Students' Usage of Strengths and General Happiness are Connected via School-related Factors

Previous research has shown that there is a link between usage of strengths and various positive outcomes, such as finding meaning and happiness in life. In our present study, we aimed to find out how usage of strengths is connected to general happiness with school-related factors as mediating variables. 418 Finnish students aged 10-16 filled a self-report questionnaire consisting of measures of usage of strengths, school engagement, school-related happiness and general happiness. A structural equation model was built to investigate the relationships between the variables. It turned out that 53% of students' overall happiness could be explained by the model. Usage of strengths was both directly and indirectly related to general happiness, emphasising the importance of using one's strengths in schoolwork.