Table 2. Change in students’ life satisfaction between 2015 and 2018, by gender.
| Mean LS | % low LS | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 2018 | Change | 2015 | 2018 | Absolute change | Relative change | ||||||||||||
| Girls | Boys | Girls | Boys | Girls | Boys | Girls | Boys | Girls | Boys | Girls | Boys | Girls | Boys | |||||
| B | S.E. | B | S.E. | B | S.E. | B | S.E. | |||||||||||
| England | 6.61 | 7.26 | 5.70 | 6.59 | −0.91 *** | 0.08 | −0.68 *** | 0.07 | 28.81% | 19.42% | 41.41% | 26.32% | 12.59%*** | 0.01 | 6.89*** | 0.01 | 43.71% | 35.48% |
| United Kingdom | 6.64 | 7.31 | 5.76 | 6.61 | −0.88*** | 0.07 | −0.71*** | 0.06 | 28.54% | 18.85% | 40.75% | 26.15% | 12.21%*** | 0.01 | 7.30%*** | 0.01 | 42.78% | 38.74% |
| Scotland | 6.73 | 7.60 | 5.96 | 6.56 | −0.76*** | 0.10 | −1.04*** | 0.09 | 27.76% | 15.05% | 38.08% | 26.65% | 10.32%*** | 0.02 | 11.60%*** | 0.02 | 37.19% | 77.04% |
| Brazil | 7.45 | 7.74 | 6.73 | 7.40 | −0.72*** | 0.07 | −0.34*** | 0.06 | 19.76% | 15.42% | 27.76% | 19.45% | 8.00%*** | 0.01 | 4.03%*** | 0.01 | 40.47% | 26.15% |
| Japan | 6.86 | 6.74 | 6.18 | 6.18 | −0.68*** | 0.07 | −0.56*** | 0.07 | 26.22% | 28.02% | 37.24% | 37.25% | 11.02%*** | 0.01 | 9.23%*** | 0.01 | 42.03% | 32.94% |
| Northern Ireland | 6.94 | 7.54 | 6.27 | 6.90 | −0.67*** | 0.12 | −0.64*** | 0.11 | 24.22% | 16.19% | 33.48% | 23.95% | 9.26%*** | 0.02 | 7.77%*** | 0.02 | 38.22% | 47.97% |
| Wales | 6.74 | 7.52 | 6.07 | 6.84 | −0.67*** | 0.11 | −0.68*** | 0.11 | 27.97% | 16.91% | 37.53% | 23.80% | 9.56%*** | 0.02 | 6.89%*** | 0.02 | 34.18% | 40.71% |
| Macao | 6.59 | 6.60 | 5.93 | 6.22 | −0.66*** | 0.06 | −0.38*** | 0.07 | 28.53% | 29.98% | 39.23% | 33.71% | 10.70%*** | 0.01 | 3.72%** | 0.01 | 37.50% | 12.42% |
| United States | 7.06 | 7.66 | 6.47 | 7.03 | −0.59*** | 0.06 | −0.63*** | 0.08 | 24.52% | 15.51% | 32.82% | 23.63% | 8.30%*** | 0.01 | 8.12%*** | 0.01 | 33.84% | 52.34% |
| Qatar | 7.30 | 7.51 | 6.73 | 6.97 | −0.57*** | 0.05 | −0.54*** | 0.05 | 24.70% | 19.12% | 30.71% | 23.61% | 6.01%*** | 0.01 | 4.49%*** | 0.01 | 24.33% | 23.48% |
| Ireland | 7.02 | 7.58 | 6.45 | 7.02 | −0.57*** | 0.07 | −0.56*** | 0.07 | 23.17% | 14.38% | 31.44% | 23.00% | 8.27%*** | 0.01 | 8.62%*** | 0.01 | 35.67% | 59.93% |
| Poland | 6.83 | 7.53 | 6.30 | 7.19 | −0.53*** | 0.08 | −0.33*** | 0.07 | 27.10% | 16.75% | 33.68% | 21.05% | 6.58%*** | 0.01 | 4.30%*** | 0.01 | 24.27% | 25.69% |
| Russia | 7.60 | 7.92 | 7.08 | 7.57 | −0.53*** | 0.08 | −0.35*** | 0.08 | 19.28% | 14.20% | 26.51% | 18.65% | 7.24%*** | 0.01 | 4.44%*** | 0.01 | 37.54% | 31.27% |
| United Arab Emirates | 7.17 | 7.44 | 6.69 | 7.10 | −0.48*** | 0.07 | −0.34*** | 0.07 | 26.52% | 21.01% | 31.49% | 24.24% | 4.97%*** | 0.01 | 3.23%** | 0.01 | 18.74% | 15.40% |
| France | 7.41 | 7.86 | 6.93 | 7.44 | −0.47*** | 0.06 | −0.42*** | 0.05 | 16.53% | 11.10% | 23.47% | 15.66% | 6.93%*** | 0.01 | 4.56%*** | 0.01 | 41.93% | 41.06% |
| Iceland | 7.35 | 8.28 | 6.94 | 7.76 | −0.41*** | 0.07 | −0.52*** | 0.08 | 20.12% | 9.00% | 22.31% | 12.65% | 2.18% | 0.01 | 3.65%** | 0.01 | 10.85% | 40.60% |
| Estonia | 7.27 | 7.73 | 6.87 | 7.52 | −0.40*** | 0.07 | −0.21*** | 0.06 | 20.99% | 14.18% | 25.11% | 16.68% | 4.13%** | 0.01 | 2.50%** | 0.01 | 19.66% | 17.60% |
| Slovenia | 6.71 | 7.62 | 6.30 | 7.40 | −0.40*** | 0.09 | −0.22** | 0.07 | 28.91% | 15.16% | 33.55% | 19.45% | 4.64%** | 0.02 | 4.30%*** | 0.01 | 16.04% | 28.34% |
| Chile | 7.13 | 7.60 | 6.73 | 7.32 | −0.40*** | 0.08 | −0.28*** | 0.08 | 25.73% | 17.21% | 29.67% | 21.02% | 3.94%** | 0.01 | 3.82%** | 0.01 | 15.32% | 22.17% |
| Latvia | 7.29 | 7.46 | 6.91 | 7.43 | −0.39*** | 0.07 | −0.02 | 0.07 | 18.15% | 15.80% | 24.39% | 17.79% | 6.24%*** | 0.01 | 1.99% | 0.01 | 34.40% | 12.56% |
| Netherlands | 7.56 | 8.11 | 7.18 | 7.83 | −0.37*** | 0.05 | −0.28*** | 0.05 | 9.21% | 4.21% | 11.47% | 5.52% | 2.26%* | 0.01 | 1.31%* | 0.01 | 24.54% | 31.15% |
| Costa Rica | 8.04 | 8.39 | 7.67 | 8.25 | −0.36*** | 0.07 | −0.13* | 0.06 | 12.92% | 9.23% | 17.53% | 11.07% | 4.61%*** | 0.01 | 1.84%* | 0.01 | 35.65% | 19.92% |
| Croatia | 7.62 | 8.21 | 7.28 | 8.11 | −0.34*** | 0.05 | −0.10 | 0.06 | 16.35% | 9.16% | 22.13% | 11.85% | 5.77%*** | 0.01 | 2.69%*** | 0.01 | 35.29% | 29.38% |
| Switzerland | 7.38 | 8.03 | 7.04 | 7.68 | −0.34*** | 0.07 | −0.35*** | 0.07 | 17.08% | 8.84% | 21.45% | 12.93% | 4.37%*** | 0.01 | 4.09%*** | 0.01 | 25.62% | 46.25% |
| Germany | 6.96 | 7.76 | 6.62 | 7.37 | −0.33*** | 0.06 | −0.39*** | 0.07 | 21.89% | 11.11% | 25.56% | 16.08% | 3.67%** | 0.01 | 4.96%*** | 0.01 | 16.79% | 44.66% |
| Slovakia | 7.17 | 7.76 | 6.85 | 7.59 | −0.31*** | 0.07 | −0.17* | 0.08 | 23.49% | 15.41% | 25.89% | 17.45% | 2.40% | 0.01 | 2.04%* | 0.01 | 10.21% | 13.21% |
| Austria | 7.09 | 7.95 | 6.78 | 7.49 | −0.31*** | 0.07 | −0.46*** | 0.07 | 23.07% | 11.15% | 27.00% | 17.55% | 3.93%** | 0.01 | 6.40%*** | 0.01 | 17.05% | 57.42% |
| Finland | 7.51 | 8.25 | 7.21 | 8.02 | −0.30*** | 0.07 | −0.23*** | 0.06 | 15.22% | 7.57% | 20.08% | 10.39% | 4.85%*** | 0.01 | 2.82%*** | 0.01 | 31.88% | 37.26% |
| Turkey | 5.83 | 6.41 | 5.53 | 5.71 | −0.30* | 0.12 | −0.70*** | 0.09 | 45.59% | 36.26% | 47.80% | 43.16% | 2.21% | 0.02 | 6.91%*** | 0.01 | 4.84% | 19.05% |
| Peru | 7.42 | 7.57 | 7.13 | 7.48 | −0.30*** | 0.08 | −0.09 | 0.07 | 22.28% | 19.69% | 21.32% | 18.26% | −0.97% | 0.01 | −1.43% | 0.01 | −4.33% | −7.25% |
| Colombia | 7.71 | 8.08 | 7.42 | 7.83 | −0.29*** | 0.07 | −0.25*** | 0.07 | 19.03% | 13.71% | 20.69% | 16.46% | 1.66% | 0.01 | 2.75%** | 0.01 | 8.74% | 20.08% |
| Lithuania | 7.60 | 8.12 | 7.33 | 7.88 | −0.27*** | 0.06 | −0.25*** | 0.07 | 17.27% | 11.67% | 21.31% | 14.17% | 4.04%*** | 0.01 | 2.51%** | 0.01 | 23.36% | 21.51% |
| Luxembourg | 6.99 | 7.78 | 6.74 | 7.34 | −0.26*** | 0.07 | −0.44*** | 0.07 | 23.64% | 13.92% | 27.19% | 19.65% | 3.54%** | 0.01 | 5.73%*** | 0.01 | 14.99% | 41.20% |
| Uruguay | 7.47 | 7.95 | 7.22 | 7.90 | −0.25*** | 0.07 | −0.05 | 0.08 | 19.64% | 13.71% | 21.01% | 13.24% | 1.37% | 0.01 | −0.46% | 0.01 | 6.97% | −3.39% |
| Hong Kong | 6.44 | 6.51 | 6.19 | 6.35 | −0.25*** | 0.06 | −0.16* | 0.08 | 27.71% | 28.59% | 31.22% | 30.61% | 3.50%* | 0.01 | 2.03% | 0.02 | 12.65% | 7.10% |
| Portugal | 7.11 | 7.61 | 6.87 | 7.38 | −0.23*** | 0.07 | −0.24*** | 0.06 | 21.57% | 13.57% | 23.69% | 16.71% | 2.12% | 0.01 | 3.14%** | 0.01 | 9.83% | 23.11% |
| Mexico | 8.21 | 8.33 | 7.98 | 8.25 | −0.23*** | 0.07 | −0.07 | 0.06 | 13.04% | 10.34% | 12.49% | 9.61% | −0.56% | 0.01 | −0.74% | 0.01 | −4.28% | −7.13% |
| Bulgaria | 7.20 | 7.62 | 6.97 | 7.32 | −0.22** | 0.07 | −0.29*** | 0.07 | 23.77% | 18.94% | 25.90% | 20.94% | 2.13% | 0.01 | 2.00% | 0.01 | 8.96% | 10.56% |
| Taiwan | 6.45 | 6.74 | 6.30 | 6.74 | −0.15** | 0.05 | 0.01 | 0.06 | 33.75% | 29.26% | 36.05% | 28.26% | 2.29%* | 0.01 | −1.00% | 0.01 | 6.80% | −3.42% |
| Czech Republic | 6.72 | 7.37 | 6.57 | 7.24 | −0.15 | 0.09 | −0.13 | 0.07 | 29.06% | 19.46% | 29.10% | 21.49% | 0.04% | 0.02 | 2.03% | 0.01 | 0.13% | 10.43% |
| South Korea | 6.12 | 6.59 | 5.98 | 7.01 | −0.14* | 0.07 | 0.42*** | 0.07 | 38.01% | 30.69% | 41.02% | 24.92% | 3.01%* | 0.01 | −5.76%*** | 0.01 | 7.91% | −18.78% |
| Thailand | 7.70 | 7.73 | 7.56 | 7.72 | −0.13 | 0.08 | −0.01 | 0.06 | 17.04% | 18.49% | 19.96% | 19.82% | 2.92%* | 0.01 | 1.32% | 0.01 | 17.16% | 7.16% |
| Spain | 7.24 | 7.60 | 7.12 | 7.57 | −0.11* | 0.05 | −0.04 | 0.05 | 18.71% | 13.45% | 20.10% | 14.43% | 1.39% | 0.01 | 0.98% | 0.01 | 7.41% | 7.27% |
| Montenegro | 7.50 | 7.99 | 7.42 | 7.95 | −0.09 | 0.07 | −0.04 | 0.07 | 20.99% | 15.38% | 23.78% | 16.05% | 2.79%* | 0.01 | 0.67% | 0.01 | 13.30% | 4.33% |
| Hungary | 6.80 | 7.54 | 6.72 | 7.52 | −0.08 | 0.09 | −0.02 | 0.08 | 27.10% | 16.13% | 27.97% | 17.31% | 0.88% | 0.01 | 1.18% | 0.01 | 3.23% | 7.31% |
| Italy | 6.50 | 7.29 | 6.54 | 7.27 | 0.04 | 0.08 | −0.03 | 0.06 | 31.17% | 16.96% | 27.64% | 17.36% | −3.53%** | 0.01 | 0.41% | 0.01 | −11.34% | 2.40% |
| Greece | 6.59 | 7.22 | 6.74 | 7.24 | 0.15** | 0.06 | 0.02 | 0.08 | 29.40% | 19.19% | 27.09% | 19.20% | −2.32%* | 0.01 | 0.01% | 0.01 | −7.88% | 0.04% |
Notes: countries are ordered from greater to smaller change in mean life satisfaction among girls in the period 2015–2018
Low life satisfaction is defined as rating your life satisfaction with 5 or less in the 0 to 10 life satisfaction scale.
* p < .05, ** p < .01, and *** p < .001