Recognition of facial expressions from minimal five-point-light displays.

Self-esteem and gratitude are among the most widely studied constructs in psychology. Self-esteem refers to an individual’s positive and negative evaluation of the self (). Gratitude, a positive emotion arising from recognizing and appreciating benefits received from others, has been linked to adolescents’ prosocial behavior and well-being (; ). Both self-esteem and gratitude are shaped by significant others (e.g., parents, friends, and mentors) and are beneficial for children’s physical and psychological development (e.g., ; ; ), and their cultivation through education is considered important in Japan (). However, levels of self-esteem and gratitude among Japanese children have been reported to be lower than those in other countries (). Yoga, an ancient mind–body practice, has been associated with positive psychological outcomes, including self-esteem and gratitude in children. The present study therefore aimed to examine longitudinal changes in self-esteem and gratitude among elementary school children following participation in a structured six-month school-based yoga program. Self-esteem is an overall evaluation of an individual’s worth and ability and is strongly influenced by social feedback from parents, teachers, and peers (). Previous studies (e.g., ; ; ; ; ) have consistently shown that high self-esteem is associated with better peer relationships, more satisfying romantic relationships, greater academic and occupational success, improved mental health, and higher psychological well-being. In children, reported that exposure to family-related adversities—such as parental psychiatric disorders, economic hardship, and child abuse—was associated with lower self-esteem and increased psychosomatic symptoms. Similarly, and demonstrated that cohesion with parents and teachers is positively related to both children’s self-esteem and academic performance. In addition, showed that teachers’ caring behaviors enhance both students’ self-esteem and well-being. Taken together, these findings suggest that self-esteem is fundamentally shaped through supportive and trusting interpersonal experiences. Therefore, approaches intended to support children with low self-esteem may benefit from enhancing positive interpersonal representations and experiences. Gratitude is a generalized tendency to recognize and respond with grateful emotion to the benevolence of others in one’s positive experiences and outcomes (). Previous studies (e.g., ; ) have demonstrated that gratitude is associated with higher self-esteem, subjective well-being, life satisfaction, and better mental health outcomes, including lower levels of depression and perceived stress. In addition, showed that gratitude reduces children’s bullying perpetration. further reported that gratitude enhances children’s well-being and academic outcomes. Taken together, these findings suggest that fostering both self-esteem and gratitude is essential for the healthy physical and psychological development of children. While previous studies have emphasized the role of interpersonal experiences in shaping these outcomes, individuals may differ in how they perceive and interpret such experiences, particularly in emotionally salient contexts (). The present framework assumes that such experiences influence self-related outcomes only in so far as they are symbolically represented and processed, with such processing fundamentally grounded in and constrained by bodily states.