“Whatever Small Thing I Have, I Should Be Grateful for”: Gratitude as Understood and Experienced by African Adolescents

Guse, Tharina; Matabane, Tshiamo

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-15367-0_21

Cited by 1 publication

(3 citation statements)

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“…From a cross-cultural perspective, Black African cultures are often seen as being more collectivistic (Adams et al, 2012) in which the family and the community is highly valued (Eaton & Louw, 2000). Therefore, gratitude extended toward family may also partially be linked to culture in this sample, as recently also reported by Guse and Matabane (2019). Existing research indicates that family might play a more important role in the lives of young people from non-Western backgrounds when compared to their counterparts from Western backgrounds (Kagitcibasi, 2013; Leu et al, 2012), which may further explain the focus of gratitude of our participants.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 71%

“…Mason (2019) similarly found that gratitude was associated with higher levels of well-being among university students, and suggested that cultivating gratitude could be beneficial to student support. A qualitative exploration provided insight into African adolescents’ understanding and expression of gratitude, identifying possible culture-specific connotations in addition to universal conceptualizations (Guse & Matabane, 2019). However, there is still scant information on contextual variables related to the dynamics of gratitude in the South African context in general, and among South African emerging adults specifically.…”

Section: Gratitude Among Emerging Adults In South Africamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Emmons & McCullough, 2003; Froh et al, 2011; Mason, 2019), qualitative research on the narratives of those engaging in gratitude activities remains limited (Timmons et al, 2017). Additionally, there is evidence that contextual variables could play a role in the experience and expression of gratitude (Charzynska, 2020; Guse & Matabane, 2019). Exploring what students are grateful for could broaden our understanding of some important aspects of their lives as they navigate emerging adulthood, and inform efforts to support them during their time at university (cf.…”

Section: The Current Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

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“I Am Grateful That I Still Live Under One Roof With My Family”: Gratitude Among South African University Students

2020

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During the transition from school to university, students are faced with many challenges to their well-being. This is especially true in resource constrained societies like South Africa. While there is extensive research linking well-being with gratitude, less is known qualitatively about what individuals are grateful for. A sample of 933 undergraduate students submitted gratitude lists, resulting in over 9,000 unique “gratitude items.” Thematic analysis revealed several prominent themes, such as gratitude for relationships, material resources, being at university, life and health, and, finally, religious gratitude. These themes are discussed in the context of the importance of family relationships in the lives of emerging adults, the core role played by the educational context, the importance of socioeconomic resources and the association between religion, gratitude, and well-being. Strengthening these resources and cultivating gratitude for these prominent targets of appreciation may support students in their developmental trajectory.

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