Adolescent Life Satisfaction Research Articles

Resilience and social support as predictors of life satisfaction in preadolescents: a gender analysis

Resilience and social support are variables related to life satisfaction. Nonetheless, these relationships could be different for boys and girls. This study aimed to analyze the links among life satisfaction, resilience (novelty seeking, emotional regulation and future positive orientation) and social support in early adolescents by exploring possible gender differences. In this study, 552 adolescents aged 10–13 years (52% girls) participated. The results showed stronger positive correlations between life satisfaction and novelty seeking in boys, and positive correlations between life satisfaction and emotional regulation only for girls. Social support was a significant predictor of life satisfaction for both genders, but some resilience dimensions showed differences in their predictive capacity according to gender. Emotional regulation and future positive orientation were predictors of life satisfaction, but only for girls, while novelty seeking was a predictor of life satisfaction for boys. These results highlight the importance of maintaining a gender perspective in research on life satisfaction in early adolescence, and the need to consider gender differences in interventions to enhance their positive development.

Social and Economic Indicators of Psychological Symptoms and Life Satisfaction Among Dutch and Hong Kong Adolescents: A Cross-National HBSC Study

Adolescent mental health and life satisfaction are grounded in social and economic factors. However, studies investigating these relations across European and Asian contexts, using identical questionnaires, are scarce. The 2017/18 Health Behaviour of School-aged Children (HBSC) study conducted with 4,168 Dutch adolescents ( Mage 13.0 years) and 1,948 Hong Kong adolescents ( Mage 13.1 years) aged 11, 13, and 15 reported on family status and affluence, school experiences, relations with parents and friends, psychological symptoms (irritability/bad temper, feeling low or nervous, difficulty sleeping), and life satisfaction. Dutch boys had the lowest number of psychological symptoms. Dutch girls and Hong Kong girls and boys reported significantly more symptoms. Dutch boys had the highest level of life satisfaction, followed by Dutch girls and, subsequently, Hong Kong girls and boys. In the Netherlands and Hong Kong, communicative and supportive relationships with parents, low school pressure, school liking, and helpful fellow students related to less psychological symptoms and higher life satisfaction. In addition, family affluence further enhanced life satisfaction. It is concluded that cultural and gender differences may permeate the structuring of adolescent relations with parents, teachers, and peers but that an identical set of social and economic determinants affect adolescent girls’ and boys’ symptoms and satisfaction in a highly similar fashion in the Netherlands and Hong Kong.

LOVE YOUR BODY! THE ROLE OF BODY SATISFACTION IN YOUTH LIFE SATISFACTION

This study aims to determine the relationship between body satisfaction and youth life satisfaction. Sampling was carried out using a non-probability sampling technique in Jabodetabek on 266 adolescents, with an age range of 13-21 years. The measuring instruments in this study are the Adolescent Body Image Satisfaction Scale (ABISS) by Leone, Mullin, Maurer-Starks, & Rovito (2014) to measure the level of body satisfaction and The Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) scale compiled by Diener, Emmons , Larsen, and Griffin to measure the level of life satisfaction. Analysis of Pearson Correlation showed that there is a significant negative relationship between body satisfaction and life satisfaction in adolescents, both in the dimensions of body competence (r=-0.420), body innadequate (-0.319) and (-0.169), which means the more individuals are dissatisfied with the body, the more dissatisfied he is with his life. The results of this study are expected to be one of the considerations for educational institutions or the community, especially adolescents so that they can receive, maintain and feel satisfied with their bodies so that they can increase satisfaction with their lives, where life satisfaction is very important in the process of optimizing adolescent development.

Peer relationships, adolescent anxiety, and life satisfaction: a moderated mediation model in Turkish and syrian samples

Prior studies comparing Syrian refugee adolescents to their native peers in the same region have found higher anxiety and lower life satisfaction. Therefore, identifying regulatory variables is crucial for implementing support programs. This study examined the mediating effect of peer relationships and the moderating effect of being a refugee or native adolescent on the relationship between adolescent anxiety and life satisfaction across different samples. Participants and setting: The study included 2,336 adolescents aged 11–19 (M = 14.79, SD = 1.04). Participants completed the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders, Satisfaction with Life Scale, and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. The mediation and moderation effects were analyzed with the path analysis codes written on Mplus 8.3. SPSS 26 was used for descriptive statistics and group comparisons. The findings showed that peer relationships mediate adolescent anxiety and life satisfaction, and this relationship is moderated according to whether the participants are native adolescents or refugee adolescents. This study highlights the significant associations between peer relationships, adolescent anxiety, and life satisfaction and the moderating role of the participant identity. The findings may inform psychological interventions to improve Syrian refugee adolescents' mental health and well-being. These findings may also have implications for policies and programs aimed at supporting the integration of Syrian refugee adolescents in host communities.

Pathways between Child Maltreatment, Psychological Symptoms, and Life Satisfaction: A Network Analysis in Adolescent Inpatients.

Child maltreatment is a risk factor for mental disorders and decreased life satisfaction during adolescence. We investigated whether child maltreatment would link to life satisfaction both directly and through psychological symptoms, whether these relations would change from admission to discharge after treatment, and which types of maltreatment, symptoms and facets of life satisfaction would be most influential in adolescent inpatients with internalizing mental disorders. N = 896 adolescent receiving inpatient psychotherapeutic treatment completed questionnaires on child maltreatment experiences, current psychopathology and subjective life satisfaction at admission and discharge (n = 765). Main diagnoses were affective (n = 322), eating (n = 447), obsessive-compulsive (n = 70) and anxiety disorders (n = 57). Network models of child maltreatment, psychopathology and life satisfaction nodes were estimated at admission and discharge and compared using network comparison tests. Potential causal shortest pathways were investigated using directed acyclic graphs.Network models were stable with no significant differences between admission and discharge. Strongest nodes of each cluster were "emotional abuse" (child maltreatment), "worthlessness", "thinking about dying" and "feeling lonely" (psychopathology) and "satisfied with life" (life satisfaction) at both admission and discharge. Emotional neglect showed direct connections to life satisfaction, indicating its relevance for therapeutic interventions. At both admission and discharge, "sexual abuse" indirectly predicted lower life satisfaction through psychological symptoms. In conclusion, child maltreatment is directly and indirectly connected to life satisfaction in adolescents with mental disorders. Emotional abuse and neglect were especially important in linking child maltreatment to life satisfaction and psychopathology.

Association between life satisfaction, problem behaviours and psychological distress in orphaned adolescents: Exploring gender and orphanhood type discrepancies

AbstractBereavement of one or both parents is known to cause many kinds of internalizing and externalizing problems in adolescents. However, less is known about factors that are protective of the mental health of orphaned adolescents and differences by their gender and orphanhood type. To fill these gaps, the current study used a sample from southwestern China to test the association between types of orphans, life satisfaction, adolescents' psychological distress and problem behaviours. The results showed that orphan girls were prone to have lower levels of problem behaviours but higher levels of psychological distress than orphan boys. Female paternal orphans tended to have the highest psychological distress, while male paternal orphans tended to have the lowest psychological distress. In addition, school satisfaction had a stronger association with problem behaviour, and self‐satisfaction had a stronger association with psychological distress. Interventions and preventive measures aimed at reducing the psychological distress of orphans could benefit from the findings regarding the correlates of psychological distress and the most vulnerable group among orphans.

Physical Leisure Activities in Adolescents with Disabilities: Data from National Survey of Disabled Persons.

The impact of activities of daily living (ADLs) on the life satisfaction of adolescents with disabilities and the potential role of physical leisure activities as a moderator in this context have received attention. However, little is known about the influence of physical leisure activities on the relationship between ADLs and life satisfaction in adolescents with disabilities. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the moderating effect of physical leisure activities on the relationship between ADLs and life satisfaction among adolescents with disabilities. Secondary data analysis was conducted by extracting data from 5364 adolescents aged 12-18 years with disabilities from the 2020 National Survey of Disabled Persons of Korea. The potential moderating effect of physical leisure activities on the relationship between ADLs and life satisfaction was investigated using Pearson's correlation analysis and hierarchical multiple regression. Significant positive correlations were found for living, life satisfaction, and physical leisure activities. Physical leisure activities were found to play a moderating role in the relationship between ADLs and life satisfaction. This study concluded that increasing physical leisure activities, even with dependent ADLs, promotes life satisfaction, especially if ADLs are low, highlighting the necessity of increasing leisure activities in adolescents with disabilities.

The path to life satisfaction in adolescence: life orientations, prioritizing, and meaning in life

The path to life satisfaction in adolescence: life orientations, prioritizing, and meaning in life

Self-esteem and self-concept as correlates of life satisfaction and attitudes toward school among Ghanaian girls.

During adolescence, youth experience several physical, psychosocial, and cognitive changes. Self-esteem and self-concept are identified as protective factors for adolescents in high-income countries, but studies are limited in sub-Saharan Africa. We examined the associations of self-esteem and self-concept with life satisfaction and attitudes toward school using baseline data from 97 Ghanaian adolescent girls at risk of school dropout. Ordinary Least Squares regression models were fitted to examine the association between self-esteem and self-concept on school attitudes and life satisfaction. Self-esteem was positively associated with life satisfaction. Self-concept was associated with more positive attitudes toward school. Hence, self-esteem and self-concept may be critical protective factors in promoting adolescent girls' life satisfaction and positive attitudes toward school.

The impacts of college educational satisfaction and helpfulness of career support on life satisfaction among Korean youth: The mediating role of mental health.

This study aimed to investigate the structural relationships between college educational satisfaction, the helpfulness of career support, and mental health, and how these factors influence the life satisfaction of late adolescents and young adults. The study utilized data from 550 Korean individuals 18-24 years of age who have experienced going to college, collected in the "2021 Youth Socio-Economic Reality Survey" conducted by the National Youth Policy Institute. Data analysis was conducted with SmartPLS 3.0 software, using a structural equation model with the partial least squares method. The mediating impact of mental health was validated using bootstrapping. The study yielded several key findings. First, college educational satisfaction, the helpfulness of career support, and mental health all exerted a significant and positive influence on the life satisfaction of young people. Second, college educational satisfaction was found to significantly positively affect youth's mental health. Third, mental health was identified as playing a significant positive mediating role in the connection between college educational satisfaction and the life satisfaction of young people. The study underscores the importance of enhancing mental health, alongside improving college educational satisfaction and career support, to boost the life satisfaction of young people. Suggestions based on these findings are discussed.

Teachers Matter More Than Sites and Facilities: Provincial-Level Educational Predictors of Adolescent Life Satisfaction.

Life satisfaction can predict students' school engagement and academic performance, and has shown significant regional differences among adolescents. The predictive effect of economic factors as regional characteristics on adolescent life satisfaction has been extensively examined; however, the regional educational factors that could predict adolescent life satisfaction remain unknown. This study aimed to identify provincial-level educational factors that can predict adolescent life satisfaction. The participants comprised 16,737 students, aged 11-16 years (M age = 13.82; SD age = 0.77; 8767 girls, 7970 boys), from 31 provinces in China. Students completed measures on socioeconomic status and life satisfaction. Multilevel modeling was adopted in data analysis. Adolescent life satisfaction was positively correlated with family socioeconomic status, and negatively associated with age and academic ranking. Life satisfaction was lower for girls than boys. Some regional education development indicators could predict adolescent life satisfaction: ratio of students to teachers, ratio of students to teachers with master's degrees, and multimedia classroom size negatively correlated with adolescent life satisfaction; meanwhile per capita sports field area positively correlated with adolescent life satisfaction. Per capita education expenditure, classroom area, laboratory area, computer room area, language lab area, gymnasium area, green space area, sports field area, computers per student, number of books, and value of equipment and instruments could not significantly predict life satisfaction in this study. The findings suggest that the life satisfaction of female adolescents, those in older age groups, with lower academic rankings and socioeconomic status, and those residing in regions with underdeveloped educational systems was relatively poor. These groups of adolescents should therefore be given special attention. To enhance their life satisfaction, some certain provinces should consider implementing measures such as increasing the number of teachers, reducing class sizes, and providing more opportunities for physical activity among junior middle school students.

Shifting the Paradigm: A Fresh Look at Physical Activity Frequency and Its Impact on Mental Health, Life Satisfaction, and Self-Rated Health in Adolescents

Shifting the Paradigm: A Fresh Look at Physical Activity Frequency and Its Impact on Mental Health, Life Satisfaction, and Self-Rated Health in Adolescents

Relationships of school climate, parental support, life satisfaction, and internet gaming disorder among adolescents

This research study examines the relationship between school climate, perceived parental support, life satisfaction, and Internet gaming disorder in adolescents. A total of 719 respondents aged 16-19 years participated in the study (M=17.8; SD=1.11). The questionnaire battery consisted of the following research methodologies: the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short-Form (IGDS9-SF; Pontes, Griffiths, 2015), the Delaware School Climate Survey-Student Questionnaire (Bear et al, 2011), Perceived Parental Support Scale (PPS, Thorlindsson et al., 1998), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS, Diener, et. al., 1985). Results demonstrated that parental support acted as a mediator in the relationship between perceived life satisfaction and Internet gaming disorder in adolescents.

Life satisfaction and L2 engagement in adolescents

Abstract The study examined how L2 engagement is associated with students’ general life satisfaction, a core element of well-being. A total of 1,109 seventh-grade EFL learners from a rural secondary school in China completed a measure of life satisfaction (family satisfaction, environment satisfaction, academic satisfaction, school satisfaction, freedom satisfaction, and friendship satisfaction) and a measure of foreign language engagement (cognitive engagement, emotional engagement, behavioural engagement, and social engagement). Path analysis shows that life satisfaction generally predicted L2 engagement positively. Variations were found in the associations between six life satisfaction dimensions and four L2 engagement dimensions. A positive psychology lens is adopted to interpret the findings and make concrete suggestions about how to enhance learner engagement. The findings imply that a proactive preventative stance on bolstering engagement could be encouraged such as fostering learners’ positive perceptions and beliefs of self, family, school, environment, study, and friends.

The Effect of Exercise on School Life Satisfaction in Korean Children and Adolescents Considering the Mediation Effects of Physical Health Awareness, Self-Esteem, and Depression.

This study analyzed physical health awareness, self-esteem, and depression as mediation factors in the effect of exercise on school life satisfaction. It compared these between Korean children and adolescents. Based on the 2020 Survey on the Human Rights of Children and Adolescents in Korea, data were extracted on 2,896 children in grades 4 to 6 and 5,727 adolescents in grades 7 to 12. A structural equation model was designed and multi-mediation analysis was conducted using phantom variables. To verify the differences between children and adolescents, latent means, path coefficients, and mediating effect confidence intervals were analyzed. Structural modeling and bootstrapping revealed that the direct and indirect paths were significant in both groups (P<0.01). Comparing the mean differences, children showed higher means than adolescents did in all variables. Among the direct paths, the paths of physical health awareness from exercise practice and school life satisfaction from physical health awareness were higher in adolescents (P<0.01), and the path of school life satisfaction from exercise practice was higher in children (P<0.01). The indirect paths showed that the mediating effect of health awareness between exercise and school life satisfaction was stronger among adolescents. Physical and mental health directly and indirectly affect school life satisfaction, with different patterns in children and adolescents. This study emphasizes the need for different strategies for children and adolescents who are experiencing physical and mental health problems and difficulties adjusting to school life.

Subjective Well-Being Among Teenager in Banda Aceh

This study aims to determine the subjective well-being of adolescents in Banda Aceh. Adolescent well-being was measured by subjective well-being scales, which comprised with cognitive and affective aspects. A quantitative descriptive analysis approach was used in this study. The participants were 293 teenagers from various schools and universities that spread across Banda Aceh, both public and private. The data collection instruments used were the SWLS and SPANE scales. Results of this study indicate that, life satisfaction of adolescents in Banda Aceh majority was categorized in "quite satisfied" as much as 41.3%, followed by "satisfied" as much as 27.6%, and "very satisfied" as much as 12.3%, while the other 18.8% are categorized in “less satisfied” and “dissatisfied”. Further, the participants of this research experience positive emotions more than negative emotions, as indicated by SPANE scale that showed "very balanced" = 31.1%, "balanced" = 65.5%, "less balanced" = 3.4%. This research approved that adolescents in Banda Aceh tend to have more positive feelings than negative feelings. This study also illustrates a new perspective in revealing the condition of adolescents who tend to be good, which was previously revealed that adolescence tends to feel full of "storm and stress".Keywords: Positive Emotions; Negative Emotions; Life Satisfaction; Adolescents

“Self-compassion and life satisfaction in Vietnamese adolescents: the mediating role of emotional and behavioral problems”

Purpose The current study aims to examine the relationship between self-compassion and life satisfaction in Vietnamese adolescents and investigate the possibility that emotional and behavioural problems mediate this relationship. Design/methodology/approach Quantitative means of data collection and analysis were used to investigate the relationship between self-compassion and life satisfaction and the underlying mechanism of this relationship. A set of questionnaires was presented to a sample of 828 adolescents (M age = 14.61; SD = 1.08) aged 14–17 years from two secondary schools and two high schools in Thua Thien Hue Province, Vietnam. This helped to determine their self-compassion (self-compassion scale), emotional and behavioural problems (strengths and difficulties questionnaire) and life satisfaction (life satisfaction scale). Instruments reflected satisfactory reliability and validity. Findings The results show that self-warmth was positively associated with life satisfaction and that self-coldness was positively associated with emotional and behavioural problems and negatively associated with life satisfaction in Vietnamese adolescents. Emotional and behavioural problems fully mediated the negative relationship between self-coldness and life satisfaction. Practical implications It is implied that intervention programmes should be tailored to both promote self-compassionate behaviours and reduce self-coldness, to increase life satisfaction in adolescents. Originality/value The research available on the relationship between self-compassion and life satisfaction in adolescents, especially adolescents from Southeast Asia, is very sparse. More significantly, the underlying mechanisms behind this relationship are not yet fully understood.

Effects of Problematic Game Use on Adolescent Life Satisfaction through Social Support and Materialism

Effects of Problematic Game Use on Adolescent Life Satisfaction through Social Support and Materialism

Factors contributing to online game addiction in adolescents: a systematic review

The excessive use of online games can disturb the psychological, physiological, and behavioral balance of adolescents. This study aimed to identify the factors contributing to online game addiction. On databases like Scopus (20 articles), ProQuest (113 articles), SAGE (214 articles), and Springer (596 articles), published within the last five years, a systematic review was carried out using the population, intervention, comparison, outcome, study design (PICOS) framework. The articles that were chosen employed empirical quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods research on young people who were addicted to online games and were published between 2018 and 2023. The review's inclusion criteria were met by 25 papers. Factors can increase the risk of adolescents experiencing online game addiction, including adolescent factors consisting of, adolescent life satisfaction, and duration of smartphone use, parenting and communication, parental support, and parental income, friendship relationships and the school environment. These findings are expected to serve as the foundation for parents and teenagers to identify the cause of problems in order to reduce harmful consequences. Nurses are expected to be able to identify elements that contribute to adolescent online game addiction and devise interventions to assist adolescents in liberating themselves.

Adolescent Well-being and Life Satisfaction: Impact of Digital Technology Usage

Abstract Background Digital technologies have significantly changed the way adolescents perceive the world around them. The perception of the social environment is crucial for their well-being and health. Objectives This paper aims to evaluate the relationship between the perceived life circumstances of adolescents, such as dietary habits, physical activity, obesity, subjective health, the use of digital technology devices, and the level of occupancy with school obligations. Methods/Approach The survey research was conducted on a sample of adolescents between the ages of 11 and 15. Data was analysed using regression analysis and association rules. Results The results present a moderate positive correlation between the level of school obligations and life satisfaction or subjective health, while for the independent variable, time spent in front of screens, the strength of the relationship is moderate and negative. Conclusions The model represents a useful starting point for the recommendations for creating patterns to influence life satisfaction and well-being in adolescence. It provides insight into the potential optimisation of school obligations of adolescents according to the level of life satisfaction, subjective perception of health, and time spent in front of the screen.