Positive Affect and School Related Outcomes: Feeling Good Facilitates School Engagement Among Turkish-Bulgarian Minority Adolescents

Abstract

Fredrickson's (Rev Gen Psychol 2: 300-319, 1998, Am Psychol 56: 218226, 2001) Broaden and Build Theory (BBT) proposes that experiencing positive affect results in broadened thoughts and behaviors, which facilitate adaptive responses to various environmental conditions. The present chapter tests the applicability of this theory for school engagement in an acculturation context and examines whether or to what extent positive affect also facilitates school engagement for 201 Turkish-Bulgarian adolescents (59% male) aged 14-19 years. Results showed that experiencing positive affect was positively related to school engagement among Turkish-Bulgarian youth, and thereby provide support for the applicability of Fredrickson's theory in an acculturation context. Findings highlight the role of positive affect for school engagement and can be used to facilitate the adaptation process of youth by promoting the creation of environments in which the experience of positive affect is fostered.