Life satisfaction trajectories of junior high school students in poverty: Exploring the role of self-efficacy and social support

Abstract

Introduction: Adolescents' evaluation of overall life in response to adverse life circumstances may depend on the features of events as well as the resources of the youngsters, but there is a lack of research examining whether these factors relate to life satisfaction trajectories from early adolescence to late adolescence (ranging from age 12 to 19). This study analyzes whether controllable negative life events, internal resources, (e.g., self-efficacy) and external resources, (e.g., three sources of social support) predict life satisfaction trajectories, and whether these resources moderate the negative impacts of controllable events on life satisfaction trajectories.

Methods: Multilevel growth modeling was used to analyze a three-wave, nationally representative sample consisting of 818 adolescents from poor families in Taiwan. At time T1, participants were junior high school students (mean age = 13.52, SD=.83).

Results: The results revealed that controllable negative events reduced the initial state of life satisfaction, whereas self-efficacy and family support enhanced the initial life satisfaction. In addition, instead of providing a buffering effect, self-efficacy strengthened the link between baseline controllable events and changes in life satisfaction.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that peer support, rather than family and teacher support, moderates the impact of controllable negative events on life satisfaction over time.

Keywords: Life satisfaction trajectories; Negative life events; Self-efficacy; Social support; Taiwan.