The connection between subjective well-being and ideas of happiness (the direction of values, intensity of the motivation and ideas about responsibility) among university students

Introduction. The article focuses on professional and personal development of university students. The purpose of the study is to identify the nature of the connection between subjective well-being and the direction of values leading to life satisfaction and happiness, the intensity of the motivation to pursue happiness and ideas about responsibility for personal happiness. Materials and Methods. The study is based on methodological ideas about the subjective well-being proposed by C. Ryff and R. Emmons and theoretical ideas about the role of dominant values, motivation and personal resources in achieving subjective well-being by D. A. Leontiev, S. L. Rubinstein, A. A. Zaichenko, and O. V. Kolomiets. The research methods included the following: the satisfaction with life scale designed by E. Diener and R. Emmons; the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule developed by D. Watson; and B. Ford’s Happiness value orientations questionnaire and the happiness scale. The sample included 169 students of Tomsk Higher Educational Institutions aged between 19 and 23 (27 male and 142 female). Results. The study found that most students are satisfied with their lives and living conditions. They set goals to be implemented in the future. At the level of their emotional state, positive emotions prevail over negative ones. The dominating values which might determine happiness are established: socially-centered values and self-centered ones. It has been revealed that most respondents have a moderate intensity of motivation to pursue happiness and responsibility for its achievement. Finally, two cluster groups of students were identified corresponding to two types of students. The first type includes students reporting high levels of well-being, personal resources and willingness to take responsibility for happiness. The second group demonstrated lack of personal resources, negative emotional state and low subjective well-being. The results of the study can be used in the educational process for facilitating students’ professional and personal development. Conclusions. The research revealed deficits and resources in achieving happiness and subjective well-being.