THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OPTIMISM AND SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING OF YOUNG ADULTS IN THE CONTEXT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Abstract

The goal of this study is to test the relationship between optimism and subjective well-being of young adults in the context of COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous studies showed that people’s subjective well-being level have reduced, especially in young adults. This study took one of the factors affecting subjective well-being, optimism as a predictor of people’s subjective well-being throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Subjective well-being is an individual’s cognitive and affective evaluation of their lives. Optimism is an individual’s positive attitude of their lives and their future. This study involved 338 young adults. The measuring instruments used in this study are: 1) The Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R) adapted from Fadjri; 2) The Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) are both adapted from the Research and Measurement Department Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Tarumanagara. The analysis result using Pearson correlation technique, with r (338) = 0.251, p = 0.00 (< 0.05) showed that there was a significant and positive correlation between optimism and subjective well-being. This study also found that between the components of optimism and subjective well-being had a significant relationship between the two variables.