Skip to main content
Log in

Research Note: Happiness among Kuwaiti College Students

  • Published:
Journal of Happiness Studies Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Happiness was assessed in 140 Kuwaiti students by means of a single item self-report. Its retest reliability after one week was good (r=+0.86). It is argued that single question suffices for measuring states like happiness. Average happiness appeared to be quite low compared to students in other countries. Possible reasons for the low level of happiness among Kuwaiti college students are discussed.

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

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  • Abdel-Khalek, A.M.: 1997, 'A survey of fears associated with Iraqi aggression among Kuwaiti children and adolescents: A factorial study 5.7 years after the Gulf War', Psychological Reports 81, pp. 247–255.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Abdel-Khalek, A.M.: 2000, 'The Kuwait University Anxiety Scale: Psychometric properties', Psychological Reports 87, pp. 478–492.

    Google Scholar 

  • Abdel-Khalek, A.M. and D. Lester: 1999, 'Obsession-compulsion in college students in the United States and Kuwait', Psychological Reports 85, pp. 799–800.

    Google Scholar 

  • Abdel-Khalek, A.M. and D. Lester: 2002, 'Can personality predict "suicidality? A study in two cultures', International Journal of Social Psychiatry 48, pp. 231–239.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, R.A. and H. Nistico: 2002, 'Maintaining life satisfaction: The role of positive cognitive bias', Journal of Happiness Studies 3, pp. 37–69.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Francis, L.J., L.B. Brown, D. Lester and R. Philipchalk: 1998, 'Happiness as stable extraversion: A cross-cultural examination of the reliability and validity of the Oxford Happiness Inventory among students in the U.K., U.S.A., Australia, and Canada', Personality & Individual Differences 24, pp. 167–171.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Furnham, A. and H. Cheng: 1999, 'Personality as predictor of mental health and happiness in the East and West', Personality & Individual Differences 27, pp. 395–403.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gordon, R. and R. Wraith: 1993, 'Reponses of children and adolescents to disaster', in J.P. Wilson and B. Raphael (eds), International Handbook of Traumatic Stress Syndromes (Plenum Press, New York), pp. 561–575.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ibrahim, Y.M.: 1992, 'Iraqis left coarse scars on the psyche of Kuwait', The New York Times, August 4, p. A3.

  • Lester, D. and A.M. Abdel-Khalek: 1998a, 'Depression in college students in the United States and Kuwait', Psychological Reports 83, p 410.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lester, D. and A.M. Abdel-Khalek: 1998b, 'Suicidality and personality in American and Kuwaiti students', International Journal of Social Psychiatry 44, pp. 280–283.

    Google Scholar 

  • Macksoud, M.S., A. Dyregrov and M. Raundalen: 1993, 'Traumatic war experiences and their effects on children', in J.P. Wilson and B. Raphael (eds), International Handbook of Traumatic Stress Syndromes (Plenum Press, New York), pp. 625–633.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meleis, A.I.: 1982, 'Effects of modernization on Kuwaiti women', Social Science & Medicine 16, pp. 965–970.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Michalos, A.C.: 1991, Global Report on Student Well-being. Vol. 1, Life Satisfaction and Happiness (Springer-Verlag, New York).

    Google Scholar 

  • Veenhoven, R.: 1995, 'The cross-national pattern of happiness: Test of predictions implied in three theories of happiness', Social Indicators Research 34, pp. 33–68.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Veenhoven, R.: 1999, 'Quality of life in individualistic society: A comparison of 43 nations in the early 1990s', Social Indicators Research 48, pp. 157–186.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Veenhoven, R.: 2001, 'Are the Russians as unhappy as they say they are?' Journal of Happiness Studies 2, pp. 111–136.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Abdel-Khalek, A.M. Research Note: Happiness among Kuwaiti College Students. Journal of Happiness Studies 5, 93–97 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOHS.0000021715.45981.40

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOHS.0000021715.45981.40

Navigation