Children’s subjective well‑being, peer relationships and resilience : an integrative literature review

Abstract

This study presents an integrative review of the scientifc literature on children’s subjective well-being (SWB) and its association with peer relationships and resilience. Articles addressing children’s SWB published in English and Portuguese from 2014 to 2020 were investigated. The data bases were PubMed, PsycINFO, SciELO, Scopus. 14 studies were selected after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Most of the articles were published in English, were empirical studies, with quantitative design, and samples of children in the school context. There was an association between children’s SWB and peer relationships, with contribution of personal (e.g. sex) and contextual (e.g. school environment) variables to the relationship between these constructs. Individual (e.g. self-esteem) and contextual (e.g. positive parenting) aspects of resilience were found as variables that are related to children’s SWB. The review highlights the potential of positive peer relationships in childhood as a predictor of both SWB and resilience.