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The Optimistic Child: A Proven Program to Safeguard Children Against Depression and Build Lifelong Resilience Paperback – September 17, 2007

by Martin E. P. Seligman (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 457 ratings
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New York Times bestselling author Martin E. P. Seligman's The Optimistic Child is "the first major work to provide an effective program for preventing depression in childhood — and probably later in life" (Aaron T. Beck, author of Love is Never Enough).

The epidemic of depression in America strikes 30% of all children. Now Martin E. P. Seligman, the bestselling author of Learned Optimism, and his colleagues offer parents and educators a program clinically proven to cut that risk in half. With this startling research, parents can teach children to apply optimism skills that can curb depression, boost school performance, and improve physical health. These skills provide children with the resilience they need to approach the teenage years and adulthood with confidence.

For more than thirty years the self-esteem movement has infiltrated American homes and classrooms with the credo that supplying positive feedback, regardless of the quality of performance, will make children feel better about themselves. But in this era of raising our children to feel good, the hard truth is that they have never been more depressed.

As Dr. Seligman writes in this provocative new book, "Teaching optimism is more than, I realized, than just correcting pessimism...It is the creation of a positive strength, a sunny but solid future-mindedness that can be deployed throughout life — not only to fight depression and come back from failure, but also to be the foundation of success and vitality."
Previous page
  1. Print length
    352 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Mariner Books
  4. Publication date
    September 17, 2007
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.88 x 8.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0618918094
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0618918096
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

MARTIN E. P. SELIGMAN, Ph.D., is a professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. He is the New York Times bestselling author of several books, including Learned Optimism, Authentic Happiness, and The Hope Circuit. He is past president of the American Psychological Association as well as the division of clinical psychology of the American Psychological Association, and former director of clinical training in psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Mariner Books; Reprint edition (September 17, 2007)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0618918094
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0618918096
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.88 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 457 ratings

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  1. Karen Reivich

    Karen Reivich

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  2. Martin E. P. Seligman

    Martin E. P. Seligman

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    Martin E. P. Seligman, Ph.D., is the Fox Leadership Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, the director of the Positive Psychology Network, and former president of the American Psychological Association. Among his twenty books are Learned Optimism and The Optimistic Child.

    See more on the author's page
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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
457 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

CG Warren
5.0 out of 5 stars Why some kids make it and others don't.
Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2011
Verified Purchase
I serve on the board of directors for a health and human services organization that serves the needs of children, youth, and families in crisis. Moreover, I spent six and a half years in residential child care from the ages of 11-18. Throughout my life (I am now a very young 55) I have puzzled over the question of why kids given the same opportunities, within virtually the same environment experience success or failure, normalcy or dysfunction, happiness or despair, joy or hopelessness, in such varying degrees and with what seems like complete randomness. The question is as old as time and more complicated as any multivariable predictive model that one would design to determine which infants are bound for success and happiness.

My mother was convicted of child neglect when I was ten years old, this, only months after my father had died of a heart attack. Without a better alternative and my mother's incarceration, I became a ward of the state. Today I hold an MBA and operate a successful consulting practice. My mentors were my caregivers, teachers, coaches, and fellow orphans.

This book based upon the work of Dr. Seligman holds, I believe, a very important key to success. Hope or optimism is the thing without which one does not make an effort to change their current state. By starting early in life and teaching our children, youth, and young adults how to take charge of the negative thoughts and influences there is every reason to believe that they will be empowered to take control themselves. This book is prescriptive in how to apply the lessons learned from practical research and how to make a difference in the lives of people of all ages. Easy to read and without the need for a deep understanding of psychological jargon, any parent, mentor, or influencer of young lives can apply the lessons provided here. I have recommended that the therapists, staff, and volunteers at my organization each be provided copies.
35 people found this helpful
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Reid McCormick
5.0 out of 5 stars how to bounce back...
Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2019
Verified Purchase
I had a great childhood. I wasn’t completely spoiled but all my physical and emotional needs were met. I can’t recall any tragic moments or horrible moments. By all objective measures, I had it pretty good.

So it surprises me when I notice that my default status is pessimism. In college I dealt with some depression, but I bounced backed from that relatively easily and I definitely built up some good resilience. But no matter what I do or where I am at, I can never seem to shake off this foreboding sense of gloom. Pessimism is my disposition. I don’t like it, but that’s reality for me.

Now, I am a husband and a father to some amazing girls, and I don’t want them to be like me. I want them to be optimistic. I want them to be resilient at a younger age. I want them to have courage. I want them to see the world as a place of opportunity and not a big scary place.

I have read Seligman before and I wanted to learn more practical ways to bestow optimism in my children. This book is full of great inventories and exercises to help children build optimism and resilience.

At the moment, I cannot apply of the material to my children because they are too young. However, I have already begun to incorporate little conversations with my girls every night. These are small steps but they may have a tremendous impact. I think this book is a definite must-read for all parents.
29 people found this helpful
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Alli
5.0 out of 5 stars Very helpful read for this parent
Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2018
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Enjoyed this book immensely. It is some heavy (but important) reading in the beginning, e.g. about the prevalence of childhood depression, but very practical and interesting after that. Basically, I found it to be a "how to for countering the damage done by the previous few decades of false self esteem building" message. There has been a growing emphasis on building self esteem, but at the same time growing childhood depression rates. "Optimistic" in this book does not mean foolishly-positive-glass-half-full type of feelings. It means developing a healthy, realistic, and resilient way of looking at the world and oneself. These are skills and attitudes that are developed by junior high school. Although perhaps more beneficial for parents of older children, I found that it did help change my behavior a little with my toddler. There are some nice example pages that give scripts of things you might say to your child (from toddlers up through teens) that I found particularly helpful. E.g. how to criticize or discipline while helping to raise an optimistically resilient child. I will reread it several times in the coming years, I am sure. There is a depression screening tool for children included in one chapter. The book even helped provide some insight for myself into my own mental health.
17 people found this helpful
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Stephen Armstrong
4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty good...
Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2002
Verified Purchase
Prof. Seligman is one of the Deans of American psychotherapy and a founder of the cognitive-behavioral method of psychotherapy. His interest in kids is obvious--as well as is his experience.
The theory revolves around several basic concepts. At its most basic, What you think and what you do equals how you feel. Prof. Seligman's method is designed to help children not draw inaccurate inferences (cognitions) from events and behavior (for example, "I'm a jerk" if someone does not play with you.) He correctly notes that optimism and hopefulness are just as learned as is depression. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, and drugs (psychopharmacology therapy) are the two main treatment modes with demonstrated positive results.
The method itself is quite simple and is very useful to children, families, parents, and adults who work with children. I have given this book to parents and coaches. However, the writing itself is more complicated than the theory--I suppose a Dean of psychotherapy is entitled--so readers will have to work at extracting Seligman's nuggets. It's worth the time, no doubt.
46 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Regina Hernandez
5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended read
Reviewed in Mexico on March 2, 2019
Verified Purchase
Excellent book, useful advice for raising resilient children. More recommended for parents of 6yo+
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Malhar
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant!!
Reviewed in India on October 7, 2019
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one of the best books I've read. period.
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Nonii
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing book.
Reviewed in Germany on February 25, 2019
Verified Purchase
As a psychologist, social worker and mother of 2 I can easily say: This is the most important book to read!
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ホップキンス　エミリー
5.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly optimistic
Reviewed in Japan on December 18, 2019
Verified Purchase
Great for parents, educators and any one wanting to raise the vibration of planet earth. These are pratical steps that can bring an awareness to self talk and these can be applied very simply to children as well.
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gemma
5.0 out of 5 stars Love this book
Reviewed in Australia on October 23, 2019
Verified Purchase
Great book
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