IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/chinre/v12y2019i6d10.1007_s12187-019-9619-y.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Adolescents’ Personality Traits and Positive Psychological Orientations: Relations with Emotional Distress and Life Satisfaction Mediated by School Connectedness

Author

Listed:
  • Eui Kyung Kim

    (North Carolina State University)

  • Michael J. Furlong

    (University of California, Santa Barbara)

  • Erin Dowdy

    (University of California, Santa Barbara)

Abstract

Contemporary models emphasize linkages between malleable positive psychological orientations and enhanced quality of life. As such, it is important to consider if these positive orientations provide unique explanatory power beyond the long-established relations between quality of life and within-person, less malleable personality traits. This study contributed to the literature by examining the relations among adolescents’ personality traits, positive psychology orientations, and self-reported quality of life indicators. These relations were further examined by considering the mediating effects of the important contextual influences of school connectedness. Self-report responses of 1867 California high school students to an 88-item schoolwide online survey that included the Big Five Inventory-10 (Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness), the Social Emotional Health Survey-Secondary (Belief in Self, Belief in Others, Emotional Competence, and Engaged Living), the School Connectedness Scale, the Brief Multidimensional Life Satisfaction Scale, and the Social Emotional Distress Scale-Secondary were used to examine relations. Stepwise multiple regression analyses showed that after controlling for demographic variables (Block 1: sex, grade, and ethnicity) the personality traits (Block 2) were, as expected, significantly associated with life satisfaction and emotional distress. Supporting study hypotheses, the inclusion of positive psychological orientations (Block 3) explained significantly more variance of students’ life satisfaction (△R2 = 26%) and emotional distress (△R2 = 5%). Mediation analyses using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) found that only positive psychological orientations had significant indirect relations with quality of life through school connectedness. Implications and future research and practice are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Eui Kyung Kim & Michael J. Furlong & Erin Dowdy, 2019. "Adolescents’ Personality Traits and Positive Psychological Orientations: Relations with Emotional Distress and Life Satisfaction Mediated by School Connectedness," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 12(6), pages 1951-1969, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:chinre:v:12:y:2019:i:6:d:10.1007_s12187-019-9619-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s12187-019-9619-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s12187-019-9619-y
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s12187-019-9619-y?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Julie Seligson & E. Huebner & Robert Valois, 2003. "Preliminary Validation of the Brief Multidimensional Students' Life Satisfaction Scale (BMSLSS)," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 61(2), pages 121-145, February.
    2. Michael Furlong & Sukkyung You & Tyler Renshaw & Douglas Smith & Meagan O’Malley, 2014. "Preliminary Development and Validation of the Social and Emotional Health Survey for Secondary School Students," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 117(3), pages 1011-1032, July.
    3. Joyce, Hilary D. & Early, Theresa J., 2014. "The impact of school connectedness and teacher support on depressive symptoms in adolescents: A multilevel analysis," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 101-107.
    4. Shannon Suldo & Devon Minch & Brittany Hearon, 2015. "Adolescent Life Satisfaction and Personality Characteristics: Investigating Relationships Using a Five Factor Model," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 16(4), pages 965-983, August.
    5. Zi Jia Ng & Eugene Scott Huebner & Alberto Maydeu-Olivares & Kimberly Joy Hills, 2018. "Confirmatory Factor Analytic Structure and Measurement Invariance of the Brief Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale (BMSLSS) in a Longitudinal Sample of Adolescents," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 11(4), pages 1237-1247, August.
    6. Seung-yeon Lee & Sukkyung You & Michael J. Furlong, 2016. "Validation of the Social Emotional Health Survey–Secondary for Korean Students," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 9(1), pages 73-92, March.
    7. Benjamin Funk & E. Huebner & Robert Valois, 2006. "Reliability and Validity of a Brief Life Satisfaction Scale with a High School Sample," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 7(1), pages 41-54, March.
    8. Livy Fogle & E. Scott Huebner & James Laughlin, 2002. "The Relationship between Temperament and Life Satisfaction in Early Adolescence: Cognitive and Behavioral Mediation Models," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 3(4), pages 373-392, December.
    9. Carmel Proctor & P. Linley & John Maltby, 2010. "Very Happy Youths: Benefits of Very High Life Satisfaction Among Adolescents," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 98(3), pages 519-532, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Ni, Xiaoli & Li, Xiaoran & Wang, Yuping, 2021. "The impact of family environment on the life satisfaction among young adults with personality as a mediator," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    2. Gökmen Arslan & Kelly-Ann Allen & Ahmet Tanhan, 2021. "School Bullying, Mental Health, and Wellbeing in Adolescents: Mediating Impact of Positive Psychological Orientations," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(3), pages 1007-1026, June.
    3. Jose A. Piqueras & Tiscar Rodriguez-Jimenez & Juan Carlos Marzo & Maria Rivera-Riquelme & Agustin E. Martinez-Gonzalez & Raquel Falco & Michael J. Furlong, 2019. "Social Emotional Health Survey-Secondary (SEHS-S): A Universal Screening Measure of Social-Emotional Strengths for Spanish-Speaking Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-16, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Carmel Proctor & P. Linley & John Maltby, 2009. "Youth Life Satisfaction: A Review of the Literature," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 10(5), pages 583-630, October.
    2. R. M. Tomlinson & L. Keyfitz & J. S. Rawana & M. N. Lumley, 2017. "Unique Contributions of Positive Schemas for Understanding Child and Adolescent Life Satisfaction and Happiness," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 18(5), pages 1255-1274, October.
    3. Janette McDougall & Virginia Wright & Megan Nichols & Linda Miller, 2013. "Assessing the Psychometric Properties of Both a Global and a Domain-Specific Perceived Quality of Life Measure When Used with Youth Who Have Chronic Conditions," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 114(3), pages 1243-1257, December.
    4. Pedro J. C. Costa & Richard A. Inman & Paulo A. S. Moreira, 2022. "The Brief Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale (BMSLSS): Further Evidence of Factorial Structure, Reliability, and Relations with Other Indicators of Subjective Wellbeing," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(6), pages 3541-3558, December.
    5. Xiaofeng Xu & Qingqing Nie & Wang Liu & E. Scott Huebner & Lili Tian, 2022. "Children’s Life Satisfaction: Developmental Trajectories and Environmental and Personality Predictors," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(6), pages 2805-2826, August.
    6. Zi Jia Ng & Eugene Scott Huebner & Alberto Maydeu-Olivares & Kimberly Joy Hills, 2018. "Confirmatory Factor Analytic Structure and Measurement Invariance of the Brief Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale (BMSLSS) in a Longitudinal Sample of Adolescents," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 11(4), pages 1237-1247, August.
    7. Jorge J. Varela & Javier Guzmán & Jaime Alfaro & Fernando Reyes, 2019. "Bullying, Cyberbullying, Student Life Satisfaction and the Community of Chilean Adolescents," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 14(3), pages 705-720, July.
    8. Mònica González-Carrasco & Ferran Casas & Asher Ben-Arieh & Shazly Savahl & Habib Tiliouine, 2019. "Children’s Perspectives and Evaluations of Safety in Diverse Settings and Their Subjective Well-Being: A Multi-National Approach," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 14(2), pages 309-334, April.
    9. Matt Vassar & William Hale, 2007. "Reliability reporting practices in youth life satisfaction research," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 83(3), pages 487-496, September.
    10. Janette McDougall & Virginia Wright, 2018. "Domain-Based and Overall Life Satisfaction for Youth with Chronic Conditions: The Role of Personal, Interpersonal, and Environmental Factors Over a One-Year Period," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 13(4), pages 1097-1115, December.
    11. Ni, Xiaoli & Li, Xiaoran & Wang, Yuping, 2021. "The impact of family environment on the life satisfaction among young adults with personality as a mediator," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    12. Siew Yap & Rozumah Baharudin, 2016. "The Relationship Between Adolescents’ Perceived Parental Involvement, Self-Efficacy Beliefs, and Subjective Well-Being: A Multiple Mediator Model," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 126(1), pages 257-278, March.
    13. Eui Kyung Kim & Erin Dowdy & Michael M. Furlong & Sukkyung You, 2019. "Complete Mental Health Screening: Psychological Strengths and Life Satisfaction in Korean Students," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 12(3), pages 901-915, June.
    14. Gökmen Arslan, 2019. "Exploring the Effects of Positive Psychological Strengths on Psychological Adjustment in Adolescents," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 12(4), pages 1449-1464, August.
    15. Danilo Garcia & Saleh Moradi, 2013. "The Affective Temperaments and Well-Being: Swedish and Iranian Adolescents’ Life Satisfaction and Psychological Well-Being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 14(2), pages 689-707, April.
    16. Fabiane Friedrich Schütz & Lívia Maria Bedin & Jorge Castellá Sarriera, 2019. "Subjective Well-Being of Brazilian Children from Different Family Settings," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 14(3), pages 737-750, July.
    17. Marija Džida & Toni Babarović & Andreja Brajša-Žganec, 2023. "The Factor Structure of Different Subjective Well-Being Measures and its Correlates in the Croatian Sample of Children and Adolescents," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(5), pages 1871-1888, October.
    18. Gökmen Arslan, 2018. "Social Exclusion, Social Support and Psychological Wellbeing at School: A Study of Mediation and Moderation Effect," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 11(3), pages 897-918, June.
    19. Danilo Garcia & Anver Siddiqui, 2009. "Adolescents’ Psychological Well-Being and Memory for Life Events: Influences on Life Satisfaction with Respect to Temperamental Dispositions," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 10(4), pages 407-419, August.
    20. Shannon Suldo & Devon Minch & Brittany Hearon, 2015. "Adolescent Life Satisfaction and Personality Characteristics: Investigating Relationships Using a Five Factor Model," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 16(4), pages 965-983, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:chinre:v:12:y:2019:i:6:d:10.1007_s12187-019-9619-y. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.