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Can Students be Too Happy in School? The Optimal Level of School Satisfaction

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Abstract

Research to date has assumed linearity in the relationships been school satisfaction (SS), with more positive presumed outcomes associated with increasing levels of school satisfaction (cf. Huebner & Gilman, 2006). Given recent concerns over possible negative consequences associated with the very highest levels of general subjective well-being (Oishi, Diener, & Lucas, 2007), this study investigated the relationships of very high levels of SS, in particular, to measures of academic achievement and interpersonal relationships among middle school students. Analyses based on those of Oishi et al. demonstrated that for both academic achievement and interpersonal relationship measures, the non-linear effect was not significant for this sample of US middle school students. Limitations of the study as well as implications for future research are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA

    Audrey M. Whitley, E. Scott Huebner, Kimberly J. Hills & Robert F. Valois

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  1. Audrey M. Whitley
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  2. E. Scott Huebner
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  3. Kimberly J. Hills
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  4. Robert F. Valois
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Correspondence to E. Scott Huebner.

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Whitley, A.M., Huebner, E.S., Hills, K.J. et al. Can Students be Too Happy in School? The Optimal Level of School Satisfaction. Applied Research Quality Life 7, 337–350 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-012-9167-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-012-9167-9

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