Values as predictors of life satisfaction in a Lebanese sample: implications for academic practices

Values are a cognitive expression of human needs, as well as principles that guide behaviors in personal, social or general life goals, and its psychosocial impact deserves more investigation. This study aimed to analyze whether values predict life satisfaction in 236 Lebanese citizens (54.2% women; Mage = 30.14). From these, 85.6% held a university degree. Participants completed the Basic Values Survey and the Satisfaction With Life Scale. The results of linear multiple regression analyzes indicate that the values’ orientation explains 9.3% (R2 Aj. = .07; F (6, 229) = 3.93, p = .001) of life satisfaction variability. Normative values are a significant predictor of life satisfaction, and individuals who have higher normative values have less life satisfaction, β = -.20, t = -2.88, p = .004. These results indicated the need to further analyze its explanatory power in consonance with other variables, such as cultural aspects. This study has implications for institutional academic and social practices, in order to promote values that can favor, in that context, a greater sense of life satisfaction.