GIVING THANKS BY GIVING BACK: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GRATITUDE AND PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOUR AMONG PRESCHOOLERS

Gratitude is a fundamental social-emotional construct that has been associated with prosocial behaviors. While extensive research has highlighted its positive connections to well-being and social relationships in adults and adolescents, less is known about how gratitude emerges in early childhood and how it relates to prosocial behaviors. This study examines the multidimensional nature of gratitude in preschool children, focusing on different aspects—expressing thanks, appreciating what one has, positive social comparison, and savoring the present moment—and their associations with prosocial behaviors such as helping, sharing, and cooperating. A sample of 478 preschoolers was analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) to explore these relationships. The findings show that appreciating what one has is positively associated with prosocial behavior, whereas other dimensions, such as gratitude expression and positive social comparison, do not demonstrate significant associations. These results provide insights into the role of gratitude in early childhood and its potential relevance for educational approaches aimed at fostering gratitude and social responsibility in young children.