Expressions of Gratitude, Wishes, and Spending Preferences Among Chinese Children and Adolescents

The present study investigated age-related differences in gratitude expression and spending preferences, as well as their relations with wishes among 520 7- to 14-year-old Chinese children and adolescents. Results suggested that older Chinese children were more likely than younger ones to express connective gratitude and that the probability of expressing verbal and concrete gratitude remained stable across ages. In addition, older children tended to spend less money on buying things for others as compared with younger children. Regarding the relations between wish types and gratitude and spending preferences, we found that children who wished for social well-being were more likely to express connective gratitude, and to spend a larger amount of money on charity. In addition, children who had hedonistic wishes were more likely to express concrete gratitude. Findings of the present study contribute to the theoretical understanding of gratitude development among Chinese children and adolescents