scholarly journals Debt and Subjective Well-Being: Does the Type of Debt Matter?

2020 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 445-465
Author(s):  
Tristan Coste ◽  
Caroline Henchoz ◽  
Boris Wernli

AbstractBased on longitudinal analyses of data from the Swiss Household Panel, this paper investigates the effect of different types of debt on two evaluative measures of subjective well-being: financial satisfaction and life satisfaction. Payment arrears reduce financial satisfaction more than loans or the accumulation of different types of debt (arrears and loans). This negative effect is stable over time. Conversely, each additional year with arrears decreases life satisfaction, confirming the overall and general negative effect of arrears on all domains of daily life, especially for the elderly.

2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-171
Author(s):  
Myriam Rudaz ◽  
Thomas Ledermann ◽  
Joseph G. Grzywacz

Cancer survivors are at risk for poor subjective well-being, but the potential beneficial effect of daily spiritual experiences is unknown. Using data from the second and third wave of the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study, we examined the extent to which daily spiritual experiences at baseline moderate the association between subjective well-being at baseline and approximately 10 years later in cancer survivors ( n = 288). Regression analyses, controlled for age, educational attainment, and religious/spiritual coping, showed that daily spiritual experiences moderated the association between life satisfaction at baseline and follow-up. Specifically, high spiritual experiences enhanced life satisfaction over time in cancer survivors with low life satisfaction at baseline. Also, daily spiritual experiences moderated the association between positive affect at baseline and follow-up, though this moderating effect was different for women and men. No moderating effect emerged for negative affect.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S524-S525
Author(s):  
Nadia Firdauysa ◽  
Jyoti Bhatta ◽  
Alex J Bishop ◽  
Tanya Finchum ◽  
James Grice

Abstract Data from N = 111 centenarians (M = 100.88; SD = 1.48) residing in Oklahoma was used to examine patterns in the relationship between the God oriented vs. non-God oriented longevity secrets and subjective well-being. Observational Oriented Modeling (OOM) was then used to conduct an ordinal analysis using concatenated ordering to produce degree of fitness between data and underlying patterns in life satisfaction and purpose-in-life across three time points. OOM is a data analysis method used to evaluate fitness of proposed patterns to data called PCC. Results indicated that centenarians maintaining a God-oriented longevity secret fit a decreased pattern in life satisfaction (PCC = 25.00, c-value = .09); whereas centenarians not maintaining a God-oriented longevity secret fit the same pattern (PCC = 49.18, c-value = .06). Meanwhile, centenarians having a God-oriented longevity secret fit a decreased pattern of purpose-in-life (PCC = 71.43, c-value =.12); whereas centenarians having a non-God oriented longevity secret fit the same pattern (PCC = 53.45, c-value = .28). In comparison to centenarians who acknowledged something other than God as the secret to their longevity, those who cite God as the reason for longevity tend to proportionately maintain a more satisfying view of life, yet experience a deteriorating sense of purpose over time. Results indicate that longevity secrets reflect divergent patterns in subjective well-being among persons living beyond 100 years. This has implications relative to how geriatric practitioners design interventions, services, or programs to enhance quality-of-life for long-lived adults.


2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S648-S648 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Cunha ◽  
L. Parente ◽  
A. Galhardo ◽  
M. Couto

IntroductionThe increase in aging population is a major advance in society, but also a great challenge, imposing the need for actions that promote successful aging, with higher subjective well-being and better health.Objectives(1) analyse the possible influence of socio-demographic variables in self-compassion, satisfaction with life, affection, physical and mental health (study variables); (2) understand how is that the study variables are associated with each other in old age; and (3) explore which variables best predict satisfaction with life and health in the elderly.MethodThe study sample consists of 155 individuals, aged between 65 and 94 years old, institutionalised and non-institutionalised.Results(1) significant correlations were found between some demographic and the study variables. (2) Significant associations were also found between self-compassion, subjective well-being and health. (3) linear regression analysis revealed that physical health is best predicted by greater life satisfaction and lower age; mental health is best predicted by increased satisfaction with life, self-compassion and decreased negative affect; and, finally, life satisfaction is predicted by a higher physical health and self-compassion.ConclusionsThese results suggest the importance of developing psychological skills such as warmth, tolerance and the acceptance of suffering bearing in mind that the elderly may experience difficulties resulting from the developmental characteristics of old age. Our findings suggest the possible beneficial effect of compassion, focused therapies designed for this specific population, particularly contributing to the promotion of life satisfaction and mental health of the Portuguese elderly.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.


2020 ◽  
pp. 69-91
Author(s):  
Nguyen Ha Dong

This paper investigates how intergeneration support influence rural elders’ subjective wellbeing in Vietnam, based on the data of the survey ‘Strengthening Social En gagement in Elderly Care in Changing Economic and Family Structure in Asia: Policy and Practical Dialogues between Local Communities in Vietnam and Japan’ conducted in 2017. The sample analysis of this paper is 307 respondents aged 60 and older in rural areas in the middle of Vietnam. Subjective wellbeing includes psychological well-being, self-rated health and life satisfaction. We find that all elders’ psychological wellbeing becomes more positive when they provide financial support for their children. Despite the economic difficulties and the prevalence of filial norm, the financial provision is not viewed as the burden to the older adults but helps them to confirm their position and power in the intergenerational relations. Nonetheless, receiving the spiritual care is more like to improve their psychological well-being and life satisfaction. The results suggest that the effect of the intergenerational support exchange should be taken into consideration when improving the quality of life for the elderly.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hua-lei Yang ◽  
Yuan-yang Wu ◽  
Xue-yu Lin ◽  
Lin Xie ◽  
Shuo Zhang ◽  
...  

Purpose: The research objectives of this study are to test the scientific propositions of whether Internet use promotes life satisfaction among the elderly, whether there is variability in the effect of Internet use on the well-being of the elderly, and through what channels Internet use affects the elderly's life satisfaction.Method: Using data from the 2017 Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS), this paper employed linear regression, ordered logit model, and the propensity score matching (PSM) approach to investigate the association of Internet use with life satisfaction among the elderly in China.Results: The results show that Internet use was significantly and negatively associated with the life satisfaction of the Chinese elderly. Further analysis on group heterogeneity demonstrates that the negative association was more prominent among the participants who were males, at a lower age, had lower income and education, non-agricultural registered, and relatively healthy. Finally, the mediating effect indicates that Internet use may affect life satisfaction among the elderly through the channel of reducing their perceptions of social justice.Conclusions: In order to avoid the negative effects of using the Internet, the following policy suggestions are put forward: Improve the elderly's attitudes toward Internet use; pay attention to the sense of fairness of the elderly to improve life satisfaction; guide the elderly to reduce the time of using the Internet.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maryam Azizi ◽  
Najmeh Javan ◽  
Seyed Mohammad Mousavi Mirzaei ◽  
Seyyed Abolfazl Vagharseyyedin

Background: Subjective well-being (SWB) can be a buffer against mental health problems. Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) tend to experience low levels of subjective well-being. Objectives: The two objectives were (1) to examine whether peer-led and nurse-led self-management training can improve SWB of patients with MS and (2) to compare the effect of these two interventions on SWB of patients with MS. Methods: In this trial, 81 patients were randomly assigned to either nurse-led (n = 41) or peer-led (n = 40) groups. Both groups participated in six weekly-based 1.5‐hr self-management sessions. The cognitive and affective components of SWB were evaluated using the Satisfaction with Life Scale and the Scale for Positive and Negative Experience, respectively. Results: Life satisfaction increased in both groups over time (P < 0.001), although it was not significantly different between the two groups (P > 0.05). Positive and negative experiences increased in both groups over time (P < 0.05), but the increase in positive experience in the peer-led group was significantly larger than those in the nurse-led group (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Peer-led and nurse-led self-management training, are feasible tools to enhance the cognitive component of SWB, i.e., life satisfaction. Considering the affective component of SWB, positive experience in the peer-led group improved better than in the nurse-led group over time. Therefore, if healthcare providers improve the SWB of patients with relapsing-remitting MS, the self-management intervention led by peers is preferred than nurse-led self-management training.


2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 203
Author(s):  
Lucky Ade Sessiani

<p>Elderly women experience loneliness related to unexpected situations of partner loss (husband's death). Loneliness can have an impact on subjective well-being, life satisfaction, quality of life, mental and physical health, and even death. The purpose of this study was to describe and understand experiences related to loneliness for elderly widows. The subjects involved were 6 (six) widows due to the death of their husbands (widowed), widows of more than 1 year, and no history of psychological disorders. Methods of data collection using interviews and observation. This study resulted in the conclusion that an elderly widow can experience loneliness due to the loss of a spouse who is taken away by death. Subjective well-being and perceived life satisfaction are the results of a religious coping strategy that is effective in over­coming loneliness experienced. When feelings of losing a spouse can be overcome by religious behavior, enthusiasm for survival and re-establishing social interaction, the elderly can feel well-being and life satisfaction.</p>


Author(s):  
Ricarda Steinmayr ◽  
Linda Wirthwein ◽  
Laura Modler ◽  
Margaret M. Barry

Despite the importance of subjective well-being (SWB) for students’ mental and physical health, there is a lack of longitudinal studies investigating the development of SWB in adolescents and what factors are associated with it over time. The present study seeks to shed further light on this question by investigating adolescents longitudinally. A sample of German academic tracks students (N = 476) from five schools were followed longitudinally over a time period of 30 months with four measurement points from Grade 11 to Grade 13. Alongside the longitudinal assessment of SWB (mood and life satisfaction), a range of other factors were also assessed at t1 including; demographic factors (sex, age, socio-economic status (HISEI)), intelligence, grades (report cards provided by the schools), personality (neuroticism, extraversion) and perceived parental expectations and support. Latent growth curve models were conducted to investigate the development of SWB and its correlates. On average, mood and life satisfaction improved at the end of mandatory schooling. However, students significantly differed in this pattern of change. Students’ life satisfaction developed more positively if students had good grades at t1. Furthermore, even though introverted students started with lower life satisfaction at t1, extraverts’ life showed greater increases over time. Changes in mood were associated with socio-economic background; the higher the HISEI the more positive the change. As social comparisons in school performance are almost inevitable, schools should intervene to buffer the influence of school grades on students’ SWB.


2021 ◽  
pp. 135910532110092
Author(s):  
Benjamin Highland ◽  
Everett L Worthington ◽  
Don E Davis ◽  
Chris G Sibley ◽  
Joseph A Bulbulia

Previous research finds an association between spirituality and subjective well-being. However, the widespread use of poorly defined concepts of spirituality, tautological spirituality scales, and heavy reliance on cross-sectional samples cast doubts on prior findings. Here, we leverage ten waves of panel data from a nationally diverse longitudinal study to systematically test whether having spiritual beliefs leads to growth in personal well-being and life satisfaction ( N = 3257, New Zealand, 2010–2020). Contrary to previous research, we find that belief in a spirit or life force predicts lower personal well-being and life satisfaction. However, in support of previous speculation, belief (relative to disbelief) in a spirit or life force predicts increasing personal well-being and life satisfaction over time. These findings are robust even while accounting for known demographic influences; they even hold among those who believe in a God but disbelieve in a spirit or life force. The recent growth in spiritual beliefs and decline in traditional religion across many industrial societies motivates further causal investigations of the mechanisms by which spiritual beliefs lead to growth in subjective well-being.


2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (9) ◽  
pp. 883-905 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lili Xie

This study aims to examine the extent to which older adults’ perceptions of environmental age-friendliness are associated with their life satisfaction. We used a national representative sample ( N = 9,965) with elders aged 60 and above from urban China and structural equation modeling to analyze the relationship among community characteristics, socioeconomic status (SES), and life satisfaction. Results showed that older people’s perceptions of housing conditions, local amenities, and social inclusion were significantly associated with general life satisfaction. Multigroup comparison tests indicated that no disparities in the aforementioned relationships among SES subgroups. However, the socioeconomically disadvantaged elderly population was shown to have the lowest assessment of community age-friendliness. Findings emphasized the potential role of age-friendly communities as having an influential force on older adults’ subjective well-being, regardless of their SES. Meanwhile, policy makers and practitioners should pay special attentions to improve the living environments of disadvantaged elders.


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