Predictors of Adolescents’ Subjective Happiness Based on Roy’s Adaptation Model: A Longitudinal Study

Improving subjective happiness is significant since it is a measure of positive development and has been linked to health benefits during adolescence. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors associated with longitudinal changes in subjective happiness among Korean adolescents based on Roy’s adaptation theory.

This secondary data analysis study used longitudinal data from 2018 and 2021 from the Korea Welfare Panel Study. This study examines the major stimuli and environmental factors influencing adolescents, categorized as focal and contextual stimuli. Cognitive and emotional strategies, conceptualized as the cognator, are measured through depression, anxiety, withdrawal, and aggression. External adaptive responses, including self-concept and role function, are evaluated for their effects on subjective happiness. To identify the factors associated with subjective happiness, hierarchical multiple linear regression was conducted, with focal stimuli and contextual stimuli included in the first step, cognator in the second, and self-concept and role function in the third, respectively.

The mean age of 324 adolescents was 13.94 (SD±0.80) years, and the subjective happiness scores were 25.10 (SD±4.00) and 19.56 (SD±3.49) at baseline and after three years, respectively. Neglect in focal stimuli (β =-0.11, 95% CI: -0.96, -0.02), academic environment in contextual stimuli (β =0.15, 95% CI: 0.04, 0.39), depression & anxiety in cognator (β =-0.20, 95% CI: -0.29, -0.04), and peer attachments (β =0.19, 95% CI: 0.11, 0.45) in role function explained 14.5% of the variance in subjective happiness.

After a 3-year longitudinal observation, adolescents' subjective happiness decreased, with neglect and academic environment as key stimuli, depression and anxiety as cognitive responses, and peer attachments as role functions. These results emphasized the need for interventions to enhance emotional support, prevent neglect, manage academic stress, and improve peer relationships. Furthermore, approaches should prioritize comprehensive interventions and long-term follow-up to improve adolescent mental health.