Exploring the relationship between the happiness of preschoolers and their mothers

Abstract

The cognitive and emotional development of children largely depends on their subjective well-being, on how the child feels happy or unhappy. Preschool age is crucial for the formation of feelings of happiness. The main influence on this process is exerted by parents, especially by mothers. Therefore, the aim of the research was to study the perceptions of happiness in children of middle pre-school age (4-5 years old) in connection with their psychological characteristics, as well as the happiness of their mothers and the specifics of the parental attitude. 70 children (42 girls and 28 boys) and 70 mothers participated in the study. The interview method, the method "Ladder", the Anxiety Test (R. Tample, M. Dorki, V. Amen), the test "Family Drawing" were used during the examination of children,. Research methods for mothers are Oxford Happiness Inventory OHI (Argyle et al.), "Scale of Reactive and Personal Anxiety" C. D. Spielberger - Yu. L. Khanin), "Parental relationship questionnaire" (A. Y. Varga, V. V. Stolin). It was found that happy mothers have happier and less anxious children. The happiness factor of a preschooler is the subjective perception of family relations as favorable. In the process of upbringing, parents of happier children are more likely to use cooperation and acceptance strategies.