Previous studies supported the beneficial role of Positivity (i.e., a dispositional self-evaluative tendency to view oneself, life, and future under a positive outlook; Caprara et al., 2012) on people's well-being. Yet, despite the well-established protective role of Positivity (Caprara et al., 2018), the extent to which familiar characteristics could influence the development of youth's Positivity remains largely unexplored. Hence, the proposed study aims to explore the role of youth's family characteristics (i.e. Parental Positivity and Positive Parenting Practices) in develop a youth's positive perception of themselves, their experiences and their life. We propose to use a sample of Italians triads (mother, father, and youth) drawn from an existing longitudinal study. Specifically, we hypothesize that mother and father's tendency to view one's own self, life and future under a positive outlook could contribute to enact those Positive Parenting Practices that influence the development of youth's Positivity. Thus, we expect to find that Positive Parenting Practices will mediate the association between mothers and fathers' Positivity and their child's Positivity.
The current research proposal is aimed to shed light on the role that specific family's characteristics could shape the development of POS in youths. These findings will be important to inform the development of new family intervention programs aimed at strengthening and promoting best parenting practice that could exert a better functioning of children and youths, through the effect of POS. Indeed, this research proposal could offer more information to psychologist that would devote their effort to improve people's well-being.