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Gender and age differences in domain-specific life satisfaction and the impact of depressive and anxiety symptoms: a general population survey from Germany

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Abstract

Purpose

Determine age and gender differences and interaction effects in domain-specific life satisfaction in the German population and examine to which degree depressive and anxiety symptoms are associated with life satisfaction in addition to sociodemographic variables, and which domains are affected.

Methods

Representative survey of the German population conducted 2006 with 5,036 participants (53.6% female). Mean age was 48.4 years (SD = 18.0). Measurements included domain-specific life satisfaction (FLZM), anxiety (GAD-7), depressive symptoms (PHQ-2), and sociodemographic variables (e.g., marital status, income, employment, education, urbanity, part of Germany, religiousness, age and gender).

Results

Women were more satisfied with their family life, men showed greater satisfaction with their leisure activities. Age-group differences appeared in every life satisfaction domain. Age by gender interaction emerged in the field of satisfaction with health, income, and family life. Anxiety and depressive symptoms contributed significantly to the explained variance of domain-specific life satisfaction.

Conclusions

Depressive and anxiety symptoms as two psychological variables have an additional impact on domain-specific life satisfaction. Further investigation is needed regarding the impact of psychological variables on domain-specific life satisfaction.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Medical Psychology, Charité-University Medical Center, Luisenstrasse 57, 10117, Berlin, Germany

    Isolde Daig, Anja Lehmann & Nina Knoll

  2. Department and Outpatient Clinic of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Division of Psychosocial Oncology, Technical University of Munich, Möhlstr. 28, 81675, München, Germany

    Peter Herschbach

  3. Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University of Leipzig, Philipp-Rosenthal-Str. 55, 04103, Leipzig, Germany

    Oliver Decker

Authors
  1. Isolde Daig
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  2. Peter Herschbach
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  3. Anja Lehmann
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  4. Nina Knoll
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  5. Oliver Decker
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Correspondence to Isolde Daig.

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Daig, I., Herschbach, P., Lehmann, A. et al. Gender and age differences in domain-specific life satisfaction and the impact of depressive and anxiety symptoms: a general population survey from Germany. Qual Life Res 18, 669–678 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-009-9481-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-009-9481-3

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