Population- and Individual-Level Changes in Life Satisfaction Surrounding Major Life Stressors

How do stressful life events impact well-being, and how does their impact differ from person to person? In contrast to work focusing on discrete classes of responding, the current study examines the adequacy of a model where responses to stressors are characterized by a population average and continuous variability around that average. Using decades of yearly data from a large German longitudinal study examining effects of divorce, spousal loss, and unemployment, we found that (1) in the overall population, life satisfaction was diminished for years preceding stressors and only incompletely recovered with the passage of time, and (2) there were large between-person differences around the average response, following normal and heavier-tailed continuous distributions rather than discrete classes. These findings provide a multilevel model of responses to stressors and suggest that individual differences can be understood in terms of continuous variation around what is typical for a given event and population.

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How does area-level deprivation depress an individual’s self-rated health and life satisfaction? Evidence from a nationwide population-based survey in Japan

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-021-10578-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Takashi Oshio ◽

Hiromi Kimura ◽

Toshimi Nishizaki ◽

Takashi Omori

Keyword(s):

Life Satisfaction ◽

Health Behavior ◽

Well Being ◽

Population Based ◽

Internet Survey ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Individual Level ◽

Self Rated Health ◽

Level Data ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Area-level deprivation is well known to have an adverse impact on mortality, morbidity, or other specific health outcomes. This study examined how area-level deprivation may affect self-rated health (SRH) and life satisfaction (LS), an issue that is largely understudied. Methods We used individual-level data obtained from a nationwide population-based internet survey conducted between 2019 and 2020, as well as municipality-level data obtained from a Japanese government database (N = 12,461 living in 366 municipalities). We developed multilevel regression models to explain an individual’s SRH and LS scores using four alternative measures of municipality-level deprivation, controlling for individual-level deprivation and covariates. We also examined how health behavior and interactions with others mediated the impact of area-level deprivation on SRH and LS. Results Participants in highly deprived municipalities tended to report poorer SRH and lower LS. For example, when living in municipalities falling in the highest tertile of municipality-level deprivation as measured by the z-scoring method, SRH and LS scores worsened by a standard deviation of 0.05 (p < 0.05) when compared with those living in municipalities falling in the lowest tertile of deprivation. In addition, health behavior mediated between 17.6 and 33.1% of the impact of municipality-level deprivation on SRH and LS, depending on model specifications. Conclusion Results showed that area-level deprivation modestly decreased an individual’s general health conditions and subjective well-being, underscoring the need for public health policies to improve area-level socioeconomic conditions.

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Private Religious or Spiritual Activities and its Impact on Life Satisfaction: A Population-based Study

10.31219/osf.io/cvda6 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Sameer Desai

Keyword(s):

Life Satisfaction ◽

Multinomial Logistic Regression ◽

Population Level ◽

Well Being ◽

Canadian Community Health Survey ◽

Population Based ◽

Multinomial Logistic Regression Analysis ◽

Individual Level ◽

High Satisfaction ◽

The Impact

Background: Life satisfaction is considered a valid population-based indicator of health and well-being. Recently, many advances in life satisfaction and well-being have been made by improving social and health policies. However, several countries continue to report low levels of life satisfaction, even among many modern industrialized nations. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of private religious or spiritual activities (PRS) as a possible modifiable, individual-level factor to increase life satisfaction, with population-level health implications.Methods: The analytic sample included 9,627 respondents to the 2011-2012 Canadian Community Health Survey. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between self-reported PRS activities and life satisfaction, adjusted for confounders.Results: After adjusting for the confounders, daily PRS activities was associated with an increased odds of high satisfaction (AOR=1.22, 95% CI: 0.84, 1.78) compared to low satisfaction. Engaging in weekly PRS activities was also associated with an increased odds of high satisfaction (AOR = AOR=1.33, 95% CI: 0.87, 2.02) compared to low satisfaction. Monthly engagement in PRS activities was not associated with increases in life satisfaction. Conclusions: There is a moderate association between the odds of high satisfaction and engaging in PRS activities on a daily or weekly basis. The variability in the CIs of the AORs indicates imprecision in the data; however, the majority of the possible range of effects are beneficial. Countries and other relevant organizations should be cognizant of the possible role that religious and spiritual values may have on life satisfaction, as another factor to explore further for population-level health benefits.

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Changes in life satisfaction when losing one's spouse: individual differences in anticipation, reaction, adaptation and longevity in the German Socio-economic Panel Study (SOEP)

Ageing and Society ◽

10.1017/s0144686x15001543 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 37 (5) ◽

pp. 899-934 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

FRANK J. INFURNA ◽

MAJA WIEST ◽

DENIS GERSTORF ◽

NILAM RAM ◽

JÜRGEN SCHUPP ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Life Satisfaction ◽

Individual Differences ◽

Life Events ◽

Panel Study ◽

Health Resources ◽

Major Life Events ◽

Major Life ◽

Spousal Loss ◽

Younger Age ◽

Socio Demographic Factors

ABSTRACTLosing a spouse is among the most devastating events that may occur in people's lives. We use longitudinal data from 1,224 participants in the German Socio-economic Panel Study (SOEP) to examine (a) how life satisfaction changes with the experience of spousal loss; (b) whether socio-demographic factors and social and health resources moderate spousal loss-related changes in life satisfaction; and (c) whether extent of anticipation, reaction and adaptation to spousal loss are associated with mortality. Results reveal that life satisfaction shows anticipatory declines about two and a half years prior to (anticipation), steep declines in the months surrounding (reaction) and lower levels after spousal loss (adaptation). Older age was associated with steeper anticipatory declines, but less steep reactive declines. Additionally, younger age, better health, social participation and poorer partner health were associated with better adaptation. Higher pre-loss life satisfaction, less steep reactive declines and better adaptation were associated with longevity. The discussion focuses on the utility of examining the interrelatedness among anticipation, reaction and adaptation to further our understanding of change in life satisfaction in the context of major life events.

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Core Beliefs Disruption in the Context of an Election: Implications for Subjective Well-Being

Psychological Reports ◽

10.1177/00332941211021347 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 003329412110213

Author(s):

Xianghe Zhu ◽

Shevaun D. Neupert

Keyword(s):

Life Satisfaction ◽

Well Being ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Small Degree ◽

Core Beliefs ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Major Life Events ◽

Major Life ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Daily Diary Study

Major life events often challenge the core beliefs people hold about the world, which is a crucial cognitive process predictive of adjustment outcomes. Elections have been associated with physical and socioemotional responses, but what is unclear is whether core beliefs can be disrupted and what implication this disruption might have for well-being. In two studies, we examined the association between core beliefs disruption and well-being in the context of the 2018 U.S. midterm election. In both studies, participants reported a small degree of disruption of core beliefs due to the election. In Study 1, a 14-day daily diary study spanning the weeks before and after the election, multilevel modeling on 529 daily reports revealed that greater disruption of core beliefs was associated with lower mean levels of life satisfaction and greater changes in positive and negative affect. In Study 2, a cross-sectional study conducted 40 days following the election, linear regression analyses on 767 adults aged 18–77 from all 50 states revealed that the disruption of core beliefs due to the midterm election was positively associated with current life satisfaction. The effect held when controlling for multiple confounding factors. These findings suggest that elections can trigger disruption of core beliefs, and this disruption may spill over to subjective well-being in the short term but may positively contribute to post-election adjustment.

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Inconsistent curiosity: Augmentation and blunting of curiosity in daily life and implications for well-being

10.31234/osf.io/2vf94 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

David M. Lydon-Staley ◽

Perry Zurn ◽

Danielle S Bassett

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Life Satisfaction ◽

Depressed Mood ◽

Multilevel Model ◽

Daily Life ◽

Daily Diary ◽

Well Being ◽

Regression Analyses ◽

Multilevel Mediation ◽

Open Question

Curiosity promotes focused engagement in novel and challenging situations and the accruement of resources that promote well-being. A critical open question is the extent to which curiosity lability, the degree to which curiosity fluctuates over short timescales, impacts well-being. We use data from a 21-day daily diary protocol as well as trait measures collected prior to the daily diary in 167 participants (mean age = 25.37 years, SD = 7.34) to test (i) the importance of curiosity lability for depression, flourishing, and life satisfaction, (ii) day-to-day associations among curiosity and happiness, depressed mood, anxiety, and physical activity, and (iii) the extent to which day’s mood acts as a mediator between day’s physical activity and day’s curiosity. Regression analyses indicate positive associations among curiosity lability and depression, as well as negative associations among curiosity lability and life satisfaction, above and beyond trait curiosity. No evidence for an association between curiosity lability and flourishing emerge when controlling for trait curiosity. Multilevel model results indicate that curiosity is higher on days of greater happiness and physical activity, and that curiosity is lower on days of greater depressed mood. We observe no association between curiosity and anxiety. Multilevel mediation models indicate evidence consistent with day’s depressed mood and happiness as mediators between physical activity and curiosity. In sum, we find that greater consistency in curiosity is associated with well-being, identify several sources of augmentation and blunting of curiosity in daily life, and provide support for purported mechanisms linking physical activity to curiosity via mood.

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COHORT DIFFERENCES IN CHANGES IN LIFE SATISFACTION AMONG OLDER JAPANESE

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.2567 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S697-S697

Author(s):

Takeshi Nakagawa ◽

Erika Kobayashi

Keyword(s):

Life Satisfaction ◽

Empirical Studies ◽

Age Groups ◽

Late Life ◽

Well Being ◽

Individual Development ◽

Individual Level ◽

Representative Study ◽

Cohort Differences ◽

Young Old

Abstract Life span research has been interested in how sociocultural contexts shape individual development and aging processes. Empirical studies have reported that later cohorts show higher levels of well-being. However, more recent studies indicate that cohort differences are not sustained in very late life. The present study examined whether cohort differences in well-being, as measured by life satisfaction, are observed in the young-old and old-old, and further explored potential determinants of cohort differences. Using longitudinal data from a nationally representative study of older Japanese, conducted from 1987—2002, we compared earlier- and later-born cohorts in the young-old (N = 874; age 60—65; year of birth: 1922—1927 and 1931—1936) and old-old (N = 1,022; age 70—80; year of birth: 1907—1917 and 1919—1929), respectively. To control for covariates, we used case-matched groups based on age and gender. Results revealed that later cohorts exhibited higher levels of life satisfaction in both age groups. In the young-old, life satisfaction declined across cohorts. In the old-old, life satisfaction remained stable among earlier cohorts but declined among later cohorts. Socioeconomic, social, and health factors at the individual level and methodological factors (i.e., number of observations) did not fully explain the cohort differences in both age groups. Our results suggest that historical increases in levels of well-being are observed in late life, but that these improvements do not hold in very late life. Future studies should consider potential societal factors behind observed cohort differences in well-being.

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Relative Income and Life Satisfaction among Chinese Adults

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su11205651 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (20) ◽

pp. 5651 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Chenghua Guan ◽

Yingjie Qiu ◽

Ruopeng An

Keyword(s):

Life Satisfaction ◽

Relative Income ◽

Well Being ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Chinese Adults ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Individual Level ◽

Self Rated Health ◽

The Relationship

Life satisfaction is a key component of people’s subjective well-being. This study assessed the relationship between relative income and life satisfaction among Chinese adults, using data from a cross-sectional survey. Individual-level data (N = 1369) came from the 2016 China Genuine Progress indicator Survey (CGPiS) conducted in Beijing and Chengdu, China. Ordered logistic regressions were performed to examine the relationship between relative income and life satisfaction among CGPiS adult respondents. Respondents’ life satisfaction was positively associated with relative income in comparison to their relatives and friends but not associated with relative income in comparison to their residing community and city. Subgroup analyses replicated the findings among male respondents and respondents with good or excellent self-rated health. In contrast, female respondents’ life satisfaction was positively associated with relative income in comparison to their city of residence, but not associated with relative income in comparison to their relatives, friends, and residing community. Life satisfaction among those with poor or fair self-rated health was not associated with any of the four dimensions of relative income. Relative income in comparison to relatives and friends was positively associated with life satisfaction in Chinese adults. Future studies adopting a longitudinal or experimental design are warranted to replicate the findings.

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Spiritual Struggles among Atheists: Links to Psychological Distress and Well-Being

Religions ◽

10.3390/rel9080242 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 9 (8) ◽

pp. 242 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Aaron E. Sedlar ◽

Nick Stauner ◽

Kenneth I. Pargament ◽

Julie J. Exline ◽

Joshua B. Grubbs ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Life Satisfaction ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Meaning In Life ◽

Multilevel Model ◽

Well Being ◽

Anxiety Symptoms ◽

Depression And Anxiety ◽

Regression Analyses ◽

Two Samples ◽

Spiritual Struggles

Religious and spiritual struggles (R/S struggles)—tension or conflicts regarding religious or spiritual matters—have been robustly linked to greater psychological distress and lower well-being. Most research in this area has relied on samples consisting predominantly of participants who believe in god(s). Limited research has examined R/S struggles among atheists, generally conflating them with agnostics and other nontheists. This study investigated the prevalence of R/S struggles among atheists and compared atheists to theists in two samples (3978 undergraduates, 1048 Internet workers). Results of a multilevel model showed that atheists experience less demonic, doubt, divine, moral, and overall R/S struggles than theists, but similar levels of interpersonal and ultimate meaning struggles. Correlation and regression analyses among atheists demonstrated links between moral, ultimate meaning, and overall R/S struggles and greater distress (depression and anxiety symptoms) as well as lower well-being (life satisfaction and meaning in life). Even after controlling neuroticism, ultimate meaning struggles continued to predict lower well-being and higher distress across samples; moral struggles also predicted distress independently. This study demonstrates the relevance of R/S struggles to atheists and reinforces the applicability of previous results to atheist samples, but also highlights substantial differences between atheists and theists in certain R/S struggles.

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Relationships among Stress, Experiential Avoidance and Depression in Psychiatric Patients

The Spanish Journal of Psychology ◽

10.1017/sjp.2016.32 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 19 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Beatriz Rueda ◽

Esperanza Valls

Keyword(s):

Life Satisfaction ◽

Mental Disorders ◽

Indirect Effect ◽

Experiential Avoidance ◽

Stressful Life Events ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Psychiatric Patients ◽

Health Centre ◽

Adjustment Disorder ◽

Well Being

AbstractThis study investigated the specific association of stressful life events (SLE) and experiential avoidance (EA) with depression in patients with mental disorders. It also analyzed the possible mediating role of depression in the relation of EA to well-being and life satisfaction. A total of 147 patients (mean age = 40.16 years) diagnosed with anxiety, mood or adjustment disorder were recruited from a mental health centre. They completed measures of SLE, EA, depression, well-being and life satisfaction. Regression analyses showed that SLE and EA were positively related to depression (R2 = .45), although the contribution made by EA was higher (β = .61, p < .001) than the one made by SLE (β = .19, p < .01). Bootstrap mediation analyses revealed that there was an indirect effect from EA to physical well-being (B = –4.52, SE = .70, p < .001, 95% CI [–6.03, –3.20]) and satisfaction (B = –.14, SE = .02, p < .001, 95%, CI [–.19 –.09]) through depression. This indirect effect was less consistently supported with respect to emotional well-being (B = –3.33, SE = .48, p < .001, 95%, CI [–4.30, –2.41]). These findings give support to the hypothesis that EA could be an important factor contributing to depression in patients with mental disorders. The results also provide evidence that depression seems to play an important mediational role when considering the negative impact that EA exerts on patients´ well-being and satisfaction.

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How does area-level deprivation depress an individual’s self-rated health and life satisfaction? Evidence from a nationwide population-based survey in Japan

10.21203/rs.3.rs-46049/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Takashi Oshio ◽

Hiromi Kimura ◽

Toshimi Nishizaki ◽

Takashi Omori

Keyword(s):

Life Satisfaction ◽

Health Behavior ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Well Being ◽

Population Based ◽

Internet Survey ◽

Individual Level ◽

Self Rated Health ◽

Level Data ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background: Area-level deprivation is well known to have an adverse impact on mortality, morbidity, or other specific health outcomes. This study examined how area-level deprivation may affect self-rated health (SRH) and life satisfaction (LS), an issue that is largely understudied.Methods: We used individual-level data obtained from a nationwide population-based internet survey conducted between 2019–2020, as well as municipality-level data obtained from a database provided by the Japanese government (N=12 461 living in 366 municipalities). We developed multilevel regression models to explain an individual’s SRH and LS scores using four alternative measures of municipality-level deprivation, controlling for individual-level deprivation and covariates. We also examined how health behavior and interactions with others mediated the impact of area-level deprivation on SRH and LS.Results: Participants in highly deprived municipalities tended to report poorer SRH and lower LS. For example, when living in municipalities falling in the highest tertile of municipality-level deprivation as measured by the z-scoring method, SRH and LS scores worsened by a standard deviation of 0.05 (p<0.05) when compared with those living in municipalities falling in the lowest tertile of deprivation. In addition, health behavior mediated between 17.6 % and 33.1 % of the impact of municipality-level deprivation on SRH and LS, depending on model specifications.Conclusion: This study showed that area-level deprivation modestly depressed an individual’s general health conditions and subjective well-being. The results underscore the need for public health policies to improve area-level socioeconomic conditions and to promote healthy lifestyles to alleviate the negative impact of area-level deprivation.

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