“Whatever Small Thing I Have, I Should Be Grateful for”: Gratitude as Understood and Experienced by African Adolescents

Abstract

Gratitude is a psychological strength associated with several positive outcomes for adolescents, including increased well-being and having satisfying interpersonal relationships. Research suggests that culture could play a role in the experience and expression of gratitude. This qualitative exploratory study aimed to examine how Black adolescents understood and experienced gratitude. Six Setswana-speaking adolescents (three females and three males) participated in a focus group. Semi-structured questions explored how they defined gratitude, what they were grateful for, and how they expressed gratitude. The data was transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results indicated that the participants' understanding of gratitude was broad and generalized, with the connective nature thereof salient. The adolescents were thankful towards family and God, in line with existing research. Novel themes included gratitude for having had negative experiences and for own abilities and opportunities to excel. They also expressed gratitude through showing good behavior towards parents and others in the community. This group of African adolescents' understanding and expression of gratitude therefore seems similar to existing research, yet also be influenced by contextual variables such as culture and socio-economic context.