College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

Winter 3-19-2018

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Joseph R. Ferrari, PhD

Second Advisor

Theresa Luhrs, PhD

Abstract

The cognitive judgments individuals make to evaluate their quality of life (i.e. life satisfaction), are vital to understanding how individuals perceive their overall well-being. Predictors, such as, gender, ethnicity, and external environmental factors may influence life satisfaction. Few studies examined the relations between psychological home, place attachment, and life satisfaction. The present study was the first to examine these concepts in women of color. For the present study, data were taken from a larger nationwide study of 1,394 adults (M = 53.94 years old) examining the relationship between home, clutter, and well-being. The current study explored the influence of psychological home on life satisfaction, among 99 adult women of color (M = 50.33 years old), after accounting for resource (i.e., annual household income, homeownership status, and relationship status) and contextual (i.e., type of dwelling, number of people in household, and years in residence) variables. Additionally, the effects of place attachment and clutter on psychological home and life satisfaction were examined. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that psychological home was a significant predictor of life satisfaction over and above resource and contextual variables. Place attachment and clutter did not moderate the relationship between psychological home and life satisfaction. However, clutter mediated the relationship between psychological home and life satisfaction. More research is needed to better understand these processes in woman of color. The implications for community psychology, limitations of the current study, and future directions are discussed.

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