Happiness, Well-Being, and Postsecondary Attainment: A 22-Year Perspective

• In Event: Poster Session 11
  In Poster Session: Methods for Analyzing Longitudinal Data

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to employ a mixed methods approach to examine levels of happiness, well-being in different domains, satisfaction with various parts of life in relation to post-secondary participation and attainment. We use quantitative and qualitative survey and interview data from the 22 year longitudinal sample of the high school graduating class of 1988 British Columbia, Canada. The overarching research question is, “What constitutes ‘happiness’ and ‘well-being’ for the 1988 high school graduates of British Columbia?” Preliminary analyses of the 2010 findings confirm that ‘happiness’ and ‘well-being’ are complex concepts that are context and temporally related. Also, gender and social class differences are detected.

Authors

• Janine Alysia Jongbloed, The University of British Columbia

• Lesley Andres, The University of British Columbia