Adolescent Students’ Happiness

Abstract

          Adolescence is a period of transition from childhood to adulthood. Many changes occur during this period that may affect individuals’ happiness in life. The descriptive study aimed to examine the level and components of happiness among adolescent students.
One hundred and eighty five students, using convenient sampling method, were recruited from the secondary schools in the southern provinces, who attended activities at the booth
of psychiatric nursing department, Faculty of Nursing, in the 2013 PSU academic fair. Self-administered questionnaire covering two parts of the general information and the Thai Happiness Indicators, with a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient at 0.70, was used to collect
data. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.
          Most of the subjects were female (68%) with an average age 16.12 years, GPA 3.51-4.00 (37%). Their families were cohesive (85%). When worried, they got help (78%)
by consulting mothers (41%) and friends (32%). They managed stress by talking to the closed ones (58%) and doing activities (55%). They mostly perceived themselves as a cheerful and easy going person (74%) and had academic problems (63%).
The findings also found that most of adolescents (91.35%) had happiness in the normal level. Considering each of four domains of the happiness, the highest average level
was found in supporting factors (M = 3.58) and followed by mental status (M = 3.43), mental quality (M = 3.12), and mental capacity (M = 2.54), respectively.

          The findings could be used as a basis for planning, promoting and maintaining their happiness in ongoing life by practicing emotional control when serious events occurred as well as accepting the unsolvable problems.