This study looked at people's self-reports of satisfaction with various aspects of life and personal happiness. The sample was divided into three categories regarding the size of the community of the respondent: rural, urban and large urban. Similarly to other studies of this nature, we found that rural people expressed higher levels of subjective psychological wellbeing than did people who live in urban and large urban communities. The concept of social desirability was incorporated into this paper. A rather large percentage of all three categories (rural, urban and large urban) of respondents, across a wide range of demographic characteristics (such as age, sex, race, etc.), indicated substantial amounts of satisfaction and happiness. This seems partially due to the fact that people have a tendency to give very positive answers to questions regarding subjective psychological well-being. In other words, it is socially desirable to indicate that one is satisfied and happy with various aspects of one's life; while it is socially undesirable to indicate that one is dissatisfied or unhappy.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze changes in selected social indicators through life and relate these changes to the population dynamics of SMSAs. The research examined the relationship between changes in levels of living in the 1970s and net migration rates. United States Census data on Standard Metropolitan Statistical Areas (SMSAs) were used in the analysis. The findings indicated that net migration rates were statistically related to variations in levels of living for SMSAs along with other demographic variables. Levels of living increased more in smaller SMSAs that had positive net migration rates and lower levels of living in 1970. / Master of Urban Affairs

The current work-family literature strongly emphasizes the conflict between the multiple roles that workers and parents assume. This conflict literature leaves readers with the impression that individuals are experiencing stress to a level that detracts from their quality of life (Frone, 2003; Parasuraman, Greenhaus, & Granrose, 1992). A more balanced perspective recognizes both the disadvantages and the potential advantages of engaging in multiple roles. Recent evidence indicates that occupying the roles of worker and spouse/parent may also produce positive outcomes such as greater satisfaction in marriage and on the job (Barnett, 1998; Barnett & Garies, 2006). Greenhaus and Powell (2006) offer one theory that explains the positive interaction between work and family roles by introducing the concept of enrichment, a theory that explains why one role might improve the quality of life in the other role. Using a sample of intercollegiate coaches (N = 286) from institutions located in the United States, this study assessed the influence of work-family conflict and work-family enrichment in relation to occupational and life outcomes for college coaches. Levels of conflict in work-to-family and family-to-work were measured, as well as levels of enrichment in work-to-family and family-to-work. Multiple regression was utilized to analyze six conceptual models with gender, age of participant, the presence of children at home, work-family conflict and work-family enrichment as independent variables. The results indicated work-to-family enrichment ([beta] = .318) and family-to-work enrichment ([beta] = .257) were both significant predictors of life satisfaction (p < .01). Work-to-family conflict ([beta] = -.118) and family-to-work conflict ([beta] = -.269) were significant predictors of life satisfaction (p < .01). Likewise, work-to-family conflict ([beta] = .385) and family-to-work conflict ([beta] = .140) were significant predictors of career commitment (p < .01). Age was a significant predictor of career commitment (p < .05). The findings highlight the need for future theoretical models to include both work-family conflict and work-family enrichment as both contribute uniquely to career and life outcomes. Practical implications include educating athletic administrators of the benefits coaches may accrue as a result of being engaged in both family and work roles. / text

I analyzed the 2004 and 2006 Health and Retirement Study data to test structural equation models of the quality of life (QOL) construct. The participants (N = 1352) were non-institutionalized individuals aged 42 and older (M = 65.70, SD = 10.88), with an average education of 12.73 years (SD = 2.96) and of varied ethnicities. The results indicated that physical functioning, affective experience, life satisfaction and social support could serve as indicators for a second order QOL factor. Furthermore, the developed QOL model explained 96% of the variance of the CASP-19 (Control, Autonomy, Self-realization and Pleasure), a QOL measure that reflects fulfillment of psychological needs. The results also indicated that Depression and Life Satisfaction are related through reciprocal causation and that Physical Functioning is more likely to cause a change in Depression than the reverse. The results suggest that QOL is a complex, multidimensional concept that should be studied at different levels of analysis.