Skip to main content Heart-Mind Online Main menu * Home * Resources * Heart-Mind Well-being Secondary menu * About * FAQ * Contact How to Increase a Teenager's Happiness 4248 * Alert and Engaged * Solves Problems Peacefully The science of happiness is a growing area of intense research. What makes us happy? How can we be happier? How can we help our children to be happy? Problem Solving and Happiness Researchers of a study published in the Journal of Happiness Studies (2012), were particularly curious if elements of personality predicted happiness[1] during adolescence. They followed 109 sixteen year olds over a school year. At the beginning of the year, students completed a series of personality related inventories. They were also asked to report on their level of happiness. At the end of the year, the personality inventory and the self-rated happiness reports were compared. "Results showed that by the end of the year, the only significant predictor of happiness was the character trait of “self-directedness.” So what? How can we use this information? The adolescent years are a dynamic period of change and the teen brain undergoes intense “re-modeling”[2] during this time. It also makes it an ideal time to create opportunities to promote the development of self-directedness. The results of this study show that these efforts will also help to support happiness in youth (and adults too). Having the skills of being self-directed means that teens are aware of their own limitations and they actively shape their own environments to make the most of their personal strengths. Opportunities that develop self-directedness are ones that defy instant gratification, and, instead, allow teens to figure out their own path, pursue their interests and passions[3], make choices and play an active role in influencing environments that match their goals. Increasing self-directedness[4] requires children and youth to learn and practice techniques including: 1. figuring out a task or goal 2. knowing personal strengths & weaknesses 3. making a plan of action 4. choosing an appropriate approach for a situation 5. following through with action 6. reflecting and adjusting along the way Youth who are self-directed are, essentially, good problem-solvers...and happier! Themes: * Conflict Resolution * Confidence * Play * Resilience Developmental Age: * Adolescent In this study, with high school students in Sweden, researchers Danilo Garcia and Saleh Moradi conclude; "In order to increase and maintain happiness, we perhaps need to look at the part of personality that mediates or modifies the meaning of what is experienced and probably changes emotional reactions and habits." More Author Daniel Siegel debunks myths about the Teenage Brain and "raging hormones" in his book Brainstorm. He discusses the significant changes and remodeling of the brain within the adolescent period. More As teens explore different activities and interests, they are exploring who they are in the world, what they have to offer and what is valued by others. They discover what gets them excited, what feels meaningful, and what doesn’t. More Ambrose et al. 2010 states “to become self-directed learners, students must learn to assess the demands of the task, evaluate their own knowledge and skills, plan their approach, monitor their progress, and adjust their strategies as needed” More Related Resources * Temperament: Parent-Child "Fit" * The 3 Arguments for a Focus on Well-Being * Heart-Mind Well-Being: A Powerful Tool for Educators * Secure and Calm Secure and calm describes the ability to take part in daily activities and approach new situations without being overwhelmed with worries, sadness or anxiety. To be secure and calm also means being able to cope with stress and pressure, and to bounce back from difficulties. Learn more about the 5 qualities * Gets Along with Others Getting along with others is the ability to form positive and healthy relationships with peers and adults. Children with better abilities to regulate their emotions and behaviours have more friends and experience more positive playtime with their peers. Learn more about the 5 qualities * Alert and Engaged Being alert and engaged is the ability to manage and direct one's own feelings, thoughts and emotions. In general, the ability to be 'present' and to exercise self-control. Learn more about the 5 qualities * Compassionate and Kind Being compassionate and kind is closely related to empathy. While empathy refers more generally to the ability to take the perspective of and to feel the emotions of another person, compassion goes one step further. Learn more about the 5 qualities * Solves Problems Peacefully Managing conflict effectively is about creating an atmosphere where violence and aggression are not likely. To resolve conflict means using empathy, problem-solving skills, understanding other points of view and coming up with ways to make things right in a fair way. Learn more about the 5 qualities Related content * A teenager meditate? Are you kidding? Mindfulness requires you to pay attention, observe, describe, participate and focus on the present. Learn how to use mindfulness while washing the dishes, walking to class, brushing your teeth or other everyday activities. Read more * Parents of teens...remember to listen and breathe. A critical strategy to strengthening relationships with adolescents is for adults to manage their own emotions while teens navigate ways to express themselves. Read more About FAQ Contact © Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education 2014