The Effects of Democracy and Trust on Subjective Well-Being: A Multilevel Study of Latin American Countries

2021 ◽  
pp. 175-194
Author(s):  
Isabel Neira ◽  
Marta Portela ◽  
Maricruz Lacalle-Calderon
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier Torres-Vallejos ◽  
Joel Juarros-Basterretxea ◽  
Juan Carlos Oyanedel ◽  
Masatoshi Sato

Improving citizens' subjective well-being (SWB) has become an increasingly visible policy goal across industrialized countries. Although an increasing number of studies have investigated SWB at the individual level, little is known about subjective evaluation at social levels, such as the community and national levels. While the relationships between these levels have been analyzed in previous research, these assessments, which are part of the same unique construct of SWB, are under-investigated. The purpose of this study was to examine the dimensionality and reliability of a single measure of SWB, which contained individual, community, and national levels across three Latin-American countries (Argentina, Chile, and Venezuela), using a bifactor model analysis. Findings showed that the bifactor model exhibited a good fit to the data for the three countries. However, invariance testing between countries was not fully supported because of each item's specific contribution to both specific and general constructs. The analyses of each country showed that the SWB construct was in a gray area between unidimensionality and multidimensionality; some factors contributed more to the general factor and others to the specific level, depending on the country. These findings call for integrating more distant levels (community and country levels) into the understanding of SWB at the individual level, as they contribute not only to an overall construct, but they make unique contributions to SWB, which must be considered in public policy making.


Author(s):  
Jéssica Dávalos ◽  
José G. Vargas-Hérnandez

The effect of Economics on the subjective well-being of people has been usually studied by treating country information in the same way as data from individuals. The objective of this paper is to analyze 17 Latin American countries with data from 2016, by including both effects handled into two different levels accordingly. This work contributes to extend the current debate regarding the impact of Economics on subjective well-being of people by applying the multilevel method. Some of the findings revealed that both the individual economic situation as well as the welfare state and the rule of law of a country generate effects on subjective well-being. Similarly, the effect of interaction between some variables was analyzed, and it was concluded that people with great economic difficulties have a stronger relationship with subjective well-being in areas of higher government spending and higher tax burden.


2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-80
Author(s):  
Claudia Elena Gafare ◽  
Mauro Serafini ◽  
Giulia Lorenzoni ◽  
Dario Gregori

Given the rising cost of healthcare, the increase in life expectancy and the wish for a better quality of life, the request for foods and beverages producing a beneficial effect on health has increased worldwide. “Functional food” is a new concept and may play a key role in diseases’ prevention and management. Although its meaning is currently under definition, its role in global health improvement is growing constantly. This article aims at giving a description of existing legislation on functional food in South America, identifying future directions for health and marketing policies. Furthermore, authors provide a literature revision on two products widely consumed in Latin American countries: Yerba Mate and Quinoa. Thanks to their beneficial health effects in terms of disease prevention and promotion of well-being, they may be considered as functional foods with a potential key role in health care.


1997 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corazon V. C. Barba ◽  
Lucila B. Rabuco

Two of the major demographic trends in the developing and transitional countries are urbanization (the growth of cities and metropolitan populations) and ageing (the increase in the number of persons over 70 years of age, due to extended life expectancy). These two trends are felt to present unresolved challenges regarding health, well-being, and quality of life. These uncertainties gave rise to the multicentre Reconnaissance project carried out in five Asian countries (China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand) and three Latin American countries (Brazil, Guatemala, and Mexico), in collaboration with institutions in the Netherlands, Germany, and Italy, with financial support from the European Community. The findings, experience, and lessons from the preliminary qualitative (community), and quantitative (individual) surveys were shared among the investigators at a conference held at Wageningen, Netherlands.


Author(s):  
Susana Castaños-Cervantes

AbstractHomeless girls suffer labour and sexual exploitation, abuse, discrimination and social exclusion at a higher rate than the rest of the population. However, worldwide information on homeless girls and intervention programmes for this group are scarce. This study examined the preliminary efficacy of a brief cognitive behavioural group therapy tailored to Mexican homeless girls. The intervention targeted subjective well-being and these determinants: symptoms of anxiety, symptoms of depression, assertive behaviours and functional emotion regulation skills. Results revealed statistically significant differences in symptoms of anxiety and depression, assertiveness, emotion regulation strategies and subjective well-being with treatment effects that ranged from moderate to large. Symptoms of anxiety and depression, and dysfunctional emotion regulation strategies decreased. Assertive skills, functional emotion regulation strategies, and subjective well-being increased. Outcomes were clinically relevant. At 2-month follow-up, participants showed improvement from pre-treatment on all measures. The current study provides unique findings in terms of a promising preliminary intervention that helps restore homeless girls to a healthier social/emotional developmental path especially in the context of Latin American cities. As a result, the clinical implications of this research highlight the urgent need to design effective interventions based on the observed characteristics and identified needs among homeless girls.


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