Positive Career Attitudes Effect on Happiness and Life Satisfaction by Master Students and Graduates

Background: Happiness and life satisfaction are well-known indicators. However, there has been
little contribution by the scientific community on the positive career attitudes of master students
and graduates. In an effort to provide deeper empirical understanding, the relationships between
positive career attitudes, health satisfaction, financial situation and happiness and life satisfaction
among master students and graduates were analyzed. Method: A link of online questionnaire was
sent by mail to all students which independently of their social economic status obtained a financial
aid from the government of Luxembourg, and to all master graduates (ex-students) who have
been finished with their courses for one year. The data was analyzed using bivariate tests, correlation
and multiple linear regression models. Result: 455 voluntary postgraduate/master students
vs. 144 graduates participated. Students were younger than the graduates (mean age 26 vs. 29
years). Majority was female and had Luxembourgish nationality. Most graduates had a job and
lived with their parents. Luxembourg natives were happier, and those who were living with their
parents showed higher life satisfaction. For both samples, self-rated health satisfaction was positively
associated with happiness and life satisfaction. For the students, the higher career adaptability
and career optimism are, the better the happiness and life satisfaction will be. The higher
the perception of the household financial situation is, the better the happiness will be. For graduates,
the higher career optimism contributed to the better happiness. Conclusion: Happiness and
life satisfaction of master students and graduates were affected, related to socioeconomic and
perceived health difficulties, and career attitudes. Those indicators could be used routinely to
monitor the situation of young people over time and their needs in terms of adaptability and optimism
capabilities, which should be appropriately treated. These findings may help with the development
of university and post university interventions aimed at improving happiness and life
satisfaction among postgraduate students and ex-students.