Abstract of PhD Thesis by: Dao Lan Huong

 

LIST OF SCIENTIFIC WORKS

AUTHOR'S CONTRIBUTIONS RELATED TO THE THESIS

1. Dao Lan Huong (2019), “The relationship between family support and environment and life satisfaction of adolescents”,International Psychology Conference: Psychology and Professional Ethics in Psychology, pp. 57-68.

2. Dao Lan Huong, Nguyen Thi Minh Hang (2019), “Adolescent life satisfaction: What factors from the family influence it?”5th Vietnam International Conference on Child Mental Health: Understanding Mental Health and the Community, pp. 185-197.

3. Dao Lan Huong (2020), “Family bonding and life satisfaction of teenagers”,Journal of Psychology No. 1 (205),pp. 62-75

4. Dao Lan Huong, Nguyen Thi Minh Hang (2020), “Adolescent happiness perception: a multi-approach study”,Journal of Psychology, number 6, p.

 

INTRODUCTION

1. Reasons for choosing the topic

Happiness is a topic of interest and research across many scientific fields, including psychology. Psychology studies happiness from the perspective of perceived happiness. Perceived happiness is considered to be a state of psychological comfort that people experience in life. Research on perceived happiness only began in the early 20th century, and it wasn't until the 1980s and 1990s that studies on happiness truly became a scientific field attracting the attention of many authors such as Diener (1980, 1995, 2000), Keyes (1998, 2002), and Ryff (1989, 1995, 2013). However, research on perceived happiness has mainly focused on countries with highly developed economies. In Vietnam, this issue has only received attention and research in recent years. Adolescence is an age group experiencing significant changes in psychophysiological development and social awareness. This is a crucial age for personality development, so children's perceptions of life and happiness are shaped by their relationships with those around them, their living environment, and their learning environment. The family is considered the first and most important environment for the development of children in particular and adolescents in general. The family is where children are nurtured, cared for, and loved most attentively. It is also where children feel safe psychologically and physically, ensuring their development. The influence of the family on the psychological development, personality, and perceptions of children is a topic worth discussing and researching. What influence does the family have on children's feelings of happiness, and what is the predicted extent of this influence?

In Vietnam, there are not many studies on the perceived happiness of adolescents; however, these studies have only focused on happiness in general and have not delved into analyzing the relationship between other factors and happiness, especially family factors.

Based on the above theoretical and practical perspectives, I conducted research on the following topic:"Exploring the happiness of teenagers in their relationships with their families."

2. Research Objectives

This study investigates the current state of happiness perceptions among adolescents and the influence of family factors on their happiness.

3. Research subjects

ButThe overall feeling of happiness among teenagers.

- The level, manifestations, and factors influencing teenagers' feelings of happiness in their relationships with their families.

4. Research objectives

(1) Theoretical research:

• A comprehensive study on the perception of happiness in general and the perception of happiness among adolescents in particular.
• Developing a theoretical framework for understanding happiness in general and specifically in adolescents in relation to their families.
• Clarify the concepts related to the thesis topic.

(2) Practical research

• Clarifying the current state of happiness perception among teenagers in Bac Ninh and Hanoi provinces.
• Analyzing and evaluating the factors influencing teenagers' perceptions of happiness in their family relationships.
• Propose some recommendations to enhance the sense of happiness among teenagers.

5. Research Subjects and Scope

1. Research subjects:The sample for this thesis consists of teenagers aged 12 to 18 who are studying in junior and senior high schools.
2. Scope of research:

Regarding the subject matter:

The sample for this thesis consists of 664 teenagers studying at junior and senior high schools in Bac Ninh province and Hanoi city.

Regarding the content:The dissertation limits its practical research to the following specific areas:

• The study examines the perceived happiness of adolescents in several aspects: life satisfaction, mental well-being, and dependent happiness.
• Research into adolescent relationships within families is based on factors such as parenting styles, emotional quality of life within the family, material quality of life within the family, family bonding, participation rights, psychological control, and children's perceptions of their parents' relationship.
• The results of the analysis are based on a cross-sectional study. Therefore, adolescents' perceived happiness in relation to their family is limited to the predictive power of family relationships on adolescents' perceived happiness.

Regarding space:The dissertation was conducted in Bac Ninh and Hanoi.

6. Research Question

1. What is the overall level of happiness among teenagers?
2. Are there differences in perceived happiness among different groups of students (based on criteria such as gender, age, geographical location, family structure, and family economic conditions)?
3. How are the relationships of teenagers within their families manifested?
4. What factors influence teenagers' feelings of happiness in their family relationships?
5. Are there differences in the influence of factors on teenagers' family relationships among different groups of students (based on gender, age, geographical location, family economic conditions, and family structure)?

7. Research Hypothesis

The sense of happiness among teenagers in general, and happiness in their family relationships in particular, varies in degree and expression. There are differences in perceived happiness among different groups of students (depending on gender, age, location, and family structure). Factors such as the teenager's relationship with their parents, relationships with other family members, and family type all influence the teenager's sense of happiness.

8. Research Methodology

Documentary research method

Survey method using scales

Interview method

Methods for processing data using mathematical statistics.

9. Novel contributions of the thesis

In theory

Overall, the thesis has highlighted research trends on the perception of happiness among adolescents in relation to their families worldwide and indicated that this is a relatively new research topic in Vietnam. The thesis has systematized theories on happiness perception from around the world and contributed to the theoretical research framework that is only just beginning to be studied in Vietnam in recent years.

In practice:The first step is to adapt some valuable scales of perceived happiness and scales of adolescent relationships within the family.

10. Structure of the thesis

Chapter 1: Overview of research on teenagers' perceptions of happiness in relation to their families.

Chapter 2: Theoretical Basis of Adolescents' Perception of Happiness in Relationship with Their Families

Chapter 3: Research Organization and Methods

Chapter 4: Practical Research Results on Adolescents' Perception of Happiness in Relationships with Their Families

Chapter 1: OVERVIEW OF RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENTS' PERCEPTION OF HAPPINESS IN RELATION TO THEIR FAMILY

1. Studies on the overall perception of happiness among teenagers.

Firstly, when examining studies on the perceived happiness of adolescents, we found that most studies investigated happiness from two perspectives: subjective happiness (satisfaction with life, positive emotions, negative emotions) (Bradburn, 1969; Diener et al., 1985) and psychological happiness (Ryff, 1989; Clarke et al., 2011; Keye, 1998). These studies not only assessed the level of perceived happiness among adolescents but also adapted happiness scales. Two main scales used to measure happiness were Diener's life satisfaction scale (1985) and the psychological happiness scale (Ryff, 1989). The second approach involves studies examining the correlation between perceived happiness and other factors, including: physical health, mental health, the development of personality traits in adolescents, and future prospects…

1.2. Studies on teenagers' perceptions of happiness in relation to their families.

1.2.1. Research direction on the perception of happiness among adolescents and factors related to family type.

Studies on adolescents' perceived happiness in relation to their families have shown that family structure has little influence on a child's happiness, and that adolescent happiness depends more on the quality of relationships among family members. These studies also indicate that children living in incomplete families tend to have lower levels of happiness. Some research suggests that factors such as family economic conditions, income, gender, and age do not significantly alter this perception in adolescents.

1.2.2. Research directions on the perception of happiness among teenagers andpsychological environmentfamily

In this research direction, studies abroad by Bagi and Manoj (2014), Antony and Manikandan (2015), Shek (1997a, 1997b, 1998), Cripps and Zyromski (2009), 1997b, 2002), Hassan, Yusoof and Alavi (2012), Rask, Astedt-Kurki, Paavilainen, Laippala (2003), Duineveld, Jasper J; Parker, Philip D.; Ryan, Richard M.; Ciarrochi, Joseph; Salmela-Aro, Katariina (2017), Telze and Fulgni (2009) focused on the relationship between adolescents' perceived happiness and family psychological factors, including family environment, family dynamics, parental perceptions, parental autonomy support, family activities, family psychological atmosphere, parenting styles, and family conflicts.

Chapter 1 Summary

Chapter 2.THEORETICAL FOUNDATION OF ADOLESCENTS' PERCEPTION OF HAPPINESSAND THE INFLUENCE OF FAMILY FACTORS

2.1. Theories on the perception of happiness

2.1.1. Theories of Happiness Perception

2.1.1.1. The theory of hedonistic happiness

Representing the hedonistic approach to happiness perception is Diener (1984) with his studies on subjective well-being. Subjective well-being includes two main components: (a)judgment on life satisfactionand (b)Emotional balance, or the level of positive influence outweighing the level of negative influence in someone's life.(Andrews & Withey, 1976; A. Campbell, Converse, & Rodgers, 1976; Diener, 1984).

2.1.12. The theory of essential well-being (eudaimonic well-being)

There are three theories of happiness built upon the concept of eudaimonia: (1) Eudaimonia in action, (2) Psychological happiness, and (3) Self-determination theory. A representative of the school of thought on human happiness based on eudaimonia is Ryff with his psychological happiness theory. Ryff's theory includes six basic aspects of psychological happiness: autonomy, mastery of the environment, personal growth, positive relationships with others, purpose in life, and self-acceptance (Ryff, 1989a, 1989b; 1995; Ryff, & Essex, 1992; Ryff, & Keyes, 1995; Ryff, & Singer, 1996).

2.1.1.3. The Dependent Happiness Theory

Another area of ​​research on happiness is the study of the relationship between culture and happiness. Cross-cultural researchers argue that Western psychology has focused too much on the realization of individual independence when studying happiness – a perspective that is not entirely suitable for East Asian cultures (Hitokoto & Uchida, 2015; Kitayama, Park, Sevincer, Karasawa & Uskul, 2009; Koyasu et al., 2012; Kusumi, 2012; Suh, 2007). Based on these findings, Kitayama, Hitokoto, Uchida, and other researchers have proposed the concept of "interdependent happiness" – emphasizing happiness based on relationships without neglecting individual happiness.

2.1.2. The concept of feeling happy

The concept of perceived happiness is a multidimensional concept and remains a subject of much debate. Modern research agrees with the argument that: “Perceived happiness is a multidimensional structure comprising three planes: subjective, psychological, and social. Each of these planes is also a multidimensional concept” (Negovan, 2010, p. 86). However, based on the analyses and research directions above, our study leans towards the view that perceived happiness is a multidimensional concept with three main dimensions: life satisfaction, mental happiness, and dependent happiness.

2.2. Family factors influencing the sense of happiness in teenagers

2.2.1.Psychological characteristics of teenagers in the family.

Adolescence is a physical and mental transitional stage in human development that occurs between childhood and adulthood. This transition involves biological (e.g., puberty), social, and psychological changes, although biological and psychological changes are the most noticeable. These changes lead to psychological shifts within the family, particularly in their relationship with their parents. The family remains an indispensable part of adolescent psychological development.

2.2.2. Family factors influencing the cognitive development of adolescents

2.2.2.1. Parenting

Parenting is a never-ending and challenging task. Parenting plays a crucial role in a child's development.

2.2.2.2. Emotional quality of life

Emotional quality of life is one of the two aspects of personal happiness and a part of assessing the quality of life within a family.

2.2.2.3. Quality of material life

According to Chowa, Gina & Ansong, David & Masa, Rainier (2010): Material quality of life is a dimension of human well-being. Material health is measured through income, consumption patterns, or assets/wealth.

2.2.2.4. Family Bonding

Family bonding is defined as the emotional connection that family members have with one another. Family bonding can be understood as the emotional and behavioral connection between parents and children. Based on these perspectives, we developed a family bonding scale consisting of two factors: emotional bonding, meaning close sharing of space (liking to be near each other), and behavioral bonding, meaning support and decision-making based on family support.

2.2.2.5. Right to participate

The right of children to participate is one of the core principles of the Convention on the Rights of Children, which affirms that children and young people have the right to freely express their views and that there is an obligation to listen to their views and to facilitate their participation in all matters affecting them in the family, school, local community, public services, institutions, government policies and judicial proceedings.

2.2.2.6. Psychological control

Psychological control is a complex and multifaceted construct, incorporating references to specific behavioral control methods as well as the impact of those methods on child development.

2.2.2.7. Perceptions of the parent-child relationship

A child's perception of their parents' relationship can be understood as their assessment of the relationship, including their thoughts and feelings, the bond between them, their feelings for each other, and their interactions within the family. A child's perception of their parents' relationship can be interpreted in two ways: positive and negative.

2.3. Research Model on the Perception of Happiness in Adolescents in the family

2.3.1.Hsatisfiednewlife

There are several different definitions of life satisfaction, however we follow Dienner's (1984) view: "Life satisfaction is the overall assessment of a person's feelings and attitudes about life at a particular point in time, ranging from negative to positive."

2.3.2. Spiritual Happiness

The feeling of mental well-being is considered to encompass both the enjoyment element (happiness, subjective feeling of happiness) and the essence (active activity) (Ryan, Deci, 2001). Mental well-being is a positive and sustainable mental state that allows individuals to develop and have good coping skills in life.

2.3.3. Dependent Happiness

Dependent happiness is a type of happiness built on relationships, a state of harmony and balance achieved between oneself and meaningful people (Hitokoto & Uchida, 2015).

In shortAdolescents' sense of happiness is their subjective feeling and assessment of their level of life satisfaction, their healthy mental state that allows them to cope well with life's problems and realize their potential, and to achieve harmony in their relationships with those around them.

Chapter 2 Summary

Chapter 3. ORGANIZATION AND RESEARCH METHODS

3.1. A brief overview of the research area and subjects.

3.1.1. Research Area

The study was conducted in two locations: Bac Ninh province and Hanoi city to assess the specific differences in geography, socio-economic conditions, and culture between the two localities related to the perceived happiness of adolescents in their families.

1.2. Research Subjects

The total number of research subjects was 664 adolescents aged 12 to 18 years old, concentrated in 5 junior and senior high schools in Bac Ninh province and Hanoi city. Table 3.1 below describes some characteristics of the research sample.

Table 3.1. Characteristics of the research subjects

Characteristics of the research subject		n	%	Characteristics of the research subject		n	%
Sex	Male	330	49.7	Family type	Extend	382	57.5
	Female	334	50.3		Nuclear	245	36.9
Grade level	Grade 6	133	20.0		Father/Mother passed away	11	1.7
	Grade 7	119	17.9		Divorce/separation	20	3.0
	Grade 8	107	16.1		Having a stepmother/stepfather	6	0.9
	Grade 9	83	12.5	Area	Hanoi	261	39.3
	Grade 10	38	5.7		Bac Ninh	403	60.7
	Grade 11	121	18.2	Personal circumstances	biological child	592	89.2
	Grade 12	63	9.5		Adopted	62	9.3
Birth order	Eldest son	298	44.9		Stepchild	10	1.5
	Second child	195	29.4	Family economic conditions	wealthy	158	23.8
	The youngest child	129	19.4		Medium	476	71.7
	Only child	42	6.3		Hard	30	4.5
Accommodation	Urban areas	355	53.5
	Suburban areas	133	20.0
	Countryside	176	26.5

3.2. Research Organization

The research process was conducted in four stages.

• Phase 1: Theoretical Research
• Phase 2: Adapting the toolkit
• Phase 3: Practical Investigation
• Phase 4: Data processing and report writing

3.3. Research Methods

Using a document research method, the thesis presents the research content and develops the main research tool of the thesis, which is a questionnaire combined with the use of data processing methods using SPSS social statistics software version 22.0.

The questionnaire was designed to include: a three-sided scale representing feelings of happiness—life satisfaction, mental happiness, and dependent happiness; seven scales measuring influencing factors; and thirteen single variables. The scales were constructed using Likert scales.

The questionnaire was tested with 257 subjects to check its validity (using factor analysis), reliability (Cronbach Alpha), as well as its length and comprehensibility.

Below is a description of the reliability levels of the scales.

Table 3.3. Reliability of the scale based on official survey data.(N = 664)

TT	Scale	Number of items	Cronbach's alpha (α) coefficient
I	Happiness scale
1	Content with life	5	0.75
2	Spiritual happiness	14	0.84
3	Happiness depends	9	0.76
II	Influencing factor scale
1	Parenting	6	0.79
2	Emotional quality of life	4	0.73
3	Material quality of life	5	0.70
4	Family bonding	8	0.84
5	Right to participate	7	0.86
6	Psychological control (disrespect scale) (Parent)	8	0.78/0.79
7	Positive feelings about the parent-child relationship.	6	0.91
8	Negative feelings about the parents' relationship.	4	0.85

Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics (frequency, mean, standard deviation) and inferential statistics (comparison, correlation analysis, regression analysis, mediating variable survey). After obtaining results on the current state of happiness perception and factors influencing happiness perception, we conducted in-depth interviews with 20 subjects to further clarify the situation based on quantitative results. To more deeply describe the adaptation phenomenon with qualitative data, the thesis describes two cases: a PNSS with a low level of adaptation who received psychological counseling intervention; and a PNSS with a high level of adaptation.

In summary, to conduct the research, the author used four methods: literature review, questionnaire survey, in-depth interviews, and data processing using mathematical statistics.

Summary of Chapter 3

Chapter 4. RESEARCH RESULTS ONAdolescents' Perception of Happiness and the Influence of Family Factors

4.1. Current situationTeenagers' perception of happiness and the influence of family factors.

4.1.1. Life satisfaction, mental well-being, and dependent well-being of adolescents

When analyzing the specific aspects of the three dimensions of happiness perception among teenagers, the author found that in the life satisfaction dimension, the highest average expressions were "My living conditions are very good" (Mean: 5.06, SD=1.43), "I am satisfied with my life" (Mean: 5.03, SD=1.61); in the spiritual happiness dimension, the highest average expressions were "I am interested in new things" (M=3.95, SD=1.13), followed by "I feel happy" (M=3.84, SD=1.04); in the dependent happiness dimension, the highest average expressions were "I have a normal but fairly stable life" (M=4.09, SD=0.99); "I can do what I want as long as it doesn't affect others" (M=3.78, SD=1.25).

4.1.2. General assessment of teenagers' perceptions of happiness

Adolescents' sense of happiness is measured across three dimensions: overall life satisfaction, mental well-being, and dependency happiness.

The three aspects of adolescent happiness perception showed relatively small differences in average scores, and all aspects scored above level 3 on the 5-point Likert scale. Specifically, mental happiness had the highest average score (M=3.48, SD=3.64), followed by dependent happiness (M=3.36, SD=0.68), and the lowest was life satisfaction (M=3.33, SD=0.95).

The average score for the three dimensions of perceived happiness among adolescents (life satisfaction, mental happiness, and dependent happiness) is currently 3.42 (SD=0.59), with 15.8% of adolescents experiencing low happiness, 69.4% experiencing moderate happiness, and 14.8% experiencing high happiness. Thus, the proportion of adolescents experiencing high and moderate happiness is significantly higher than the number of adolescents experiencing low happiness.

4.1.3. The relationship between different aspects of happiness perception in adolescents.

Adolescents' sense of happiness is considered from three perspectives: life satisfaction, mental well-being, and dependent well-being. These three factors are closely correlated with each other and with overall happiness. Specific data is shown in Figure 4.1 below.

Diagram 4.1. Correlation between the various aspects of happiness perception.

Considering the relationship between the three aspects of happiness experienced by adolescents, we can see a positive correlation between the three dimensions of happiness: mental happiness has the strongest correlation with dependent happiness (r=0.57; P<0.01), followed by the correlation between life satisfaction and dependent happiness (r=0.46; p<0.01), and finally, mental happiness with life satisfaction (r=0.43; p<0.01). This demonstrates that the better a child's mental happiness, the better their dependent happiness will be, and life satisfaction is also closely linked to aspects of dependent happiness.

4.1.4. The influence of demographic variables on the perceived happiness of adolescents.

Using a test comparing the differences in average happiness scores across demographic variables, we found that gender and parental occupation did not significantly affect the happiness of adolescents. Other variables such as place of residence, school, age, grade level, family economic conditions, family type, family conflict, and health issues all showed differences in happiness assessments. Specifically, adolescents living in cities, from relatively affluent families, at a young age (junior high school), in nuclear or extended families, with minimal family conflict, and with healthy family members, had better happiness perceptions than adolescents in rural areas, those with difficult economic conditions, special family circumstances, and family members with health problems. In addition, the comparison results also showed that teenagers who are the youngest child have a higher sense of dependent happiness than teenagers who are the second child.

4.2. The current state of family factors related to the perceived happiness of adolescents.

4.2.1. Current situation of family factors among teenagers

This section describes the research findings on the current state of family factors influencing adolescents' perceived happiness, including parenting styles, emotional quality of life, material quality of life, family bonding, participation rights, perceptions of parental relationships, and psychological control.

4.2.2. Some factors related to the family environment of teenagers

In this section, the author will examine whether there are differences in the mean scores of demographic variables for factors related to the family of adolescents. One-way ANOVA results show no significant differences in mean scores when assessing family relationships based on birth order and place of residence. The remaining factors, such as gender, age, family economic conditions, family type, and family conflict, all show statistically significant differences in mean scores with respect to the family factor.

4.3. Influence of family factors onthe feeling of happiness in teenagers

4.3.1. The correlation between family factors and the perceived happiness of adolescents.

All family factors are closely correlated with each other, with the parenting factor having a relatively high correlation score with the other family factors.

4.3.2. Correlation between teenagers' perceived happiness and family factors.

Table 4.16. Correlation between family factors and perceived happiness of adolescents.

Aspects	HLCS	HPTT	HPPT	CNHPC
Parenting	0.35**	0.43**	0.40**	0.49**
Emotional quality of life	0.34**	0.46**	0.41**	0.51**
Material quality of life	0.33**	0.43**	0.33**	0.46**
Family bonding	0.37**	0.42**	0.45**	0.51**
Right to participate	0.40**	0.45**	0.48**	0.55**
Controlling the father's psychology	-0.23**	-0.21**	-0.16**	-0.26**
Mother's psychological control	-0.25**	-0.24**	-0.20**	-0.28**
Positive feelings about the parent-child relationship.	0.32**	0.26**	0.30**	0.36**
Negative feelings about the parent-child relationship.	-0.14**	-0.06	-0.09*	-0.10**

Note: HLCS: Life satisfaction; HPTT: Spiritual happiness; HPPT: Dependent happiness; CNHPC: Shared happiness

Table 4.16 shows that all influencing factors included in the thesis are correlated with factors affecting adolescent happiness, including: parenting, emotional quality of life, physical quality of life, family bonding, participation rights, and positive perceptions of the parental relationship, which are positively correlated with adolescent happiness; and three factors: paternal psychological control, maternal psychological control, and negative perceptions of the parental relationship, which are negatively correlated with adolescent happiness. The degree of influence of these aspects on happiness varies.

4.3.3. Predicting factors influencing the perception of happiness in adolescents.

In our predictive regression analysis, we used two regression models: univariate and multivariate regression. The independent variables were the influencing factors: parenting style, emotional quality of life, physical quality of life, family bonding, participation rights, psychological control, and the child's perception of the parent-child relationship. The dependent variables were aspects of perceived happiness, including life satisfaction, mental well-being, and dependent well-being.

4.3.2.1. Predicting the influence of each family factor on the perceived happiness of adolescents.

Regarding the predictive range of factors influencing happiness perception, when considering three separate dimensions of happiness—life satisfaction, mental happiness, and dependent happiness—it is observed that the predicted variability of these happiness dimensions in adolescents differs.

At the level of life satisfaction among adolescents, four factors explain the variability in life: material quality of life, family cohesion, participation rights, and positive perceptions of the parent-child relationship. Of these, participation rights have the highest influence, predicting 15.3% of the variability in life satisfaction. At the level of mental happiness, four factors are likely predictors of mental happiness among adolescents: emotional quality of life, material quality of life, family cohesion, and the child's participation rights. Of these, material quality of life has the highest predictive power for mental happiness (β = 0.173, p<0.01). At the level of dependent happiness, four aspects are family cohesion, participation rights, parental psychological control, and the child's positive perception of the parent-child relationship. Among these, family bonding had the highest predictive value (β = 0.219, p<0.01).

4.3.3.2. Predicting the influence of all family factors on the perceived happiness of adolescents.

In terms of overall happiness, six family-related factors predicted 39.9% of the variability in perceived happiness among adolescents: parenthood, emotional quality of life, material quality of life, family bonding, child participation, and positive perception of the parent-child relationship. Specifically, child participation showed the highest predictive value for variability in perceived happiness among adolescents (β = 0.199, p<0.01).

4.3.3.3. Survey of mediating variables influencing the perception of happiness among teenagers.

The research results show that the five family factors (emotional quality of life, physical quality of life, family bonding, children's participation, and children's positive perception of their parents' relationship) are all moderating variables that parenting styles influence on adolescents' perceived happiness. These effects are all positive, meaning that the process of caring for and raising children by parents affects adolescents' perceived happiness through family quality of life, family bonding, children's participation in the family, and children's positive perception of their parents' relationship. The degree of impact of these mediating variables on the model of parenting styles on adolescents' perceived happiness varies.

4.4. Portraits of Happy Teenagers

By selecting adolescents whose happiness was perceived across all three dimensions—life satisfaction, mental well-being, and dependent happiness—the authors identified 35 of the happiest adolescents and 24 of the unhappy adolescents. The demographic characteristics of these two groups of adolescents were not significantly different. However, when assessing the influence of family factors on adolescents' happiness, we found that their happiness was strongly correlated with family-related factors (Figure 4.10).

Figure 4.10. Correlation of factors influencing the perceived happiness of very happy teenagers.

To assess the predictive power of these factors on the perceived happiness of the happiest adolescents, we used a linear regression model for these factors. The research results showed that these five influencing variables (family bonding, children's participation, parenting style, emotional quality of life, and physical quality of life) predicted 48% of the variation in perceived happiness. Of these, only the physical quality of life factor was significant (p=0.032), predicting 46.8% of the variation in perceived happiness. These results can help us build a model of happy adolescents.

Summary of Chapter 4

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

1. CONCLUSION

The perception of happiness among adolescents is a complex research topic. Although many authors have studied it, many aspects remain unexplored. This thesis conducts research with a sample of 664 adolescents selected from Bac Ninh and Hanoi over a three-year period from 2016 to 2019. From the research results, the following conclusions can be drawn.

1.1. In theory

(1) The thesis has assessed the research situation in the world and in Vietnam on happiness perception in general and happiness perception of teenagers in particular. Regarding family aspects affecting the happiness perception of teenagers, the thesis has shown that the following factors have been studied: family type, which here refers to the psychological relationship between members of that family type, family psychological environment, family structure, parenting style, family cohesion, psychological control and family conflict.

(2) The thesis also pointed out that happiness is a multi-dimensional structure with many different research directions, in which two main research trends on happiness perception stand out: hedonic well-being and eudaimonic well-being. However, happiness perception is different at each age and in each culture. For teenagers, their perception of happiness has both hedonic and eudaimonic aspects. The thesis pointed out that there are three dimensions that make up the happiness perception of teenagers: satisfaction with life, spiritual happiness, and dependent happiness. From there, we built the concept of happiness perception of teenagers.

(3) The thesis also points out the factors that influence the happiness perception of teenagers, namely: parenting, emotional quality of life, material quality of life, family bonding, participation rights, children's perception of their parents' relationship and psychological control.

1.2. In practice

(1) Based on research content and references from the tools of previous authors, the thesis author has adapted and built a set of research tools for the topic. In which the questionnaire with the method of measuring the center of happiness of teenagers includes 28 observed variables divided into 3 dimensions: Satisfaction with life, mental happiness and dependent happiness is assessed to ensure reliability and validity for inclusion in the research.

(2) The thesis assessed the feeling of happiness in 664 teenagers. The results showed that the feeling of happiness of teenagers in Bac Ninh and Hanoi was above average and was reflected in all three dimensions: life satisfaction, mental happiness, and dependent happiness. The feeling of happiness of teenagers also differed in terms of gender, age, birth order, economic conditions, family type, and family circumstances.

(3) The results of testing the influence of family factors on the happiness perception of teenagers once again confirm that there are family factors that influence the happiness perception of teenagers, namely satisfaction with the quality of family life (expressed in three aspects of parenting, emotional quality of life, and material quality of life), family bonding, the right to participate, the perception of parental relationship, and psychological control. However, the novelty of the thesis is that it has shown the level of influence of each of these factors on happiness perception and built a model of family factors that influence the happiness perception of teenagers.

(4) The thesis has shown that among the family-related factors, the right to participate has the highest level of influence on the positive perception of happiness of teenagers. In addition, the research results also show that the aspects that reduce the perception of happiness of teenagers are family conflict, the health of family members and psychological control, especially the disrespectful control of the father. This result helps us to affirm that the perception of happiness of teenagers is closely related to the family-related aspects. Demographic factors also influence the perception of happiness of teenagers.

(5) The thesis also points out and discusses the impact of family factors (emotional quality of life, material quality of life, family bonding, participation rights, positive perception of parental relationship) on the influence of parenting on happiness perception, thereby contributing to measures to improve happiness perception.

(6) The thesis has built a portrait of the happiest teenagers in the family.

Besides these findings, the thesis also has some limitations. In terms of conceptualization: the concept of perceived happiness still retains Western references, although the core of the concept has been adapted to suit the research subject. Secondly, due to the difference between the research subjects in Bac Ninh and Hanoi, the thesis has not been able to specifically examine the differences in perceived happiness in these two research areas. Furthermore, only a small number of adolescents live in incomplete families (37/664, accounting for only 0.06% of the research subjects), so it is not possible to definitively confirm the differences in perceived happiness among adolescents across different family types.

2. RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on theoretical and practical research on the perception of happiness among adolescents and the influence of family factors, we would like to propose the following recommendations to enhance the perception of happiness among adolescents.

1) In parenting, parents need to focus on caring for their children both materially and emotionally, ensuring they are both a strong emotional support for their children and a confidant with whom their children can share their worries and anxieties. In addition, parents need to maintain close family bonds. At the same time, in raising children, parents should not overprotect them but should give their children the right to make decisions, share their thoughts, and express their personal opinions. Furthermore, parents need to maintain a happy and harmonious family atmosphere, filled with love and care for each other, so that children feel secure when evaluating their parents' relationship.

2) Regarding the quality of family life: Parents and family members need to improve the quality of family life to increase teenagers' satisfaction with parenting, emotional well-being, and material well-being. Specifically, parents need to help teach their children how to behave, help them learn independence, spend more time with them, teach them how to make the right decisions, and pay more attention to their children's needs. Besides being parents, they also need to act as friends who can help teenagers relieve stress and are ready to assist when needed. Parents should also allow their children private moments and avoid intruding too deeply into their personal lives. Parents also need to respect their children's decisions. The quality of material well-being also contributes to increasing teenagers' sense of happiness; therefore, in addition to meeting their children's emotional needs, parents also need to care for their material needs. Research shows that teenagers from affluent families are happier than those from less affluent families. However, what teenagers most expect from their families is a feeling of safety at home, at school, and out in public.

3) Regarding the aspect of participation rights: Besides caring for and providing for their children's material and spiritual well-being, giving children the right to participate, the right to contribute ideas, and the right to express their opinions is a powerful factor and the biggest predictor of the variation in a teenager's sense of happiness. Teenagers not only want their parents to give them the right to decide and express their opinions, but also want their parents to analyze their opinions when they are incorrect. Often, in many families, parents feel entitled to force their children to follow their opinions, and very few parents patiently listen to what their children have to say. Adolescence is a period of significant psychological and physiological maturation, so parents need to understand their children's psychology to create conditions for their growth. In reality, when children are not allowed to express their opinions, are forbidden from speaking their minds, and are forced to obey orders, they will either rebel fiercely, creating conflict between parents and children, or become overly reliant on their parents' opinions without developing their own, remaining perpetually childlike in an adult body. Therefore, to enhance children's sense of happiness, parents need to respect their children and teach them independence.

4) Regarding family bonding: Family members need to care for and share everything in life with each other, offer advice, and help when someone needs it. They should call each other regularly to check in. Living close together and creating opportunities for each other to be close and care for one another is also important.

5) Within the family, parents also need to love each other, live harmoniously, and care for each other. Although marital life is not without conflicts, resolving conflicts peacefully without affecting the children's feelings will help teenagers feel happier.

1. Family members, especially parents, need to control their children appropriately to avoid damaging their self-esteem. Respect your children, don't ridicule or belittle them, don't compare them to others, don't embarrass them in front of others, don't invade their privacy, and most importantly, parents should see their children as unique individuals. Each child is a distinct personality, so parents shouldn't have overly high expectations but should create conditions for their children to develop their abilities.
2. Avoid conflicts within the family, especially conflicts between parents, between parents and children, or conflicts between family members. Create a warm and comfortable family atmosphere.