In a surprising twist, a recent study by economists Robert Rudolf and Dirk Bethmann of Korea University has found that the happiness of teenagers decreases as the per capita income of their country increases. While numerous studies have shown that adults in wealthy countries tend to be more satisfied with their lives, the opposite appears to be true for young people. The study, published in the Journal of Happiness Studies, analyzed data from half a million 15-year-olds in 72 countries who participated in the 2018 PISA survey.
The researchers attribute this paradox to the increasing expectations of parents in wealthier countries. As income rises, so do investments in education, and parents and teachers expect more cognitive effort from their children. The study also found that the learning intensity of teenagers in wealthy countries is higher than in poorer countries, and that the educational requirements in middle-income countries tend to be lower, resulting in a higher level of well-being for young people. However, the study does not suggest that teenagers in poor countries are the happiest, as the data only includes countries with middle and high incomes.
This new research challenges the commonly held belief that wealth and happiness are positively correlated. While adults may experience greater life satisfaction in wealthy countries, teenagers may feel the pressure of high expectations and intense academic demands. The study highlights the importance of considering age-specific factors when examining the relationship between income and happiness.
