Intergenerational Transmission of Latent Satisfaction Reflected by Satisfaction Across Multiple Life Domains: A Prospective 32-year Follow-Up Study

Henrik Dobewall, Mirka Hintsanen (), Kateryna Savelieva, Christian Hakulinen, Päivi Merjonen, Kia Gluschkoff and Liisa Keltikangas-Järvinen
Additional contact information
Henrik Dobewall: University of Helsinki
Mirka Hintsanen: University of Oulu
Kateryna Savelieva: University of Helsinki
Christian Hakulinen: University of Helsinki
Päivi Merjonen: University of Helsinki
Kia Gluschkoff: University of Helsinki
Liisa Keltikangas-Järvinen: University of Helsinki

Journal of Happiness Studies, 2019, vol. 20, issue 3, No 16, 955-970

Abstract: Abstract Intergenerational transmission of life satisfaction has been empirically established, but less is known about the continuity of satisfaction as being reflected across multiple life domains, unique effects of parental domain-specific satisfaction on offspring overall life satisfaction, and potential gender effects. In this population-based prospective study, the association between the life satisfaction of parents (G1) (2191 mothers and 2156 fathers) and their children (G2) (921 sons and 1277 daughters) was examined. In both generations, satisfaction as a parent, as a spouse, and at work was assessed in about the same developmental stage (mean age for G1 38–42 years, and for G2 38–43 years at the times when LS was measured). When both parents were considered jointly, only mothers’ overall life satisfaction had an independent effect on their adult children’s overall life satisfaction, with the effect diminishing over time. However, we also found a robust effect of paternal satisfaction at work on offspring’s overall life satisfaction in adulthood. Gender of the offspring did not significantly moderate the strength of the associations between generations. The current findings emphasize the high interdependence of life satisfaction within families long after children have moved out of the parental home.

Keywords: Intergenerational transmission; Life satisfaction; Multiple life domains; Gender effects; Young Finns study (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10902-018-9975-1 Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:20:y:2019:i:3:d:10.1007_s10902-018-9975-1

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.springer. ... fe/journal/10902/PS2

DOI: 10.1007/s10902-018-9975-1

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of Happiness Studies is currently edited by Antonella Delle Fave

More articles in Journal of Happiness Studies from Springer
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().