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Optimism in Early Adolescence: Relations to Individual Characteristics and Ecological Assets in Families, Schools, and Neighborhoods

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  • Kimberly Thomson
  • Kimberly Schonert-Reichl
  • Eva Oberle

Abstract

Optimism is associated with a number of positive health and life course outcomes among adults, yet less is known about the role of optimism during the formative early adolescent years. Using a strengths-based relational developmental systems model, this study explored the relation of dispositional optimism to individual-level characteristics and ecological assets in families, schools, and neighborhoods in a sample of early adolescents. Specifically, early adolescents’ optimism, personal characteristics (i.e., depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, self-concept, positive behavior), and ecological assets (i.e., perceived parent support, parent knowledge, dinner with an adult family member, school adult support, school connectedness, neighborhood adult support, neighborhood safe places) were assessed in 1,250 4th to 7th graders from 23 public elementary schools in seven urban school districts. Correlational and hierarchical regression analyses suggested that positive self-concept, low depressive symptoms, and high perceived parental support and school connectedness were most strongly associated with adolescents’ optimism. The importance of examining individual characteristics in conjunction with the relational features of early adolescents’ environments when understanding optimism is discussed. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:16:y:2015:i:4:p:889-913
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-014-9539-y
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Ping Ying Choo & Jacob M. Marszalek, 2019. "Self-Compassion: A Potential Shield Against Extreme Self-Reliance?," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 20(3), pages 971-994, March.
    2. Daneen P. Deptula & Gabrielle G. Banks & Sarah E. Barnes & Robert Cohen, 2021. "A Person-Centered Analysis of Change in Children’s Peer Optimism and Its Relation to Peer Social Competence," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(3), pages 1217-1238, March.
    3. Oberle, Eva & Guhn, Martin & Gadermann, Anne M. & Thomson, Kimberly & Schonert-Reichl, Kimberly A., 2018. "Positive mental health and supportive school environments: A population-level longitudinal study of dispositional optimism and school relationships in early adolescence," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 214(C), pages 154-161.
    4. Katerina Paclikova & Zuzana Dankulincova Veselska & Daniela Filakovska Bobakova & Michaela Palfiova & Andrea Madarasova Geckova, 2019. "What role do family composition and functioning play in emotional and behavioural problems among adolescent boys and girls?," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 64(2), pages 209-217, March.
    5. Marta Malinowska-Cieślik & Joanna Mazur & Hanna Nałęcz & Agnieszka Małkowska-Szkutnik, 2019. "Social and Behavioral Predictors of Adolescents’ Positive Attitude towards Life and Self," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-13, November.
    6. T. Gregory & E. Dal Grande & M. Brushe & D. Engelhardt & S. Luddy & M. Guhn & A. Gadermann & K.A. Schonert-Reichl & S. Brinkman, 2021. "Associations between School Readiness and Student Wellbeing: A Six-Year Follow Up Study," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(1), pages 369-390, February.
    7. 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.

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