Satisfaction with Life among Adolescents from Returned Portuguese Immigrant Families

Journal of Social Research & Policy, Volume: 2, Issue: 2, pp. 27-46

Date: December 2011

ISSN: 2067-2640 (print), 2068-9861 (electronic)

Abstract: A central construct within the positive psychology literature is satisfaction with life. The aim of this study was to determine the level of satisfaction with life among adolescents from returned immigrant families in Portugal, as well as the background, the intercultural contact and the adaptation factors related thereto. The sample consisted of 615 adolescents (mean age = 16.5 years; SD = 1.4). The mean duration of sojourn in Portugal for the sample was 8.4 (SD = 4.6). They answered a self-report questionnaire. A comparison group involving 217 young Portuguese was also included in the study. Adolescents from returned immigrant families revealed similar levels of satisfaction with life in comparison with peers who have never migrated. The notion that geographic mobility of parents is a primary cause of adaptation problems in their children appears to be incorrect. Predictive factors – demographic, intercultural, and adaptation variables – were significantly linked to the satisfaction with life of youth. Combined, these variables explained 37% of the variance in life satisfaction. The results help us understand which variables are important to target when developing interventions to improve the life satisfaction of adolescents from returned immigrant families.

Keywords: Adaptation, Adolescents, Intercultural Contact, Return Migration, Satisfaction with Life.