Gratitude Buffers Against the Effects of Stressful Life Events on Adolescents’ Externalizing Behavior but Not Internalizing Behavior

Abstract

AbstractThe identification of psychological strengths that foster healthy development in youth has become a major topic of exploration in the field of positive psychology. Gratitude is a trait-like characteristic with qualities indicative of a potential psychological strength that may serve as a protective factor for early adolescents in the face of stressful life events (SLEs). This two-wave longitudinal study utilized data from a sample of 830 middle school students from the Southeastern United States. Path analysis was employed to investigate gratitude’s role as a moderator in the relations between prior SLEs and early adolescents’ frequencies of externalizing and internalizing coping behaviors. The interaction between SLEs and gratitude significantly predicted early adolescents’ subsequent frequencies of externalizing behaviors, but not internalizing behaviors. The results provided support for gratitude as a key psychological strength in early adolescents. The results also implied the benefits of promoting youths’ gratitude in efforts to prevent externalizing behavior.