青少年真實快樂測驗的發展暨以有目的活動增進快樂的研究

Abstract

本研究目的乃基於Seligman(2000)的真實快樂模式(authentic happiness)，探討台灣青少年的真實快樂內涵，發展測量青少年真實快樂的量表工具，進一步評估增進真實快樂的活動效果。期盼藉由此研究能對台灣青少年的真實快樂有所了解，同時藉由一些有目的活動的實驗設計，提出增進快樂的建議。本研究包含三個子研究，其研究目的、研究結果如下。 研究一以半開放性問卷初步了解90位青少年真實快樂的內涵及比較做好事與做快樂的事的快樂感受。研究結果發現青少年的快樂來源包括：愉悅/享樂、自我實現、親和關係、利他行為、認知參與等活動。要獲取短暫時間的快樂比較常從事愉悅/享樂的活動，長期快樂來源較注重的是自我實現的快樂。台灣青少年的快樂觀似乎隱含著苦樂交雜理論，此外台灣青少年的快樂較偏重自我實現、家庭幸福、朋友關係、利他、樂天知命。「做好事」比「快樂的事」在事後回憶有較多的快樂，青少年所謂的好事，通常都是利他的。 研究二以北、中、南的國高中生共978人為研究對象編製「青少年真實快樂量表」。正式量表包含四個因素：自我實現、利他之樂、家庭幸福、人際和諧，共18題。經由各種檢驗，發現該自編量表具備良好的信效度，雖然原先編寫了愉悅/享樂因素的題目，但是因素分析結果顯示這些題目全部遭刪除，青少年的真實快樂中並不包含愉悅/享樂因素，比較傾向和人際發生關聯，而自我實現是青少年真實快樂中最重大的因素。青少年真實快樂得分與Seligman的快樂取向量表、Diener的生活滿意度量表、正向情緒得分有顯著正相關，且與貝克憂鬱量表有顯著負相關，顯示本量表具備出適當的外在效度。最能預測台灣青少年真實快樂的是學業成績、家庭收入、做功課時間等背景變項，三個因素加起來可以預測13﹪的真實快樂。 研究三以國一五個班級的學生為對象，其中一班為控制組，其他四班練習不同的有目的活動（intentional activity），含感恩、練習最大長處、紀錄做得最好的一件事、盼望，比較實驗前後及實驗後一個月，實驗組與控制組在真實快樂和憂鬱上的效果。研究結果發現有目的活動可以增進青少年的真實快樂，「感恩」、「練習最大長處」、「紀錄做得最好的一件事」這三種活動可以增進快樂降低憂鬱，「盼望」只有一些增加可是效果不大。有目的活動可以降低青少年的憂鬱，可是效果不是馬上呈現。在四組有目的活動中，練習長處美德的組別在增進青少年的快樂、降低憂鬱上是非常有潛力的。練習「有目的活動」的最佳頻率，實驗組各有不同。 青少年真實快樂量表中可能還有未發現的潛在因素，未來的研究值得進一歨分析。樂天知命的想法潛藏在我們的生活中，影響著我們的信念、生活態度，但是目前尚無法藉由量化的測量得知，如何測量樂天知命，留待未來研究探索。為什麼感恩的活動會對快樂增進最快？感恩帶來個體什麼樣的內在改變歷程？值得進一歨探討。練習最大的長處是非常有潛力的活動，可以結合品格教育多多推廣。輔導者與教師可以積極探尋適合中國文化觀點，使台灣青少年增加快樂、降低憂鬱的有目的活動有哪些？各種有目的的活動的最佳頻率是什麼？家庭、社會資源要如何配合？如何和青少年的興趣與價值相結合？亦都值得多方注意。本研究因為時間限制，只追蹤實驗一個月後的效果，未來值得繼續進一步追蹤更長期的效果。課業的因素對台灣青少年快樂的影響，是在所有背景變項中最大的，未來宜追蹤了解青少年的課業壓力，以尋求提升青少年心理衛生的適當政策。環境因素對快樂只有小而穩定的影響力，顯示快樂是可以增進的，值得教育工作者繼續研究如何增進快樂的方法。建議多多推廣有目的的活動，以增進青少年的真實快樂，然而在面對更大的壓力時，有目的活動是否仍有效果，有待未來研究進一步探索。

Based on the model of authentic happiness (Seligman, 2000), this study aims to （1） explore the core concept of Taiwan adolescents’ authentic happiness;（2） develop adolescent authentic happiness questionnaire; and（3） evaluate the effect of happiness enhancing activities.

In Study 1, we investigated adolescents’ core concept about authentic happiness and the activities that adolescents would engage to obtain short-, middle-, and long- term happiness. The author asked two groups to report how and what they did in so-called “altruistic activities” and the “pleasant activities”. To obtain short term happiness, they tended to engage in physical pleasure activities; while long term happiness were mostly gained through self-actualizational activities. Adolescents understood two conflict sources, pleasure and pain, were of the same importance in achieving happiness. They believed that the realization of positive social relationship and self- actualization were crucial factors of happiness.

In Study 2, Taiwan Adolescent Authentic Happiness Questionnaire was developed with 978 subjects recruited from five junior and senior high schools. The principal component analysis with Varimax rotation and confirmatory factor analysis were used to examine the factor structure of the scale. The results showed that 18 items were grouped into 4 dimensions: self-actualization, altruistic happiness, interpersonal relationship, and family happiness, that accounted for 53﹪of the total variance explained. All of the18 items had factor loadings higher than .40 and external validities were pretty good: AAHQ were significantly (positively) correlated with (1) Seligman’s Orientation to Happiness Scale, (2) Diener’s the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and (3) positive emotions in a Emotional Scale; it also significantly (negatively) correlated with Beck’s Depression Scale. The internal consistency reliabilities ranged from .77 to .83, and the test-retest reliability was .631. Academic achievement, family income, and time spent on homework were three most successful factors among other background variables in predicting authentic happiness of Taiwan adolescents.

In Study 3, the participants were 7th grade students from five different classes. One class was control group, and the others are experimental groups. The experimental groups participated in 4 various intentional activities to obtain hope, gratitude, strengths, and the best job; while the control group simply recalled life experiences. All of the five groups were administered the pre-test before the experimental treatment, the post-test two weeks after the experimental intentional activity, and the delay test one month after. The results showed the experimental groups had higher authentic happiness and lower depression than the control group on both the post-test and the delay test. The intentional activity could increase happiness and decrease depression. The most effective intentional activity was the gratitude group. We discovered each intentional activity had different optimal frequency. In sum, this research suggests that it is possible to enhance adolescents’ happiness. Educators need to develop more intentional activities that are attractive to adolescents. Educators also need to encourage students to make the best of their strength/virtues to enhance happiness.