Determinants of Life Satisfaction: Role of Living Arrangements, Social Status, and Perceived Satisfaction in Women

Living arrangements, social status, and perceived freedom may have a powerful effect on women’s satisfaction with life. Perceptions of satisfaction were studied by testing these independent variables: living arrangements (living with in-laws vs. separately) and social status (being married to army officer vs. civilian), with the dependent variables of perceived freedom and satisfaction with life. The sample comprised 104 women (age = 32.36, SD = 6.59) married to civilians (51%) and army officers (48%) in Lahore, Pakistan. Women married to army officers and not sharing with in-laws were more likely to indicate a higher level of freedom and satisfaction compared to women married to civilians and living with in-laws. Further, a mediational analysis revealed that the effect of living arrangements on satisfaction was mediated by womens’ reported freedom.