Relationships among stressful life events, temperament, problem behavior, and global life satisfaction in adolescents

Abstract

The relationships among stressful life events (SLEs), temperament, externalizing and internalizing behaviors, and global life satisfaction were investigated. The Students' Life Satisfaction Scale, the Youth Self Report (YSR) form of the Child Behavior Checklist, a portion of the Life Events Checklist, and the Abbreviated Junior Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, were administered to 1,201 adolescents in grades 6 through 12 in a small city in the Southeast. A modest correlation was found between life satisfaction and Extraversion, whereas moderate correlations were found between life satisfaction and Neuroticism and life satisfaction and SLEs. Based upon hierarchical regression analyses, temperament variables accounted for approximately 16% of the variance in predictions of life satisfaction ratings. When SLEs were added, an additional 3% of the variance in life satisfaction ratings was subsequently explained. Life satisfaction did not operate as a moderator between SLEs and problem behavior. However, when global life satisfaction was added as a mediator variable, results indicated a partial mediational effect, particularly on internalizing behavior. Limitations of the study as well as implications for comprehensive psychological assessments are discussed.

Youth Life Satisfaction: A Review of the Literature

“…Similar findings have been reported among children and adolescents (e.g. Ash and Huebner 2001;Casas et al 2004;Greenspoon and Saklofske 2001;Heaven 1989;Huebner 1991a;McKnight et al 2002). For example, Fogle et al (2002) found LS to be positively correlated with extraversion and social self-efficacy, negatively correlated with neuroticism, and to mediate the relationship between LS and extraversion, but not between LS and neuroticism.…”

“…For example, Suldo and Huebner (2004b) demonstrated that LS mediates the relationship between the social support-involvement dimension of authoritative parenting and adolescent problem behaviour. Further, support has been provided for the potential mediating role of LS between stressful life events and internalizing behaviour (see McKnight et al 2002). In addition, there is recent evidence to suggest that increased LS buffers against the negative effects of stress and the development of psychological disorder.…”

The Role of Perceived Stress and Self-Efficacy in Young People’s Life Satisfaction: A Longitudinal Study

“…Life satisfaction reflects a sense of contentment and congruency between needs or wants and accomplishments (Keyes and Waterman 2003), and is conceptually and empirically distinguishable from positive and negative affect (McKnight et al 2002). …”

The role of positive psychology constructs in predicting life satisfaction in adolescents with and without cognitive disabilities: An exploratory study

“…Life satisfaction has been identified as an important outcome for adolescents with and without disabilities (Huebner, 2004), and, as mentioned above, an important component of perceptions of subjective well-being (Diener et al, 2002) and quality of life (Huebner, 2004;Huebner, Suldo, Smith, & McKnight, 2004). Life satisfaction has also been related to school functioning (Huebner & Alderman, 1993;Huebner & McCullough, 2000) and a decreased likelihood of externalizing behaviors (McKnight, Huebner, & Suldo, 2002;Suldo & Huebner, 2004a, 2004b. Hope and optimism have, in previous research, been found to contribute to adolescent's life satisfaction (Edwards, 2004).…”