Fostering Positive Changes in Health and Social Relationships in Children

2017

Several studies have demonstrated that altruism and gratitude may confer beneficial effects on psychophysical wellbeing. The present chapter describes how positive changes in health and social relationships can be fostered in 6- to 9-year-old children when participating in positive interventions. The findings show that the experience of working with others to attain shared goals and focusing on gratefulness positively modulated altruism and social interactions among peers, highlighting the great behavioural plasticity of children. Moreover, interventions involving cooperative playing not only increased positive relationships but also contributed to a decrease in chronic stress levels. The p…