What does the Cantril Ladder measure in adolescence?

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Adolescent Health
• Sociology

Background:

• The Cantril Scale (CS) assesses general life satisfaction, influenced by health, living conditions, and social relations.
• Understanding factors affecting adolescent life satisfaction is crucial for psychosocial health assessments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify key factors influencing the Cantril Scale (CS) score in Polish adolescents.
• To explore the relationship between various quality of life indicators and overall life satisfaction.

Main Methods:

• Survey of 1,423 parent-child pairs (ages 10-17).
• Utilized linear and logistic regression models.
• Included child-reported KIDSCREEN-52 quality of life indexes, parent-reported child health (CSHCN, SDQ), and socioeconomic data.

Main Results:

• Nine predictors, including six KIDSCREEN-52 dimensions, explained 47.2% of CS score variability.
• Self-perception (ΔR² = 0.301), Psychological Well-being (ΔR² = 0.088), and Parent Relations (ΔR² = 0.041) were dominant predictors.
• Moods and Emotions, and School Environment significantly predicted higher life satisfaction; socioeconomic factors impacted boys and older adolescents more.

Conclusions:

• The Cantril Scale is a valuable tool for assessing psychosocial health in adolescents.
• Self-perception and psychological well-being are critical determinants of adolescent life satisfaction.