Exploring post-pandemic life satisfaction in young adults: a dual analytical perspective

This study explores post-pandemic life satisfaction among young adults in China using a dual analytical perspective to address the following objectives: (a) to determine the current status of life satisfaction; (b) to examine the unique contributions and interactions of social-environmental (objective and subjective socioeconomic status) and psychological factors (personal mastery, perceived constraints, search for meaning, and presence of meaning) on life satisfaction; (c) to identify homogeneous subgroups based on these factors; and (d) to assess differences in life satisfaction across these subgroups. Data from 862 young adults (M = 21.67, SD = 2.88; 57.54% female) were analyzed via mediation analysis and latent class analysis. The findings identify three distinct classes based on SES and psychological resources levels, revealing that those with high satisfaction in both domains report the highest life satisfaction; notably, low satisfaction in both domains correlates most strongly with life satisfaction. These results highlight the critical role of both SES and psychological resources in enhancing life satisfaction among young adults in the post-pandemic period.