This book summarizes the psychological research on the concept of mattering in children and adolescents, and outcomes associated with the presence or absence of feelings of being valued by others.

Mattering, the felt experience of being valued and necessary to others, is a unique and complex psychological construct. Differences in children’s sense of mattering to their family, friends, and significant others predict consequential outcomes at the individual, relationship, and societal levels.

Gordon Flett offers important, evidence-based insights from the psychological literature, drawing clear links between a lack of mattering and measures of children's depression, anxiety, suicide risk, aggression and violence. Conversely, he shows how mattering to others is reflected in measures of resilience, adaptability, motivation, and performance. Crucial links are also explored between social marginalization and mattering, and case material is used throughout the book to illustrate key points. The clinical chapters  describe mental health interventions that measure and address issues related to children’s sense of mattering in family, school, and community contexts.This book summarizes the psychological research on the concept of mattering in children and adolescents, and outcomes associated with the presence or absence of feelings of being valued by others.

Introduction
PART I. MATTERING: A COMPLEX CONSTRUCT
Chapter 1. Mattering as a Core Feeling and a Core Need in Children’s Lives
Chapter 2. Description and Conceptualization of Mattering
Chapter 3. The Role of Mattering in Positive Youth Development

PART II. MEASURING AND INTERPRETING CHILDREN WHO FEEL LIKE THEY DON’T MATTER
Chapter 4. The Prevalence of Feelings of Not Mattering Among Youth: Documenting An Epidemic In Children and Adolescents
Chapter 5. Understanding Children Who Feel Unheard, Unseen, and Unimportant
Chapter 6. The Assessment of Mattering: Issues and Measures

PART III. THE DEVELOPMENT OF MATTERING AS A RESOURCE IN THE LIVES OF YOUTH
Chapter 7. Developmental Aspects of Mattering
Chapter 8. Mattering in Youth Happiness, Well-Being, Well-Doing, and Flourishing
Chapter 9. Mattering, Resilience, and Adaptability
Chapter 10. Social Media Use and the Need to Matter

PART IV. CLINICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Chapter 11. Mattering and Anti-Mattering in Youth Addiction and Substance Use
Chapter 12. The Need to Matter in Youth Delinquency, Aggression, and Violence
Chapter 13. Mattering and Depression in Youth
Chapter 14. Suicide in Youth and the Pain of Feeling Unimportant

PART V. PUTTING MATTERING INTO ACTION IN KEY CONTEXTS
Chapter 15. Growing Up With the Feeling of Mattering: Summary and Suggestions

References
Index
About the Author

 

Gordon L. Flett, PhD is professor in the department of psychology at York University in Toronto, Canada. He is the global academic leader in the field of mattering, having published some 40 publications on the topic, including a special issue on mattering that appeared in the Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment (2022) and was the first to appear in any journal. He is an associate editor of Canadian Psychology journal and the former director of the LaMarsh Centre for Child and Youth Research. Dr. Flett is also internationally recognized for his seminal contributions to research and theory on the role of perfectionism in pathology. He is the author, with Paul L. Hewitt, of Perfectionism in Childhood and Adolescence: A Developmental Approach (2022), published by APA Books. His other research interests include the nature and correlates of suicidality in the elderly. Dr. Flett is a fellow of the Association for Psychological Science, which has cited him as one of the top 25 most productive authors in psychology. His work on mattering has been featured in the New York Times and has been the topic of interviews in Scientific American and the Wall Street Journal. If you’ve ever wondered what truly makes children and adolescents feel seen, valued, and connected, this book is for you. It introduces the powerful idea of “mattering”— a concept that many don’t realize is central to everything from mental health to motivation and social development. With clear insights and real-world examples, the book helps parents, educators, and anyone who cares about young people understand how deeply mattering impacts their lives and well-being.Dr. Gord Flett has taken up the scholarship of mattering, and its implications for children and youth, in an energetic and compelling manner. Mattering as a Core Need in Children and Adolescents: Theoretical, Clinical, and Research Perspectives is a critical addition to the necessary discussion of how to prevent maltreatment, emotional abuse, and neglect, as well as violence to self and others. This book should be required reading for public health officials who seek to build multisystemic resilience, promote mental health, and reward good citizenry. In short, this evidence-based presentation attests to the finding that people who feel they matter, do things that matter. Now, more than ever, we need this book to guide us towards a reinvigoration of positive relationality.From the first page, Dr. Flett draws readers into a fundamental understanding of the need for children and adolescents to feel that they matter. He explores what mattering is, why it is important, and the potential consequences to youth from feeling that they don’t matter, including addiction, aggression, depression, and suicide. A leader in the field of mattering research, Dr. Flett works to ensure that people of all ages feel that they are important to and valued by others.Gordon Flett’s work offers a comprehensive assessment of early life experiences of mattering to others. This book will benefit clinicians, academic researchers, and parents. I highly recommend it.This is such a fascinating book with a powerful message: All young people need to feel that they matter. A must-read for anyone interested in the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents.Scholarly. Intended for academic scholars, counselors, clinicians, school and educational psychologists, educators, and social workers. In an engaging style, Dr. Flett makes a clear case for why “mattering matters” to the healthy development of children and adolescents. This groundbreaking resource provides a comprehensive summary of the theory and research on mattering, and is a must-read for clinicians, researchers, educators, and trainees who are interested in supporting resilience and flourishing among our next generation.