title: Objective life circumstances and life satisfaction: results from the course of homelessness study.
abstract: Relations between objective life circumstances and life satisfaction were examined using structural equation modeling of two waves of data obtained from homeless and mentally ill homeless participants (N = 298) in the Course of Homelessness Study (COH). Cross-sectional analyses revealed that objective indexes of life quality were primarily associated with domain-specific, rather than general, life satisfaction. Results could not be attributed to the covariation of life satisfaction with other indexes of subjective well-being (i.e., psychological symptoms and perceived self-mastery). In addition, significant direct ("causal") cross-lagged effects were found linking initial objective housing status with subsequent income and subsequent satisfaction with housing. By contrast, neither life satisfaction nor any other index of subjective well-being exerted a direct impact on subsequent life quality as assessed by objective indexes. Finally, we found no support for previous claims that perceived self-mastery mediates the impact of objective life circumstances on subsequent life satisfaction. Findings are discussed with reference to the utility of a hierarchical model of life satisfaction that incorporates domain-specific, as well as global, satisfaction.
authors.affiliation: Social Policy Department RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA 90407-2138, USA. Grant_Marshall@RAND.org
authors.forename: G N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Burnam
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Koegel
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Benjamin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D015141:Los Angeles; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life; D011897:Random Allocation