Skip to main content
Log in

Is Extremely High Life Satisfaction During Adolescence Advantageous?

Social Indicators Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study examined whether extremely high life satisfaction was associated with adaptive functioning or maladaptive functioning. Six hundred ninety-eight secondary level students completed the Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale [Huebner, 1991a, School Psychology International, 12, pp. 231–240], Youth Self-Report of the Child Behavior Checklist [Achenbach and Edelbrock, 1991, Child Behavior Checklist and Youth Self-Report, Burlington, VT], Abbreviated Junior Eysenck Personality Questionnaire [Francis, 1996, Personality and Individual Differences, 21, pp. 835–844], Self-Efficacy Questionnaire for Children (Muris, 2001, Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assesment, 23(3), pp. 145–149], and the Child and Adolescent Social Support Scale (Malecki and Demaray, 2002, Psychology in Schools, 39, pp. 1–18]. Three groups of students were created based on their life satisfaction reports: very high (top 10%), average (middle 25%), and very low (lowest 10%). Compared to students with average life satisfaction, students with very high life satisfaction had higher levels on all indicators of adaptive psychosocial functioning, except extraversion. Moreover, students with very high satisfaction had the lowest scores on all measures of emotional and behavioral problems. However, rates of clinical levels of behavior problems did not differ significantly between the very high and average groups. Finally, several necessary, but not sufficient factors for very high life satisfaction were identified. Taken together, the findings support the notion that very high life satisfaction is associated with positive psychosocial functioning. Furthermore, adolescents’ reports of their life satisfaction revealed differences in adjustment that were not captured by measures of psychopathology.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • T.M. Achenbach (1991) Manual for the Youth Self-Report and 1991 Profile University of Vermont Department of Psychiatry Burlington, VT

    Google Scholar 

  • T.M. Achenbach C.S. Edelbrock (1991) Child Behavior Checklist and Youth Self-Report Author Burlington VT

    Google Scholar 

  • C. Ash E.S. Huebner (2001) ArticleTitleEnvironmental events and life satisfaction reports of adolescents: A test of cognitive mediation School Psychology International 22 320–336

    Google Scholar 

  • T.A. Bender (1997) Assessment of subjective well-being during childhood and adolescence G.D. Phye (Eds) Handbook of Classroom Assessment: Learning, Achievement, and Adjustment Academic Press San Diego, CA 199–225

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Cohen (1988) Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences Erlbaum Hillsdale, NJ

    Google Scholar 

  • E.L. Cowen (1991) ArticleTitleIn pursuit of wellness American Psychologist 46 IssueID4 404–408 Occurrence Handle10.1037/0003-066X.46.4.404

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • T. Dew E.S. Huebner (1994) ArticleTitleAdolescents’ perceived quality of life: An exploratory investigation Journal of School Psychology 33 IssueID2 185–199 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0022-4405(94)90010-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • E. Diener R.E. Lucas S. Oishi (2002) Subjective well-being: The science of happiness and life satisfaction C.R. Snyder S. Lopez (Eds) Handbook of Positive Psychology Oxford University Press London 463–473

    Google Scholar 

  • E. Diener (2000) ArticleTitleSubjective well-being: The science of happiness and a proposal for a national index American Psychologist 55 IssueID1 34–43 Occurrence Handle10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.34

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • E. Diener M.E.P. Seligman (2002) ArticleTitleVery happy people Psychological Science 31 IssueID1 81–84 Occurrence Handle10.1111/1467-9280.00415

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • L. Fogle E.S. Huebner J.E. Laughlin (2002) ArticleTitleThe relationship between temperament and life satisfaction in early adolescence: Cognitive and behavioral mediation models Journal of Happiness Studies 3 373–392 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1021883830847

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • L.J. Francis (1996) ArticleTitleThe development of an abbreviated form of the revised Junior Eysenck Personality Questionnaire among 13–15 year olds Personality and Individual Differences 21 835–844 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0191-8869(96)00159-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • E.T. Friedman R.M. Schwartz D.A.F. Haaga (2002) ArticleTitleAre the very happy too happy? Journal of Happiness Studies 3 355–372 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1021828127970

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R. Gilman E.S. Huebner (1997) ArticleTitleChildren’s reports of their life satisfaction School Psychology International 18 229–243

    Google Scholar 

  • P.C.L. Heaven (1989) ArticleTitleExtraversion, neuroticism, and satisfaction with life among adolescents Personality and Individual Differences 10 IssueID5 489–492 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0191-8869(89)90029-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • E.S. Huebner (1991a) ArticleTitleInitial development of the Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale School Psychology International 12 231–240

    Google Scholar 

  • E.S. Huebner (1991b) ArticleTitleCorrelates of life satisfaction in children School Psychology Quarterly 6 IssueID2 103–111

    Google Scholar 

  • E.S. Huebner G.L. Alderman (1993) ArticleTitleConvergent and discriminant validation of a children’s life satisfaction scale: Its relationship to self- and teacher-reported psychological problems and school functioning Social Indicators Research 30 71–82 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF01080333

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • E.S. Huebner B.A. Funk R. Gilman (2000) ArticleTitleCross-sectional and longitudinal psychosocial correlates of adolescent life satisfaction reports Canadian Journal of School Psychology 16 53–64

    Google Scholar 

  • Huebner, E. S., S. M. Suldo and R. Gilman (in press). Life satisfaction. In G. Bear K. Minke (eds.), Children’s Needs III. Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists

  • E.S. Huebner S.M. Suldo L.C. Smith C.G. McKnight (2004) ArticleTitleLife satisfaction in children and youth: Empirical foundations and implications for school psychologists Psychology in the Schools 41 81–93 Occurrence Handle10.1002/pits.10140

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • C.L.M. Keyes (2002) ArticleTitleThe mental health continuum: From languishing to flourishing in life Journal of Health and Social Research 43 207–222 Occurrence Handle10.2307/3090197

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • C.Y. Leung C. McBride-Chang B.P. Lai (2004) ArticleTitleRelations among maternal parenting style, academic competence, and life satisfaction in Chinese early adolescents Journal of Early Adolescence 24 113–143 Occurrence Handle10.1177/0272431603262678

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • C.K. Malecki M.K. Demaray S.N. Elliot (2000) A working manual on the development of the Child and Adolescent Social Support Scale Northern Illinois University DeKalb, IL

    Google Scholar 

  • C.K. Malecki M.K. Demaray (2002) ArticleTitleMeasuring perceived social support: Development of the child and adolescent social support scale (CASSS) Psychology in the Schools 39 1–18 Occurrence Handle10.1002/pits.10004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • C.K. Malecki S.N. Elliot (1999) ArticleTitleAdolescents’ ratings of perceived social support and its importance: Validation of the Student Social Support Scale Psychology in the Schools 36 473–483 Occurrence Handle10.1002/(SICI)1520-6807(199911)36:6<473::AID-PITS3>3.0.CO;2-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • P. Man (1991) ArticleTitleThe influence of peers and parents on youth life satisfaction in Hong Kong Social Indicators Research 24 347–365 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00383734

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • K.I. Maton (1990) ArticleTitleMeaningful involvement in instrumental activity and well-being: Studies of older adolescents and at risk urban teen-agers American Journal of Community Psychology 18 297–320 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00931306

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • C.G. McKnight E.S. Huebner S.M. Suldo (2002) ArticleTitleRelationships among stressful life events, temperament, problem behavior, and global life satisfaction in adolescents Psychology in the Schools 39 IssueID6 677–687 Occurrence Handle10.1002/pits.10062

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • P. Muris (2001) ArticleTitleA brief questionnaire for measuring self-efficacy in youths Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment 23 IssueID3 145–149 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1010961119608

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • P. Muris (2002) ArticleTitleRelationship between self-efficiacy and symptoms of anxiety disorder and depression in a normal adolescent sampe Personality and Individual Differences 32 337–348 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0191-8869(01)00027-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R.M. Schwartz (1997) ArticleTitleConsider the simple screw: Cognitive science, quality improvement, and psychotherapy Journal of Clinical and Consulting Psychology 65 970–983 Occurrence Handle10.1037/0022-006X.65.6.970

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R.M. Schwartz G.L. Garamoni (1986) A structural model of positive and negative states of mind: Asymmetry in the internal dialogue P.C. Kendall (Eds) Advances in Cognitive-Behavioral Research and Therapy EditionNumber5 Academic Press New York 1–62

    Google Scholar 

  • S.M. Suldo E.S. Huebner (2004) ArticleTitleThe role of life satisfaction in the relationship between authoritative parenting dimensions and adolescent problem behavior Social Indicators Research 66 165–195 Occurrence Handle10.1023/B:SOCI.0000007498.62080.1e

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R.F. Valois K.J. Zullig E.S. Huebner J.W. Drane (2001) ArticleTitleRelationship between life satisfaction and violent behaviors among adolescents American Journal of Health Behavior 25 353–366

    Google Scholar 

  • K.J. Zullig R.F. Valois E.S. Huebner J.E. Oeltmann W.J. Drane (2001) ArticleTitleRelationship between perceived life satisfaction and adolescent substance abuse Journal of Adolescent Health 29 279–288 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S1054-139X(01)00269-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shannon M. Suldo.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Suldo, S.M., Huebner, E.S. Is Extremely High Life Satisfaction During Adolescence Advantageous?. Soc Indic Res 78, 179–203 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-005-8208-2

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-005-8208-2

Keywords

Navigation