The Problem of ≫Life Happiness≪ of Somme University Students

146 first-year students of the Teachers’ Training College and 27 medical students (check-up group) of an average age of eighteen were asked to fill in a slightly modified Knobloch’s LH-LU (life happiness and life unhappiness) questionnaire with the aim of finding out which of the 18 circumstances (1. mental health, 2. physical health, 3. lack of mental capacities, 4. impossibility to make use of one’s abilities, 5. traits of character, 6. psychical appearance, 7. acquaintanceship, 8. parents, 9. brothers and sisters, 10. relations, 11. forms and content of studies, 12. working conditions in general, 13. financial matters, 14. relationships at the place of work, 15. circumstances connected with the world outlook, 16. friends, 17. housing conditions, 18. hobbies) and to what extent (not at all, slightly, strongly, very strongly) contribute to creating unhappiness in the students’ lives. A list has been made up from the percentages arrived at by counting the number of affirmative answers, showing the sequence of importance of each the above-mentioned circumstances. This list shows that a number of factors are of approximately the same importance for both groups (factors number 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17). It is to be supposed that these factors represent a complex of problems characteristic of first year students, which ought to be given attention by tutors. The question is to discuss with the students the consequences of their new position in society, which often involves breaking up with former contacts and the necessity to establish new ones, to adapt oneself to new methods of work. But some factors show striking differences between the two groups. About 50 per cent the students of the first group (those of the Teachers' Trailing College) have expressed doubts as to the possibility of their abilities being made full use of. 68 percent of them are dissatisfied with the level of their own mental capacities. Even if these factors are appraised as less important in the columns marked ≫strongly≪ and ≫very strongly≪ and cover only about 10 per cent of the Teachers’ Training College students, they indicate the need for a better selection and education for the teaching profession. There is another important difference between the groups as regards circumstances connected with the world outlook. The Teachers' Training College students show little interest in these questions.