Xinyuan Fu & Yu Kou, 2017. "Orientations to Happiness and Subjective Well-Being in Chinese Adolescents: The Roles of Prosocial Behavior and Internet Addictive Behavior," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 18(6), pages 1747-1762, December.
    7. Zhu, Xinxin & Tian, Lili & Zhou, Jianhua & Huebner, E. Scott, 2019. "The developmental trajectory of behavioral school engagement and its reciprocal relations with subjective well-being in school among Chinese elementary school students," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 286-295.
    8. Elena Gabriela Nicuță & Ticu Constantin, 2021. "Take Nothing for Granted: Downward Social Comparison and Counterfactual Thinking Increase Adolescents’ State Gratitude for the Little Things in Life," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(8), pages 3543-3570, December.
    9. Xavier Oriol & Jorge Varela & Rafael Miranda, 2021. "Gratitude as a Protective Factor for Cyberbullying Victims: Conditional Effects on School and Life Satisfaction," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-15, March.
    10. Feng Kong & Kairong Yang & Wenjing Yan & Xuewen Li, 2021. "How Does Trait Gratitude Relate to Subjective Well-Being in Chinese Adolescents? The Mediating Role of Resilience and Social Support," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 1611-1622, April.

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