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
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:

Selfreport 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:

Selfreport 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 Sex (male vs female) age Current age (in years) height Heigth weight Weight marital status MARRIAGE: CURRENT MARITAL STATUS Social group Current total social participation
SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS Family Social Group UNCLASSIFIED
SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS 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 Satisfaction with aspects of work
Current meaning of life 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 selfestimate of mental health self-perceived physical health Global health rating satisfaction with one's own health Satisfaction with health sick days last year Absenteeism at work
Days ill type of health problems Problems with health
Symptoms of bad health
Current psycho-somatic complaints
Self ratings of mental health number of health problems Number of health complaints disease diagnosis Expert rating of health
Expert ratings of mental 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 Type of income
Own income or not
Current employment status 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 Earlier anesthesia
Surgery bodymass Weight acceptance of own body Evaluation of aspects of self abortion Earlier abortion
Specific earlier life-events
Earlier abortion miscarriage Specific earlier life-events
Pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (o00-o99)
Earlier physical health
Death of children medical treatment Alternative treatment
Currently in treatment or not self-image Current self-characterization view of life Satisfaction with multiple domains of life
Summed life aspect evaluations (semantic differential scales) loneliness Feeling lonely (vs not) suicide Suicidal intentions meaning in life Current meaning of 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 Mood at home
Attitudes to household-composition feelings during leisure hours Satisfaction with leisure
Mood during leisure
Satisfaction with leisure hours sex-life Sexual activity satisfaction with sex-life_B Satisfaction with sex-life sexual preferences Sexual preference attractiveness Attitudes to one's sex-life
Current self-evaluation
Self-perceived reputation
Self rating of good looks sexual problems_B Problems with sex partner Steady love-relation
Earlier love-life
Earlier marital states
Married state (compared to non-married states) partner-relation Satisfaction with marriage previous partner relation Characteristics of earlier marriage-relationship(s)
Perceived quality of intimate ties 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 Current parental status
Pregnant
Childlessness voluntary or not 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 attitudes to nation
Attitudes to political system
Current anomy satisfaction with society Current satisfaction with nation
Attitudes to political system
Current anomy 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 Materialisic values
Existential values number of values Value set wide-ranging values Value-pattern
Diversity of values Quality of life questionaire Respondents attitudes to interview
Questioning personal resources UNCLASSIFIED assesment of one's own quality of life Current overall judgements of life as a whole self-experienced well-being Current mood of the moment
O-SL by A-AOL
O-HL by A-AOL 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 Fulfilled/rewarding (vs frustrating)
Gratifying (vs frustrating)
Aspect judgements of one's life as a whole 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-actualisation 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 Satisfaction with contributions to others
Satisfaction with meaning
Meaningful (vs useless) need for an exciting and varied life Exiting (vs dull)
Sensation seeking need for self-realization Satisfaction with self-realization
Aspect judgements of one's life as a whole
Self-actualization (need for) denial of needs Gratifying (vs frustrating)
Aspect judgements of one's life as a whole questionaire as adequate Respondents attitudes to interview
Questioning (un)ethical questions Respondents attitudes to interview
Questioning 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