Gratitudine e soddisfazione di vita in adolescenza: il contributo dell'approccio relazionale-simbolico

[Autom. eng. transl.] Although gratitude is abundantly studied in the literature, small contributions have focused on the family factors that support it. The present exploratory study is based on the relational-symbolic approach of Scabini and Cigoli (2000, 2012) and aims to analyze the relationship between the affective and ethical-normative qualities of the bonds between parents and children with respect to gratitude and life satisfaction in a sample of Italian teenagers, also taking into account gender. To this end, an explanatory model of these relations will be proposed. A self-report questionnaire was administered to 279 adolescents in northern Italy, between 15 and 19 years old. The results show that both affective and ethical-regulatory qualities are correlated with gratitude and the latter in turn with life satisfaction. The model shows more than satisfactory fit indices and is invariant with respect to gender. Limitations, future developments and operational implications were discussed.