Original scientific paper

Life satisfaction and feeling of happiness among students

Tihana Brkljačić ; Institute of Social Sciences Ivo Pilar
Ljiljana Kaliterna Lipovčan orcid.org/0000-0002-2662-3156 ; Institute of Social Sciences Ivo Pilar

Abstract

The aim of the study was to explore life satisfaction and common and current mood of students, and to relate them to satisfaction with particular aspects of life (family, friends, economic status, studying, love situation, leisure, health, physical appearance, physical safety, spiritual life, achievement, future perspectives and satisfaction with oneself).
The research was conducted on 141 students. All variables were measured on 10 point scales, higher scores indicating higher satisfaction or happiness.
Results showed that students are satisfied with their lives (M = 7.8, sd = 1.438) and happy (M = 7.49, sd = 1.307). Current mood is lower than common mood (M = 6.9, sd = 1.860), and students assign this difference mostly to obligations and tiredness. Students are, in general, satisfied with all aspects of their lives, and most satisfied with physical safety, relations with friends and acceptance by the community, while least satisfied with leisure (free time).
Factor analysis of satisfaction with different aspects of life resulted in three factors: satisfaction with private life, satisfaction with “business” life and exhaustion.
On the basis of satisfaction with specific aspects of life we can predict 65% of the variance of general life satisfaction, while significant predictors are satisfaction with relations with friends, satisfaction with relations with family, satisfaction with spiritual life, love situation, acceptance by the community and economic status.
Satisfaction with particular aspects of life explains 52% of common mood (happiness), and significant predictors are satisfaction with relations with friends, satisfaction with oneself, and satisfaction with leisure (free time).

Keywords

life satisfaction; happiness; mood; aspects of life satisfaction; student population

Hrčak ID:

83032

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/83032

Publication date:

15.12.2010.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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