Paper Title
Perceived Life Satisfaction and Anxiety Among High School Students
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between life satisfaction and anxiety together with some demographic variables in high school students. This purpose, to measure students' life satisfaction was used Multidimensional Students Life Satisfaction Scale (MSLSS). The MSLSS has got five dimensions such as family, friends, school, living environment and self [7]. To measure the emotional state of the students was used the Hospital Anxiety Depression (HAD) Scale [18]. One hundred eighty-three high school students participated in the study. 59.6 % were female and 40.4% were male. Gender, mother education level, father education level, economic level, and anxiety were used to explain students' life satisfaction. In the study, six separate regression models were established for five dimensions (family, friends, school, living environment and self) and total MSLSS. The models of family, school and living environment and MSLSS dependent variables were found to be statistically significant. The findings showed a significant negative relation between anxiety and MSLSS (β=-0.325; p<0.01), also economic level and MSLSS (β=0.160; p<0.05). The independent variables explained only 13% of the MSLSS level. Anxiety was the most important variable to explain life satisfaction. The second important variable was the economic level to explain life satisfaction. The gender variable was found to be statistically significant only in the model established for the school-dimension. It was concluded that the school life satisfaction levels of females were higher than male students. The anxiety variable was found to be statistically significant in family, school and living environment and MSLSS models. It was concluded that both MSLSS and living environment satisfaction levels of the students with high economic levels were high. The result of the multiple regression analysis showed that the friends-dimension and self-dimension model was not significant. A strong and negative relationship was found between MSLSS and its subscales and HAD-Anxiety (except friends-dimension and self-dimension). As a result, it is possible to say that anxiety and economic level variables have significant explanatory variables in explaining the MSLSS level. It can be said that the findings of this study will help teachers in schools to educate more effectively.
Keywords - Anxiety, High School, Life Satisfaction, Students