The Relationship between Self-Esteem, Subjective Happiness and Overall Life Satisfaction.

Objective: Research on self-esteem to date has focused on either happiness levels or life satisfaction. This investigation looks at self-esteem as it relates to both happiness levels and overall life satisfaction levels and whether happiness levels, life satisfaction levels, age and gender are associated with self-esteem. Method: A random sample of 71 participants completed a pencil and paper questionnaire including three scales: the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (RSES), the Satisfaction with life Scale (SWLS) and the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS) Results: The male group had significantly higher self-esteem levels than the female group with lower levels of satisfaction with life and subjective happiness levels whereas females had significantly lower levels of self-esteem but higher levels of satisfaction with life and subjective happiness. Subjective happiness and satisfaction with life had a stronger relationship than self-esteem had with either subjective happiness or life satisfaction. As expected, self-esteem was strongly correlated with both satisfaction with life and subjective happiness. Conclusion: The results support the objectives put forward, they support self-esteem as a predictor of both satisfaction with life and subjective happiness and gender differences in levels of self-esteem, happiness and overall life satisfaction