Mattering As a Core Need in Children and Adolescents

Theoretical, Clinical, and Research Perspectives
Exploring the psychological impact of feeling valued, the work examines how children’s sense of being important to family, friends, and community influences mental health outcomes. It links a lack of mattering with depression, anxiety, and aggression while highlighting its role in resilience and motivation.

This book summarizes the psychological research on the concept of mattering in children and adolescents, and outcomes associated with the presence or absence of feelings of being valued by others.

"This valuable book more than meets the objectives set: to more fully understand how the concept of mattering, of feeling valued, affects one's life and life circumstances. The book aims to be a "catalyst" -- through research and attention to the voices of youth, this book offers resources and a course of action for those who can provide a message of value that is intrinsic to a fulfilled life… It fills in the gaps of even the best research on child development. Everybody who has kids, knows kids, or works with kids, read this book!" --Doody's Review, 4 stars, 96 score

Mattering, the felt experience of being valued and necessary to others, is a unique and complex psychological construct. Differences in children's sense of mattering to their family, friends, and significant others predict consequential outcomes at the individual, relationship, and societal levels.

Gordon Flett offers important, evidence-based insights from the psychological literature, drawing clear links between a lack of mattering and measures of children's depression, anxiety, suicide risk, aggression and violence. Conversely, he shows how mattering to others is reflected in measures of resilience, adaptability, motivation, and performance. Crucial links are also explored between social marginalization and mattering, and case material is used throughout the book to illustrate key points. The clinical chapters describe mental health interventions that measure and address issues related to children's sense of mattering in family, school, and community contexts.

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