for 2010, which is the most recent year in which the BRFSS asked this question. For scientific clarity, the Figure lays out two kinds of plots. One is for raw averaged life-satisfaction scores at different ages. The other, derived from a regression equation in which other covariates ‘controls’) are included, is the regression-adjusted level of life-satisfaction. There is apparently some form of midlife low, although the adjusted nadir (that is, with controls) is closer to early-40s rather than approximately 50. However, the pattern across all ages in the case is more ‘wavy’ with an early dip at the start of people’s 20s. Adjusted well-being in the USA starts high in youth, declines smoothly until the flat part in middle age; it then rises in hill-like way to approximately the age of 70; after that it runs roughly flat, or even fractionally up, until the age of 90. The controls in this case are gender, race, level of education, marital status, labor market status, a disability dummy variable, number of children, and dummy variables for the state the person lives in within the US. The sample size is approximately 427,000. This U-shaped pattern in psychological well-being is seen in other modern nations. Appendix Figure A2, for example, plots happiness data for approximately 316,000 randomly sampled Europeans. The data are from the European Social Survey, available from . One curve is for raw averaged happiness scores at different ages. The other allows for controls in the equation for happiness. It can be seen in the appendix Figure that the two curves have elements in common. However, allowing for controls gives a more pronounced V shape. Nevertheless, in both of the shapes, well-being starts high in youth; it then drops until approximately the early 50; it then goes up quite strongly in the adjusted case and rather mildly in the raw-data case. The controls in the ESS regression are gender, level of education, marital status, labor market status,
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This figure is based on data from the U.S. General Social Survey using the question “We are interested in how people are getting along financially these days. So far as you and your family are concerned, would you say that you are pretty well satisfied with your present financial situation, more or less satisfied, or not satisfied at all?” scored from 3 to 1. This graph reports the mean levels for the different groups. This figure is based on data from the U.S. General Social Survey using the question “We are interested in how people are getting along financially these days. So far as you and your family are concerned, would you say that you are pretty well satisfied with your present financial situation, more or less satisfied, or not satisfied at all?” scored from 3 to 1. This graph reports the mean levels for the different groups. This figure is based on data from the U.S. General Social Survey where a high school dropout is defined as someone with <12 years of schooling. This figure is based on data from the U.S. General Social Survey using the question “Taken all together, how would you say things are these days – would you say that you are very happy,