Happier Teenagers become Wealthier Adults, Study Shows

Helen Holmes November 28, 2012

If you’re a teenager reading this article, now is the time to stop frowning. If you’re a parent, it’s time to tell your surly teenager that they could be putting their future at risk if they don’t change their outlook in life. In a long-term study that involved over 10,000 people, scientists found that cheery and optimistic teens are likely to earn more at the age of 30 than their miserable friends.

Obtaining data from the US National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, researchers from the University College London and Warwick University followed more than 10,000 people since 1994 and looked at whether or not happiness in teenage years is associated with higher income in adulthood. Participants were asked to rate their happiness and life satisfaction at ages 16, 18 and 21. When they turned 29, they were asked about their income. Certain factors were controlled, such as the IQ, gender, and socioeconomic backgrounds of the participants.

The study, which was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that unhappiest people at the age of 16 and 18 earned 30% lesser income than their upbeat friends. On the other hand, those who smiled the most during their teenage years earned 10% more than the average income a decade later.

Happy teens = Wealthy Adults

According to the researchers, the increase in income among happy teenagers can be attributed to several factors, including higher chance of obtaining university education as a result of being optimistic and less neurotic. Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, one of the study authors from the University College London and the Centre for Economic Performance at the London School of Economics, says people who have a sunny disposition usually have larger networks and more opportunities. In organisations, they are likely to stand out and become a leader. These things have indirect ways of helping positive people raise their income.

They also found that at every one-point increase in life satisfaction at the age of 22, there was an increase of almost $2,000 (£1,250) in annual income when the participants reached the age of 29.

"If I were to find a person who was very dissatisfied with their life at 20 or 21 and compared them to a person who was very satisfied with their life at that age, the statistical prediction would then be that there’s a $10,000 (£6,245) difference between their later earnings."

Dr De Neve also looked at the differences in happiness among siblings and their income. To see how they differed from the rest of the population, he isolated around 3,000 people whose siblings also took part in the happiness survey at the age of 16, 18 and 22. He found that siblings with a one-point difference in happiness in their teens had nearly $4,000 (£2,500) difference in their income as adults, which is twice the difference for non-siblings.

According to De Neve, these findings have important implications for policy makers, educators, and the general public. For the academe, the study reveals a strong relationship between income and happiness – something which most have ignored for many years. For policy makers, it emphasises the need to promote well-being because GDP alone is not a complete measure of the country’s progress. Happiness of the people does impact the economy too. And for the general public, the findings show that the well-being of children and teens are the key to their success in the future. Helping them develop and strengthen their emotional well-being is therefore necessary.

Dear Readers

What makes teenagers happy? Research shows that it is not money or material things that make teenagers happy – rather, the simple things in life such as having close friends, playing sports, and living a stable home life. Do you agree?

Share your thoughts by posting a comment below.

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Happy teenagers earn more as adults