Research to date has assumed linearity in the effects of school satisfaction (SS), with more positive outcomes associated with increasing levels of school satisfaction. This study investigated the consequences of very high levels of SS across academic achievement and social-relationship outcomes using archival data collected in a one-year longitudinal study of middle school students. Several regression analyses similar to that of Oishi, Diener, and Lucas (2007) were conducted. The analyses demonstrated that middle school students with the highest levels of SS tended to report the highest levels of satisfaction with their peer, family, and teacher relationships. With regard to academic achievement, students reporting the highest levels of SS did not demonstrate statistically significantly lower (or higher levels) of academic achievement. SS does not appear significantly related to academic achievement outcomes. Limitations of the study as well as implications for future research and educational practice are discussed.
","abstract_html":"<p>Research to date has assumed linearity in the effects of school satisfaction (SS), with more positive outcomes associated with increasing levels of school satisfaction. This study investigated the consequences of very high levels of SS across academic achievement and social-relationship outcomes using archival data collected in a one-year longitudinal study of middle school students. Several regression analyses similar to that of Oishi, Diener, and Lucas (2007) were conducted. The analyses demonstrated that middle school students with the highest levels of SS tended to report the highest levels of satisfaction with their peer, family, and teacher relationships. With regard to academic achievement, students reporting the highest levels of SS did not demonstrate statistically significantly lower (or higher levels) of academic achievement. SS does not appear significantly related to academic achievement outcomes. Limitations of the study as well as implications for future research and educational practice are discussed.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Whitley, Audrey Marie"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Ph.D.","degree_level":"Campus Access Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Psychology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Eugene S. Huebner"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2010,"date_issued":"2010-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2010-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:37:08Z","subjects":["Education","Educational Psychology","School Satisfaction"],"languages":[],"rights":["© 2010, Audrey Marie Whitley"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd/421","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Eugene S. Huebner"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Whitley, Audrey Marie"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Psychology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Campus Access Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Ph.D."]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Education","Educational Psychology","School Satisfaction"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["© 2010, Audrey Marie Whitley"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd/421"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Research to date has assumed linearity in the effects of school satisfaction (SS), with more positive outcomes associated with increasing levels of school satisfaction. This study investigated the consequences of very high levels of SS across academic achievement and social-relationship outcomes using archival data collected in a one-year longitudinal study of middle school students. Several regression analyses similar to that of Oishi, Diener, and Lucas (2007) were conducted. The analyses demonstrated that middle school students with the highest levels of SS tended to report the highest levels of satisfaction with their peer, family, and teacher relationships. With regard to academic achievement, students reporting the highest levels of SS did not demonstrate statistically significantly lower (or higher levels) of academic achievement. SS does not appear significantly related to academic achievement outcomes. Limitations of the study as well as implications for future research and educational practice are discussed.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Can Kids be too Happy in School? The Optimal Level of School Satisfaction"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Eugene S. Huebner"],"dc:creator":["Whitley, Audrey Marie"],"dc:description.abstract":["Research to date has assumed linearity in the effects of school satisfaction (SS), with more positive outcomes associated with increasing levels of school satisfaction. This study investigated the consequences of very high levels of SS across academic achievement and social-relationship outcomes using archival data collected in a one-year longitudinal study of middle school students. Several regression analyses similar to that of Oishi, Diener, and Lucas (2007) were conducted. The analyses demonstrated that middle school students with the highest levels of SS tended to report the highest levels of satisfaction with their peer, family, and teacher relationships. With regard to academic achievement, students reporting the highest levels of SS did not demonstrate statistically significantly lower (or higher levels) of academic achievement. SS does not appear significantly related to academic achievement outcomes. Limitations of the study as well as implications for future research and educational practice are discussed.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd/421"],"dc:rights":["© 2010, Audrey Marie Whitley"],"dc:subject":["Education","Educational Psychology","School Satisfaction"],"dc:title":["Can Kids be too Happy in School? The Optimal Level of School Satisfaction"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Psychology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Campus Access Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Ph.D."]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:37:08Z"}