A New Worldwide Measure of Happiness Explains National Differences in Suicide Rates and Cigarette Consumption

2018 ◽  
Vol 53 (4) ◽  
pp. 355-384 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Minkov ◽  
Michael Schachner ◽  
Carlos Sanchez ◽  
Oswaldo Morales
Keyword(s):  
Arab World ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cigarette Consumption ◽  
World Values Survey ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Affective Component ◽  
Suicide Rates ◽  
Stable Element ◽  
National Differences ◽  
Negative Predictor

Studies of happiness or subjective well-being (SWB) employ a variety of conceptualizations and item formats. Some authorities prefer to focus on the cognitive or evaluative component of SWB in studies of national happiness, and consider the affective component a lesser priority. However, we show that the latter component has unique and important predictive properties. We measured the stable element of the affective component (being “usually happy and in a good mood”) in 44,096 respondents recruited probabilistically from 56 societies (nations and some ethnic groups), from all inhabited continents. Consistent with previous studies, we obtained the highest positive affect scores in the nations of northern Latin America and Africa, whereas the highest percentages of respondents “rarely in a good mood” were recorded in East Asia, Russia, Italy, and the Arab world. Our happiness measure is a significant negative predictor of national suicide rates and cigarette consumption, after controlling for other plausible predictors, including other SWB measures from the World Values Survey, Veenhoven’s World Database of Happiness, and climate and socioeconomic variables.

Self‐esteem and suicide rates in 55 Nations

2009 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Armand Chatard ◽  
Leila Selimbegović ◽  
Paul N'Dri Konan
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Prevention Strategies ◽  
Suicide Rates ◽  
National Differences ◽  
Growing Body ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Relevant Factors

Using recent data from the International Sexuality Description Project (ISDP), we examined whether national differences in self‐esteem across 55 nations are reflected in suicide rates. Results indicate that suicide is especially common in nations with relatively low levels of self‐esteem. This relation is consistent across sex lines, age of suicide and independent from several other relevant factors such as economic affluence, transition, individualism, subjective well‐being, and neuroticism. These findings provide support for the predictive validity of self‐esteem scores as assessed in the ISDP survey. They also contribute to a growing body of research documenting negative consequences associated with low self‐esteem. Possible implications for suicide prevention strategies are discussed. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

scholarly journals Subjective Well-Being and Psychosocial Adjustment: Examining the Effects of an Intervention Based on the Sport Education Model on Children

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 4570
Author(s):  
Pablo Luna ◽  
Alba Rodríguez-Donaire ◽  
Débora Rodrigo-Ruiz ◽  
Javier Cejudo
Keyword(s):  
Psychosocial Adjustment ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Assessment System ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Sport Education ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Affective Component ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Education Model ◽  
Experimental Group

The current study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention based on the Sport Education model, compared to an intervention based on the traditional model of Direct Instruction in children. The intervention was carried out during school hours for 18 sessions of 50-min each. The sample was made up of 146 children aged 10–12 years (M = 10.78 years; SD = 1.07 years). Participants were randomly assigned to the experimental group (n = 87) and a control group (n = 59). A quasi-experimental design with repeated pretest and posttest evaluations with the control group was implemented. The Positive and Negative Affect Scale for children and adolescents (PANASN) was used to assess the affective component of subjective well-being. The Child and Adolescent Behavior Assessment System (BASC) was used to assess psychosocial adjustment. The results showed significant improvements in the affective component of subjective well-being and a reduction in anxiety in favor of the experimental group. Our current results show the methodological and practical efficacy of a Sport Education intervention.

Are the Scottish and English Suicide Rates Really Different?

1972 ◽  
Vol 120 (556) ◽  
pp. 267-273 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. M. Barraclough
Keyword(s):  
Suicide Rate ◽  
Death Certificate ◽  
Well Being ◽  
England And Wales ◽  
Suicide Rates ◽  
National Differences

The official suicide rate for England and Wales has been higher than Scotland's (1) for at least 70 years. Since national differences in official suicide rates are quite frequently cited as an index of differences in social well-being, it is of some importance to know whether these differences are valid or whether they are merely artefacts caused by varying criteria for deciding what evidence is necessary to write 'suicide’ upon the death certificate.

scholarly journals THE AFFECT BALANCE SCALE (ABS): PSYCHOMETRIC PROPERTIES IN ARGENTINA

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 427-443
Author(s):  
Hugo Simkin ◽  
Charles Benjamin Warter ◽  
Agustín Freiberg Hoffmann
Keyword(s):  
Psychometric Properties ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Positive And Negative Affect ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Dimensional Model ◽  
Affect Balance ◽  
Affective Component ◽  
Balance Scale ◽  
Confirmatory Factor ◽  
Probabilistic Sample

The Affect Balance Scale (ABS) was developed to assess the affective component of subjective well-being. This study aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of ABS in a non-probabilistic sample composed of 2241 individuals in the general population in Argentina, ages ranging from 18 to 89 years (M = 37.53; SD = 14.80). The results suggest acceptable psychometric properties within the sample. Excellent adjustment to the data of the two-dimensional model is observed through confirmatory factor analysis. Results of the factorial invariance analysis of gender conducted indicate that both groups are equivalent in terms of the factor structure under investigation. Internal consistency was also found to be adequate. As a result, the study contributed to assessing positive and negative affect in Spanish speaking populations.

scholarly journals THE APPLICATION OF SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT OF INTERCULTURAL ADAPTATION OF FOREIGN STUDENTS

2016 ◽  
pp. 171-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. D. Maksimchuk
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
Foreign Students ◽  
Cultural Distance ◽  
Culture Shock ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Support ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Affective Component ◽  
Intercultural Adaptation ◽  
Personal Skills

This paper presents the results of a statistical analysis of empirical facts obtained on the basis of the implementation of the author's program of social and psychological support of foreign students’ intercultural adaptation. The main directions of the program are: the development of social and personal skills, the overcoming of the negative phenomena, the development of social and psychological characteristics of a foreign student’s personality. Statistical analysis revealed significant changes in the social and psychological aspects of foreign students’ intercultural adaptation on the basis of the application of support program: situational anxiety, subjective well-being, cultural distance, ethnic tolerance, culture shock, affective component of ethnic identity, adaptability, interactivity, depression, estrangement.

scholarly journals Inspiration, meaning in life and gratitude as predictors of subjective well-being in the case of a group of students

2021 ◽  
Vol 11(73) ◽  
pp. 86-94
Author(s):  
Beatrice Adriana Balgiu ◽  
◽  
Ruxandra Sfeatcu ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Life Questionnaire ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
Search For Meaning ◽  
Negative Experience ◽  
Single Item ◽  
Meaning In Life Questionnaire ◽  
Negative Predictor

The aim of the present study is to determine the prediction level of gratitude, meaning in life, and inspiration on Subjective Well-being (SWB). 325 undergraduates (149 males and 176 females) with Mage=19,29 (S.D.=1,40) participated in the study. In order to measure the respective concepts, we used the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE), the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ), the Inspiration Scale (IS), and Single-item measures for life satisfaction and gratitude. The study used descriptive, correlational, and regression analyses. The results of the regression analyses showed that gratitude accounts for most of the SWB variance. The presence of meaning affects SWB positively, while the search for meaning is a negative predictor of SWB. Inspiration frequency is one of the weak predictors of SWB, while inspiration intensity is not a significant predictor of SWB. The results are discussed within the context of the existing literature.

scholarly journals Happy Hosts? International Tourist Arrivals and Residents’ Subjective Well-being in Europe

2016 ◽  
Vol 56 (5) ◽  
pp. 599-612 ◽  
Author(s):  
Artjoms Ivlevs
Keyword(s):  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Well Being ◽  
European Social Survey ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Tourism Impacts ◽  
Affective Component ◽  
International Tourist

While there has been a growing interest in the relationship between perceived tourism impacts and residents’ quality of life, little is known about how residents’ well-being is affected by actual tourist arrivals. This article studies the effect of international tourist arrivals on the subjective well-being—happiness and life satisfaction—of residents in European countries. Data come from the six waves of the European Social Survey, conducted in 32 countries in 2002-2013. The results of the OLS fixed-effects and instrumental-variable estimations suggest that tourist arrivals reduce residents’ life satisfaction. This negative relationship tends to be more pronounced in countries where tourism intensity is relatively high, as well as among people living in rural areas. In addition, tourist arrivals have a greater negative relationship with the evaluative component of subjective well-being (life satisfaction) than its affective component (happiness).

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