Life Stress, Optimism, and Life Satisfaction among School Students

The objective of this study was to examine the relationship among life stress, optimism and life satisfaction among adolescents. A sample of 145 high school students (78 male and 67 female) were randomly selected from the school for current study. The participants were given three standardized questionnaires to assess their levels of life stress, optimism and life satisfaction. The scales used for the current study were Students Stress Inventory by Gadzella, Revised Life Orientation Test by Scheier, Carver and Bridges, Multidimensional Students' Life Satisfaction Scale (MSLSS) by Scott Huebner. Pearson's correlational analysis and t-test were carried out to assess the relationship among life stress, optimism and life satisfaction, and to examine the gender differences. The study found significant positive correlation between optimism and life satisfaction and it also found that girls experienced higher level of life satisfaction when compared to boys and that boys experienced a high level of pressure, a dimension of life stress, when compared to girls. Some kind of counseling program can be designed to improve life satisfaction and reduce pressure among boys and as well as for their family.