An important area of research in positive psychology is life satisfaction, the strongest predictor of which is life meaning and factors such as ego strength, optimism, self-esteem, the presence of positive relationships, and others. Reker et al. (1988) confirmed a strong relationship between psychological well-being across the lifespan and life meaning. Halama (2001) investigated the relationship between psychological well-being and life meaning in a sample of 168 students from various Bratislava universities with an average age of 20 years, using several questionnaires on life meaning (PIL, Purpose in Life Index, LRI, and also the Lewis satisfaction scale). The results were positively correlated, thereby confirming theoretical concepts concerning the meaning of life. The human tendency to find and realize meaning in one's life is understood as a strong motivational force that demands fulfillment, which in its realization contributes to psychological well-being. An individual's value system and goals contribute to the dynamics of fulfilling existential needs, leading not only to personal growth but also to the regulation of activity and emotional states, which is reflected in the experience of subjective satisfaction. Filípková (2001) examined the question of the meaning of life and life goals in middle age, finding through the Logo-test (Lukasová 1986, in Balcar 1992) that in the examined sample, the top life goals were partner–marital–parental relationships, followed by work-professional and leisure activities. Somewhat less valued were life goals related to material security, and goals concerning self-education, self-improvement, and maintaining good interpersonal relationships received very low ratings.

Tavel (2004) examined how the experience of life meaning differs among respondents from Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, finding in a sample of nearly one thousand people that faith and age had the most significant influence on the degree of meaning and existential frustration. The least problematic group was respondents aged 30–39, and the most problematic were retirees, particularly those living in nursing homes. Surprisingly, the comparison showed no difference between young people from the eastern and western bloc.

In a sample of 156 respondents, authors Čmáriková–Stempelová (2004) analyzed the most common sources of life meaning in men and women. While for women the category of relationships was in first place, for men it was self-expression. Statistically significant differences were found between men and women in the area of "acquisition," and differences in noetic-existential values were found between older and younger respondents. A relatively high level of meaning in adolescents was also found in another study (Stempelová 2002), where analysis using the Logo-test and personality characteristics from the Big Five test revealed interesting findings.

The construct of life satisfaction (well-being), although representing a very subjective characteristic, is a component of cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions (Spilker, 1990). It encompasses various subcategories such as performance, relationships, health, family, sports..., whose assessment can be one-time—current versus longer-term—with an overall evaluation of experienced life satisfaction. Many researchers state that it is "a distinctly psychological concept expressing a subjective state, because despite objectively identified unfavorable life conditions, the feeling of life well-being may not be disrupted" (Árochová, 2002).

In recent decades, there has been an increase in research focused on life meaning, for which numerous scales and psychodiagnostic methods have been developed. Halama (2007) in his publication lists these: Purpose in Life Test (PIL-Grumbaugh, 1968), Logo-test (Lukasová, 1986), noodynamics test (Popielski 1991, 1994), Life Attitude Profile (LAP – Reker et al. 1987), Purpose in Life Index (PMI, Reker et al. 2005, Halama 2003), Life Regard Index (LRI, Battista-Almond, 1973), Existential Scale (ESK, Längle et al. 2001), Life Meaning Scale (ŠŽZ, Halama 2002), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWILS, Diener et al., 1985), and a methodology measuring the balance of life areas (LBC, Netemeyer et al. 1996).

In addition, there are methods for determining the content side of life meaning, which we will not elaborate on here due to constraints of time.

As research on satisfied people has shown, it depicts a person who is largely satisfied with their life, has a positive attitude toward life (optimism), is also satisfied with themselves (self-esteem), and is sufficiently autonomous in decision-making. Furthermore, they perceive themselves as competent in leading their life and achieving their own goals, while experiencing social relationships with a sense of human closeness and overall meaning in their own life. In recent years, research in this area has also examined the balance of life domains, as a person participates in multiple roles whose demands and obligations can represent a significant psychological conflict. Alternatively, it can hinder participation in activities of another role (e.g., a supervisor at work if one is active in sports, or motherhood and a career in employment). Changes in social conditions and the development of technology, on one hand, facilitate work activity, but on the other hand create uncertainty for individuals in securing their employment, especially when demanding lifelong learning and the acquisition of new technologies and personal competencies (communication skills, social behavior, etc.) are required. In the literature, we find negative evaluations of the relationship between work activity and satisfaction in family relationships, or with interference with health (Gropel, 2007).

The balance of life domains reflects the degree to which a person is able to simultaneously balance the time, emotional, and performance demands of work and personal life (Hill et al., 2001). It is known that experienced stress in a person's subjective life affects work performance and motivation, which is demonstrated in output.

In our work, we focused on examining life satisfaction and the life areas to which individuals devote the most time, or which they neglect, in a sample of students and working individuals.

We used the 18-item LBC methodology (the Life-Balance Checklist), which examines life balance from a multidimensional perspective. It covers the areas of work, family, health care, and the question of life meaning. The scale has an acceptable level of external validity and internal consistency (Gropel, 2006, p. 61), and for measuring life satisfaction we used Diener's Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWILS: the Satisfaction with Life Scale, Diener et al., 1985).

The research sample comprised 106 respondents—81 women and 25 men—with an average age of 26 years. Questionnaires were collected from two different locations (southern Slovakia: 55 respondents, and eastern Slovakia: 51 respondents). Data collection took place in February and March 2010. The student group aged 20–25 consisted of 69 respondents, and the working group aged 26–48 consisted of 37 respondents.

Results:

The domain of overall life satisfaction showed no differences between men and women, nor between the groups from southern and eastern Slovakia, where differences in family economic levels and value orientation might be expected. Respondents are satisfied with their lives, including their achievements to date and the past, and have expectations for the future.

Groups were compared by age:

The 20–25 age group (69 respondents) devotes significantly more attention to building their own career, meeting friends, and establishing their own values. Compared to the older group, younger individuals are currently less happy when evaluating their present life, but are more optimistic regarding expectations of future interesting events and prospects. The 26–48 age group (37 respondents), compared to the younger group, devotes more attention to work activity and significantly neglects sports, self-care, and healthy eating. When evaluating satisfaction related to their current life situation, they are slightly more negative than the younger group. As already stated, the evaluation of overall life satisfaction was positive in both groups, and aside from minor deviations, no substantial differences were found.

Using the second methodology for assessing the distribution of time across domains—work, family, leisure activities, fulfillment of spiritual needs—we found that when distributing their own time, respondents devote the most attention to family, work, achieving goals, and thinking about the future (prospects). On the other hand, they neglect movement, sports, rest, and healthy eating, which corresponds not only to health but also to many psychosomatic conditions. In a previous year's work, we found that both students and working individuals correctly identify the components of a lifestyle but are very inconsistent in implementing them. Despite knowing how smoking and drinking are harmful, they smoke daily, occasionally indulge in alcohol, and are unable to rationally use their free time. This work confirmed the finding that respondents have little awareness of their responsibility for health and are unable to properly internalize knowledge of a healthy lifestyle.

For the field of health psychology, prevention is essential, which should perhaps begin in earlier periods—in kindergarten and elementary school. Smoking often begins in elementary school. Unhealthy eating habits are manifested in the increasing number of obese children. Rather than a repressive style of upbringing, initiatives with rewards for individuals or schools promoting a healthy lifestyle should be supported. This could help in preventing cardiovascular or other lifestyle-related diseases (diabetes, asthma, etc.).

Conclusion

In our work, we wanted to determine how students and working individuals experience life satisfaction, whether they are able to properly allocate time between work and rest, and how they use their free time. Consistent with the cited research, our respondents also scored highly in overall life satisfaction. Small differences were found between younger individuals, who are more optimistic and open, and older individuals. No gender differences or differences in experienced satisfaction were found when comparing the western and eastern Slovak regions.

The distribution of time activities indicates a capacity for better use of free time for health—movement, sports, healthy eating, rest, and sleep are neglected in favor of work. This daily recurring issue leads to the consideration of whether psychologists should more aggressively intervene in preventive measures for a healthy lifestyle at earlier ages (in kindergartens) and subsequently support pupils and students throughout their preparation for life.

Authors: Judita Stempelová, Alexandra Topoľská References:

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The paper was presented at the 5th edition of the conference titled "Health Psychology 2010", held on 19 May 2010 in Bratislava. The conference was organized by the Health Psychology Section of the Slovak Psychological Society at the Slovak Academy of Sciences in cooperation with the Health Section of the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic. The event was further supported by: the National Institute of Heart and Vascular Diseases in Bratislava, the University of SS. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava, the WHO Office in Slovakia, the School of Public Health in Košice, the Department of Psychology at the Faculty of Arts, Catholic University in Ružomberok, and the Department of Psychology at the Faculty of Arts, Trnava University.

Proceedings of the 5th Conference of Health Psychology, Bratislava, 2010 was published in electronic form only. Availability: http://www.prohuman.sk/psychologia/zbornik-prispevkov-z-konferencie-psychologia-zdravia-2010