A 9-year-old’s perspective on gratitude sparks conversation backed by Harvard research
When nine-year-old Kensie Jackson Chin-Comrie, third generation Jamaican, submitted her article “The Power That Gratitude Can Give You” to Carib News, she likely didn’t expect it would prompt a response from a physician drawing on cutting-edge medical research. But that’s exactly what happened, creating a remarkable bridge between youthful wisdom and scientific validation.
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Dr. Richard I. Slatkin, writing from his practice in Brooklyn, New York was moved enough by young Kensie’s piece to pen a thoughtful letter to the editor. In his response, Dr. Slatkin praised the article as appearing “at a time when our world is at a crossroad between optimism and pessimism,” calling it a contribution “interested in all aspects of healthcare.”
The physician’s letter didn’t just offer praise. He connected Kensie’s insights to groundbreaking research published in the prestigious journal JAMA Psychiatry.
The Harvard-led study, which Dr. Slatkin referenced, examined data from nearly 50,000 women enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study, revealing remarkable findings about gratitude’s impact on longevity.
According to the research, participants with the highest gratitude scores had a 9% lower risk of dying over a three-year period compared to those in the bottom third. Even more striking, gratitude appeared protective against every specific cause of death studied, most significantly against cardiovascular disease.
Dr. Slatkin particularly noted the study’s finding that those who scored highest on gratitude questionnaires had the lowest death rates, with gratitude showing protective effects “against every specific cause of death studied” and “most significantly against cardiovascular disease.”
The research methodology was thorough.
In 2016, participants completed a six-item gratitude questionnaire that ranked their agreement with statements like “I have so much in life to be thankful for” and “If I had to list everything I felt grateful for, it would be a very long list.” Three years later, researchers examined medical records to track health outcomes across multiple causes including cardiovascular disease, cancer, respiratory diseases, neurodegenerative conditions, infection, and injury.
What makes this convergence particularly poignant is how a child’s intuitive understanding of gratitude’s power aligns with what scientists are now proving through rigorous study. The Harvard research, published in 2024 in JAMA Psychiatry by the European Heart Journal, suggests that fostering gratitude through simple daily practices—like writing down a few things you’re grateful for—might extend lifespan and boost overall wellbeing.
Dr. Slatkin’s letter emphasized the extraordinary nature of this convergence, noting the “obviously brilliant writing” of the young author and suggesting her article came at just the right moment. He closed his letter with an observation that seems particularly fitting: What will come in the future from the heart and soul of this beautiful soulful child. We are lucky to have her and Harvard would be most fortunate to graduate her from their medical school.
The study’s authors acknowledge that while the research was observational and doesn’t definitively prove that gratitude extends life, the evidence is compelling enough to warrant personal experimentation. As the Harvard Health publication notes, even if gratitude doesn’t add years to your life, it might well bring you more joy. The practice can involve large acknowledgments like a friendship or beautiful view, or small ones like a nice conversation with a neighbor or a treasured possession.
For young Kensie Jackson Chin, the affirmation from both a medical professional and from rigorous scientific research validates what she already understood: gratitude is indeed a powerful force. Her article, written at just nine years old, touched on themes that researchers with decades of experience and access to data from tens of thousands of participants are only now beginning to fully quantify.
In a world often focused on what divides us, this story offers something else: a reminder that wisdom can come from unexpected places, that science and intuition sometimes arrive at the same truths, and that the simple practice of gratitude might be one of the most powerful tools we have for living well—and living longer.
Editor’s Note: We thank Dr. Richard I. Slatkin for his thoughtful response to our young writer’s work, and we encourage our readers to share what they’re grateful for. Sometimes the most profound insights come from the youngest voices among us.
