Children with Different Levels of Hope: Are There Differences in Their Self-esteem, Life Satisfaction, Social Support, and Family Cohesion?

The purpose of the present study was to compare children with different levels of hope on measures of life satisfaction, self-esteem, family cohesion, and social support. Two hundred and ninety-eight children filled out measures of hope, life satisfaction, self-esteem, family cohesion, and perceived social support. The results revealed no age or gender differences in hope. A hierarchical cluster analysis was preformed on the Children's Hope Scale scores (Snyder et al. Journal of Pediatric Psychology 22(3):399-421, 1997). Results from a cluster analysis placed children into either a low- or high-hope group. In line with the predictions of hope theory, children with high hope were more satisfied with their life and had higher self-esteem when compared to children with low hope. Additionally, children with high hope, when compared to children with low hope, reported greater support from others and higher level of family cohesion. The usefulness of children's hope as a positive indicator that differentiates children on various measures is explored in this paper.