HAPPINESS, EXISTENCIAL THOUGHT AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS OF LIMA

Abstract

Investigated happiness, existential thought and academic performance measured with the historical average of notes of 264 male and female students from different careers of a private university in Lima. Happiness Scale of Alarcón (2006) and Test of Existential Thought of Espíritu, Canales, Luna y Torres (2018) were applied.
Calculating Spearman’s Rho it was found a high positive correlation between happiness and significant existential thought p <0.01, between happiness and the essence of existential thought, as well the spiritual, between happiness and academic performance p <0.05. They correlate in a significant negative the pragmatic of the existential thought with the academic performance p <0.01. In existential thought,  items “I see life as a gift”, “I have a motive, a reason to live” and “I accept myself as I am” are correlated significantly higher with happiness. No correlation was found between happiness and pragmatic in existential thought (r= -0.005, p = 0.929), nor between existential thought and academic performance (r = -0.113), p = 0.067). The results are applicable for university tutoring purposes.