Abstract

GIACOMONI, Claudia Hofheinz; SOUZA, Luciana Karine de  and  HUTZ, Claudio Simon. Are you happy? Self-perception of happiness in children. Psicol. educ. [online]. 2016, n.43, pp. 13-22. ISSN 1414-6975.  http://dx.doi.org/10.5935/2175-3520.20160002.

The aim of the present research was to study the self-perception of happiness in school children. Two-hundred children aged from 5 to 12 years-old, from public or private schools located in the city of Porto Alegre (southern Brazil), participated. Individual interviews were conducted about self-perception of happiness, beliefs and causes related to it, and their origin. Most children consider themselves happy, without distinction of gender or type of school. Personal happiness was attributed to family, to a sense of positive self, and to leisure. Significant age differences showed that younger children consider themselves happier. Boys associated leisure to happiness more than girls, as well as events with physical activities. In general, to children, the origin of happiness is in the heart, in themselves, and in positive affection/emotions. Studies like the present one suggest directions to identify signs of subjective well-being and life satisfaction in childhood.

Keywords : happiness; satisfaction; children.

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