Life satisfaction is a central component of subjective well-being and reflects an individual’s cognitive evaluation of the overall quality and meaningfulness of life. Emerging adulthood, generally characterized by identity exploration, increasing independence, changing interpersonal relationships, educational and occupational transitions, and uncertainty about future roles, represents a psychologically significant developmental period.
The present study examines the psychological factors associated with life satisfaction among emerging adults, with particular attention to self-esteem, psychological resilience, perceived social support, emotional regulation, optimism, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms. A quantitative, descriptive, correlational, and cross-sectional research design was adopted using a hypothetical sample of 320 emerging adults between 18 and 29 years of age. Data were conceptualized through standardized self-report measures and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, and multiple regression.
The illustrative findings indicate that self-esteem, resilience, social support, emotional regulation, and optimism are positively associated with life satisfaction, whereas perceived stress and depressive symptoms demonstrate negative associations. Self-esteem and optimism emerged as particularly important positive predictors, while perceived stress represented a substantial negative correlate. The findings emphasize that life satisfaction during emerging adulthood is shaped by an interconnected system of personal, emotional, cognitive, and social resources. Strengthening psychological resilience, positive self-evaluation, adaptive emotional regulation, supportive relationships, and future-oriented optimism may contribute to improved well-being during this developmental stage.