The Strategic Influence of Social Factors on Self-Perceived Happiness of Spanish University Students

Abstract

The notion of happiness has been the subject of debate and study for centuries. It has been demonstrated that happiness has a significant influence on the individual achievements and professional goals, a fact that should be taken into consideration in all stages of education, including university studies. The aim of this study is to measure the individual level of happiness of undergraduate students and their relationships with specific aspects that can impact in their happiness, such as family, friends, the university and money. The study made use of the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ), as well as items from the Multidimensional Inventory of Students Quality of Life (MIS-QOL), on a sample of 375 undergraduate students in Spain. Structural equation model (SEM) methodology was used to corroborate the significant personal and social causalities of happiness identified in previous studies. The results of the study were (i) the factor which most influences happiness is the perceived quality of relationships with family, followed by (ii) the perceived quality of relationships with friends, and (iii) university students who ascribe greater importance to money have lower levels of happiness. The conclusions support the implementation of practical applications that restore the humanistic spirit of university curricula.