Self-reported Life Satisfaction and Response Style Differences Among Children in Chile and Sweden

The purpose of the current study was to assess self-perceived life satisfaction in Chilean and Swedish children. The total sample consisted of a non-clinical sample of 1,352 school children between 8 and 14 years of age. Analyses were carried out to compare the children’s subjective quality of life and life satisfaction. In addition, possible response style differences across the two countries were explored. Based on our findings, no difference was found between the two countries for the total life satisfaction score, and the only area on which the Swedish children had a significantly higher rating than the Chilean children was on their satisfaction with their friends. However, the Chilean children reported a higher satisfaction with their siblings, school and health than the Swedish children. Moreover, an interaction effect was found between country and age group on the school variable, with the three age groups in the Swedish sample being significantly different, whereas no significant difference was found between the age groups on this variable among the Chilean children. Overall, the satisfaction with the children’s different life areas decreased, as they grew older, whereas gender differences were only found on three variables. Small significant response style differences were found between the Chilean and Swedish children. As the effect sizes of these differences were quite small, they should be viewed with caution, and are not likely to explain the few differences found between the children. How I Feel about Things seems fully adequate for use across normal non-clinical boys and girls belonging to different age groups and living in different countries in order to assess their self-reported life satisfaction.