Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

8-2000

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Human Ecology

Major Professor

Bill Wallace

Committee Members

Robert J. Pursley

Abstract

The purpose of the investigation was to determine the relationship between alcohol use and satisfaction with life among college students. Six null hypotheses were developed to address the purpose of the study. Null hypothesis one states,no significant relationship exists between satisfaction with life and frequency of alcohol use. In the five other hypotheses the relationship was interacted by class standing,ethnicity, gender,living arrangement,and social fraternity or sorority membership.The population selected for the investigation was students attending theUniversity ofTennessee-Knoxville and enrolled in selective courses during the spring 2000 semester. A sample of convenience was selected from students enrolled in Health And Safety Sciences classes during the spring 2000 semester. Nine sections,consisting of 216 students participated in the study.Data were collected by administering a paper-and-pencil survey to students enrolled in general elective health classes during the Spring 2000 semester. Participantswere given a packet of materials consisting of the demographic and drug use survey questionnaire,the Satisfaction with Life Scale(Diener and Pavot,1985)instrument,and an envelope. The packets were completed in one sitting, during a regularly scheduled health class. Due to the lack of need for identifying each participant and the sensitivity of the drug use questions,total anonymity was required. Participants were informed of subjects' rights, and that participation was voluntary and could withdraw from the study at any time.Each survey was visually inspected and data were entered into a Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet. The Statistical Package For Social Sciences(SPSS)was used for data analysis. A Spearman's rho correlation was used to determine the overall,general relationship between alcohol use and satisfaction with life. Analysis of variance was used to evaluate differences in mean satisfaction with life scores between the levels of alcohol use. Analysis of variance was used to evaluate the relationship of alcohol use and satisfaction with life by class standing,ethnic origin, gender,living arrangement,and social fraternity or social sorority membership.The Spearman's rho correlation indicated a nonsignificant,indirect correlation of-.109(p=.111)for the overall,general relationship between alcohol use and satisfaction with life was reported. The analysis of variance did not find significant differences[F(3,212)=1.13,p=.345] in mean satisfaction with life scores for the four levels of use.The main effect,the relationship of alcohol use and satisfaction with life was interacted by class standing,ethnicity, gender,living arrangement,and social fraternity or sorority membership. The analysis of variance did not find significant differences for any of the interactions. It was concluded that no evidence was found of a definitive nature to associate alcohol use with satisfaction with life. Based on the findings of this study,alcohol use does not influence or affect satisfaction with life.

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