Teens Now Happier Than Adults, Study Finds

A study recently published in Social Psychological & Personality Science has found that teenagers are now reporting being happier than mature adults, as had previously been the case. Reserachers from the University of San Diego, Florida Atlantic University, and the University of California looked at data from the 1972-2014. 

Several other previous studies in this field have identified a variety of trends. One study found that women were happier than men in the 1970s, but by 2006, men were happier than women. Another study identified a decline in SWB in both men and women between 1985 and 2005. A study published in 2008 found that happiness increased with age, was lower among baby boomers, and showed no consistent time period effect. 

This study broadened the scope of previous research by examing data from the Monitoring the Future (MtF) study of 8th, 10th, and 12th graders, the General Social Survey (GSS) of adults, as well as subjective well-being (SWB), and religious orientation. 

Until recently, the study found, adults over age 30 reported being happier than young adults and teens, but in recent years adolescents have reported being “happier than adolescents in previous decades.” Study authors propose some potential explanations including “cultural shifts toward individualism,” “the weakening of social ties (such as the lower marriage rate), economic circumstances such as the Great Recession, and growing income inequality may also have a larger impact on adulta than on adolescents.”

All data analyzed by the reserachers was self-reported by the study participants.