Ventegodt (1995): study DK 1993

Publication

Author(s):

Ventegodt, S.

Title:

Liskvalitet I Danmark. (Quality of Life in Denmark. Results from a Population Survey).

Source:

Forskningscentrets Forlag, 1995, Copenhagen, Denmark

Investigation

Public

18-88 aged, general public, Denmark, 1993

Sample

Non-probability purposive sample

Respondents

N = 1494

Non Response

39%

Assessment

Questionnaire: Paper & Pencil Interview (PAPI)
Mailed questionnaire

Happiness Measure(s) and Distributional Findings

Full text:

Single direct question:

How are you feeling now....?
5  very good
4  good
3  neither good nor poor
2  poor
1  very poor

Classification:

A-AOL-m-sq-v-5-a

Author's label:

immediate self-experienced well-being

Remarks:

The 5 verbal answer-categories were transformed to
cumulative percentages
1 = very poorly   -> 10%
2 = poorly            -> 30%
3 = neither /nor  -> 50%
4 = good              -> 70%
5  = very good   -> 90%
Thus transformed the mean is 72
See Ventegodt, 1995: Measuring the Quality of Life, page 64-67

Page in publication:

507, 398

Observed distribution

Frequencies

1: 0.7%,   2: 3.8%,   3: 13.8%,   4: 47.7%,   5: 33.9%   (total 99.9%)

Summary Statistics

On original range 1 - 5 On range 0-10

Mean:

4.10 7.75

SD:

0.83 2.07

Full text:

Self report on single question:

'How satisfied are you with your life now?'
5  very satisfied
2  satisfied
3  neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
2  dissatisfied
1  very dissatisfied

Classification:

O-SLu-c-sq-v-5-e

Author's label:

life satisfaction

Remarks:

Original text in Danish:
'Hvor tilfreds er du med dit liv for tiden?'
5  meget tilfreds
4  tilfreds
3  hverken tilfreds eller utilfreds
2  utilfreds
1  meget  utilfreds

The 5 verbal answer-categories were transformed to cumulative perentages
1 = very poorly   -> 10%
2 = poorly            -> 30%
3 = neither /nor  -> 50%
4 = good              -> 70%
5  = very good   -> 90%
Thus transformed the mean is 69,5
See Ventegodt, 1995: Measuring the Quality of Life, page 64-67

Page in publication:

507, 400

Observed distribution

Frequencies

1: 0%,   2: 4.7%,   3: 16.1%,   4: 52.8%,   5: 25.4%   (total 99%)

Summary Statistics

On original range 1 - 5 On range 0-10

Mean:

3.97 7.43

SD:

0.82 2.06

Full text:

Self report on single question

How happy are you now?
5  very happy
4  happy
3  neither happy nor unhappy
2  unhappy
1  very unhappy

Classification:

O-HL-c-sq-v-5-ha

Author's label:

happiness

Remarks:

The 5 verbal answer-categories were transformed to
cumulative percentages
1 = very poorly   -> 10%
2 = poorly            -> 30%
3 = neither /nor  -> 50%
4 = good              -> 70%
5  = very good   -> 90%
The transformed mean is then 65,5
See Ventegodt, 1995: Measuring the Quality of Life, page 64-67

Page in publication:

507, 402

Observed distribution

Frequencies

1: 0.5%,   2: 2.2%,   3: 33.74%,   4: 46.5%,   5: 17.1%   (total 100.04%)

Summary Statistics

On original range 1 - 5 On range 0-10

Mean:

3.77 6.93

SD:

0.77 1.92

Correlational Findings

Author's label Subject Description Finding male sex Sexe: male (vs female) age Current age (in years) height Height weight Weight marital status MARRIAGE: CURRENT MARITAL STATUS Social group Current total social participation
SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS Family Social Group SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS
UNCLASSIFIED Type of Housing Type of current dwelling co-habitants Current household-composition
Living alone or not
Living with children residence(country/town) Community size
Region in Denmark county of residence Region in Denmark annual income Personal income durable consumer goods Specific possessions rating of income Satisfaction with financial situation satisfaction with income Satisfaction with financial situation attending school or university Intellectual level of school type of education School-type completed secondary education Level of school-education Type of completed vocational education Educational specialization Completed education IN 4 LEVELS Educational specialization main occupation Current occupation number of subordinates Occupational level Job type Kind of occupation (profession) management position Size of work organization kind of employment Kind of occupation (profession) meaningful work Perceived usefulness of one's work satisfaction with work Satisfaction with work-as-a-whole feeling good at work Mood in situations
Mood during work Physical work environment Satisfaction with work conditions social work environment Satisfaction with colleagues relations with fellow workers Satisfaction with colleagues with/without partner Married state (compared to non-married states) years of schooling Years schooling with/without friend Number of close friends satisfaction with sex life_A Satisfaction with sex-life daily contacts_B Current contacts relations with yourself Evaluation of self-as-a-whole hours of exausting (physical) exercise a week diet Current nutrition
Concern about nutrition alcohol consumption Use of alcohol Smoking Use of tobacco on the average, how much do you smoke a day Use of tobacco psychotropic drugs Earlier use of stimulants self-perceived mental health Overall self estimate of mental health self-perceived physical health Global health self-rating satisfaction with one's own health Satisfaction with health sick days last year Days ill
Absenteeism at work type of health problems Symptoms of bad health
Problems with health
Current psycho-somatic complaints
Self ratings of mental health number of health problems Number of health complaints disease diagnosis Expert ratings of mental health
Expert rating of health current diseases and conditions Current disease (who icd-10 classification) unemployment Current employment status with/without children Children in the household current employment status Current employment status
Own income or not
Type of income mental disorders Current specific mental disorders (icd-10 classification)
Current psycho-somatic complaints
Self ratings of mental health medical treatment Illness treated Operation under general anaesthesia Surgery
Earlier anesthesia bodymass Weight acceptance of own body Evaluation of aspects of self abortion Specific earlier life-events
Earlier abortion
Earlier abortion miscarriage Death of children
Specific earlier life-events
Earlier physical health
Pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (o00-o99) medical treatment Currently in treatment or not
Alternative treatment self-image Current self-characterization view of life Summed life aspect evaluations (semantic differential scales)
Satisfaction with multiple domains of life loneliness Feeling lonely (vs not) suicide Suicidal intentions meaning in life Overall judgement of meaningfulness of one's life acceptance of one's own body Evaluation of aspects of self problems as challenge Current problems self-confidence Feeling self-confident (vs inadequate)
Self-confidant feelings at home Attitudes to household-composition
Mood at home feelings during leisure hours Satisfaction with leisure
Satisfaction with leisure hours
Mood during leisure sex-life Sexual activity satisfaction with sex-life_B Satisfaction with sex-life sexual preferences Sexual preference attractiveness Self rating of good looks
Current self-evaluation
Self-perceived reputation
Attitudes to one's sex-life sexual problems_B Problems with sex partner Earlier love-life
Steady love-relation
Earlier marital states
Married state (compared to non-married states) partner-relation Satisfaction with marriage previous partner relation Perceived quality of intimate ties
Characteristics of earlier marriage-relationship(s) satisfaction with relationship Satisfaction with marriage length of relationship Length of current marriage partner's occupation Occupation of spouse partner's income Income of spouse difference in educational levels Education of spouse having children Current parental status
Non-biological children
Step children relation's with one's children Current relation with one's children satisfaction regarding children Satisfaction with parenting childlesness Pregnant
Childlessness voluntary or not
Current parental status number of biological children Number of children children living at home Children in the household
Current characteristics of one's children children in home Children in the household type of parents Non-biological child satisfaction with parents Attitudes to family of origin relations with parents Relations with parents siblings Characteristics of siblings
Twin or triplet child relationship's with one's sibling Relations with siblings close friend Number of close friends relations with friends Current contacts with friends satisfaction with relations with friends Satisfaction with personal contacts daily contacts_A Frequency of intimate contacts satisfaction with acqaintances Satisfaction with friends quality of one's social relations Current contacts relations with society Current anomy
Current attitudes to nation
Attitudes to political system satisfaction with society Current anomy
Current satisfaction with nation
Attitudes to political system feeling part of a whole Feeling part of larger whole believing that other people speak well of oneself Self perceived recognition relations with nature Attitude to local natural environment
UNCLASSIFIED satisfaction with local natural environment Attitude to local natural environment values Specific concerns
Value set "masculine" and "feminine" values Feminine value pattern materialistic versus spiritual values Materialistic values
Existential values number of values Value set wide-ranging values Value-pattern
Diversity of values Quality of life questionaire Questioning
Respondents attitudes to interview personal resources UNCLASSIFIED assesment of one's own quality of life Current overall judgements of life as a whole self-experienced well-being O-HL by A-AOL
O-SL by A-AOL
Current mood of the moment life satisfaction O-HL by O-SL
O-SL by A-AOL happiness O-HL by O-SL
O-HL by A-AOL fulfilment of needs Aspect judgements of one's life as a whole
Fulfilled/rewarding (vs frustrating)
Gratifying (vs frustrating) family, work, leisure Family + leisure + work family, work and leisure time Appraisals of specific domains of life
MOOD
Feeling energetic (vs lethargic, tired) satisfaction with relations Satisfaction with personal contacts expression of life's potentials Multiple aspect evaluations of life
LIFE GOALS
Later need for self-actualization objective factors UNCLASSIFIED fulfilment of basic biological needs Fulfilled/rewarding (vs frustrating) fulfilment of social needs Aspect judgements of one's life as a whole fulfilment of need to be useful Meaningful (vs useless)
Satisfaction with meaning of life
Satisfaction with contributions to others need for an exciting and varied life Exiting (vs dull)
Sensation seeking need for self-realization Aspect judgements of one's life as a whole
Self-actualization (need for)
Satisfaction with self-realization denial of needs Aspect judgements of one's life as a whole
Gratifying (vs frustrating) questionaire as adequate Questioning
Respondents attitudes to interview (un)ethical questions Questioning
Respondents attitudes to interview characteristics of one's children Current characteristics of one's children only child Only child halfbrothers and -sisters Family composition (earlier for adults, current for young) twin or triplet Position in family
Twin or triplet child partner's job type Occupation of spouse diseases of women Earlier physical health sexual problems_A Problems with sex