What are people saying when they report they are happy or life satisfied

<p><span lang="EN-GB">The study of happiness was dominated with the model of subjective well-being. With the advent of positive psychology the eudaimonic and hedonic models entered the field, but major surveys continue to use single-item measures of life satisfaction or happiness. We study the associations between life satisfaction and happiness, measured single-items with a graphic representation of a ladder and a thermometer, and three models of happiness: the subjective well-being, the eudaimonic and hedonic. The results showed that subjective well-being was the main predictor of life satisfaction and hedonic model also predicted a small amount of this variable. For happiness the predictors were the same but in reversed order, the main predictor was the hedonic model and a small variance was explained by subjective well-being. Contrary to our hypothesis the eudaimonic perspective of happiness was not a predictor in none of the models. These results underline the importance of the interaction between a cognitive or appraisal perspective and the hedonic perspectives for the study of happiness.</span></p>

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The interrelation between mindfulness and subjective well-being

Journal of Modern Foreign Psychology ◽

10.17759/jmfp.2016050310 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 5 (3) ◽

pp. 92-99

Author(s):

D.I. Zelikson

Keyword(s):

Life Satisfaction ◽

Positive Emotions ◽

Negative Emotions ◽

Negative Relationship ◽

Well Being ◽

Correlation Study ◽

Hedonic Model ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Relationship Of ◽

The Relationship

The article considers the phenomenon of mindfulness and its relationship to subjective well-being. The main objective of the study was the empirical confirmation of the relationship between mindfulness and components of hedonic model of subjective well-being. To this end, we held a correlation study with the participation of 94 men and 137 women (average age totaled 27.35 years). The participants filled out a questionnaire “Scale of life satisfaction” by E. Dinera, questionnaire" Mindfulness and awareness” as well as a modified version of the questionnaire "Scale differential emotions". A positive relationship of mindfulness and positive emotions, life satisfaction and the ratio of positive and negative emotions. We detected the negative relationship of negative emotions and mindfulness with life satisfaction. The obtained results are in good agreement with earlier studies and suggest that there exists an interaction between emotional and cognitive processes

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A Critical Overview of Research Studies on the Role of Positive Psychology Interventions in Enhancing Subjective Well-Being among High School Students

International Journal of Indian Psychology ◽

10.25215/0303.209 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 3 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Jayashree Sanghani ◽

Saroj Arya

Keyword(s):

Life Satisfaction ◽

High School Students ◽

Positive Psychology ◽

Positive Emotions ◽

Negative Emotions ◽

Well Being ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Positive Psychology Interventions ◽

Critical Overview

In the present educational system, students face a lot of pressure, stress and expectation from self and others which leads to experiencing negative emotions. These factors hinder children’s all round development and scholastic achievement leading to low subjective well-being and poor life satisfaction. Hence, there is a need to foster positive emotions. A critical overview has been done on the role of Positive Psychology Interventions in enhancing positive emotions of the students in experiencing well-being, and satisfaction. School psychology has been focusing on addressing the problem and providing solutions. Experiencing positive emotions is more important for accomplishment and well-being than the absence of negative emotions. The essence of Positive Psychology Interventions is to remove what is wrong and bring in what is strong, by fostering positive factors important for flourishing and accomplishment. Research has shown that Positive Psychology Interventions are significantly related to student well-being which can augment life satisfaction.

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Relación entre soporte social, la satisfacción de vida y bienestar subjetivo en adolescentes brasileros

Universitas Psychologica ◽

10.11144/javeriana.upsy14-2.rbss ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 14 (2) ◽

pp. 459 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Jorge Castellá Sarriera ◽

Lívia Bedin ◽

Daniel Abs ◽

Ferran Casas ◽

Tiago Calza

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Life Satisfaction ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Satisfaction With Life ◽

Perceived Social Support ◽

Well Being ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Theoretical Frameworks ◽

Single Item ◽

Overall Life Satisfaction

This study explores the subjective well-being, overall life satisfaction and perceived social support of Brazilian adolescents by analysing different models that explain the relationships among these three constructs. The sample is comprised of 1,588 adolescents (aged 12–16, 65.5% female), who answered the Personal Well-Being Index (PWI), a measure of Perceived Social Support of Family and Friends, and also an Overall Life Satisfaction single-item scale (OLS). MANOVA and ANOVA were used to assess the differences between groups, with respect to gender, it is observed that girls present lower means than boys for the OLS. Considering age, there was a significant decrease in the mean of the PWI with age. Boys present lower means of friends’ social support. Structural Equation Modelling was used to test theoretical frameworks on data. After analysing different models, the best fit model is presented using the PWI as a mediating factor between social support and satisfaction with life. The perception of social support from family and friends results to be a significant dimension of well-being among Brazilian adolescents. The importance of social support for the subjective well-being is explained by identifying how it contributes to the overall life satisfaction of adolescents.

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Subjective Well-Being of Indonesian Children: A Perspective of Material Well-Being [Kesejahteraan Subjektif Anak Indonesia: Sebuah Perspektif Kesejahteraan Materi]

ANIMA Indonesian Psychological Journal ◽

10.24123/aipj.v36i2.2880 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 36 (2) ◽

pp. 204-230

Author(s):

Ihsana Sabriani Borualogo ◽

Ferran Casas

Keyword(s):

Life Satisfaction ◽

Economic Status ◽

Well Being ◽

Material Deprivation ◽

Third Wave ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Single Item ◽

Future Studies ◽

Positive Feelings ◽

Overall Life Satisfaction

This study aims to explain the subjective well-being of Indonesian children in terms of material well-being. Indonesia is still considered a developing country, and several studies reveal the correlation between economic status and subjective well-being of adults. However, only a very limited number of studies focus on Indonesian children’s material well-being from their own perspective. This study used data from the third wave of the Children’s Worlds survey conducted in Indonesia. The sample (N = 14,576; 49.35% boys; 50.65% girls) was composed of children aged 10 years and 12 years. Subjective well-being (SWB) was measured using the Children’s Worlds Subjective Well-Being Scale (CW-SWBS) and a single-item Overall Life Satisfaction (OLS) scale. Material well-being was measured using family economic status, material deprivation, frequency of being worried about family’s money situation, and frequency of having enough food to eat each day. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Cummins’ theory of subjective well-being (SWB) was used to explain the results. Results showed that children from families with high economic status who reported no material deprivation, never worrying about the family’s money, and always having enough food to eat each day displayed higher subjective well-being (SWB) mean scores on both subjective well-being (SWB) scales compared to children in families from middle and lower economic status. However, children from middle and lower economic status showed rather high subjective well-being (SWB) scores, suggesting that children are able to maintain positive feelings about themselves and their level of subjective well-being (SWB) despite belonging to a less fortunate economic situation. These results will hopefully encourage Indonesian scholars and researchers to elaborate deeper in future studies. Penelitian ini bertujuan menjelaskan kesejahteraan subjektif (subjective well-being; SWB) anak Indonesia terkait kesejahteraan materi. Indonesia masih dikategorikan sebagai negara berkembang, dan beberapa penelitian terdahulu mengungkapkan korelasi antara status ekonomi dan kesejahteraan subjektif orang dewasa. Namun, studi yang memfokuskan pada kesejahteraan materi anak Indonesia dari perspektif mereka sendiri masih sangat terbatas. Studi ini menggunakan data dari survei Children’s Worlds gelombang ketiga yang dilakukan di Indonesia. Sampel penelitian terdiri dari anak-anak usia 10 tahun dan 12 tahun (N = 14.576; 49,35% laki-laki; 50,65% perempuan). Kesejahteraan subjektif diukur dengan menggunakan dua skala: Children’s Worlds Subjective Well-Being Scale (CW-SWBS) dan Overall Life Satisfaction (OLS) dengan butir pertanyaan tunggal. Kesejahteraan materi diukur berdasarkan dimensi status ekonomi keluarga, kekurangan materi, frekuensi kekhawatiran tentang situasi keuangan keluarga, dan frekuensi ketersediaan makanan untuk dikonsumsi setiap hari. Data kemudian dianalisis dengan menggunakan statistik deskriptif. Teori Cummins tentang kesejahteraan subjektif digunakan untuk menjelaskan temuan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa anak-anak dari keluarga dengan status ekonomi tinggi yang tidak melaporkan kekurangan materi, tidak pernah khawatir tentang keuangan keluarga, dan selalu memiliki cukup makanan untuk dikonsumsi setiap hari menunjukkan skor rata-rata kesejahteraan subjektif yang lebih tinggi pada dua skala kesejahteraan subjektif dibandingkan anak-anak dari keluarga dengan status ekonomi menengah dan rendah. Namun, anak-anak dari status ekonomi menengah dan rendah menunjukkan skor kesejahteraan subjektif yang relatif tinggi, yang mengungkapkan bahwa anak-anak dapat menjaga perasaan positif tentang diri mereka sendiri dan tingkat kesejahteraan subjektifnya meskipun tergolong ke dalam status ekonomi yang kurang mapan. Hasil penelitian diharapkan dapat mendorong para ilmwuan dan peneliti di Indonesia untuk lebih mendalami fenomena ini pada studi-studi selanjutnya.

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Individual differences and changes in lifestyle behaviours predict decreased subjective well-being during COVID-19 restrictions in an Australian sample

Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/pubmed/fdab040 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Emily Brindal ◽

Jillian C Ryan ◽

Naomi Kakoschke ◽

Sinead Golley ◽

Ian T Zajac ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Life Satisfaction ◽

Individual Differences ◽

Online Survey ◽

Protective Factor ◽

Health Behaviours ◽

Well Being ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Social Distancing ◽

Australian Sample

Abstract Background Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, social distancing practices were introduced to curb infection rates in many countries. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of these restrictions on behaviours and well-being and whether individual differences predict changes in well-being. Methods Australian adults participated in a cross-sectional, online survey during May 2020. The survey captured demographic information; health behaviours; personality traits; life satisfaction and COVID-19-related attitudes, financial concerns, perceived risks and impacts. Results In total, 3745 (86.8% of 4313) participants completed all items. Participants were mostly female (85.7%) and 56.4 years (standard deviation [SD] = 12.6) on average. Over 95.0% of the sample indicated they had been social distancing or isolating. Health behaviours and well-being had generally worsened, with social connections being the most negatively affected. Life satisfaction was significantly lower since restrictions. For changes in life satisfaction, extroversion was a risk factor and openness to experience was a protective factor. Conclusions Overall, well-being was negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and associated social distancing particularly in this sample containing mainly older women. In future, it will be crucial to understand why and who may be differentially affected, to encourage behaviours that are protective of well-being.

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Family Solidarity, Social Support, Loneliness, and Well-Being Among Older Adults in Rural China

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.1023 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 319-320

Author(s):

Xiaoyan Zhang ◽

Merril Silverstein

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Life Satisfaction ◽

Adult Children ◽

Child Support ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Total Population ◽

Well Being ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

National Bureau ◽

Subjective Well Being

Abstract China is experiencing a large increase in elderly population. In 2019, China’s population aged 60 and above had reached 253 million, accounting for 18.1% of the total population (National Bureau of Statistics of China, 2020). By 2050, the number of adults aged 60+ would be up to 430 million, reaching one third of the total population (Du, Zhai & Chen, 2005). Considering such a rapid aging process and the existing large number of older adults in China, it becomes imperative to investigate how psychosocial factors affect this group’s subjective well-being. This study proposed that, among older adults, higher support received from each of the three relational sources (adult children, family and friends) were associated with reduced loneliness and improved well-being. Structural equation modeling was conducted using a sample of rural adults aged 60 and older (N= 1142) from the 2018 wave of data from the Longitudinal Study of Older Adults in Anhui Province, China. Findings indicated that support from adult children directly and indirectly decreased older adults’ depression and improved their life satisfaction through loneliness; while support from family members directly decreased depression but did not directly improve life satisfaction or indirectly improve well-being through loneliness. Although support from friends did not have a significant impact on older adults’ well-being, it indirectly improved well-being through reduced loneliness. Findings have implications for programs or interventions targeting both parent -adult-child support and friends support and reducing rural older adults’ loneliness.

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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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