Investigation of Life Satisfaction Predictors of School Counsellors

The Statement: Among the characteristics of efficient counsellors are psychological determination, emphatic understanding, having no prejudices, enthusiasm to listen to and understand others, and having no anti-social or hostile feelings (Ultanir, 2001). It is repeatedly argued that education opportunities and services directly influence life satisfaction; the satisfaction in academic life increases life satisfaction, and social policies to be developed in every country should aim to increase life satisfaction (Chow, 2005; Diener, and Seligman 2004). Gender, age, professional status, education, professional expectations of the school counsellors and the institution they work have an impact on their life satisfaction. No research has been found related to the effect of personal and socio-demographic factors on life satisfaction. Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of the counsellors' gender, age, marital status, education, the school they work, work experience, satisfaction with working conditions, and positive perception of their knowledge and skills on their life satisfaction. Methods: This study is a literature review which uses a qualitative research technique. The population of the research consisted of 141 psychological counsellors, 112 of whom were females and 29 of whom were males, working at the state primary and high schools in the province of Izmir. Findings and Results: In the findings obtained from the research, with regard to life satisfaction of the school psychological counselors, following conclusions were reached: Life satisfaction levels of those who were satisfied with their working conditions were higher than those who did not; life satisfaction levels of those who found the knowledge and skills satisfactory which they acquired at the schools which they graduated from were higher than those who did not. In compliance with the results of Multilevel Regression Analysis, Satisfaction with the working conditions, Perception of the knowledge and Skills acquired at school satisfactory and Marital Status are found out to be the important predictors of life satisfaction. Conclusion and Recommendations: The results of the study indicate that the most significant variable that contributes to the prediction of life satisfaction is whether the participants find the knowledge and skills they gain during their education satisfactory or not. The life satisfaction levels of those who find the knowledge and skills gained at their schools satisfactory are higher than those who do not.