Family roles and happiness in adulthood

This study examined four important family roles: “spousal role”, “parental role”, “filial role”, “worker role” and their relationships with subjective well-being (SWB), across four family developmental stages. Four sets of variables were measured: 1. (a) personal information, including demographics as well as traditional values, extraversion, neuroticism and social desirability;2. (b) role experiences on facets of “importance”, “rewards”, “stress” and “satisfaction”;3. (c) social support;4. (d) happiness and mental health. Using a purposive sampling strategy, 450 community adults in Taiwan were surveyed. Personality traits, traditional values, SES indicators, as well as role experiences all correlated with happiness. Multiple regression analyses showed that different factors predicted happiness along the four family developmental stages. The “spousal role” was the most salient for the newly-weds; the “worker role” was important to parents with young children to rear; the “worker role” as well as the “filial role” were important to parents with adolescent children; and finally, the “worker role” again became salient after children had all grown-up. Predictors of happiness for the two genders were also distinct. These results were discussed in the contexts of the traditional Chinese cultural heritage, as well as the changing social climates of the modern Taiwan. A tentative conclusion was that role experiences were important to adult happiness, and furthermore, people were flexible in defining and redefining their personal happiness as life goes on.