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Studies

VanSluijs (2004): study NL 1987

Publication

Author(s):
VanSluijs, J.
Title:
Effecten van Levenslooptransities op de Tevredenheid van Jong Volwassenen. (Effects of Life course Transition on Satisfaction of Adolescents).
Source:
Master thesis, University Tilburg, 2004, Netherlands

Investigation

Public
Young adults, followed from age 18 to 30, The Netherlands, 1987-1999
Sample
Probability stratified sample
Respondents
N = 836
Non Response
36,6% (baseline)
Assessment
Interview: face-to-face
Face to face interviews, questionnaires, telephone interviews (1999)

Happiness Measure(s) and Distributional Findings

Full text:
Self report on four questions:

Using the 1-7 scale below, indicate how much each of the following statements applies for you in the last 18 months.
A  In most ways my life is close to ideal
B  The conditions of my life are excellent
C  I am satisfied with my life
D  So far, I have gotten the important things I want in life

Answers rated:
7  applies completely
6  applies
5  applies slightly
4  neither applies nor does not apply
3  slightly not applicable
2  not applicable
1  applies not at all

Computation: A+B+C+D divided by 4

Name: Shortened Diener's Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), last years version
(In the original scale item 5 reads: 'If I could live my life over, I would change nothing'. This item is left out in this selection because a positive answer to this question does not necessarily mean that the respondent doesn't like the life he/she actually lives.)
Classification:
M-CO-cy-mq-v-7-b
Author's label:
Life satisfaction (tevredenheid met leve
Remarks:
Not assessed at T2

When 2 or more items were not answered, the result was a missing value for this scale.

Responses to the 4 items were summed and next transformed to range 0-10, using the following procedure:
- 4 points of the sum were substracted to reduce the lowest possible value to 0
- divided by 24 (28 minus highest possible value 4)
- multiplied by 10

       All respondents           All rounds Ss only
       N         Mt       SD        N       Mt       SD  
T1   1750   7,25    1,91      676    7,49    1,83
T3   1256   7,47    1,78      676    7,63    1,69
T4     936   7,49    1,85      676    7,54    1,83
T5     830   7,72     1,71     676    7,76    1,70
Page in publication:
41, 52
Error estimates:
Cronbach’s alpha = T1: .80, T3 .86, T34 .89, T5: .86
Observed distribution
Summary Statistics
On original range 1 - 7 On range 0-10
Mean:
- 7.59
SD:
- 1.77

Correlational Findings

Author's label Subject Description Finding Gender Sexe: male (vs female) Birth cohort Current age (in years) Correlation of happiness scores over time Past happiness ( 1 to 10 years ago) Age Current age (in years) Education Level of school-education Mental health Current general mental health
Current mental complaints
Neuroticism Neurotic (f48) Extraversion Extraverted First paid job Current employment status Unemployed Unemployed involuntary Left parental home Living with parents Living together/marriage first partner Ever lived as married
Married state (compared to non-married states)
Divorce/separation from first partner Ever divorced/separated
Married (vs divorced)
Married (vs separated)
Living with a second partner Recent re-marriage First child Ever had children (vs not)
Current parental status
Years since first paid job Development of one's employment Years since left parental home Change in family of origin
Earlier housing
Years since Living together/marriage first partner Recent marriage
Length of current marriage
Years since divorce/separation from first partner Recent divorce/separation Years since living together/marriage second partner Recent re-marriage Years since first child: Development of parental status Got older Long term happiness (< 10 years ago)
Change age
Got one's first paid job Specific life-changes
Becamet (re)employed
Fell unemployed Specific life-changes
Became unemployed
Left parental home Change in housing
Specific life-changes
Got married to first partner Specific life-changes
Recent start of living as married
Recent marriage
Got divorced from first partner Specific life-changes
Recent divorce/separation
Remarried to second partner Specific life-changes
Recent re-marriage
Got first child Birth of children
Specific life-changes