The Influence of Decision-Making Styles on Early Adolescents' Life Satisfaction

Abstract

In this study, I examined decision-making styles and satisfaction in different life domains in early adolescence, and the influence of gender difference in relation to making decisions. The Multidimensional Students' Life Satisfaction Scale (Huebner, 1994) and the Adolescent Decision-making Scale (Mann, Harmoni, & Power, 1989) were completed by 918 early adolescents (432 girls, 486 boys) who were students at a school in a city in southern Turkey. Some gender differences regarding satisfaction with various life domains and decision-making styles were noted. It was found that, with the exception of the panic style, decision-making styles are predictors of life satisfaction. The results are discussed in relation to previous research. Finally, study limitations and possible directions for further research are outlined.