Socio-economic Status and Life Satisfaction of Secondary School Students: A Correlational Study

Abstract

The present study investigated the relationship between socio-economic status and life satisfaction among secondary school students, with the objective of understanding how socio-economic background influences adolescents’ psychological well-being. Life satisfaction is an important component of subjective well-being and reflects an individual’s overall evaluation of life quality. During adolescence, socio-economic conditions significantly shape developmental experiences, educational opportunities, emotional adjustment, and psychological health. In this context, the present correlational study examined the association between socio-economic status and life satisfaction among secondary school students. The study adopted the normative survey method. The sample comprised 400 students studying in Classes IX to XII from secondary and senior secondary schools of Darbhanga district, Bihar, selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using the Socio-Economic Status Scale developed by Upadhyay and Saxena (2008) and the Satisfaction with Life Scale developed by Diener et al. (1985). Statistical techniques such as descriptive statistics, Pearson’s product-moment correlation, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were employed for data analysis. The findings revealed that the students generally belonged to a moderate socio-economic background and reported a moderate to high level of life satisfaction. A significant positive correlation was found between socio-economic status and life satisfaction (r = .527, p < .01), indicating that students from better socio-economic backgrounds experienced greater satisfaction with life. Among the dimensions of socio-economic status, income and education showed relatively stronger associations with life satisfaction. Further, significant differences were observed in life satisfaction among students belonging to high, medium, and low socio-economic groups, with higher socio-economic groups reporting greater life satisfaction. The study concludes that socio-economic status is a significant predictor of adolescents’ life satisfaction. The findings underscore the need for equitable educational opportunities, supportive family environments, and socio-economic interventions to enhance students’ psychological well-being and overall quality of life.