Comparison of satisfaction with happiness in families with children between the Czech ‒ Latvian people

L Stasova,L Vilka

doi:10.1051/shsconf/20184003005

L Stasova, L Vilka

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/20184003005

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Abstract

It is an assumed opinion that the family is the main unit of society. The society and the family are in reciprocal influence: the healthier the families are, the healthierthe society and vice versa. Subjective wellbeing and satisfaction with life are important factors in family stability. Feeling of happiness and the image of a happy family in contemporary Czech and Latvian society are the focus of the research. In the research the data from an international survey on the lifestyle of contemporary families that have been collected during 2013 – 2014 in the Czech Republic and Latvia were used. A self-administered questionnaire data were collected in both countries as well. A mixed approach with emphasis on the quantitative approach to research was used in data analysis. The results showed a significant similarity, although the ‘feeling of happiness’ differed and varied in each specific family. So it was possible to use the same categories of „a happy family“ that had been found in both samples of data (Czech and Latvian)material, and they were: financial prosperity, good relationships and success in the family, cohesion within the family, doing things and spending leisure time together and a healthy family.The research results allow us to conclude that the family has a high value in people’s minds despite the rapid changes in the family structure and de facto high rate of divorce in both countries.

Highlights

Is a unique entity in a society and a basic unit with the reciprocal impact on many processes in a societal development dynamics
Everyday life we understand as consisting of provision of daily needs, routine work activities and leisure time, inner family self-organization and in social relationships within the environment
Respondents declared in their statements, that for them it is important to have money, good housing, get a good job and have a stability of employment to feel the happiness in family life

Summary

Introduction

Is a unique entity in a society and a basic unit with the reciprocal impact on many processes in a societal development dynamics. Different previous surveys had declared that married people live longer and have a lower probability of death, suffer less from mental diseases, they are more healthy, happy and satisfied in their lives Hamplová confirmed these hypothesis by the European data [5]1 positive influence of marriage and partnership can be explained by a better health status and financial situation of families in comparison with people living alone, but with high probability, it could be supported by better understanding, support, help and stimulation in the family environment. It should be declared that the main idea of our study was not focused on the welfare and happiness in family but followed a life style of family as a whole concept From this reason our questions related to happiness could create only a small part of our questionnaire and could not be studied in their broader context. Despite complications related to the methodology used, and the sample obtained in both countries, we try to compare basic trends and show aspects of the life styles of contemporary families in a new light

Family in the Czech Republic and Latvia

Methodology of a survey

What is your image of a happy family?

Satisfaction with some aspects of spending of leisure time

Findings

Conclusions