Positive life events and reports of well-being: Some useful distinctions

This clinical project introduces a guide to provide the interviewer with a methodological systems approach for information gathering in the life review process. The guide is structured in such a way as to elicit positive life events for the purpose of enhancing a sense of well-being as well as to elicit negative life events to encourage the client to address unresolved loss-grief issues. In effect, the Life Review Interview Guide serves to promote high self-esteem and to assist the interviewee through the grieving process. In addition, the Guide assisted the student-interviewer in formulating and selecting a wide range of questions.

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EXAMINING THE ROLE OF ADVERSITY AND POSITIVE LIFE EVENTS IN THE RELATION BETWEEN GRATITUDE AND WELL-BEING

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.3378 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S928-S928

Author(s):

Omar E Staben ◽

Frank Infurna ◽

Kevin Grimm ◽

Suniya Luthar

Keyword(s):

Life Events ◽

Multilevel Models ◽

Character Strengths ◽

Well Being ◽

Major Life ◽

Family Work ◽

Work Related ◽

Positive Life Events ◽

Positive Experiences

Abstract Character strengths are emerging as a key outcome of interest in midlife and old age. One key avenue that has been largely unexplored is what the key antecedents are and the moderating role of adversity and positive life events experiences. The limited current research on the topic has examined the direct relations among character strengths and well-being, whereas less is known regarding the role of negative and positive experiences, which may provide a better understanding of what contributes to character strengths. This study explores whether major life adversities (i.e. personal, family, work related) and positive life events (i.e. job promotion, engagement, vacations) experiences are associated with character strengths— namely gratitude, and well-being. We use data from a sample of participants in midlife (n=362, ages 50-65) who completed monthly online surveys for a period of two years. Multilevel models showed that greater adversity was associated with poorer well-being, whereas positive life events were predictive of higher overall well-being. Individuals’ experience of fewer positive life events was associated with stronger increases in well-being when individuals expressed more gratitude. Conversely, adversity was associated with increasing well-being when individuals expressed more gratitude. Collectively, our findings provide evidence for the role of adversity and positive life experiences to the extent that character strengths have the potential to shape the course of development in adulthood. Our discussion focuses on the potential links that underlie our findings and how they can inform interventions aimed at mitigating the consequences of adversity.

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Positive Ageing: to What Extent can Current Models of Wellbeing Categorise the Life Events Perceived as Positive by Older Adults?

International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology ◽

10.1007/s41042-020-00028-6 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 (3) ◽

pp. 99-119 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Alison Killen ◽

Ann Macaskill

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Life Events ◽

Personal Growth ◽

Well Being ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Hedonic Model ◽

Negative Stereotypes ◽

Positive Life Events ◽

Positive Ageing ◽

Older Populations

Abstract Life expectancy is increasing globally, which makes understanding what contributes to well-being in older adults crucial for social and economic reasons. This is the first study to categorize positive life events in community dwelling older adults, to explore their fit with psychological well-being models. Volunteers self-defined as well (N = 88), completed diaries identifying three positive events daily for 14 days. Diary entries combated negative stereotypes of ageing by describing older adults with active lives contributing to society. Of nine themes identified through thematic analysis of over 3500 events; seven supported existing well-being models, being activities delivering positive affect and life satisfaction (hedonic model) and demonstrating competence, autonomy, relatedness, self-acceptance, purpose in life, and personal growth (eudemonic models). However, two well-supported new dimensions were also identified within the themes ‘interaction with the physical environment’ and ‘personal well-being’. These new dimensions were labelled ‘life-affirmation and ‘mindfulness’. This suggests the existence of additional considerations related to well-being specifically for older populations, which may indicate a need to broaden the existing models.

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Role of life events stress and locus of control (external) in job satisfaction: An empirical evidence

Indian Journal of Positive Psychology ◽

10.15614/ijpp.v9i01.11745 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 9 (01) ◽

Author(s):

A. P. Singh ◽

Anoop Kumar Singh ◽

Vinod Kumar Gupta

Keyword(s):

Job Satisfaction ◽

Locus Of Control ◽

Life Events ◽

Stressful Life Events ◽

Correlation Coefficients ◽

Well Being ◽

Stepwise Multiple Regression ◽

Personality Variable ◽

Positive Dimension ◽

Positive Life Events

In modern competitive organizations, job satisfaction is an important psychological attribute that may play crucial role in organizational effectiveness and employees' well-being. Locus of control as a personality variable and stressful life events are causally implicated in a variety of unenviable effects on our performance and health. The present study was conducted on 210 managerial personnel in private sector organizations in India. The results of correlation coefficients indicate that person positive was found to be significantly positively correlated with satisfaction (job and total). Job positive was found to be significantly positively correlated with satisfaction (management and total) and locus of control (external) was found to be significantly negatively correlated with satisfaction (management and total). Results of stepwise multiple regression analysis indicate that person positive (dimension of positive life events stress) emerges as predictor for satisfaction (job and total) and job positive (dimension of positive life events stress) emerge as predictor for satisfaction (management) while locus of control (external) emerge as predictor for satisfaction (management and total) The finding of this study will help in ameliorating the job satisfaction which helps to revamp the employees' performance and aggrandize the organizational productivity.

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What is first? Stressful life events, negative well-being or sickness absenteeism?

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e536932011-175 ◽

2002 ◽

Author(s):

T. van Vuuren ◽

S. van der Heuvel ◽

S. Andriessen ◽

P. Smulders ◽

P. Bongers

Keyword(s):

Life Events ◽

Stressful Life Events ◽

Well Being ◽

Stressful Life ◽

Sickness Absenteeism

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Relationship Between Spiritual Well-Being and the Perception of Life Events in First Nations

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e608082013-001 ◽

2013 ◽

Author(s):

Jacob A. Burack ◽

Gillian H. Klassen ◽

Adrienne Blacklock ◽

Johanna Querengesser ◽

Alexandra D'Arrisso ◽

...

Keyword(s):

First Nations ◽

Life Events ◽

Well Being ◽

Spiritual Well Being

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Integration of Stressful Life Events and Well-Being Among College Students

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e622992013-001 ◽

2013 ◽

Author(s):

Guler Boyraz ◽

Victoria A. Felix ◽

Lisa K. Battle ◽

John B. Waits ◽

Danita D. Wynes ◽

...

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Life Events ◽

Stressful Life Events ◽

Well Being ◽

Stressful Life

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The Effect of Stressful Life Events and Transitions on Family Functioning and Well-Being

Journal of Marriage and Family ◽

10.2307/351979 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 49 (4) ◽

pp. 857 ◽

Cited By ~ 129

Author(s):

Yoav Lavee ◽

Hamilton I. McCubbin ◽

David H. Olson

Keyword(s):

Family Functioning ◽

Life Events ◽

Stressful Life Events ◽

Well Being ◽

Stressful Life

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Assessing the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Nontraditional Students’ Mental Health and Well-Being

Adult Education Quarterly ◽

10.1177/07417136211027508 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 074171362110275

Author(s):

Stephanie J. Babb ◽

Katrina A. Rufino ◽

Ruth M. Johnson

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

College Students ◽

Nontraditional Students ◽

Life Events ◽

Sleep Disturbances ◽

Stressful Life Events ◽

Well Being ◽

Nontraditional Student ◽

Life Stressors ◽

Health And Well Being

The current study sought to measure how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the mental health and well-being of college students, particularly nontraditional students. Participants ( n = 321) completed a series of surveys assessing their level of depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, insomnia, and well-being. Participants also indicated their nontraditional student characteristics, level of resilience, and additional life stressors due to the pandemic. Statistical analyses found that participants reported higher levels of depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and insomnia, with corresponding lower levels of well-being across all students, compared with prepandemic levels. Results showed that while nontraditional students indicated an increased number of life stressors during the pandemic compared with their traditional peers, nontraditional students also demonstrated higher levels of resilience. Nontraditional students appear to be more successful at managing stressful life events due to the increased resilience that comes with age and experience, which can better prepare them to persevere and overcome challenges.

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Right–Wing Authoritarianism: Protective Factor against Or Risk Factor for Depression?

European Journal of Personality ◽

10.1002/per.853 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 26 (5) ◽

pp. 536-549 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Bart Duriez ◽

Theo A. Klimstra ◽

Koen Luyckx ◽

Wim Beyers ◽

Bart Soenens

Keyword(s):

Risk Factor ◽

World War Ii ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Life Events ◽

Protective Factor ◽

Community Sample ◽

Well Being ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Student Sample

Because the authoritarian personality was introduced to explain the rise of fascism during World War II, research focused on its ability to predict prejudice, leaving its associations with well–being largely unexplored. Studies that did examine these associations yielded inconsistent results, and some authors even argued that authoritarianism buffers against the negative effects of psychological vulnerability factors (i.e. D–type personality) and negative life events on well–being, especially among people in an authoritarian environment. Using a cross–sectional community sample (N = 1010), Study 1 failed to support the idea that authoritarianism relates to depressive symptoms and buffers against the negative effects of D–type personality on depressive symptoms. Using a longitudinal college student sample (N = 499), Study 2 showed that authoritarianism did not moderate the effects of life events either and even predicted over–time increases in depressive symptoms. Using a longitudinal high school sample (N = 590), Study 3 showed that this effect emerged regardless of degree of fit with the social environment (i.e. with family and friends). Taken together, results suggest that authoritarianism constitutes a risk factor for rather than a protective factor against depressive symptoms. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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