The Effect of Self-Esteem, Positive Future Expectation and Attitude Toward Future on Happiness: An Analysis of Vocational School Students

Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine the effects of self-esteem, positive future expectation, and future attitudes on the happiness of vocational school students. The Self-Esteem Scale developed by Tafarodi and Swann (1995), The Attitude toward Future and Positive Future Expectations Scales developed by İmamoğlu (2001), The Oxford Happiness Scale-Short Form developed by Hills and Argyle (2002), and a personal information form were used to collect the data. The data were obtained from 715 university students studying at Manavgat Vocational School, with one of the highest number of students at Akdeniz University. Reliability analysis, factor analysis, correlation analysis, and regression analysis were used to analyze the data. These analyses revealed positive and significant relationships among happiness, "self-liking" and "self-competence", which are the sub-dimensions of Self-Esteem Scale. Positive significant relationships were found between "positive orientation" and "planned orientation" sub-dimensions of attitude toward future scale, and happiness. However, a negative significant relationship was found between "anxious orientation" and happiness. A positive significant relationship was found between positive future expectation and happiness. In addition, from among all the independent variables, the "self-liking" sub-dimension was found to have the highest effect on happiness. This was followed by the planned orientation, positive future expectation, anxious orientation, positive orientation, and self-competence sub-dimensions. Self-esteem, attitude toward future, and positive future expectation had a share of 54% in describing the total change in happiness. The findings were discussed in light of the literature and some suggestions were made for school administrations.