Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Associations Among Family Structure, Demographics, and Adolescent Perceived Life Satisfaction

  • Published:
Journal of Child and Family Studies Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Relationships between perceived life satisfaction and family structure were examined among 5,021 public high school adolescents using the self-report CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). Adjusted multiple logistic regression analyses and multivariate models (via SUDAAN) constructed separately, revealed significant race by gender effects. Living with other relatives, non-relatives, or guardians was significantly related (p < .01) to reported life dissatisfaction for all race and gender groups, except black males. However, white females and males living with both parents were significantly less likely (p < .001) to report dissatisfaction with life. Black females living with their mothers only were also significantly less likely (p < .001) to report dissatisfaction with life while black males living with their fathers only and white females living with their mother and another adult/adults were significantly more likely (p < .01) to report dissatisfaction with life. Differing family structures appear to exert disparate effects for life satisfaction on adolescents as a function of race and/or gender. Thus, a particular health promotion intervention may not benefit all adolescents. Intervention efforts must be tailored to adolescents’ specific race and gender characteristics.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

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

  • Andrews, F. M., & Withey, S. B. (1976). Social indicators of well-being: Americans’ perceptions of life quality. New York: Plenum Press.

    Google Scholar 

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

    Google Scholar 

  • Brener, N. D., Collins, J. L., Kann, L., Warren, C. W., & Williams, B. L. (1995). Reliability of the youth risk behavior survey questionnaire. American Journal of Epidemiology, 41, 575–580.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brook, J., Whiteman, M., & Gordon, A. S. (1985). Father absence, perceived family characteristics, and stage of drug use in adolescence. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 2, 87–94.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burton, L. M. (1992). Black grandparents rearing children of drug-addicted parents: Stressors, outcomes, and social service needs. The Gerontologist, 32, 744–751.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The psychology of optimal experience. New York: Harper and Row.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coker, A. L., McKeown, R. E., Sanderson, M. J., Valois, R. F., & Huebner, E. S. (2000). Severe dating and violence, forced sex, and health-related quality of life among South Carolina high school students. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 19, 220–227.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Demo, D. H., & Acock, A. C. (1996). Family structure, family process, and adolescent well-being. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 6, 457–488.

    Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E. (2000). Subjective well-being: The science of happiness and a proposal for a national index. American Psychologist, 55, 34–43.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E., & Fujita, F. (1995). Resources, personal strivings, and subjective well-being: A nomothetic and idiographic approach. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 68, 926–935.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E., Suh, E., Oishi, S., Lucas, R., & Smith, H. L. (1999). Subjective well-being: Three decades of progress. Psychological Bulletin, 125, 276–302.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dew, T., & Huebner, E. S. (1994). Adolescent’s perceived quality of life: An exploratory investigation. Journal of School Psychology, 32, 185–199.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Emick, M., & Hayslip, B. (1996). Custodial grandparenting: New roles for middle aged and older adults. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 43, 135–154.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hawkins, J. D., Catalano, R. F., & Miller, J. Y. (1992). Risk and protective factors for alcohol and other drug problems in adolescence and early adulthood: Implications for substance abuse programs. Psychological Bulletin, 112, 64–105.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hayslip, B., Shore, R. J., Henderson, C. E., & Lambert, P. L. (1998). Custodial grandparenting and the impact of grandchildren with problems on role satisfaction and role meaning. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 53B, S164–S173.

    Google Scholar 

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

    Google Scholar 

  • Huebner, E. S. (1995). The Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale: An assessment of psychometric properties with black and white elementary school students. Social Indicators Research, 34, 315–323.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huebner, E. S. (2003). Research on assessment of life satisfaction of children and adolescents. Social Indicators Research, 64(3), 1–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huebner, E. S., Drane, J. W., & Valois, R. F. (2000). Levels of demographic correlates of adolescent life satisfaction reports. School Psychology International, 21, 281–292.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huebner, E. S., Gilman, R., & Laughlin, J. (2000). A first study of the Multidimensional Student Life Satisfaction Scale with adolescents. Social Indicators Research, 52, 135–160.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huebner, E. S., Laughlin, J. E., Ash, C., & Gilman, R. (1998). Further validation of the Multidimensional Students’ Satisfaction Scale. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 16, 118–134.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCullough, G., Huebner, E. S., & Laughlin J. E. (2000). Life events, self-concept and adolescents’ positive subjective well-being. School Psychology, 37, 281–290.

    Google Scholar 

  • McKennery, P. C., & Fine, M. A. (1993). Parenting following divorce: A comparison of black and white single mothers. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 24, 99–111.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murray V. M., Bynum, M. S., Brody, G. E., Wilbert, A., & Stephens, D. (2001). African American single mothers and children in context: A review of studies on risk and resilience. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 4, 2001.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raphael, D. (1996). The determinants of adolescent health: Evolving definitions, recent findings, and proposed research agenda. Journal of Adolescent Health, 19, 6–16.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Research Triangle Institute (2002). SUDAAN (Release 8.0) [Computer Software]. Research Triangle Park, North Carolina: Research Triangle Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Renwick, R., Brown, I., & Nagler, N. (1996). Quality of life in health promotion and rehabilitation: Conceptual approaches, issues, and applications. Thousand Oaks: CA.

  • Rosen, L. A, & Richardson, C. D. (1999). School-based interventions for children of divorce. Professional School Counseling, 3, 21–26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Salsinger, S., Feldman, R. S., Hammer, M., & Rosario, M. (1993). The effects of physical abuse on children’s social relationships. Child Development, 64, 169–187.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sastre, M. T. M., & Ferriere, G. (2000). Family “decline” and the subjective well-being of Adolescents. Social Indicators Research, 49, 69–82.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seligson, J. L., Huebner, E. S., & Valois, R. F. (2003). Preliminary development and validation of the Brief Multidimensional Student Life Satisfaction Scale. Social Indicators Research, 61, 121–145.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • South Carolina Budget and Control Board (2003). The South Carolina Census 2000. Office of research and statistics. SC Budget and Control Board website accessed October 25, 2003 http://www.ORS2.state.sc.us/Census2000/census_index.asp#state

  • Suldo, S. M., & Huebner, E. S. (2004). The role of life satisfaction in the relationship between authoritative parenting dimensions and adolescent problem behavior. Social Indicators Research, 66, 165–195.

    Google Scholar 

  • Suldo, S. M., & Huebner, E. S. (2004). Does life satisfaction moderate the effects of stressful life events on psychopathological behavior in adolescence? School Psychology Quarterly, 19, 93–105.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Terry, T., & Huebner, E. S. (1995). The relationship between self-concept and life satisfaction in children. Social Indicators Research, 35, 29–52.

    Google Scholar 

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

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Valois, R. F., Zullig, K. J., Huebner, E. S., & Drane, J. W. (2002). Life satisfaction and suicide among high school adolescents. Social Indicators Research, 64, 1–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Valois, R. F., Zullig, K. J., Huebner, E. S., & Drane, J. W. (2003). Relationship between Perceived life satisfaction and dieting behavior among public high school adolescents. Eating Disorders: The Journal of Treatment and Prevention, 11, 271–288.

    Google Scholar 

  • Veenhoven, R. (1998). Bibliography of happiness: 2472 contemporary studies of subjective appreciation in life. Rotterdam, Netherlands: RISBO.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zullig, K. J., Valois, R. F., Huebner, E. S., & Drane, J. W. (2001). Relationship between perceived life satisfaction and adolescents’ substance abuse. Journal of Adolescent Health, 29, 279–288.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Health Education, Physical Education, Health, and Sport Studies, Miami University, Oxford, OH

    Keith J. Zullig M.S.P.H., Ph.D. (Assistant Professor)

  2. Health Promotion, Education and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC

    Robert F. Valois Ph.D., M.P.H. (Professor)

  3. School Psychology, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC

    E. Scott Huebner Ph.D. (Professor)

  4. Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC

    J. Wanzer Drane Ph.D. (Professor)

  5. Family and Preventive Medicine, Schools of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC

    Robert F. Valois Ph.D., M.P.H. (Professor) & J. Wanzer Drane Ph.D. (Professor)

  6. Department of Physical Education, Health, and Sport Studies, Miami University, Oxford, OH, 45056

    Keith J. Zullig M.S.P.H., Ph.D. (Assistant Professor)

Authors
  1. Keith J. Zullig M.S.P.H., Ph.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Robert F. Valois Ph.D., M.P.H.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. E. Scott Huebner Ph.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. J. Wanzer Drane Ph.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Keith J. Zullig M.S.P.H., Ph.D..

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zullig, K.J., Valois, R.F., Huebner, E.S. et al. Associations Among Family Structure, Demographics, and Adolescent Perceived Life Satisfaction. J Child Fam Stud 14, 195–206 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-005-5047-3

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-005-5047-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation