SWS Q4 poll posts decline in happiness, satisfaction with life

A FOURTH quarter 2018 poll by the Social Weather Stations found respondents posting a happiness score of 87% (39% very happy and 48% fairly happy), a seven-point decline from the record-high 94% in December 2017.

The December 2018 Social Weather Survey also found 82% “very/fairly satisfied” (34% very satisfied, 48% fairly satisfied ) with the lives they lead, the lowest since the 79% in September 2014.

SWS noted that the 87% happiness score is also the lowest in four years, since the 85% in December 2014. On the other hand, the unhappiness score of 13% (11% not very happy, 2% not at all happy) is the highest since the 15% in December 2014.

The Dissatisfaction with Life score of 18% (14% not very satisfied, 3% not at all satisfied, correctly rounded) is the highest since the 21% in September 2014.

DECLINE IN ALL AREAS

Happiness was highest in Mindanao, at 89%, correctly rounded (down from 96% in December 2017, correctly rounded), and in the Visayas, at 89% (down from 94%), followed by Balance Luzon, at 86% (down from 95%), and Metro Manila, at 82% (down from 90%, correctly rounded).

Unhappiness, on the other hand, was highest in Metro Manila at 17% (up from 10% in December 2017), followed by Balance Luzon at 14% (up from 5%, correctly rounded), Visayas at 11% (up from 6%), and Mindanao at 11% (up from 4%).

Happiness also declined in all classes compared to a year ago. It was highest in class ABC, at 91% (down from 93% in December 2017), followed by class D, or the at 88% (down from 95%), and class E, at 79% (down from 90%, correctly rounded). On the other hand, Unhappiness was highest in class E, at 21%, correctly rounded (up from 10% in December 2017), followed by class D, at 12% (up from 5%), and class ABC, at 9% (up from 7%).

Satisfaction with Life was highest in the Visayas, at 83%, correctly rounded (down from 89% in December 2017), and Balance Luzon, at 83% (down from 94%), followed by Metro Manila, at 81%, correctly rounded (down from 93%), and Mindanao, at 80% (down from 91%).

Dissatisfaction with Life, on the other hand, was highest in Mindanao, at 20%, correctly rounded (up from 9% in December 2017), followed by Metro Manila, at 19% (up from 7%), the Visayas, at 17%, correctly rounded (up from 11%), and Balance Luzon, at 17% (up from 6%, correctly rounded).

By class, Satisfaction with Life was highest in class ABC, at 92% (same as in December 2017), followed by class D, at 83% (down from 93%), and class E, at 75% (down from 89%)

Dissatisfaction with Life was highest in class E, at 25% (up from 11% in December 2017), followed by class D, at 17% (up from 7%), and class ABC, at 8% (same as in December 2017).

The noncommissioned survey was conducted from December 16-19, 2018 using face-to-face interviews of 1,440 adults (18 years old and above) nationwide: 360 each in Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao, with sampling error margins of ±2.6% for national percentages and ±5% each for the said areas.