Psychological and social correlates of life satisfaction as a function of residential constraint

Two questions were addressed in the present study: Do residential settings of varying levels of con-straint influence life satisfaction? Do such settings involve different correlates of life satisfaction? A total of 129 male and female ambulatory residents were surveyed in settings of high and low con-straint on the following measures: life satisfaction, developmental task resolution, self-acceptance, perceived autonomy, activity level, health and educational level. Stepwise regression, covariance, and t-test analyses indicated: (1) life satisfaction and developmental task accomplishment were greater in the lower constraining setting; (2) the selected correlates resulted in multiple correlations of.675 and.590 with satisfaction; (3) differing sets of correlates significantly predicted satisfaction in each set-ting: health the most important in the high constraining setting and perceived autonomy and self-concept important to the low constraining setting; (4) developmental task success significantly predicted satisfaction in both settings. P SYCHOLOGICAL investigations ofaging have considered life satisfaction to be an important component of successful ag-ing (Tobin & Neugarten, 1961). In an attempt to understand this aspect of aging, research has examined various correlates of life satisfaction. These have usually included health, activity level, formal and informal group participation, and education and in-come levels (Edwards & Klemmack, 1973). Of all the correlates studied, self-assessed health has been found to be one of the most significant predictors of life satisfactio