Adolescence is a critical period for human development that is encompassed by various challenges and opportunities. During this phase of life, parents and teachers put many expectations regarding self-responsibility, career path selection, and good performance at the high school exams. A number of studies have reported that parental expectations can lead to psychological distress, anxiety, and depression among adolescents (Ma et al., 2018; Madjar et al., 2015; Tan & Yates, 2011; Wang & Heppner, 2002). A global survey indicated that 41% of Pakistani students feel parental pressure to perform well, the third highest in the survey of 21 countries by the Pew Research Center (2011). A Pakistani study found that students felt pressure from their parents to attain high academic grades for reasons ranging from social respect to concerns about future wellbeing for both students and their parents (Sheikh & Hussain, 2014).

Parents’ expectation is operationalized as judgments about their children’s futures in terms of school performance, displaying socially desirable behavior, and striving toward better standards of life (Neuenschwander et al., 2007). Parents with high expectations invest more time and money in their children’s education (Danişman, 2017). As education in Pakistan requires personal financial investment, it results in increased parental expectations for similar effort investment and good results from their children. In a large-scale cross-sectional Pakistani research, 33% of respondents considered the poor financial conditions of their families as the source of their academic stress (Parpio et al., 2012). This situation can lead to increased daily life hassles and frustration that need to be addressed effectively. Common hassles among adolescents include academic problems, conflicts with parents and teachers, disenchantments with friends, and the impact of maturing into college, all having impact on individual mental health and wellbeing (Flett et al., 2016).

Daily life hassles are addressed through formal psychological techniques, coaching, and informal guidance and mentorship by parents, teachers, and peers. A number of stress reduction programs for students were developed and tested in Western countries (Chodkiewiczi & Boyle, 2016); however, implementation for these programs is difficult in developing countries like Pakistan due to several factors such as the presence of multiple educational systems (Ahmad, 2011), lack of school- or community-based mental health service models (Jooma et al., 2009) interdependent family structure (Sahar & Muzaffar, 2017), political and economic instability (Khalily et al., 2011), stigmatization, and lack of resources (Farooq & Kayani, 2012). It is important to consider these social factors while implementing some intervention models. Positive Psychological Interventions (PPIs) may apply in this regard as they comprise several activities and recommendations theoretically based, empirically validated, and connected to philosophical aspects narrated by different religions (Bolier et al., 2013).

Gratitude interventions in PPIs focus on appreciating the goodness in the social environment and returning the favor (Froh et al., 2009). The interventions include counting one’s blessings (Sheldon & Lyubomirsky, 2006)), writing a gratitude letter (Seligman et al., 2005), engaging in acts of kindness (Sheldon & Lyubomirsky, 2006), gratitude contemplation (Graser et al., 2016), and keeping a gratitude journal (Emmons & McCullough, 2003)). These techniques aim at cognitive, motivational, and emotional changes by developing benevolence and supportive attitudes toward self and others. Some of these interventions were used with adolescents though with mixed results in effectiveness for reducing distress (Flinchbaugh et al., 2012; Jans-Beken et al., 2018; Martínez-Martí et al., 2010; Sin & Lyubomirsky, 2009); Martínez-Marti, 2010).

The limitations of these studies include underrepresentation among Asian samples, limited cultural variation in samples and interventions, and previous research not addressing parental pressure, participant expectations, or classroom settings. The present research intends to address some of these gaps by evaluating the use of gratitude interventions in classroom settings in the public schools of Pakistan. At present, no published data on positive psychology interventions in addressing psychological distress among adolescents in Pakistan is available. Comparable Pakistani studies examined relationships between gratitude, psychological wellbeing, the demographic characteristics of participants (Amjad et al., 2013), and their subjective experiences (Ramzan & Rana, 2014).

It is thus important to evaluate the influence of interdependent Pakistani cultures where the role of family is vital. Pakistani adolescents comprise almost one quarter of the country’s population (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, 2013), emphasizing a need for attention on their issues and concerns. The country’s demographic profile shows that the adult literacy rate is 57%, increasing to 87% among Pakistani adolescents. The average household size is between 6 and 7 individuals with one wage-earning member per family. Family financial responsibility mainly lies with fathers in this collectivistic society. The per capita monthly income is 6662 Rupees ($41). The largest monthly expenditure are food (36%) and household maintenance (26%). Only 3.98% of family income is spent on education (Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, 2019). This bleak situation demands some collaborative efforts by public and private institutions to improve the country’s standard of living and education quality.

The experimental nature of this study will provide some empirical data in analyzing the effectiveness of gratitude exercises which may be adapted in stress reduction programs at the school level. Gratitude interventions in schools can be cost-effective as existing resources like human resources and durable assets would be utilized. Adolescents require guidance and support from parents, teachers, and peers to meet the challenges mainly related to daily hassles and academics. These interventions may improve social connectedness, an important aspect of interdependent cultures where family is significant in one’s life; a positive family environment can act as a buffer against psychosocial problems in youth.

Statistical analysis was performed by using SPSS (IBM version 21). The descriptive statistics included mean, standard deviation, and line graph. The inferential statistics included paired sample t-test and effect size calculation. After data cleaning, removing the outliers, and running the normality tests, the analysis was carried out. A 2 × 2 analysis was carried out to test the research hypotheses. The majority of participants in the sample were girls (61%) with a mean age of 15 and half years(Annexure A). The family characteristics represented Pakistani generality with 6 to 7 family members, mothers as homemakers, and fathers employed

Table 2 showed the mean and standard deviation for AESI and its subscales in comparison to previous research. The mean score at pre-intervention level is 31.57(SD = 6.31), which is relatively high compared to Canadian and US samples. Only the Singaporean adolescents had mean scores closer to current study sample. It may suggest the presence of high level stress coming from parental and self-expectations among students from interdependent cultures.

At first, the equivalence of the control and experimental groups prior to treatment was established by using the independent sample t-test (Table 3). No significant difference between experimental and control group was found (t (160) = .27, p = .79). Participants in both groups did not differ in demographic characteristics (χ² values in Annexure A). It supports the assumption that randomization and treatment conditions explain any change at the posttest level in the experimental group.

A paired-samples t-test measured the effectiveness of gratitude interventions on parental and self-expectations among high school students (Table 4). There was a statistically significant decrease in the scores of stress from Time₁ (M = 31.44, SD = 6.56) to Time₂ (M = 27.30, SD = 6.75); t = 5.76, p = 0.001 for experimental group. The control group has no statistically significant difference from pretest to posttest scores (t = 0.09, p = n.s.). The mean difference value was 4.14 with a 95% confidence interval ranging from 2.64 to 5.91 for the total scores on Academic Expectations. This interval [2.64–5.91] indicates 0 is not a plausible difference for academic stress scores. The Cohen’s d statistic (0.65) indicated medium effect size and suggesting the suitability of interventions used. The first hypothesis was accepted, suggesting the effectiveness of gratitude interventions in reducing parental pressure and stress.

Table 5 presents daily hassles among high school students. Significant differences were reported for total scores t (78) = 4.08, p < .001 with a mean difference of 5.12 at 95% confidence interval for the experimental group. In terms of subscales analysis, improvement was reported for Loneliness, Excessive Demands, Personal Future, and Social Mistreat. For the control group, only significant change was observed in Loneliness subscale t (78) = 2.32, p < .01 with a mean difference of 1.04 at 95% CI. The effect size for overall scores is medium (.46), suggesting the suitability of treatment conditions for addressing daily hassles among adolescents. The second research hypothesis was supported through this analysis.

These inferential statistics reflect potential utility for using gratitude interventions in dealing with everyday life stress among adolescents. The excessive demands and parental pressure can be dealt with these techniques. Figure 1 presents the difference in the mean scores for academic expectations. Experimental and control groups did not differ at pretest level; however, change can be observed at posttest where mean scores decreased for experimental group and slightly increased for control group.

The present study results showed that gratitude interventions are effective in reducing stress and daily hassles among adolescents. These results are supported by previous studies (McCabe-Fitch, 2009; Miller et al., 2010; Sin & Lyubomirsky, 2009; Terjesen et al., 2004). These studies have shown that practicing positive psychology interventions helps in improving mental and physical wellbeing for young people. The results are auspicious for Pakistani society, where limited mental health services are available to the general population. Furthermore empirical data from a developing country is also provided through this research.

The results showed a high level of stress regarding parental expectations, concerns about future, and excessive demands from the social environment, whereas scores on loneliness were low. This suggests the influence of interdependent social environment and parent roles in adolescent development. A Pakistani study reported that family conflicts, peer conflicts, and academic stressors were the most common hassles among high school students (Saeed, 2010). In the current research, these hassles manifested through parental pressure to achieve good grades, insufficient time management, and arguments with siblings and friends. Because of these factors, adolescents scored high in comparison to those belonging to cultures emphasizing individual independence.

Through the provision of gratitude interventions, participants were able to focus more on the positive aspects of their lives and improved their relationships. It is supported by the results of Tables 4 and 5 and Figure 1, where significant differences are observed in daily hassles scores and academic expectations. Practicing gratitude in the early years of life is very important. According to Bono and Froh (2009), gratitude is linked with “upstream generativity,” suggesting that practicing gratitude at an early stage of life motivates children to give back to their peers, community, and the world. Through this mechanism, gratitude acts as the buffer for social support and quality of life (Bono & Froh, 2009). It decreases the level of stress and negative emotional experiences. The current study suggests that by practicing gratitude-related activities regularly, the wellbeing of individuals may be enhanced. The feeling of being grateful helps promote social connectedness and relationship not only with the benefactor but also with others. The expression of gratitude motivated them to give back to their friends, family, teachers, community, and society at a larger level. Healthy adolescent transitions include the maintenance of good relationships with family, friends, and teachers. The results of this experimental research contribute to existing literature by addressing the gap in terms of population, interventions modification, and cultural context. The use of gratitude interventions in school settings is a relativity new concept in Pakistan, which requires a positive mindset and open minds by school administration and teachers.

The current study showed that parental pressure, self-expectations, concerns about future life, and excessive demands are major stress elements among adolescents. That stress can be reduced with the help of gratitude interventions within school settings. Since data from developing countries is limited, the current research is a good addition in this sociocultural context. Positive results in changes in self-expectations scores signify the autonomy of individuals in managing their own attitudes. Compassion toward oneself helps to decrease stress levels. In the current study, this was practiced through Loving Kindness Meditation, where the participants imagined receiving kindness messages and expanding them to their social environment. The current research is important in addressing the cognitive and behavioral aspects of both independent and dependent variables.