Exploring the Father–Adolescent Life Satisfaction Relationship in Light of Fathers’ Personality Traits and Satisfaction with Life: A Transgenerational Perspective

This study examines how life satisfaction and personality traits are intergenerationally transmitted from fathers to their adolescent children. The sample comprised 144 father-child dyads (mean child age = 13.65; 55.9% male; mean father age = 43.06). The data were obtained via questionnaires. The Satisfaction With Life Scale served as the measure of life satisfaction. Fathers also completed a brief version of the NEO Personality Inventory. The results showed that fathers' life satisfaction significantly positively correlated with their children's life satisfaction, supporting the theory of intergenerational transmission. Unexpectedly, fathers' high neuroticism positively correlated with adolescents' life satisfaction, contradicting previous studies suggesting a negative association. Additionally, fathers' high agreeableness was significantly associated with higher life satisfaction in their children, indicating that agreeable fathers contribute to a supportive and nurturing family environment, enhancing adolescents' well-being. In conclusion, this study emphasizes how fathers' personality traits, particularly agreeableness and neuroticism, notably contribute to the psychological and emotional well-being of their adolescent children.