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Journal of Happiness Studies
Published in: Journal of Happiness Studies 5/2012

01-10-2012 | Research Paper

Adolescents’ Temperament and Character: A Longitudinal Study on Happiness

Authors: Danilo Garcia, Saleh Moradi

Published in: Journal of Happiness Studies | Issue 5/2012

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Abstract

Personality is considered a major determinant of adults and adolescents Subjective Well-Being (SWB); mainly due to its relation to emotional reactivity, emotional intensity, and to the duration of emotional reactions. However, personality as presented above involves almost only differences in automatic emotional reactions and habits (i.e., temperament). Nevertheless, temperament together with learning experiences from different life events is responsible for what people make of themselves intentionally (i.e., character). The present study examines the relation between temperament and character to SWB at two points in time over a year in an adolescent sample (N = 109). Adolescents reported personality (The Temperament and Character Inventory; TCI) and SWB at the beginning of the school year (T1). Subjective Well-Being was then again measured at the end of the school year (T2). Temperament (Harm Avoidance and Novelty Seeking) and character (Self-Directedness) predicted SWB at T1. However, only Self-Directedness predicted SWB at T2 and also small but significant changes in SWB at the end of the school year. The inclusion of character in SWB research is discussed.
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Metadata
Title
Adolescents’ Temperament and Character: A Longitudinal Study on Happiness
Authors
Danilo Garcia
Saleh Moradi
Publication date
01-10-2012
Publisher
Springer Netherlands
Published in
Journal of Happiness Studies / Issue 5/2012
Print ISSN: 1389-4978
Electronic ISSN: 1573-7780
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-011-9300-8

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