Dr. Chaplain, who has spent years studying children's happiness, says that while the issue is complex, her research indicates that relationships can be more important than material things when it comes to a child's happiness.
"We tend to assume that children and adolescents are only interested in expensive material things. But what really makes them happy is spending time with family and friends," Dr. Chaplain wrote. "They resort to finding happiness in material goods when their interpersonal support systems fail."
- Dr. Chaplain interviewed 150 people ages 8 to 18 years old, who told her that people, pets, achievement, material toys, hobbies, and sports are the factors that contribute to their happiness.
- Younger children tend to rank family, friends, coaches, and teachers as most important.
- Older children kept people and pets in the top positions, but having material toys were more important to them than they were to younger children.
- In late adolescence, achievement becomes important to happiness.
This report appears in the Journal of Happiness Studies.
Labels: depression, happiness
Posted By: Aspen/CRC