Abstract
Though several factors such as culture and temperament contribute to individual differences in the well-being of children, the current research supports one very positive conclusion: in general children experience high levels of happiness. Whether we assess children in Western Canada who are generally Caucasian, relatively wealthy, Christian, and have excellent access to health care, or we assess children in Northern India who differ from the Canadian children in each of these dimensions, children are happy. Whether based on self-reports or estimates from their parents, 90% or more of the children are typically rated as happy.
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References
Holder, M. D., & Coleman, B. (2008). The contribution of temperament, popularity, and physical appearance to children’s happiness. Journal of Happiness Studies, 9, 279–302.
Holder, M. D., Coleman, B., & Singh, K. Temperament and happiness in children in India. Journal of Happiness Studies (in press).
Myers, D. G. (2000). The funds, friends, and faith of happy people. American Psychologist, 55, 56–67.
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Holder, M.D. (2012). Are Children Happy?. In: Happiness in Children. SpringerBriefs in Well-Being and Quality of Life Research. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4414-1_8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4414-1_8
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