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Correlational findings

Study Headey & Krause (1994): study AU 1981

Public
18-65 aged, general public, Victoria, Australia, followed from 1981 to 1989
Sample
Respondents
N = 502
Non Response
Assessment
Interview: face-to-face
Face-to-face interviews at T1, T2, T3. Mailed questionnaire at T4

Correlate

Authors's Label
Life satisfaction over time
Our Classification
Error Estimates
Correlations of responses on same item at beginning and end of the interview: r=+.80
Operationalization
Selfreport on single question asked twice
'How do you feel about your life as a whole?'
1  terrible
2  very unhappy
3  unhappy
4  mostly dissatisfied
5  mixed feelings
6  mostly satisfied
7  pleased
8  very pleased
9  delighted
Assessed at T1 (1981), T2 (1983), T3 (1985) and T5 (1989)

Observed Relation with Happiness

Happiness Measure Statistics Elaboration / Remarks O-DT-u-sqt-v-9-a r = +.64 p < .05 T1 happines by T2 happines: raw correlation O-DT-u-sqt-v-9-a r = +.70 p < .05 T1 happines by T2 happines: disattenuated r O-DT-u-sqt-v-9-a r = +.47 p < .05 T1 happiness by T3 happiness: raw r O-DT-u-sqt-v-9-a r = +.49 p < .05 T1 happiness by T3 happiness: disattenuated r O-DT-u-sqt-v-9-a r = +.44 p < .05 T1 happiness by T4 happiness: raw r O-DT-u-sqt-v-9-a r = +.45 p < .05 T1 happiness by T4 happiness: disattenuated r O-DT-u-sqt-v-9-a r = +.47 p < .05 T1 happiness by T5 happiness: raw r O-DT-u-sqt-v-9-a r = +.49 p < .05 T1 happiness by T5 happiness: disattenuated r O-DT-u-sqt-v-9-a = Disattenuated correlations were obtained assuming a validity of 0.8 O-DT-u-sqt-v-9-a D% = QUINTILE TRANSITION MATRIX 1981 - 1989:
Life Satisfaction     Life Satisfaction 1989   
1981               Q1    Q2    Q3    Q4    Q5
-----------------------------------------------
Q1                50.0% 27.3% 12.1%  7.6%  3.0%
Q2                28.8% 26.3% 23.8% 12.5%  8.8%
Q3                10.5% 31.4% 20.9% 29.1%  8.1%
Q4                12.0% 14.7% 26.7% 22.7% 24.0%
Q5                10.8%  8.4% 12.0% 16.9% 51.8%