The relative importance of 17 potential predictors of happiness was ex
amined in a sample of 1207 married couples who had completed a general
-purpose marriage questionnaire. Predictors included measures of extra
version, neuroticism, health, education, employment, financial situati
on, satisfaction with housing, number of children, relationships with
family and friends, and a scale measuring quality of marriage. The str
ongest predictors of happiness were quality of marriage, and, to a les
ser extent, neuroticism. Causal modelling using LISREL showed quality
of marriage to be of overriding importance. Of the remaining significa
nt predictors entered into the model, three (neuroticism, children and
family) exerted a direct influence on happiness; neuroticism also aff
ected happiness indirectly through its effect on quality of marriage,
as did extraversion, partner's neuroticism, satisfaction with housing,
and relationships with in-laws. This model fitted the data very well
for both women and men. and accounted for almost all the variance in h
appiness.