A critique of research studies on application of positive psychology for augmenting children’s emotional wellbeing

Pages:417-421
Usha Tiwari Upadhyay (Department of Psychology, Osmania University, Hyderabad)
Saroj Arya (Department of Rehabilitation Psychology, National Institute for the Mentally Handicapped, Secunderabad)

Early emotional development and wellbeing lays the foundation for later learning, academic performance, mental health, and the capacity to form successful relationships. The present paper is a critical analysis of the published empirical literature which specifies the application of positive psychology to construct wellbeing among individuals, institutions and community; particularly among children. As positive psychology is the scientific study of positive experience and optimal human functioning, the correlates of wellbeing such as; positive affect, negative affect, life satisfaction, character strengths, self-concept and self-esteem, mindfulness, optimism and gratitude are discussed in order to build children’s social, emotional and behavioral competencies.