Family Socioeconomic Status at Birth and Youth Impulsivity at Age 15; Blacks' Diminished Return.

PubMed

Assari, Shervin; Caldwell, Cleopatra Howard; Mincy, Ron

2018-05-01

Minorities’ Diminished Return theory suggests that health effects of socioeconomic status (SES) are systemically smaller for racial and ethnic minorities compared to Whites. To test the relevance of Minorities’ Diminished Return theory for youth impulsivity, we investigated Black⁻White differences in the effects of family SES at birth on subsequent youth impulsivity at age 15. Data came from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS), 1998⁻2016, a 15-year longitudinal study of urban families from the birth of their children to age 15. This analysis included 1931 families who were either White ( n = 495) or Black ( n = 1436). The independent variables of this study were family income, maternal education, and family structure at birth. Youth impulsivity at age 15 was the dependent variable. Gender was the covariate and race was the focal moderator. We ran linear regressions in the overall sample and specific to each race. In the overall sample, higher household income (b = −0.01, 95% CI = −0.01 to 0.00) and maternal education (b = −0.24, 95% CI = −0.44 to −0.04) at birth were associated with lower youth impulsivity at age 15, independent of race, gender, and family structure. A significant interaction was found between race and household income at birth (b = 0.01, 95% CI = 0.00 to 0.02) on subsequent youth impulsivity, which was indicative of a stronger protective effect for Whites compared to Blacks. Blacks’ diminished return exists for the long-term protective effects of family income at birth against subsequent youth impulsivity. The relative disadvantage of Blacks in comparison to Whites is in line with a growing literature showing that Black families gain less from high SES, which is possibly due to the existing structural racism in the US.

An Investigation of Islamic Well-Being and Mental Health.

PubMed

Eryilmaz, Ali; Kula, Naci

2018-03-02

The overall aim of this study was to develop the Islamic Well-Being Scale and examine the relationship between mental health and Islamic well-being. In this study, four sub-studies were performed to create the one-factor Islamic Well-Being Scale, perform a confirmatory factor analysis and validate the Islamic Well-Being Scale, differentially predict ill-being and well-being outcomes using the Islamic Well-Being Scale, and compare individuals with different Islamic belief levels using the Islamic Well-Being Scale. In total, 170 adults, 209 adults, 216 theological faculty students and 152 undergraduate educational faculty students participated in each sub-study. Several scales related to well-being and ill-being were used in this study. The Islamic Well-Being Scale was found to be valid and reliable. Islamic well-being was related to certain indicators of well-being and ill-being.

Happy classes make happy students: Classmates' well-being predicts individual student well-being.

PubMed

King, Ronnel B; Datu, Jesus Alfonso

2017-12-01

Student well-being has mostly been studied as an individual phenomenon with little research investigating how the well-being of one's classmates could influence a student's well-being. The aim of the current study was to examine how the aggregate well-being of students who comprise a class could predict students' subsequent well-being (Time 2 well-being) after controlling for the effects of prior well-being (Time 1 well-being) as well as key demographic variables such as gender and age. Two studies among Filipino secondary school students were conducted. In Study 1, 788 students from 21 classes participated; in Study 2, 404 students from 10 classes participated. For Study 1, questionnaires assessing students' life satisfaction, positive affect and negative affect were administered twice seven months apart. For Study 2, the well-being questionnaires were administered twice, three months apart. Hierarchical linear modeling was used with level 1 (Time 1 individual well-being, gender, and age) and level 2 (class well-being) predictors. Results across the two studies provided converging lines of evidence: students who were in classes with higher levels of life satisfaction and positive affect were also more likely to have higher life satisfaction and positive affect at Time 2. The study indicated that the well-being of a student partly depends on the well-being of their classmates providing evidence for the social contagion of well-being in the classroom context. Copyright © 2017 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Directionality of the relationship between social well-being and subjective well-being: evidence from a 20-year longitudinal study.

PubMed

Joshanloo, Mohsen; Sirgy, M Joseph; Park, Joonha

2018-04-30

Self-determination theory suggests that psycho-social well-being prospectively predicts subjective well-being. In contrast, the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions suggests that subjective well-being has a positive impact on subsequent levels of psycho-social well-being. The present study sought to empirically disentangle the directionality of the relationship between subjective well-being and social well-being over time. The study used three waves of survey data, with intervals of 10 years, from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) project, a representative longitudinal panel study of American adults (N = 2732). Cross-lagged panel modeling was used for data analysis. The results revealed that social well-being predicted increases in subsequent subjective well-being, whereas subjective well-being did not prospectively predict social well-being. Social well-being also demonstrated more stability over time than did subjective well-being. These findings suggest that optimal social functioning is more likely to be an antecedent to subjective well-being, not the other way around. The results are consistent with predictions guided by self-determination theory.

Employee Wellbeing: Evaluating a Wellbeing Intervention in Two Settings

PubMed Central

Keeman, Alexis; Näswall, Katharina; Malinen, Sanna; Kuntz, Joana

2017-01-01

This research presents two studies conducted to evaluate the Wellbeing Game in two different contexts: In a student sample and in an organizational setting. Study 1 investigated the efficacy of the Wellbeing Game, in terms of its effect of wellbeing, stress, and an image valence test, among 60 university students. The results showed that after playing the Wellbeing Game, students reported a significant positive change in wellbeing compared to those who did not play the Wellbeing Game, but there was no decrease in stress or any change in classification of image valence. Study 2 evaluated the Wellbeing Game in an organizational context. Employees (n = 52) in a financial organization played the Wellbeing Game for 4 weeks and answered survey questions about wellbeing and stress at the beginning and end of this period. The results showed that after playing the Wellbeing Game, employees reported lower stress levels, and higher wellbeing levels for those who felt that it had helped them connect more with colleagues. The results from the two studies provide preliminary support that the Wellbeing Game may be an effective wellbeing intervention tool in both an organization and a non-organizational context. PMID:28421021

Employee Wellbeing: Evaluating a Wellbeing Intervention in Two Settings.

PubMed

Keeman, Alexis; Näswall, Katharina; Malinen, Sanna; Kuntz, Joana

2017-01-01

This research presents two studies conducted to evaluate the Wellbeing Game in two different contexts: In a student sample and in an organizational setting. Study 1 investigated the efficacy of the Wellbeing Game, in terms of its effect of wellbeing, stress, and an image valence test, among 60 university students. The results showed that after playing the Wellbeing Game, students reported a significant positive change in wellbeing compared to those who did not play the Wellbeing Game, but there was no decrease in stress or any change in classification of image valence. Study 2 evaluated the Wellbeing Game in an organizational context. Employees ( n = 52) in a financial organization played the Wellbeing Game for 4 weeks and answered survey questions about wellbeing and stress at the beginning and end of this period. The results showed that after playing the Wellbeing Game, employees reported lower stress levels, and higher wellbeing levels for those who felt that it had helped them connect more with colleagues. The results from the two studies provide preliminary support that the Wellbeing Game may be an effective wellbeing intervention tool in both an organization and a non-organizational context.

Well-Being in Residency: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Raj, Kristin S.

2016-01-01

Background  Rates of physician burnout have increased in recent years, and high burnout levels are reported by physicians in training. Objective  This review of the research on resident well-being seeks to identify factors associated with well-being, summarize well-being promotion interventions, and provide a framework for future research efforts. Methods  Keywords were used to search PubMed, PsycINFO, and MEDLINE. Studies included were conducted between 1989 and 2014. The search yielded 82 articles, 26 which met inclusion criteria, and were assessed using the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument. Results  Articles measured resident well-being and associated factors, predictors, effects, barriers, as well as interventions to improve well-being. Factors identified in psychological well-being research—autonomy, building of competence, and strong social relatedness—are associated with resident well-being. Sleep and time away from work are associated with greater resident well-being. Perseverance is predictive of well-being, and greater well-being is associated with increased empathy. Interventions focused on health and coping skills appear to improve well-being, although the 3 studies that examined interventions were limited by small samples and single site administration. Conclusions  An important step in evolving research in this area entails the development of a clear definition of resident well-being and a scale for measuring the construct. The majority (n = 17, 65%) of existing studies are cross-sectional analyses of factors associated with well-being. The literature summarized in this review suggests future research should focus on factors identified in cross-sectional studies, including sleep, coping mechanisms, resident autonomy, building competence, and enhanced social relatedness. PMID:28018531

Gratitude and Adolescent Athletes' Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Lung Hung; Kee, Ying Hwa

2008-01-01

Two cross-sectional studies were conducted to examine the relationships between gratitude and athletes' well-being. Study 1 examines the relationship between dispositional gratitude and well-being, while Study 2 investigates the relationship between sport-domain gratitude and well-being. In Study 1, 169 Taiwanese senior high school athletes (M =…

Associations between physical activity and self-rated wellbeing in European adults: A population-based, cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Marques, Adilson; Peralta, Miguel; Martins, João; Catunda, Ricardo; Matos, Margarida Gaspar de; Saboga Nunes, Luís

2016-10-01

Although self-rated wellbeing is an indicator of health status, it has been receiving little attention; its relationship with physical activity among adults remains inconclusive. The purpose of this study was to analyse the relationship between physical activity and several dimensions of self-rated wellbeing in European adults. This cross-sectional study was based on data from the European Social Survey round 6, 2012, comprising 40,600 European adults (18,418 men, 22,186 women) from 27 countries, with mean age 42.1±13.3. Meeting physical activity guidelines was assessed using World Health Organization criteria. Six dimensions of the self-rated wellbeing were assessed (evaluative wellbeing, emotional wellbeing, functioning, vitality, community wellbeing, supportive wellbeing). Men and women who attained physical activity recommended levels had better evaluative wellbeing (men, p=0.009; women, p<0.001), emotional wellbeing (men, p<0.001; women, p<0.001), functioning (men, p<0.001; women, p<0.001), vitality (men, p<0.001; women, p<0.001), supportive relationships (men, p<0.001; women, p<0.001), and wellbeing total score (men, p<0.001; women, p<0.001). Physical activity frequency was linearly associated with self-rated wellbeing in the 6 dimensions as well as the wellbeing total score (p<0.001). Attaining recommended physical activity levels is related to better self-rated wellbeing, and more frequent physical activity is linearly associated with better self-rated wellbeing in its 6 dimensions. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Development and Initial Validation of a Multidimensional Scale Assessing Subjective Well-Being: The Well-Being Scale (WeBS).

PubMed

Lui, P Priscilla; Fernando, Gaithri A

2018-02-01

Numerous scales currently exist that assess well-being, but research on measures of well-being is still advancing. Conceptualization and measurement of subjective well-being have emphasized intrapsychic over psychosocial domains of optimal functioning, and disparate research on hedonic, eudaimonic, and psychological well-being lacks a unifying theoretical model. Lack of systematic investigations on the impact of culture on subjective well-being has also limited advancement of this field. The goals of this investigation were to (1) develop and validate a self-report measure, the Well-Being Scale (WeBS), that simultaneously assesses overall well-being and physical, financial, social, hedonic, and eudaimonic domains of this construct; (2) evaluate factor structures that underlie subjective well-being; and (3) examine the measure's psychometric properties. Three empirical studies were conducted to develop and validate the 29-item scale. The WeBS demonstrated an adequate five-factor structure in an exploratory structural equation model in Study 1. Confirmatory factor analyses showed that a bifactor structure best fit the WeBS data in Study 2 and Study 3. Overall WeBS scores and five domain-specific subscale scores demonstrated adequate to excellent internal consistency reliability and construct validity. Mean differences in overall well-being and its five subdomains are presented for different ethnic groups. The WeBS is a reliable and valid measure of multiple aspects of well-being that are considered important to different ethnocultural groups.

Overall Well-Being and Supervisor Ratings of Employee Performance, Accountability, Customer Service, Innovation, Prosocial Behavior, and Self-Development.

PubMed

Wu, Hao; Sears, Lindsay E; Coberley, Carter R; Pope, James E

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to study the effects of overall well-being and well-being change on six supervisor-rated indicators of employee performance valued by organizations: overall performance, accountability, customer service, innovation, prosocial behavior, and self-development. The current study used two waves of well-being survey data collected over 2 years and supervisor performance ratings for 5691 employees. Ordinary least squares regression was conducted. Both well-being at baseline and two-year change in well-being were related to all six supervisor-rated performance dimensions, controlling for other employee characteristics. Overall well-being likely functioned as a resource enabling people to successfully perform across the specific areas highly valued by their company. Given this connection, well-being interventions could be used as a means to accomplish improved performance in dimensions that contribute to organizational performance.

Personality and well-being in adolescents

PubMed Central

Moreira, Paulo A. S.; Cloninger, C. Robert; Dinis, Liliana; Sá, Laura; Oliveira, João T.; Dias, Adelaide; Oliveira, Joana

2015-01-01

Different profiles of the character dimensions of self-directedness, cooperativeness and self-transcendence result in different levels of wellbeing among adults. However, the influence of the multidimensional character profiles on adolescents' composite wellbeing remains unexplored. This study builds on previous studies with adults, and examines the linear and non-linear associations between the dimensions of the psychobiological model of personality and well-being in adolescents. Participated in this study 1540 adolescents (M = 15.44, SD = 1.731). Personality was assessed using the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Well-being was evaluated in a composite perspective: satisfaction with social support, health-related quality of life, satisfaction with life and affect. Variable-centered and individual-centered analyses were performed. Self-directedness was strongly associated with all dimensions of affective and cognitive well-being regardless of the other two character traits. Cooperativeness was associated with non-affective well-being and with positive affect, but only when associated to elevation of Self-directedness and Self-transcendence. Self-Directedness and Cooperativeness explained 15.5% of the non-affective well-being variance. Self-Directedness and Self-Transcendence explained 10.4% of the variance in affective well-being. This study confirms the tendencies found in previous studies with adults from other societies, where each character dimension gives an independent contribution to well-being depending on the interactions with other Character dimensions. Also, this study highlights the importance of considering the non-linear influences of the character dimensions in understanding of adolescents' wellbeing. These results have strong implications for youth positive mental health promotion, including for school-based policies and practices. PMID:25610408

School Experiences of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder within the Context of Student Wellbeing: A Review and Analysis of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Danker, Joanne; Strnadová, Iva; Cumming, Therese M.

2016-01-01

There has been an increasing body of research on student wellbeing in recent years. Despite this, there is much debate on the notion of student wellbeing, along with a lack of studies focusing on the wellbeing of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A total of 12 studies on the wellbeing of typically developing students were used to…

Job Satisfaction and Subjective Well-Being Among Midwives: Analysis of a Multinational Cross-Sectional Survey.

PubMed

Jarosova, Darja; Gurkova, Elena; Ziakova, Katarina; Nedvedova, Daniela; Palese, Alvisa; Godeas, Gloria; Chan, Sally Wai-Chi; Song, Mi Sook; Lee, Jongwon; Cordeiro, Raul; Babiarczyk, Beata; Fras, Malgorzata

2017-03-01

There is a considerable amount of empirical evidence to indicate a positive association between an employee's subjective well-being and workplace performance and job satisfaction. Compared with nursing research, there is a relative lack of consistent scientific evidence concerning midwives' subjective well-being and its determinants related to domains of job satisfaction. The purpose of the study was to examine the association between the domains of job satisfaction and components of subjective well-being in hospital midwives. This cross-sectional descriptive study involved 1190 hospital midwives from 7 countries. Job satisfaction was measured by the McCloskey/Mueller Satisfaction Scale. Subjective well-being was conceptualized in the study by the 2 components (the affective and the cognitive component). The affective component of subjective well-being (ie, emotional well-being) was assessed by the Positive and the Negative Affect Scale. The cognitive component of subjective well-being (ie, life satisfaction) was measured by the Personal Well-Being Index. Pearson correlations and multiple regression analyses were used to determine associations between variables. Findings from correlation and regression analyses indicated an overall weak association between the domains of job satisfaction and components of subjective well-being. Satisfaction with extrinsic rewards, coworkers, and interaction opportunities accounted for only 13% of variance in the cognitive component (life satisfaction). The affective component (emotional well-being) was weakly associated with satisfaction with control and responsibility. The low amount of variance suggests that neither component of subjective well-being is influenced by the domains of job satisfaction. Further studies should focus on identifying other predictors of subjective well-being among midwives. A better understanding of how specific job facets are related to the subjective well-being of midwives might assist employers in the design of counseling and intervention programs for subjective well-being of midwives in the workplace and workplace performance. © 2016 by the American College of Nurse-Midwives.

Association between mental well-being, depression, and periodontal attachment level among young adults of the postwar Sebha city, Libya: A pilot study.

PubMed

Peeran, Syed Wali; Kumar, Naveen P G; Azaruk, Faiza Abdelkader Ahmed; Alsaid, Fatma Mojtaba; Abdalla, Khaled Awidat; Mugrabi, Marei Hamed; Peeran, Syed Ali

2014-07-01

The present study was aimed to investigate the association of mental well-being and depression with periodontal clinical attachment loss among young adults in postwar urban population of Sebha city, Libya. Mental well-being and depression were assessed using Arabic versions of World Health Organization (WHO) five well-being index and major depression inventory (ICD-10), respectively. Random sample of 149 subjects were studied. Degree of periodontal attachment was measured at six sites per tooth using a rigid manual periodontal probe. A total of 59.11% of the studied samples had healthy mental well-being state, whereas 40.81% had poor mental well-being. The severity of depression was stronger in males than in females. In the present study mental well-being, depression, and all its categories did not have any significant effect on periodontal attachment loss. Further studies and health interventions can be planned based on this data.

Are health and happiness the product of wisdom? The relationship of general mental ability to educational and occupational attainment, health, and well-being.

PubMed

Judge, Timothy A; Ilies, Remus; Dimotakis, Nikolaos

2010-05-01

This study tested a structural model explaining the effects of general mental ability on economic, physical, and subjective well-being. A model was proposed that linked general mental ability to well-being using education, unhealthy behaviors (smoking and excessive drinking), occupational prestige, and health as mediating variables. The sample consisted of 398 individuals, from whom measures were collected across 4 periods. The results supported a model that includes direct and indirect (through unhealthy behaviors and occupational prestige) links from mental ability to physical well-being (i.e., health) and economic well-being. Furthermore, the results supported the relationships of economic well-being and physical well-being to subjective well-being. Overall, the study underscores the importance of general mental ability to work and nonwork outcomes, including physical, economic, and psychological well-being. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved.

Sociodemographic predictors of elderly's psychological well-being in Malaysia.

PubMed

Momtaz, Yadollah A; Ibrahim, Rahimah; Hamid, Tengku A; Yahaya, Nurizan

2011-05-01

Psychological well-being as one of the most important indicators of successful aging has received substantial attention in the gerontological literature. Prior studies show that sociodemographic factors influencing elderly's psychological well-being are multiple and differ across cultures. The aim of this study was to identify significant sociodemographic predictors of psychological well-being among Malay elders. The study included 1415 older Malays (60-100 years, 722 women), randomly selected through a multistage stratified random method from Peninsular Malaysia. WHO-Five well-being index was used to measure psychological well-being. Data analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 13.0. Using multiple regression analysis a significant model emerged (F(7, 1407) = 20.14, p ≤ 0.001), where age, sex, marital status, and household income were significant predictor variables of psychological well-being among Malay elders. However, level of education, employment status, and place of residence failed to predict psychological well-being. This study showed that the oldest old, elderly women, unmarried, and the poor elderly people are at risk for experiencing low psychological well-being. Therefore, they need special attention from family, policy makers, and those who work with elderly people.

Perceived school climate, academic well-being and school-aged children's self-rated health: a mediator analysis.

PubMed

Rathmann, Katharina; Herke, Max; Heilmann, Kristina; Kinnunen, Jaana M; Rimpelä, Arja; Hurrelmann, Klaus; Richter, Matthias

2018-06-11

Schools are crucial settings for young people's development. Rare studies have examined the impact of perceived school-climate and academic well-being on young people's self-rated health in joint analyses. This study focuses on the role of perceived school-climate and academic well-being for young people's self-rated health and examines whether school climate is mediated by indicators of academic well-being. Data were obtained from the German National Educational Panel Study, including seventh grade students (n = 6838) aged 11-12, nested in 710 classes within 277 schools. Indicators of school climate (teacher control, demands, autonomy, interaction, goal setting and orientation, teaching quality) and academic well-being (satisfaction with school, helplessness in major school subjects) were reported from students. Multilevel modelling was used to analyze the relative importance of perceived school-climate and academic well-being on school-aged children's self-rated health. Results showed that academic well-being is strongly related to self-rated health. The better students perceive their academic well-being, the lower the likelihood of poor self-rated health. In contrast, indicators of perceived school climate are only indirectly related to self-rated health, mediated by academic well-being or are not at all associated with self-rated health. This study suggests that school climate is important for academic well-being but not as important for students' self-rated health as academic well-being. Health promotion initiatives in schools have to ensure that school climate serves to enhance students' academic well-being to avoid health problems in the long-run.

Italian and Swedish adolescents: differences and associations in subjective well-being and psychological well-being

PubMed Central

Sagone, Elisabetta; De Caroli, Maria Elvira; Nima, Ali Al

2017-01-01

Background One important aspect of subjective judgments about one’s well-being (i.e., subjective well-being: life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect) is that cultural features, such as, nationality seem to shape cognitive judgments about the “the ideal life.” In this comparative study we examined differences in subjective well-being and psychological well-being between Italian and Swedish adolescents and tested if the relationship between the three constructs of subjective well-being (i.e., satisfaction with life, positive affect, and negative affect) and psychological well-being was moderated by the adolescents’ nationality. Method Italian (n = 255) and Swedish (n = 277) adolescents answered to the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule, and Ryff’s Scales of Psychological Well-Being. Differences between samples were tested using a Multiple Analysis of Variance. We also conducted a multiple group analysis (Italy and Sweden) using Structural Equation Modelling to investigate the relationship between all three subjective well-being constructs and psychological well-being. Results Italian adolescents scored significantly higher in satisfaction with life than Swedish adolescents. Additionally, across countries, girls scored significantly higher in negative affect than boys. In both countries, all three constructs of subjective well-being were significantly associated to adolescents’ psychological well-being. Nevertheless, while the effect of the relationship between affect and psychological well-being was almost the same across countries, life satisfaction was more strongly related to psychological well-being among Swedish adolescents. Conclusions The present study shows that there are larger variations between these two cultures in the cognitive construct of subjective well-being than in the affective construct. Accordingly, associations between the cognitive component, not the affective component, of subjective well-being and psychological well-being differ between countries as well. PMID:28097069

Italian and Swedish adolescents: differences and associations in subjective well-being and psychological well-being.

PubMed

Garcia, Danilo; Sagone, Elisabetta; De Caroli, Maria Elvira; Nima, Ali Al

2017-01-01

One important aspect of subjective judgments about one's well-being (i.e., subjective well-being: life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect) is that cultural features, such as, nationality seem to shape cognitive judgments about the "the ideal life." In this comparative study we examined differences in subjective well-being and psychological well-being between Italian and Swedish adolescents and tested if the relationship between the three constructs of subjective well-being (i.e., satisfaction with life, positive affect, and negative affect) and psychological well-being was moderated by the adolescents' nationality. Italian ( n = 255) and Swedish ( n = 277) adolescents answered to the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule, and Ryff's Scales of Psychological Well-Being. Differences between samples were tested using a Multiple Analysis of Variance. We also conducted a multiple group analysis (Italy and Sweden) using Structural Equation Modelling to investigate the relationship between all three subjective well-being constructs and psychological well-being. Italian adolescents scored significantly higher in satisfaction with life than Swedish adolescents. Additionally, across countries, girls scored significantly higher in negative affect than boys. In both countries, all three constructs of subjective well-being were significantly associated to adolescents' psychological well-being. Nevertheless, while the effect of the relationship between affect and psychological well-being was almost the same across countries, life satisfaction was more strongly related to psychological well-being among Swedish adolescents. The present study shows that there are larger variations between these two cultures in the cognitive construct of subjective well-being than in the affective construct. Accordingly, associations between the cognitive component, not the affective component, of subjective well-being and psychological well-being differ between countries as well.

The roles of values, behavior, and value-behavior fit in the relation of agency and communion to well-being.

PubMed

Buchanan, Kathryn; Bardi, Anat

2015-06-01

Four studies examined whether agency and communion values, behaviors, or an interaction between values and behaviors (value-behavior fit) would predict well-being. In addition, Study 2 examined whether agency and communion goals, behaviors, or goal-behavior fit would predict well-being. In all four studies, participants completed online questionnaires containing measures of agency and communion values, behaviors, and well-being. In Studies 1 and 4, participants were recruited from the general population (respectively, N = 371, Mage  = 37.49, and N = 133, Mage  = 36.59). In Studies 2 and 3, participants were undergraduate students (respectively, N = 239, Mage  = 20.8, and N = 242, Mage  = 21.6). All four studies consistently found that agency and communion behaviors were significantly positively correlated with both subjective and psychological well-being. There was no strong indication that either values were directly associated with well-being. Neither was there any indication that well-being was predicted by value-behavior fit. The implications of these findings for theory and improving well-being are discussed. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Relationship of Spiritual Well-Being and Involvement with Depression and Perceived Stress in Korean Nursing Students

PubMed Central

Lee, Younkyung

2014-01-01

This study was conducted to identify the relationship among spiritual well-being, depression and perceived stress. Participants were 518 nursing students located in K province, Korea. Design: Exploratory design was used for this study. Data were collected and analyzed by t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients. The results were as follows; 1) Participants’ mean scores were Spiritual Well-Being 76.03 (15.74), Religious Well-Being 32.8 (15.74), Existential Well-Being 43.23 (8.12), depression 9.10 (7.06), and level of stress 15.47 (5.49). 2) Spiritual Well-Being, Existential Well-Being, and Religious Well-Being were significantly different with the number of attendance to religious ceremony, the degree of subjective satisfaction regard to major and idea for future employment. 3) Negative correlations existed between Spiritual Well-Being and participants’ perceived stress, and depression. 4) Particularly, Existential Well-Being has more inverse correlation with depression and stress than Religious Well-Being. This investigation highlighted Existential Well-Being as an important factor with lower levels of depression and perceived stress. According to these result, Spiritual Well-Being promotion program is needed to develop as a positive concept to adjust college life and spiritual well-being is required to take care of patients as potential power for nursing students in their future. PMID:24999141

Relationship between mental health and spiritual wellbeing among hemodialysis patients: a correlation study.

PubMed

Martínez, Beatriz Bertolaccini; Custódio, Rodrigo Pereira

2014-01-01

The stress of living with a terminal disease has a negative impact on the mental health of hemodialysis (HD) patients. Spirituality is a potential coping mechanism for stressful experiences. Studies on the relationship between spirituality and mental health among HD patients are scarce. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between mental health and spiritual well-being among HD patients. Cross-sectional observational study on hemodialysis patients at a single center in Brazil, between January and December 2011. Mental health was assessed using the General Health Questionnaire and spiritual wellbeing was assessed using the Spiritual Wellbeing Scale; 150 HD patients participated in the study. A significant correlation was found between mental health and spiritual wellbeing (P = 0.001). Spiritual wellbeing was the strongest predictor of mental health, psychological distress, sleep disturbance and psychosomatic complaints. Poor mental health was associated with lower spiritual wellbeing. This has important implications for delivery of palliative care to HD patients.

Spiritual Well-Being and Quality of Life of Iranian Adults with Type 2 Diabetes

PubMed Central

Jafari, Najmeh; Farajzadegan, Ziba; Majlesi, Mansoureh; Jafari, Noushin

2014-01-01

Introduction. Diabetes is a major public health problem. Little is known about the spiritual well-being and its relationship with quality of life (QOL) in Iranian Muslim patients with diabetes. This study investigated the spiritual well-being and QOL of Iranian adults with type 2 diabetes and the association between spiritual well-being, QOL, and depression. Methods. A cross-sectional study was done among 203 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Isfahan, Iran. Quality of life and spiritual well-being were measured using the functional assessment of chronic illness therapy-spiritual well-being (FACIT-Sp). Depression was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2). Descriptive analysis, Pearson's correlation, and multiple regression analysis were performed for statistical assessment. Results. The mean QOL was 61.00 (SD = 9.97) and the mean spiritual well-being was 30.59 (SD = 6.14). Sixty-four percent of our studied population had depressive disorders. There was a significant positive correlation between all QOL subscales and meaning, peace, and total spiritual well-being score. Conclusion. The results of this study showed poor QOL and spiritual well-being and high prevalence of depression in Iranian patients with type 2 diabetes compared to other studies' findings especially western studies. This indicates the need for psychosocial and spiritual support in caring for Iranian patients with diabetes. PMID:24600478

Well-being improvement in a midsize employer: changes in well-being, productivity, health risk, and perceived employer support after implementation of a well-being improvement strategy.

PubMed

Hamar, Brent; Coberley, Carter; Pope, James E; Rula, Elizabeth Y

2015-04-01

To evaluate employee well-being change and associated change in productivity, health risk including biometrics, and workplace support over 2 years after implementation of a well-being improvement strategy. This was an employer case study evaluation of well-being, productivity (presenteeism, absenteeism, and job performance), health risk, and employer support across three employee assessment spanning 2 years. Employee well-being was compared with an independent sample of workers in the community. Well-being and job performance increased and presenteeism and health risk decreased significantly over the 2 years. Employee well-being started lower and increased to exceed community worker averages, approaching significance. Well-being improvement was associated with higher productivity across all measures. Increases in employer support for well-being were associated with improved well-being and productivity. This employer's well-being strategy, including a culture supporting well-being, was associated with improved health and productivity.

Longitudinal Relation Between General Well-Being and Self-Esteem.

PubMed

Barendregt, Charlotte S; van der Laan, André M; Bongers, Ilja L; van Nieuwenhuizen, Chijs

2016-12-01

This study investigated the longitudinal relation between general well-being and self-esteem of male adolescents with severe psychiatric disorders. Moreover, the transition out of secure residential care was studied. Adolescents ( N = 172) were assessed three times with 6 months between each assessment. The sample comprised adolescents who were admitted throughout the entire study ( n = 116) and who had been discharged at 6/12 months follow-up ( n = 56). General well-being and self-esteem were stable concepts over time. The relation between general well-being and self-esteem differed for both groups. Among the admitted group general well-being positively predicted self-esteem and self-esteem negatively predicted general well-being from Time 2 to Time 3. Among the discharged adolescents, self-esteem at Time 1 positively predicted general well-being at Time 2 and general well-being at Time 2 positively predicted self-esteem at Time 3. Changing social contexts, as well as problems experienced during the transition out of secure care, might affect this relationship.

Genetics of wellbeing and its components satisfaction with life, happiness, and quality of life: a review and meta-analysis of heritability studies.

PubMed

Bartels, Meike

2015-03-01

Wellbeing is a major topic of research across several disciplines, reflecting the increasing recognition of its strong value across major domains in life. Previous twin-family studies have revealed that individual differences in wellbeing are accounted for by both genetic as well as environmental factors. A systematic literature search identified 30 twin-family studies on wellbeing or a related measure such as satisfaction with life or happiness. Review of these studies showed considerable variation in heritability estimates (ranging from 0 to 64 %), which makes it difficult to draw firm conclusions regarding the genetic influences on wellbeing. For overall wellbeing twelve heritability estimates, from 10 independent studies, were meta-analyzed by computing a sample size weighted average heritability. Ten heritability estimates, derived from 9 independent samples, were used for the meta-analysis of satisfaction with life. The weighted average heritability of wellbeing, based on a sample size of 55,974 individuals, was 36 % (34-38), while the weighted average heritability for satisfaction with life was 32 % (29-35) (n = 47,750). With this result a more robust estimate of the relative influence of genetic effects on wellbeing is provided.

Prediction of the Dimensions of the Spiritual Well-Being of Students at Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Iran: The Roles of Demographic Variables.

PubMed

Ziapour, Arash; Khatony, Alireza; Jafari, Faranak; Kianipour, Neda

2017-07-01

Spiritual well-being is one of the aspects of well-being which organize the physical, psychological, and social aspects. Given the outstanding and unique roles of students in society, providing spiritual well-being as well as identifying and eliminating the negative factors affecting their mental well-being are of the essence. The present study aimed to predict the dimensions of the spiritual well-being of students at Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences and to investigate the roles of demographic variables in this respect. In this descriptive and correlational study, the statistical population was comprised of 346 doctoral students in the for-profit Schools of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceuticals in Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences in 2016. For data collection, an instrument comprising the demographic questions and the 20-item spiritual well-being scale by Paloutzian and Ellison (1982) was utilized. To analyze data, the descriptive (frequency distribution, mean, and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, and chi-squared test) were employed in the SPSS Statistics Software Version 21.0. The results of the present study demonstrated that the spiritual well-being of students was average (71.86±4.84), and of all demographic variables under study, only the variable of gender significantly correlated with the mean score of spiritual well-being. Also, the results revealed that the students' score of religious well-being measured higher than that of their existential well-being. However, a significant correlation was found between spiritual well-being and its dimensions. Also, the religious and existential well-being were found to be significantly related (p<0.05). The results of the present study showed the significance of addressing the issue of spirituality among the students of the for-profit Schools at Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences. Therefore, it is recommended that appropriate plans be laid by the culture and education policy makers to promote the spiritual well-being of university students.

Prediction of the Dimensions of the Spiritual Well-Being of Students at Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Iran: The Roles of Demographic Variables

PubMed Central

Ziapour, Arash; Jafari, Faranak; Kianipour, Neda

2017-01-01

Introduction Spiritual well-being is one of the aspects of well-being which organize the physical, psychological, and social aspects. Given the outstanding and unique roles of students in society, providing spiritual well-being as well as identifying and eliminating the negative factors affecting their mental well-being are of the essence. Aim The present study aimed to predict the dimensions of the spiritual well-being of students at Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences and to investigate the roles of demographic variables in this respect. Materials and Methods In this descriptive and correlational study, the statistical population was comprised of 346 doctoral students in the for-profit Schools of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceuticals in Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences in 2016. For data collection, an instrument comprising the demographic questions and the 20-item spiritual well-being scale by Paloutzian and Ellison (1982) was utilized. To analyze data, the descriptive (frequency distribution, mean, and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, and chi-squared test) were employed in the SPSS Statistics Software Version 21.0. Results The results of the present study demonstrated that the spiritual well-being of students was average (71.86±4.84), and of all demographic variables under study, only the variable of gender significantly correlated with the mean score of spiritual well-being. Also, the results revealed that the students’ score of religious well-being measured higher than that of their existential well-being. However, a significant correlation was found between spiritual well-being and its dimensions. Also, the religious and existential well-being were found to be significantly related (p<0.05). Conclusion The results of the present study showed the significance of addressing the issue of spirituality among the students of the for-profit Schools at Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences. Therefore, it is recommended that appropriate plans be laid by the culture and education policy makers to promote the spiritual well-being of university students. PMID:28893021

GP wellbeing and general practice issues.

PubMed

Murfett, Amanda; Charman, Denise

2006-09-01

Studies of general practitioner wellbeing have demonstrated remarkably consistent findings. However, the implications for day-to-day general practice have been unclear. This study was based on a survey comprising items extracted from transcripts of interviews with GPs and designed to link general practice issues with self reported wellbeing. 480 GP Australian Family Physician (AFP) subscribers (2.18% response rate); aged 26-81 years (mean 45.5 years); 273 (56.9%) men and 199 (43.1%) women. A survey insert in AFP September 2003 with questions about wellbeing, demographic details and 27 items about general practice issues. Almost 15% reported poor/very poor wellbeing, 47% reported good wellbeing and 38% reported very good/excellent wellbeing. Poor wellbeing was associated with being single, divorced or widowed, and reports of being alone in an adversarial context and more negative reactions to patients. Excellent or very good wellbeing was associated with being coupled and reports of general practice as a vocation. Targeted wellbeing strategies advocating social support may ameliorate the stress of general practice, especially for those GPs who are single.

Dogmatism and Happiness

PubMed Central

MALMIR, Maryam; KHANAHMADI, Mohammad; FARHUD, Dariush

2017-01-01

Background: Happiness is a drive and constructive force of life. A person feels wellbeing under different effective factors. Religious dogmatism that has an influence on the entire world is one of the depreciatory factors of happiness or wellbeing. The current study decided to analyze the relation between dogmatism and wellbeing, and according to a model, answer the following question: how does religious dogmatism decrease wellbeing? Methods: This study is a correlation research. Population of study includes all people with 30–50 yr old who live in Tehran, Iran, in 2015. Among all, 180 subjects were selected as in access sample. The Oxford happiness questionnaire and Rokeach dogmatism scale were used. Data were analyzed by Pearson correlation test. Results: There is a significant negative correlation between dogmatism and happiness (α=0.05). Conclusion: Dogmatism is one of the factors that have a negative effect on wellbeing. Religious dogmatism is the most dangerous factor against wellbeing. Dogmatic individuals have an inflexible cognitive system that emerges as a stable personality trait and decreases their adjustment with environment. Affective well-being and cognitive wellbeing are affected by individual adjustment. Therefore, in dogmatic individuals with low adjustment, the decrease of affective well-being and cognitive wellbeing is inevitable. This process will result in decrease of happiness and increase of aggression. PMID:28435818

Autobiographical memory and well-being in aging: The central role of semantic self-images.

PubMed

Rathbone, Clare J; Holmes, Emily A; Murphy, Susannah E; Ellis, Judi A

2015-05-01

Higher levels of well-being are associated with longer life expectancies and better physical health. Previous studies suggest that processes involving the self and autobiographical memory are related to well-being, yet these relationships are poorly understood. The present study tested 32 older and 32 younger adults using scales measuring well-being and the affective valence of two types of autobiographical memory: episodic autobiographical memories and semantic self-images. Results showed that valence of semantic self-images, but not episodic autobiographical memories, was highly correlated with well-being, particularly in older adults. In contrast, well-being in older adults was unrelated to performance across a range of standardised memory tasks. These results highlight the role of semantic self-images in well-being, and have implications for the development of therapeutic interventions for well-being in aging. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lonely people are no longer lonely on social networking sites: the mediating role of self-disclosure and social support.

PubMed

Lee, Kyung-Tag; Noh, Mi-Jin; Koo, Dong-Mo

2013-06-01

Most previous studies assert the negative effect of loneliness on social life and an individual's well-being when individuals use the Internet. To expand this previous research tradition, the current study proposes a model to test whether loneliness has a direct or indirect effect on well-being when mediated by self-disclosure and social support. The results show that loneliness has a direct negative impact on well-being but a positive effect on self-disclosure. While self-disclosure positively influences social support, self-disclosure has no impact on well-being, and social support positively influences well-being. The results also show a full mediation effect of social support in the self-disclosure to well-being link. The results imply that even if lonely people's well-being is poor, their well-being can be enhanced through the use of SNSs, including self-presentation and social support from their friends.

A Correlational Study of Spiritual Well-being and Depression in the Adult Cancer Patient.

PubMed

Stutzman, Hannah; Abraham, Sam

Depression in adult cancer patients has been widely studied, along with spiritual effects of traumatic events and even spiritual growth after a diagnosis of cancer. There has been limited research determining a direct correlation between spiritual well-being and depression in adult cancer patients. The purpose of this research study was to examine the relationship between spiritual well-being and depression in adult cancer patients. This was a descriptive correlational study using 59 patients older than 18 years from an outpatient cancer center. The researchers hypothesized that patients with a low spiritual well-being score would be more likely to have a high depressive symptom score, thus providing support for a correlation between cancer patient's spiritual well-being and risk of depression. Implications of this study lead to evidence for better screening processes for cancer patients regarding spiritual well-being.

Emotional intelligence and spiritual well-being: implications for spiritual care.

PubMed

Beauvais, Audrey; Stewart, Julie G; DeNisco, Susan

2014-01-01

Understanding factors that influence spiritual well-being may improve nurses' spiritual caregiving. This study examined relationships between emotional intelligence (EI) and spiritual well-being (SWB) in undergraduate and graduate nursing students. Using the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) and the spiritual well-being scale (SWBS) relationships were found between managing emotion and spiritual well-being, and managing emotion and existential well-being. Implications for education and practice are discussed.

Social Capital and Well-Being: Structural Analyses of Latina Mothers by Nativity.

PubMed

Held, Mary L; Cuellar, Matthew

2016-09-01

Objective This study examined the direct and mediating effects of maternal social capital on health and well-being for native- and foreign-born Latina mothers and their children. Methods Data were drawn from the baseline and nine-year follow up waves of the Fragile Families and Child Well-being Study. The study included a sample of 874 Latina mothers. Mplus7 was used to perform structural equation modeling to determine whether exogenous indicators (age, education, and economic well-being) predicted social capital, whether social capital predicted mother and child well-being, and whether mediating effects helped explain each relationship. Results For native-born Latinas (n = 540), social capital did not predict maternal or child well-being. However, social capital significantly mediated the effects of age, education, and economic well-being on maternal well-being. For foreign-born Latinas (n = 334), social capital was a significant predictor of maternal well-being. Social capital also mediated the effects of age, education, and economic well-being on maternal, but not child well-being. Younger and foreign-born Latinas who report higher educational attainment and economic well-being have greater social capital, and thus better self-reported health. Conclusion Findings suggest that social capital is particularly relevant to the health of foreign-born Latinas. For all Latina mothers, social capital may serve as a protective mitigating factor to better health. Health service providers should evaluate the potential to integrate programs that promote social capital accumulation for Latinas. Further research should examine factors to improve the health of Latinas' children.

Hedonic versus Eudaimonic Conceptions of Well-Being: Evidence of Differential Associations with Self-Reported Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMahan, Ethan A.; Estes, David

2011-01-01

Conceptions of well-being are cognitive representations of the nature and experience of well-being. These conceptions can be described generally by the degree to which hedonic and eudaimonic dimensions are emphasized as important aspects of the experience of well-being. In two studies, the prediction that eudaimonic dimensions of individual…

Do religious activities among young-old immigrants act as a buffer against the effect of a lack of resources on well-being?

PubMed

Klokgieters, Silvia S; van Tilburg, Theo G; Deeg, Dorly J H; Huisman, Martijn

2018-01-30

Despite a large body of sociological and psychological literature suggesting that religious activities may mitigate the effects of stress, few studies have investigated the beneficial effects of religious activities among immigrants. Immigrants in particular may stand to benefit from these activities because they often report a religious affiliation and often occupy disadvantaged positions. This study investigates whether private and public religious activities reduce the negative effects of a lack of physical, social, and socio-economic resources on wellbeing among Turkish and Moroccan young-old immigrants in the Netherlands. Using data from the Longitudinal Study Amsterdam, cluster analysis revealed three patterns of absence of resources: physically disadvantaged, multiple disadvantages, and relatively advantaged. Linear regression analysis assessed associations between patterns of resources, religious activities and wellbeing. Persons who are physically disadvantaged or have multiple disadvantages have a lower level of wellbeing compared to persons who are relatively advantaged.  More engagement in private religious activities was associated with higher wellbeing. Among those with multiple disadvantages, however, more engagement in private religious activities was associated with lower wellbeing. Public religious activities were not associated with wellbeing in the disadvantaged group. Private religious activities are positively related to wellbeing among Turkish and Moroccan immigrants. In situations where resources are lacking, however, the relation between private religious activities and wellbeing is negative. The study's results highlight the importance of context, disadvantage and type of religious activity for wellbeing.

Spiritual well-being and quality of life in patients with spinal cord injury: A study from Iran.

PubMed

Hajiaghababaei, Marzieh; Saberi, Hooshang; Rahnama, Parvin; Montazeri, Ali

2018-05-07

To assess the relationship between spiritual well-being and health-related quality of life (QOL) among patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). Brain and SCI Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. This was a cross-sectional study. A sample of patients with SCI participated in the study and completed two questionnaires: the Short-Form 36-Item Health Survey (SF-36) in order to collect data on vitality, social functioning, mental health and role emotional and the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS) to measure religious and existential well-being. The association between spiritual well-being and health-related QOL was then assessed. In all 213 patients were studied. The mean age of patients was 43.5 (SD = 10.8) years, and most were male (77.5%). The results obtained from generalized linear regression analysis indicated that religious well-being and existential well-being were significant contributing factors to improved vitality, social functioning, mental health and role emotional. The findings suggest that having higher levels of spiritual well-being might improve quality of life in people with spinal cord injury.

Associations Among Individuals’ Perceptions of Future Time, Individual Resources, and Subjective Well-Being in Old Age

PubMed Central

Hoppmann, Christiane A.; Infurna, Frank J.; Ram, Nilam; Gerstorf, Denis

2015-01-01

Objectives Perceptions of future time are of key interest to aging research because of their implications for subjective well-being. Interestingly, perceptions about future time are only moderately associated with age, pointing to a vast heterogeneity in future time perceptions among older adults. We examine associations between future time perceptions, age, and subjective well-being across two studies, including moderations by individual resources. Method Using data from the Berlin Aging Study (N = 516; Mage = 85 years), we link one operationalization (subjective nearness to death) and age to subjective well-being. Using Health and Retirement Study data (N = 2,596; Mage = 77 years), we examine associations of another future time perception indicator (subjective future life expectancy) and age with subjective well-being. Results Consistent across studies, perceptions of limited time left were associated with poorer subjective well-being (lower life satisfaction and positive affect; more negative affect and depressive symptoms). Importantly, individual resources moderated future time perception–subjective well-being associations with those of better health exhibiting reduced future time perception–subjective well-being associations. Discussion We discuss our findings in the context of the Model of Strength and Vulnerability Integration. PMID:26437862

The Dynamic Relationship Between Cognitive Function and Positive Well-Being in Older People: A Prospective Study Using the English Longitudinal Study of Aging

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

There is evidence that having a stronger sense of positive well-being may be a potential resource for healthier aging as represented by slower physical decline, reduced risk of frailty and longer survival. However, it is unclear whether positive well-being is protective of another crucial component of healthy aging, cognitive function, or whether it has a bidirectional relationship with cognitive function. We use multilevel models with within-person centering to estimate the within- and between-person association between cognitive function and positive well-being in 4 waves of data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), (N = 10985, aged 50–90 years at wave 1). Our findings show that, although most variation in cognitive function was explained by age, and most variation in well-being was explained by depression, small but significant associations between cognition and well-being remained after variation in age and depression were controlled. In models where cognition was the outcome, the association was mainly because of variation in mean levels of well-being between persons. In models where well-being was the outcome, the association was mainly because of within-person fluctuation in cognitive test performance. Exercise and depression were the most important moderating influences on the association between cognition and positive well-being. Depression had greater effect upon this association for those with higher well-being, but exercise protected cognitive performance against the adverse effects of lower well-being. PMID:24955999

Toward understanding the relationship between personality and well-being states and traits.

PubMed

Magee, Carly; Biesanz, Jeremy C

2018-04-06

Although there is a robust connection between dispositional personality traits and well-being, relatively little research has comprehensively examined the ways in which all Big Five personality states are associated with short-term experiences of well-being within individuals. To address three central questions about the nature of the relationship between personality and well-being states: First, to what extent do personality and well-being states covary within individuals? Second, to what extent do personality and well-being states influence one another within individuals? Finally, are these within-person relationships moderated by dispositional personality traits and well-being? Two experience sampling studies (N = 161 and N = 146) were conducted over two weeks. Across both studies all Big Five personality states were correlated with short term experiences of well-being within individuals. Individuals were more extraverted, emotionally stable, conscientious, agreeable and open in moments when they experienced higher well-being (greater self-esteem, life satisfaction, positive affect and less negative affect). Moreover, personality and well-being states dynamically influenced one another over time within individuals and these associations were not generally moderated by dispositional traits or well being. Behaviour and well-being are inter-connected within the context of the Big Five model of personality. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Factors influencing integrated wellbeing in older Chinese outpatients with chronic diseases.

PubMed

Huang, Fei; Li, Hongyu

2018-03-16

To evaluate wellbeing and its determinants among older Chinese outpatients with non-communicable diseases (NCDs), outpatients (aged ≥60 years) with NCDs between September 2012 and September 2014 were enrolled in the study by convenience sampling. Each subject completed an integrated wellbeing questionnaire for subjective, psychological and social dimensions of wellbeing. Statistical analyses were performed using t-test, ANOVA, Spearman rank correlation and multivariate regression analysis to identify correlates of wellbeing status. The average integrated wellbeing score was 52.57 out of 98, with maximum of 72. Educational background and monthly income were positively associated with wellbeing (Spearman r=0.226 and 0.394 respectively; all P<0.001). The number of co-morbid conditions and the disease duration showed a negative correlation with wellbeing (Spearman r=-0.373 and -0.538 respectively; all P<0.001). Lack of access to health insurance, being single and presence of complications were associated with lower wellbeing (all P≤0.001). As the first study using an integrated wellbeing model, the results suggested wellbeing promotion among older outpatients with chronic diseases, especially those with lower income, lower education level, those who lack health insurance, single individuals, those with co-morbid conditions, longer disease duration and those with complications.

The Association of Well-Being with Health Risk Behaviors in College-Attending Young Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwartz, Seth J.; Waterman, Alan S.; Vazsonyi, Alexander T.; Zamboanga, Byron L.; Whitbourne, Susan Krauss; Weisskirch, Robert S.; Vernon, Michael; Caraway, S. Jean; Kim, Su Yeong; Forthun, Larry F.; Donnellan, M. Brent; Ham, Lindsay S.

2011-01-01

The present study investigated the associations of well-being with engagement in illicit drug use, sexual risk taking, and impaired driving in a sample of 9,515 students from 30 U.S. colleges and universities. Participants completed measures of subjective well-being, psychological well-being, and eudaimonic well-being, and indicated how many times…

Social Well-Being and Related Factors in Students of School of Nursing and Midwifery.

PubMed

Salehi, Alireza; Marzban, Maryam; Sourosh, Maryam; Sharif, Farkhondeh; Nejabat, Mahmoud; Imanieh, Mohammad Hadi

2017-01-01

According to the World Health Organization viewpoint, social well-being is an important dimension of health along with physical and mental aspects. Evaluation of social well-being is necessary in students, especially in medical sciences students due to future responsibility as health care professionals. The present study attempted to investigate the level of social well-being, five domains of it (like actualization, integration, contribution), and some related factors in the school of nursing and midwifery students. This cross-sectional study was carried out between Julys to December 2015 and comprised 346 students in the school of nursing and midwifery in Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. Social well-being, socio-demographic status and physical activity were measured by valid questionnaires. Univariate linear regression analysis, multiple imputation method, ANOVA and independent sample t-test were used as different statistical methods. The P values less than 0.05 were considered as statistically significant. The mean score of social well-being was 50. The minimum and maximum scores of social well-being were 20 to 100. Married students had higher social well-being than single students in univariate linear regression (Beta: 2.111, 95% CI: (0.387 to 3.738), P=0.017). Also, social integration had higher scores in married students (P=0.015). Social actualization was higher in male students (P=0.015); on the other hand, social contribution was higher in female students (P=0.026). The results of our study showed that social well-being status of students in this research was not satisfactory. Designing and conducting programs for promotion of social well-being, for example preparing facilities for marriage of students, can be helpful. Evaluation of social well-being in students of other schools with multicenter studies seems to be useful.

[Relationships between well-being and social support: a meta analysis of studies conducted in Turkey].

PubMed

Yalçın, İlhan

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate overall relationships between well-being and social support through meta-analysis. Studies which investigated associations between social support and life satisfaction, subjective well-being, self-esteem, depression, loneliness were included in the meta-analysis. By doing literature review to assess studies for potential inclusion; studies were included which met the inclusion criteria. Inclusion criteria were that studies must be conducted in Turkey and must report a correlation coefficient between study variables. Data were analyzed using a random effect model. It was found that there was a positive relationship between overall well-being and social support; level of social support was negatively correlated with depression and loneliness. For well-being variables, the mean effect size of perceived support from family and for depression/loneliness, the mean effect size of perceived support from friends were significantly stronger than other support sources. For both well-being variables and depression/loneliness variables, mean effect size of studies conducted with older people was significantly stronger than studies conducted with other age groups. Also, mean effect size of theses were significantly stronger than articles. The findings are expected to contribute to a better understanding of relationships between social support and well-being.

Subjective well-being of mental health nurses in the United Kingdom: Results of an online survey.

PubMed

Oates, Jennifer; Jones, Julia; Drey, Nicholas

2017-08-01

The aim of the present study was to measure the subjective well-being of a group of 225 UK registered mental health nurses (MHN) using three survey measures, and to identify whether certain demographic and workplace factors correlated with subjective well-being measure scores. An online survey incorporating the subjective well-being questions used by the Office for National Statistics, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale was administered to members of two professional bodies for MHN. There was good consistency between the three subjective well-being measures, each demonstrating that UK MHN had a relatively low subjective well-being. Apart from the Office for National Statistics question, 'Overall, to what extent do you feel the things you do in your life are worthwhile?', demographic and workplace factors did not correlate with subjective well-being measure scores, although the characteristics of being male, living alone, and being aged 40-49 years were associated with lower mean scores on all three measures. The findings of the exploratory study suggest that a similar study should be undertaken with a larger representative population of MHN, and that qualitative research should explore why and how UK MHN have relatively low subjective well-being. The limitations of this study, namely the response rate and sample representativeness, mean that the results of the present study must be tested in further research on the MHN population. © 2016 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

The relations of parental autonomy support to cultural internalization and well-being of immigrants and sojourners.

PubMed

Downie, Michelle; Chua, Sook Ning; Koestner, Richard; Barrios, Maria-Fernanda; Rip, Blanka; M'Birkou, Sawsan

2007-07-01

Previous research has demonstrated that autonomy support is one particularly effective means of promoting internalization and fostering well-being. The present study sought to determine if this would also be the case with regards to culture by testing the relation of perceived parental autonomy support to the cultural internalization and well-being of multicultural students. In Study 1, 105 multicultural participants living in Canada were more likely to have fully internalized their host and heritage cultures and to have higher self-reported well-being when they reported that their parents were autonomy supportive. In Study 2, 125 Chinese-Malaysians sojourners were also more likely to have fully internalized their heritage culture and indicated higher well-being when they perceived their parents as autonomy supportive. In both studies, heritage cultural internalization was also associated with higher well-being. Copyright 2007 APA

The Wellbeing of Army Personnel in Dual-Military Marriages

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-01

experience both negative health and lower subjective feelings of wellbeing . The first year of this study has been focused on research lab development...findings to report. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Dual-Military Marriages, Wellbeing , Health , Work-family Conflict 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17...However there have been very few studies that have examined the health and wellbeing of individuals in dual-military marital relationships. The

School wellbeing among children in grades 1-10.

PubMed

Løhre, Audhild; Lydersen, Stian; Vatten, Lars J

2010-09-01

Determinants of children's school wellbeing have not been extensively studied. In this cross-sectional study of school children we assessed how factors assumed to promote wellbeing and factors assumed to adversely influence wellbeing were associated with self-reported wellbeing in school. Children from five schools, 230 boys and 189 girls in grades 1-10, responded to the same set of questions. We used proportional odds logistic regression to assess the associations of promoting and restraining factors with school wellbeing. In a multivariable analysis, degree of school wellbeing in boys was strongly and positively related to enjoying school work (odds ratio, 3.84, 95% CI 2.38 to 6.22) and receiving necessary help (odds ratio, 3.55, 95% CI 2.17 to 5.80) from teachers. In girls, being bothered during lessons was strongly and negatively associated with school wellbeing (odds ratio, 0.43, 95% CI 0.22 to 0.85). Different factors may determine school wellbeing in boys and girls, but for both genders, factors relevant for lessons may be more important than factors related to recess. Especially in boys, the student-teacher relationship may be of particular importance.

Psychological wellbeing of children at public primary schools in Jimma town: An orphan and non-orphan comparative study.

PubMed

Hailegiorgis, Muluken Tigistu; Berheto, Tezera Moshago; Sibamo, Ephrem Lejore; Asseffa, Netsanet Abera; Tesfa, Gashaw; Birhanu, Fitsum

2018-01-01

Orphans face multiple challenges including insufficient food, shelter, schooling, and medical care. Most research on orphans in developing countries concentrates on nutrition and health status. The present study aims to explore the psychological wellbeing of in-school orphaned and non-orphaned children. A comparative cross-sectional study design was used in 370 randomly selected children aged between 10 and 18. Two rosters (one for orphans and one for non-orphans) were created, and then 185 were selected from each roster. Trained field workers used structured questionnaires to obtain information from participants. An adapted Ryff Psychological Wellbeing Scale was used to measure psychological wellbeing. Mean scores were determined for each dimension and for total psychological wellbeing. The mean split was used to divide psychological wellbeing into "high" and "low". Data were coded, entered, cleaned, and analyzed using SPSS version 20. The independent sample t-test was used to determine statistically significant differences in psychological wellbeing between orphaned and non-orphaned children. P values < 0.05 were deemed statistically significant. Of 370 children, 185 (50%) were orphans. Among orphaned children, only 62 (33.5%) scored high on the total psychological wellbeing scale whereas 107 (57.8%) of their non-orphaned peers scored highly. The non-orphaned children had about 10.8 higher mean psychological wellbeing scores than their orphan counterparts (P<0.001). The mean (±SD) psychological wellbeing of the non-orphaned children was 164.0 (17.2) vs. 153.2 (17.2) in the orphaned group. The psychological wellbeing of orphans is significantly lower than their non-orphaned peers. Orphan support projects must consider psychosocial wellbeing in addition to material support.

Psychological wellbeing of children at public primary schools in Jimma town: An orphan and non-orphan comparative study

PubMed Central

Hailegiorgis, Muluken Tigistu; Berheto, Tezera Moshago; Sibamo, Ephrem Lejore; Tesfa, Gashaw; Birhanu, Fitsum

2018-01-01

Introduction Orphans face multiple challenges including insufficient food, shelter, schooling, and medical care. Most research on orphans in developing countries concentrates on nutrition and health status. The present study aims to explore the psychological wellbeing of in-school orphaned and non-orphaned children. Method A comparative cross-sectional study design was used in 370 randomly selected children aged between 10 and 18. Two rosters (one for orphans and one for non-orphans) were created, and then 185 were selected from each roster. Trained field workers used structured questionnaires to obtain information from participants. An adapted Ryff Psychological Wellbeing Scale was used to measure psychological wellbeing. Mean scores were determined for each dimension and for total psychological wellbeing. The mean split was used to divide psychological wellbeing into “high” and “low”. Data were coded, entered, cleaned, and analyzed using SPSS version 20. The independent sample t-test was used to determine statistically significant differences in psychological wellbeing between orphaned and non-orphaned children. P values < 0.05 were deemed statistically significant. Results Of 370 children, 185 (50%) were orphans. Among orphaned children, only 62 (33.5%) scored high on the total psychological wellbeing scale whereas 107 (57.8%) of their non-orphaned peers scored highly. The non-orphaned children had about 10.8 higher mean psychological wellbeing scores than their orphan counterparts (P<0.001). The mean (±SD) psychological wellbeing of the non-orphaned children was 164.0 (17.2) vs. 153.2 (17.2) in the orphaned group. Conclusion The psychological wellbeing of orphans is significantly lower than their non-orphaned peers. Orphan support projects must consider psychosocial wellbeing in addition to material support. PMID:29649248

Organizational practices, work demands and the well-being of employees: a follow-up study in the metal industry and retail trade.

PubMed

Tuomi, Kaija; Vanhala, Sinikka; Nykyri, Erkki; Janhonen, Minna

2004-03-01

Rapid technological change and increased international competition have changed working life and work organizations. These changes may not be considered when researching employee work ability and well-being. This study investigates the impact of organizational practices, work demands and individual factors on work ability, organizational commitment and mental well-being of employees in the metal industry and retail trade. A follow-up study was conducted to examine these connections among 1389 employees (mean age 42 years at baseline) in 91 organizations. The first survey was conducted in 1998 and was repeated in 2000. Changes in organizational practices and the demands of work were strongly associated with changes in employee well-being. Work ability, organizational commitment and the mental well-being of employees were increased most if the opportunities for development and influence and the promotion of employee well-being were increased and if the supervisory support and organization of work were improved. Well-being also improved with less uncertainty at work and with decreasing mental and physical work demands. In addition physical exercise and affluence also had favourable effects. The results confirm that several features of organizational practices are strongly associated with employees' well-being. Organizational development is an important method of improving employees' work ability, commitment and well-being.

Do Climate Change Policies Promote or Conflict with Subjective Wellbeing: A Case Study of Suzhou, China

PubMed Central

Liu, Miaomiao; Huang, Yining; Hiscock, Rosemary; Li, Qin; Bi, Jun; Kinney, Patrick L.; Sabel, Clive E.

2016-01-01

As public expectations for health rise, health measurements broaden from a focus on death, disease, and disability to wellbeing. However, wellbeing hasn’t been incorporated into the framework of climate change policy decision-making in Chinese cities. Based on survey data (n = 763) from Suzhou, this study used Generalized Estimation Equation approach to model external conditions associated with wellbeing. Then, semi-quantitative analyses were conducted to provide a first indication to whether local climate change policies promote or conflict with wellbeing through altering these conditions. Our findings suggested: (i) Socio-demographic (age, job satisfaction, health), psychosocial (satisfaction with social life, ontological security/resilience) and environmental conditions (distance to busy road, noise annoyance and range hoods in the kitchen) were significantly associated with wellbeing; (ii) None of existing climate change strategies in Suzhou conflict with wellbeing. Three mitigation policies (promotion of tertiary and high–tech industry, increased renewable energy in buildings, and restrictions on car use) and one adaption policy (increasing resilience) brought positive co–benefits for wellbeing, through the availability of high-satisfied jobs, reduced dependence on range hoods, noise reduction, and valuing citizens, respectively. This study also provided implications for other similar Chinese cities that potential consequences of climate change interventions for wellbeing should be considered. PMID:27007389

Do Climate Change Policies Promote or Conflict with Subjective Wellbeing: A Case Study of Suzhou, China.

PubMed

Liu, Miaomiao; Huang, Yining; Hiscock, Rosemary; Li, Qin; Bi, Jun; Kinney, Patrick L; Sabel, Clive E

2016-03-21

As public expectations for health rise, health measurements broaden from a focus on death, disease, and disability to wellbeing. However, wellbeing hasn't been incorporated into the framework of climate change policy decision-making in Chinese cities. Based on survey data (n = 763) from Suzhou, this study used Generalized Estimation Equation approach to model external conditions associated with wellbeing. Then, semi-quantitative analyses were conducted to provide a first indication to whether local climate change policies promote or conflict with wellbeing through altering these conditions. Our findings suggested: (i) Socio-demographic (age, job satisfaction, health), psychosocial (satisfaction with social life, ontological security/resilience) and environmental conditions (distance to busy road, noise annoyance and range hoods in the kitchen) were significantly associated with wellbeing; (ii) None of existing climate change strategies in Suzhou conflict with wellbeing. Three mitigation policies (promotion of tertiary and high-tech industry, increased renewable energy in buildings, and restrictions on car use) and one adaption policy (increasing resilience) brought positive co-benefits for wellbeing, through the availability of high-satisfied jobs, reduced dependence on range hoods, noise reduction, and valuing citizens, respectively. This study also provided implications for other similar Chinese cities that potential consequences of climate change interventions for wellbeing should be considered.

An updated and expanded meta-analysis of nonresident fathering and child well-being.

PubMed

Adamsons, Kari; Johnson, Sara K

2013-08-01

Since Amato and Gilbreth's (1999) meta-analysis of nonresident father involvement and child well-being, nonmarital childbirths and nonresident father involvement both have increased. The unknown implications of such changes motivated the present study, a meta-analytic review of 52 studies of nonresident father involvement and child well-being. Consistent with Amato and Gilbreth, we found that positive forms of involvement were associated with benefits for children, with a small but statistically significant effect size. Amounts of father-child contact and financial provision, however, were not associated with child well-being. Going beyond Amato and Gilbreth, we analyzed the associations between different types of fathering and overall child well-being, and between overall father involvement and different types of child well-being. We found that nonresident father involvement was most strongly associated with children's social well-being and also was associated with children's emotional well-being, academic achievement, and behavioral adjustment. The forms of father involvement most strongly associated with child well-being were involvement in child-related activities, having positive father-child relationships, and engaging in multiple forms of involvement. Moderator analyses demonstrated variation in effect sizes based on both study characteristics and demographic variables. We discuss the implications of these findings for policy and practice. © 2013 American Psychological Association

Job strain and family well-being among public health nurses in Bangkok metropolitan administration, Thailand.

PubMed

Jirapongsuwan, Ann; Likitpornswan, Orawan; Triamchaisri, Somporn K; Chandanasotthi, Pimsupa

2012-07-01

This study aimed to examine job strain and family well-being among public health nurses. A total of 239 public health nurses participated in the study. Data were collected using a questionnaire. One-way ANOVA and Pearson's correlation coefficients were used to assess the association of each factor with family well-being. It was found that there was a correlation between job strain and family well-being. Individual and family factors were also associated with family well-being. In all, 67% of nurses had a high rating for family well-being. A large portion of nurses belonged to the category of "active job" (51.5%). More than 50% of nurses were exposed to high "job demand" and 97.5% were in high "job control." The study suggests that nurses should be promoted with the ability to be in authority and display decision-making skills and should receive support and encouragement from supervisors and coworkers in order to improve family well-being.

Attachment, self-compassion, empathy, and subjective well-being among college students and community adults.

PubMed

Wei, Meifen; Liao, Kelly Yu-Hsin; Ku, Tsun-Yao; Shaffer, Phillip A

2011-02-01

Research on subjective well-being suggests that it is only partly a function of environmental circumstances. There may be a personality characteristic or a resilient disposition toward experiencing high levels of well-being even in unfavorable circumstances. Adult attachment may contribute to this resilient disposition. This study examined whether the association between attachment anxiety and subjective well-being was mediated by Neff's (2003a, 2003b) concept of self-compassion. It also examined empathy toward others as a mediator in the association between attachment avoidance and subjective well-being. In Study 1, 195 college students completed self-report surveys. In Study 2, 136 community adults provided a cross-validation of the results. As expected, across these 2 samples, findings suggested that self-compassion mediated the association between attachment anxiety and subjective well-being, and emotional empathy toward others mediated the association between attachment avoidance and subjective well-being. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Personality © 2011, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Spiritual Well-Being and Suicidal Ideation among College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taliaferro, Lindsay A.; Rienzo, Barbara A.; Pigg, R. Morgan, Jr.; Miller, M. David; Dodd, Virginia J.

2009-01-01

Objective: This study explored whether specific dimensions of spiritual well-being (religious well-being and existential well-being) relate to reduced suicidal ideation, and whether associations persisted after controlling for religiosity and psychosocial variables associated with suicide. Participants: Participants were 457 college students who…

Passive Facebook usage undermines affective well-being: Experimental and longitudinal evidence.

PubMed

Verduyn, Philippe; Lee, David Seungjae; Park, Jiyoung; Shablack, Holly; Orvell, Ariana; Bayer, Joseph; Ybarra, Oscar; Jonides, John; Kross, Ethan

2015-04-01

Prior research indicates that Facebook usage predicts declines in subjective well-being over time. How does this come about? We examined this issue in 2 studies using experimental and field methods. In Study 1, cueing people in the laboratory to use Facebook passively (rather than actively) led to declines in affective well-being over time. Study 2 replicated these findings in the field using experience-sampling techniques. It also demonstrated how passive Facebook usage leads to declines in affective well-being: by increasing envy. Critically, the relationship between passive Facebook usage and changes in affective well-being remained significant when controlling for active Facebook use, non-Facebook online social network usage, and direct social interactions, highlighting the specificity of this result. These findings demonstrate that passive Facebook usage undermines affective well-being. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

The Impact of Having a Baby on the Level and Content of Women's Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoffenaar, Peter Johannes; van Balen, Frank; Hermanns, Jo

2010-01-01

The primary objective of this study was to more fully understand the impact of having a baby on women's well-being by attending to both the level and the content of well-being. To cover the judgemental and affective aspects of well-being we included global measures of life satisfaction and well-being and affective experience measures derived from…

Kinship support and maternal and adolescent well-being in economically disadvantaged African-American families.

PubMed

Taylor, R D; Roberts, D

1995-12-01

This study tested a conceptual model developed to explain the link between kinship support and the psychological well-being of economically disadvantaged African-American adolescents. The relation of kinship support with maternal and adolescent well-being and mothers' child-rearing practices was assessed in 51 African-American families whose incomes placed them at or below the poverty threshold. Findings revealed that kinship social support to mothers/female guardians was positively associated with adolescent psychological well-being, maternal well-being, and more adequate maternal parenting practices (acceptance, firm control and monitoring of behavior, autonomy granting). Maternal well-being and more adequate maternal parenting practices were positively related to adolescent well-being. Evidence of the mediational role of maternal well-being and parenting practices was revealed. When the effects of maternal well-being and maternal parenting practices were controlled, significant relations between kinship support and adolescent well-being were no longer apparent.

Spiritual Intimacy, Marital Intimacy, and Physical/Psychological Well-Being: Spiritual Meaning as a Mediator

PubMed Central

Holland, Karen J.; Lee, Jerry W.; Marshak, Helen H.; Martin, Leslie R.

2015-01-01

Objective Intimacy is an essential part of marital relationships, spiritual relationships, and is also a factor in well-being, but there is little research simultaneously examining the links among spiritual intimacy, marital intimacy, and well-being. Methods Structural equation modeling was used to examine associations among the latent variables—spiritual intimacy, marital intimacy, spiritual meaning, and well-being—in a cross-sectional study of 5,720 married adults aged 29–100 years (M = 58.88, SD = 12.76, 59% female). All participants were from the Adventist Health Study-2, Biopsychosocial Religion and Health Study. Results In the original structural model, all direct associations between the three latent variables of spiritual intimacy, marital intimacy, and well-being were significantly positive indicating that there was a significant relationship among spiritual intimacy, marital intimacy, and well-being. When spiritual meaning was added as a mediating variable, the direct connections of spiritual intimacy to marital intimacy and to well-being became weakly negative. However, the indirect associations of spiritual intimacy with marital intimacy and with well-being were then strongly positive through spiritual meaning. This indicates that the relationship among spiritual intimacy, marital intimacy, and well-being was primarily a result of the meaning that spiritual intimacy brought to one’s marriage and well-being, and that without spiritual meaning greater spirituality could negatively influence one’s marriage and well-being. Conclusions These findings suggest the central place of spiritual meaning in understanding the relationship of spiritual intimacy to marital intimacy and to well-being. PMID:27453769

The More (Social Group Memberships), the Merrier: Is This the Case for Asians?

PubMed Central

Chang, Melissa X.-L.; Jetten, Jolanda; Cruwys, Tegan; Haslam, Catherine; Praharso, Nurul

2016-01-01

While previous studies have consistently shown that belonging to multiple groups enhances well-being, the current research proposes that for Asians, multiple group memberships (MGM) may confer fewer well-being benefits. We suggest that this is due, in part, to Asian norms about relationships and support seeking, making Asians more reluctant to enlist social support due to concerns about burdening others. Overall, MGM was associated with enhanced well-being in Westerners (Study 2), but not Asians (Studies 1–3). Study 2 showed that social support mediated the relationship between MGM and well-being for Westerners only. In Study 3, among Asians, MGM benefited the well-being of those who were least reluctant to enlist support. Finally, reviewing the MGM evidence-base to date, relative to Westerners, MGM was less beneficial for the well-being of Asians. The evidence underscores the importance of culture in influencing how likely individuals utilize their group memberships as psychological resources. PMID:27462281

Centeredness Theory: Understanding and Measuring Well-Being Across Core Life Domains

PubMed Central

Bloch-Jorgensen, Zephyr T.; Cilione, Patrick J.; Yeung, William W. H.; Gatt, Justine M.

2018-01-01

Background: Centeredness Theory (CT) is proposed as a new mental health paradigm that focuses on well-being at a systems-level, across the core life domains of the self, the family unit, relationships, community, and work. The current studies aimed to validate the psychometric properties of a new scale that measures CT against existing well-being and mental health measures. Methods: Study 1 included 488 anonymous online respondents (46% females, 28% males, 25% unknown with median age between 31 and 35 years) across 38 countries who completed the CT scale. Study 2 included 49 first-year psychology students (90% females, mean age of 19 years) from Sydney Australia that completed the CT scale and other well-being and mental health questionnaires at baseline and 2-weeks follow-up. Results: Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses resulted in a refined 60-item CT scale with five domains, each with four sub-domains. The CT scale demonstrated good internal consistency reliability and test-retest reliability, and showed evidence of convergent validity against other well-being measures (e.g., COMPAS-W Wellbeing Scale, SWLS scale, and Ryff's Psychological Well-being scale). Conclusions: The CT scale appears to be a reliable measure of well-being at a systems-level. Future studies need to confirm these findings in larger heterogeneous samples. PMID:29765344

Relations Among Maternal Life Satisfaction, Shared Activities, and Child Well-Being.

PubMed

Richter, Nina; Bondü, Rebecca; Spiess, C Katharina; Wagner, Gert G; Trommsdorff, Gisela

2018-01-01

Maternal well-being is assumed to be associated with well-being of individual family members, optimal parenting practices, and positive developmental outcomes for children. The objective of this study was to examine the interplay between maternal well-being, parent-child activities, and the well-being of 5- to 7-year-old children. In a sample of N = 291 mother-child dyads, maternal life satisfaction, the frequency of shared parent-child activities, as well as children's self-regulation, prosocial behavior, and receptive vocabulary were assessed using several methods. Data were collected in a special study of the Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP), a representative longitudinal survey of private households in Germany. Using structural equation modeling, significant positive direct and indirect relations between maternal life satisfaction, frequency of shared parent-child activities, children's self-regulation, prosocial behavior, and receptive vocabulary were found. The more satisfied the mother was, the more she shared activities with her child and the more the child acted prosocially. Furthermore, the higher the frequency of shared parent-child activities, the higher the child scored in all three analyzed indicators of children's well-being: self-regulation, prosocial behavior, and receptive vocabulary. The current study supports the assumption of maternal well-being as the basis of positive parenting practices and child well-being.

Relations Among Maternal Life Satisfaction, Shared Activities, and Child Well-Being

PubMed Central

Richter, Nina; Bondü, Rebecca; Spiess, C. Katharina; Wagner, Gert G.; Trommsdorff, Gisela

2018-01-01

Maternal well-being is assumed to be associated with well-being of individual family members, optimal parenting practices, and positive developmental outcomes for children. The objective of this study was to examine the interplay between maternal well-being, parent-child activities, and the well-being of 5- to 7-year-old children. In a sample of N = 291 mother-child dyads, maternal life satisfaction, the frequency of shared parent-child activities, as well as children’s self-regulation, prosocial behavior, and receptive vocabulary were assessed using several methods. Data were collected in a special study of the Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP), a representative longitudinal survey of private households in Germany. Using structural equation modeling, significant positive direct and indirect relations between maternal life satisfaction, frequency of shared parent-child activities, children’s self-regulation, prosocial behavior, and receptive vocabulary were found. The more satisfied the mother was, the more she shared activities with her child and the more the child acted prosocially. Furthermore, the higher the frequency of shared parent-child activities, the higher the child scored in all three analyzed indicators of children’s well-being: self-regulation, prosocial behavior, and receptive vocabulary. The current study supports the assumption of maternal well-being as the basis of positive parenting practices and child well-being. PMID:29875714

Diurnal cortisol and mental well-being in middle and older age: evidence from four cohort studies

PubMed Central

Stafford, Mai; Ben-Shlomo, Yoav; Cooper, Cyrus; Gale, Catharine; Gardner, Michael P; Geoffroy, Marie-Claude; Power, Chris; Kuh, Diana; Cooper, Rachel

2017-01-01

Objectives We conducted an individual participant meta-analysis to test the hypothesis that cortisol patterns indicative of dysregulated hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis functioning would be prospectively associated with poorer well-being at follow-up. Setting Four large UK-based cohort studies. Participants Those providing valid salivary or serum cortisol samples (n=7515 for morning cortisol; n=1612 for cortisol awakening response) at baseline (age 44–82) and well-being data on the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale at follow-up (0–8 years) were included. Results Well-being was not associated with morning cortisol, diurnal slope or awakening response though a borderline association with evening cortisol was found. Adjusting for sex and follow-up time, each 1 SD increase in evening cortisol was associated with a −0.47 (95% CI −1.00 to 0.05) point lower well-being. This was attenuated by adjustment for body mass index, smoking and socioeconomic position. Between-study heterogeneity was low. Conclusions This study does not support the hypothesis that diurnal cortisol is prospectively associated with well-being up to 8 years later. However, replication in prospective studies with cortisol samples over multiple days is required. PMID:29025828

Comparison of Subjective Well-Being and Personality Assessments in the Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia), and African Lion (Panthera leo).

PubMed

Gartner, Marieke Cassia; Powell, David M; Weiss, Alexander

2016-01-01

The study of subjective well-being in nonhuman animals is growing in the field of psychology, but there are still only a few published studies and the focus is on primates. To consider whether the construct of subjective well-being could be found in another mammal, this study aimed to assess subjective well-being in felids and to examine its association with personality. Personality is one of the strongest and most consistent predictors of well-being in humans. This relationship could have important implications for other species, because personality has also been shown to affect health outcomes including stress, morbidity, and mortality. As in previous studies in nonhuman animals, the study results revealed that subjective well-being was related to agreeableness/openness and neuroticism in clouded leopards, neuroticism in snow leopards, and impulsiveness and neuroticism in African lions. The implications of these results for health outcomes and the welfare of animals in captivity are discussed. More research on any direct links among personality, subjective well-being, and these outcomes is important to advancing this field and adding another tool for improving captive animals' lives.

Subjective Wellbeing, Objective Wellbeing and Inequality in Australia

PubMed Central

Western, Mark

2016-01-01

In recent years policy makers and social scientists have devoted considerable attention to wellbeing, a concept that refers to people’s capacity to live healthy, creative and fulfilling lives. Two conceptual approaches dominate wellbeing research. The objective approach examines the objective components of a good life. The subjective approach examines people’s subjective evaluations of their lives. In the objective approach how subjective wellbeing relates to objective wellbeing is not a relevant research question. The subjective approach does investigate how objective wellbeing relates to subjective wellbeing, but has focused primarily on one objective wellbeing indicator, income, rather than the comprehensive indicator set implied by the objective approach. This paper attempts to contribute by examining relationships between a comprehensive set of objective wellbeing measures and subjective wellbeing, and by linking wellbeing research to inequality research by also investigating how subjective and objective wellbeing relate to class, gender, age and ethnicity. We use three waves of a representative state-level household panel study from Queensland, Australia, undertaken from 2008 to 2010, to investigate how objective measures of wellbeing are socially distributed by gender, class, age, and ethnicity. We also examine relationships between objective wellbeing and overall life satisfaction, providing one of the first longitudinal analyses linking objective wellbeing with subjective evaluations. Objective aspects of wellbeing are unequally distributed by gender, age, class and ethnicity and are strongly associated with life satisfaction. Moreover, associations between gender, ethnicity, class and life satisfaction persist after controlling for objective wellbeing, suggesting that mechanisms in addition to objective wellbeing link structural dimensions of inequality to life satisfaction. PMID:27695042

Subjective Wellbeing, Objective Wellbeing and Inequality in Australia.

PubMed

Western, Mark; Tomaszewski, Wojtek

2016-01-01

In recent years policy makers and social scientists have devoted considerable attention to wellbeing, a concept that refers to people's capacity to live healthy, creative and fulfilling lives. Two conceptual approaches dominate wellbeing research. The objective approach examines the objective components of a good life. The subjective approach examines people's subjective evaluations of their lives. In the objective approach how subjective wellbeing relates to objective wellbeing is not a relevant research question. The subjective approach does investigate how objective wellbeing relates to subjective wellbeing, but has focused primarily on one objective wellbeing indicator, income, rather than the comprehensive indicator set implied by the objective approach. This paper attempts to contribute by examining relationships between a comprehensive set of objective wellbeing measures and subjective wellbeing, and by linking wellbeing research to inequality research by also investigating how subjective and objective wellbeing relate to class, gender, age and ethnicity. We use three waves of a representative state-level household panel study from Queensland, Australia, undertaken from 2008 to 2010, to investigate how objective measures of wellbeing are socially distributed by gender, class, age, and ethnicity. We also examine relationships between objective wellbeing and overall life satisfaction, providing one of the first longitudinal analyses linking objective wellbeing with subjective evaluations. Objective aspects of wellbeing are unequally distributed by gender, age, class and ethnicity and are strongly associated with life satisfaction. Moreover, associations between gender, ethnicity, class and life satisfaction persist after controlling for objective wellbeing, suggesting that mechanisms in addition to objective wellbeing link structural dimensions of inequality to life satisfaction.

Psychological Well-Being and the Human Conserved Transcriptional Response to Adversity

PubMed Central

Fredrickson, Barbara L.; Grewen, Karen M.; Algoe, Sara B.; Firestine, Ann M.; Arevalo, Jesusa M. G.; Ma, Jeffrey; Cole, Steve W.

2015-01-01

Research in human social genomics has identified a conserved transcriptional response to adversity (CTRA) characterized by up-regulated expression of pro-inflammatory genes and down-regulated expression of Type I interferon- and antibody-related genes. This report seeks to identify the specific aspects of positive psychological well-being that oppose such effects and predict reduced CTRA gene expression. In a new confirmation study of 122 healthy adults that replicated the approach of a previously reported discovery study, mixed effect linear model analyses identified a significant inverse association between expression of CTRA indicator genes and a summary measure of eudaimonic well-being from the Mental Health Continuum – Short Form. Analyses of a 2- representation of eudaimonia converged in finding correlated psychological and social subdomains of eudaimonic well-being to be the primary carriers of CTRA associations. Hedonic well-being showed no consistent CTRA association independent of eudaimonic well-being, and summary measures integrating hedonic and eudaimonic well-being showed less stable CTRA associations than did focal measures of eudaimonia (psychological and social well-being). Similar results emerged from analyses of pooled discovery and confirmation samples (n = 198). Similar results also emerged from analyses of a second new generalization study of 107 healthy adults that included the more detailed Ryff Scales of Psychological Well-being and found this more robust measure of eudaimonic well-being to also associate with reduced CTRA gene expression. Five of the 6 major sub-domains of psychological well-being predicted reduced CTRA gene expression when analyzed separately, and 3 remained distinctively prognostic in mutually adjusted analyses. All associations were independent of demographic characteristics, health-related confounders, and RNA indicators of leukocyte subset distribution. These results identify specific sub-dimensions of eudaimonic well-being as promising targets for future interventions to mitigate CTRA gene expression, and provide no support for any independent favorable contribution from hedonic well-being. PMID:25811656

Passion, Trait Self-Control, and Wellbeing: Comparing Two Mediation Models Predicting Wellbeing.

PubMed

Briki, Walid

2017-01-01

Research has found that passion and trait self-control represented key determinants of wellbeing. Yet, no study to date has attempted to investigate the mediating influences of trait self-control and passion for accounting for the relationships between passion, trait self-control, and wellbeing (dependent variable). Using different frameworks, such as the dualistic model of passion and the neo-socioanalytic theory, the present study proposed two mediation models, considering either trait self-control (model 1) or passion (model 2) as the mediating variable. Five hundred nine volunteers from the United States (326 females and 183 males; M age = 31.74, SD age = 11.05, from 18 to 70 years old), who reported being passionate about a specific activity (e.g., fishing, swimming, blogging; M passion = 5.94, SD passion = 0.89), answered questionnaires assessing harmonious and obsessive passion, trait self-control, and wellbeing (measured through hedonic and eudaimonic wellbeing scales). Preliminary analyses revealed that both models were significant ( model 1: absolute GoF = 0.366, relative GoF = 0.971, outer model GoF = 0.997, inner model GoF = 0.973, R 2 = 18.300%, p < 0.001; model 2: absolute GoF = 0.298; relative GoF = 0.980; outer model GoF = 0.997; inner model GoF = 0.982; R 2 = 12.111%, p < 0.001). Correlational analyses revealed positive relationships between harmonious passion, trait self-control, and wellbeing, and no relationships of obsessive passion with trait self-control and wellbeing. Mediation analyses revealed that trait self-control significantly mediated the relationship between harmonious passion and wellbeing (i.e., partial mediation, VAF = 33.136%). Harmonious passion appeared to significantly mediate the positive effect of trait self-control on wellbeing; however, the size of the mediating effect indicated that (almost) no mediation would take place (i.e., VAF = 11.144%). The present study is the first to examine the relationships between passion, trait self-control, and wellbeing, and supports the view that trait self-control and harmonious passion represent not only adaptive and powerful constructs, but also key determinants of wellbeing. Implications for the study of passion, trait self-control and wellbeing are discussed.

Passion, Trait Self-Control, and Wellbeing: Comparing Two Mediation Models Predicting Wellbeing

PubMed Central

Briki, Walid

2017-01-01

Research has found that passion and trait self-control represented key determinants of wellbeing. Yet, no study to date has attempted to investigate the mediating influences of trait self-control and passion for accounting for the relationships between passion, trait self-control, and wellbeing (dependent variable). Using different frameworks, such as the dualistic model of passion and the neo-socioanalytic theory, the present study proposed two mediation models, considering either trait self-control (model 1) or passion (model 2) as the mediating variable. Five hundred nine volunteers from the United States (326 females and 183 males; Mage = 31.74, SDage = 11.05, from 18 to 70 years old), who reported being passionate about a specific activity (e.g., fishing, swimming, blogging; Mpassion = 5.94, SDpassion = 0.89), answered questionnaires assessing harmonious and obsessive passion, trait self-control, and wellbeing (measured through hedonic and eudaimonic wellbeing scales). Preliminary analyses revealed that both models were significant (model 1: absolute GoF = 0.366, relative GoF = 0.971, outer model GoF = 0.997, inner model GoF = 0.973, R2 = 18.300%, p < 0.001; model 2: absolute GoF = 0.298; relative GoF = 0.980; outer model GoF = 0.997; inner model GoF = 0.982; R2 = 12.111%, p < 0.001). Correlational analyses revealed positive relationships between harmonious passion, trait self-control, and wellbeing, and no relationships of obsessive passion with trait self-control and wellbeing. Mediation analyses revealed that trait self-control significantly mediated the relationship between harmonious passion and wellbeing (i.e., partial mediation, VAF = 33.136%). Harmonious passion appeared to significantly mediate the positive effect of trait self-control on wellbeing; however, the size of the mediating effect indicated that (almost) no mediation would take place (i.e., VAF = 11.144%). The present study is the first to examine the relationships between passion, trait self-control, and wellbeing, and supports the view that trait self-control and harmonious passion represent not only adaptive and powerful constructs, but also key determinants of wellbeing. Implications for the study of passion, trait self-control and wellbeing are discussed. PMID:28611704

The independent effects of goal contents and motives on well-being: it's both what you pursue and why you pursue it.

PubMed

Sheldon, Kennon M; Ryan, Richard M; Deci, Edward L; Kasser, Tim

2004-04-01

The assertion that both the content of goals and the motives behind goals affect psychological well-being has been controversial. Three studies examined this issue directly, showing that both what goals people pursue (i.e., whether they strive for extrinsic vs. intrinsic goal contents) and why people pursue them (i.e., whether they strive for autonomous vs. controlled motives) make significant independent contributions to psychological well-being. The pattern emerged in between-person and within-person studies of cross-sectional well-being and also emerged in a year-long study of prospective change in well-being. Implications for prescriptive theories of happiness are discussed.

The lived experience of well-being in retirement: A phenomenological study.

PubMed

Bauger, Lars; Bongaardt, Rob

2016-01-01

This phenomenological study aimed to identify and describe the general meaning structure of the experience of well-being after retirement. We interviewed nine retirees about their lived experiences with well-being and analysed the data with Giorgi's descriptive phenomenological method. The general meaning structure described well-being in retirement as a phenomenon that interweaves four constituents: (1) an awareness of and gratitude for a healthy and functioning body, (2) a new experience of time presenting possibilities for action, (3) a heightened sense of agency, and (4) being-in-place in relationships. We discuss these findings in relation to relevant literature of successful aging, the perception of time, eudaimonic and hedonic well-being and generativity. Our findings contribute to the field by comprehensibly describing the phenomenon of well-being as it is experienced by retirees, which we conclude to be a valuable contribution for initiatives promoting well-being in retirement.

Self-transcendence and well-being in homeless adults.

PubMed

Runquist, Jennifer J; Reed, Pamela G

2007-03-01

This study examines the relationships of spiritually and physically related variables to well-being among homeless adults. A convenience sample of 61 sheltered homeless persons completed the Spiritual Perspective Scale, the Self-Transcendence Scale, the Index of Well-Being, and items measuring fatigue and health status. The data were subjected to correlational and multiple regression analysis. Positive, significant correlations were found among spiritual perspective, self-transcendence, health status, and well-being. Fatigue was inversely correlated with health status and well-being. Self-transcendence and health status together explained 59% of the variance in well-being. The findings support Reed's theory of self-transcendence, in which there is the basic assumption that human beings have the potential to integrate difficult life situations. This study contributes to the growing body of evidence that conceptualizes homeless persons as having spiritual, emotional, and physical capacities that can be used by health care professionals to promote well-being in this vulnerable population.

The lived experience of well-being in retirement: A phenomenological study

PubMed Central

Bauger, Lars; Bongaardt, Rob

2016-01-01

This phenomenological study aimed to identify and describe the general meaning structure of the experience of well-being after retirement. We interviewed nine retirees about their lived experiences with well-being and analysed the data with Giorgi’s descriptive phenomenological method. The general meaning structure described well-being in retirement as a phenomenon that interweaves four constituents: (1) an awareness of and gratitude for a healthy and functioning body, (2) a new experience of time presenting possibilities for action, (3) a heightened sense of agency, and (4) being-in-place in relationships. We discuss these findings in relation to relevant literature of successful aging, the perception of time, eudaimonic and hedonic well-being and generativity. Our findings contribute to the field by comprehensibly describing the phenomenon of well-being as it is experienced by retirees, which we conclude to be a valuable contribution for initiatives promoting well-being in retirement. PMID:27814778

Islamic Personal Religiosity as a Moderator of Job Strain and Employee's Well-Being: The Case of Malaysian Academic and Administrative Staff.

PubMed

Achour, Meguellati; Mohd Nor, Mohd Roslan; MohdYusoff, Mohd Yakub Zulkifli

2016-08-01

Presently, there is increased in research on job strain and the effects of religiosity on employee well-being. Despite increased recognition of religiosity as a moderator of well-being, limited research has focused on Islamic perspective of moderating job strain. This study examines the moderating effects of Islamic personal religiosity on the relationship between job strain and employee well-being in Malaysian universities. One hundred and seventeen (117) Muslim academic and administrative staff from four public universities were sampled. Data were collected via questionnaires, and our findings show that the effect of job strain on well-being is significant for employees and that personal religiosity of employees contributed to alleviating job strain and enhancing well-being. Thus, the study concludes that Islamic personal religiosity moderates the relationship between job strain and employee well-being.

Gratitude mediates the effect of emotional intelligence on subjective well-being: A structural equation modeling analysis.

PubMed

Geng, Yuan

2016-11-01

This study investigated the relationship among emotional intelligence, gratitude, and subjective well-being in a sample of university students. A total of 365 undergraduates completed the emotional intelligence scale, the gratitude questionnaire, and the subjective well-being measures. The results of the structural equation model showed that emotional intelligence is positively associated with gratitude and subjective well-being, that gratitude is positively associated with subjective well-being, and that gratitude partially mediates the positive relationship between emotional intelligence and subjective well-being. Bootstrap test results also revealed that emotional intelligence has a significant indirect effect on subjective well-being through gratitude.

Influence of work-family-school role conflicts and social support on psychological wellbeing among registered nurses pursuing advanced degree.

PubMed

Xu, Lijuan; Song, Rhayun

2016-08-01

The purpose of the study was to determine how work-family-school role conflict and social support influence psychological well-being among registered nurses pursuing an advanced degree. A cross-sectional, correlational study design was used. Convenience sampling was used to recruit 320 registered nurses pursuing an advanced nursing degree at 13 hospitals in Korea, from June to October 2011. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling with the AMOS program. Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to evaluate the measurement model prior to the testing of study hypotheses before and after controlling for extraneous variables. The fit parameters of the modified model (χ(2)/df=2.01, GFI=0.91, AGFI=0.89, CFI=0.92, SRMR=0.068, and RMSEA=0.065) indicated its suitability as the research model. This model explained 45% of the variance in work-related psychological well-being and 52% of the variance in general psychological well-being. Both social support and work-family-school role conflict exerted significant effects on work-related psychological well-being and general psychological well-being. The findings of the present study imply that work-family-school role conflict influences the psychological well-being of registered nurses pursuing an advanced degree. It is necessary for nursing administrators to develop strategies to help registered nurses to manage their multiple roles and improve both their work-related psychological well-being and their general psychological well-being. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Childhood socioeconomic position and adult mental wellbeing: Evidence from four British birth cohort studies.

PubMed

Wood, Natasha; Bann, David; Hardy, Rebecca; Gale, Catharine; Goodman, Alissa; Crawford, Claire; Stafford, Mai

2017-01-01

There is much evidence showing that childhood socioeconomic position is associated with physical health in adulthood; however existing evidence on how early life disadvantage is associated with adult mental wellbeing is inconsistent. This paper investigated whether childhood socioeconomic position (SEP) is associated with adult mental wellbeing and to what extent any association is explained by adult SEP using harmonised data from four British birth cohort studies. The sample comprised 20,717 participants with mental wellbeing data in the Hertfordshire Cohort Study (HCS), the MRC National Survey of Health and Development (NSHD), the National Child Development Study (NCDS), and the British Cohort Study (BCS70). Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS) scores at age 73 (HCS), 60-64 (NSHD), 50 (NCDS), or 42 (BCS70) were used. Harmonised socioeconomic position (Registrar General's Social Classification) was ascertained in childhood (age 10/11) and adulthood (age 42/43). Associations between childhood SEP, adult SEP, and wellbeing were tested using linear regression and multi-group structural equation models. More advantaged father's social class was associated with better adult mental wellbeing in the BCS70 and the NCDS. This association was independent of adult SEP in the BCS70 but fully mediated by adult SEP in the NCDS. There was no evidence of an association between father's social class and adult mental wellbeing in the HCS or the NSHD. Socioeconomic conditions in childhood are directly and indirectly, through adult socioeconomic pathways, associated with adult mental wellbeing, but findings from these harmonised data suggest this association may depend on cohort or age.

Environmental volunteer well-being: Managers' perception and actual well-being of volunteers.

PubMed

Kragh, Gitte; Stafford, Rick; Curtin, Susanna; Diaz, Anita

2016-01-01

Background : Environmental volunteering can increase well-being, but environmental volunteer well-being has rarely been compared to participant well-being associated with other types of volunteering or nature-based activities. This paper aims to use a multidimensional approach to well-being to explore the immediately experienced and later remembered well-being of environmental volunteers and to compare this to the increased well-being of participants in other types of nature-based activities and volunteering. Furthermore, it aims to compare volunteer managers' perceptions of their volunteers' well-being with the self-reported well-being of the volunteers. Methods : Onsite surveys were conducted of practical conservation and biodiversity monitoring volunteers, as well as their control groups (walkers and fieldwork students, respectively), to measure general well-being before their nature-based activity and activity-related well-being immediately after their activity. Online surveys of current, former and potential volunteers and volunteer managers measured remembered volunteering-related well-being and managers' perceptions of their volunteers' well-being. Data were analysed based on Seligman's multidimensional PERMA ('positive emotion', 'engagement', 'positive relationship', 'meaning', 'achievement') model of well-being. Factor analysis recovered three of the five PERMA elements, 'engagement', 'relationship' and 'meaning', as well as 'negative emotion' and 'health' as factors. Results : Environmental volunteering significantly improved positive elements and significantly decreased negative elements of participants' immediate well-being, and it did so more than walking or student fieldwork. Even remembering their volunteering up to six months later, volunteers rated their volunteering-related well-being higher than volunteers rated their well-being generally in life. However, volunteering was not found to have an effect on overall mean well-being generally in life. Volunteer managers did not perceive the significant increase in well-being that volunteers reported. Conclusions : This study showed how environmental volunteering immediately improved participants' well-being, even more than other nature-based activities. It highlights the benefit of regarding well-being as a multidimensional construct to more systematically understand, support and enhance volunteer well-being.

Occupational Well-Being of School Staff Members: A Structural Equation Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saaranen, Terhi; Tossavainen, Kerttu; Turunen, Hannele; Kiviniemi, Vesa; Vertio, Harri

2007-01-01

This study aimed to develop a theoretical basis for the promotion of school staff's occupational well-being. The "Content Model for the Promotion of School Community Staff's Occupational Well-being" describes the four aspects of the promotion of occupational well-being ("working conditions", "worker and work",…

Perceived Social Policy Fairness and Subjective Wellbeing: Evidence from China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sun, Feng; Xiao, Jing Jian

2012-01-01

This study examined the relationship between perceived fairness of social policies and subjective well-being. Two types of policies examined were related to income distribution and social security. Subjective well-being was measured by work and life satisfaction. In addition, subjective well-beings between different income, age, and education…

Teacher Well-Being: Exploring Its Components and a Practice-Oriented Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collie, Rebecca J.; Shapka, Jennifer D.; Perry, Nancy E.; Martin, Andrew J.

2015-01-01

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Teacher Well-Being Scale, which assesses three factors of teachers' work-related well-being: workload, organizational, and student interaction well-being. With a sample of Canadian teachers, results confirmed the reliability, approximate normality, and factor structure of the scale; provided…

Domains and Determinants of Well-Being of Older Adults in India.

PubMed

Ladusingh, Laishram; Ngangbam, Sapana

2016-03-01

This study proposes a well-being index of older adults which integrates five domains, namely, activities of daily living, health status, psychological strength, life accomplishment and social ties, and examines potential socio-demographic, living arrangement, lifestyle and religiosity determinants of well-being. The present study uses micro data of 1255 older adults from the recent pilot survey for the Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI) conducted in 2010. The results suggest that normal activities of daily life, health, and social ties decline with advancing age, while life accomplishment remains stable over age. However, when all domains are integrated, well-being tends to fade out with advancing age. While smoking has a deterrent effect on well-being, better economic status, literacy, living in a joint family with spouse, religiosity, and regular physical exercise have a statistically significant positive effect on the well-being of older adults in India.

Role of Religiosity in Psychological Well-Being Among Medical and Non-medical Students.

PubMed

Saleem, Shemaila; Saleem, Tamkeen

2017-08-01

Religion has been generally considered as a protective factor for the psychological health of the people. As many studies have publicized a high prevalence of psychological morbidities among the medical students during their academic stages of medical schools, it is significant to investigate whether religiosity functions as a protective factor, to explore religiosity as a predictor of psychological well-being in a sample of medical students, and to compare the results of medical students as well as non-medical students with respect to religiosity and psychological well-being. The study is carried out in Federal Medical and Dental College and International Islamic University, Islamabad. The present study examined a sample of 120 medical students from Federal Medical and Dental College and 120 non-medical students from International Islamic University, Islamabad. Purposive sampling was used. The respondents completed religious orientation scale and scale of psychological well-being scale along with a demographic data sheet. In order to measure the study variables, linear regression and t test were used. The findings revealed that religiosity is a strong predictor of psychological well-being. Extrinsic and intrinsic religiosity predicts psychological well-being among the students. The results indicated a significant difference in psychological well-being between medical and non-medical students. No significant difference was found in religiosity of medical and non-medical students. The gender differences in religiosity and psychological well-being were found to be insignificant. The results emphasize that psychological well-being is prophesied by religiosity. The present research suggests further investigations and also endows with trends for psychological evaluation, development of religious beliefs, and interventions for augmenting psychological well-being among the medical students.

Giftedness and Subjective Well-Being: A Study with Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wirthwein, Linda; Rost, Detlef H.

2011-01-01

Studies on the well-being of gifted adults are rare, and the available studies are often limited by methodological shortcomings. In a longitudinal project 101 intellectually gifted adults (mean IQ = 136) were compared to 91 adults of average intelligence (mean IQ = 103). Subjective well-being was operationalized by positive and negative…

The Subjective Well-Being of Israeli Adolescents Attending Specialized School Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orkibi, Hod; Ronen, Tammie; Assoulin, Naama

2014-01-01

Although adolescents' well-being has long been considered a central goal in therapy and education, research focusing on the link between subjective well-being (SWB; happiness) and studying in specialized school classes is rather limited. Using a between-subjects design, the present study examined whether adolescents studying in sports, arts, or…

Well-being and employee health-how employees' well-being scores interact with demographic factors to influence risk of hospitalization or an emergency room visit.

PubMed

Gandy, William M; Coberley, Carter; Pope, James E; Rula, Elizabeth Y

2014-02-01

The goal of this study was to determine the relationship between individual well-being and risk of a hospital event in the subsequent year. The authors hypothesized an inverse relationship in which low well-being predicts higher likelihood of hospital use. The study specifically sought to understand how well-being segments and demographic variables interact in defining risk of a hospital event (inpatient admission or emergency room visit) in an employed population. A retrospective study design was conducted with data from 8835 employees who completed a Well-Being Assessment questionnaire based on the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the impact of Individual Well-Being Score (IWBS) segments and member demographics on hazard ratios (HRs) for a hospital event during the 12 months following assessment completion. Significant main effects were found for the influence of IWBS segments, sex, education, and relationship status on HRs of a hospital event, but not for age. However, further analysis revealed significant interactions between age and IWBS segments (P=0.005) and between age and sex (P<0.0001), indicating that the effects for IWBS segments and sex on HRs of a hospital event are mediated through their relationship with age. Overall, the strong relationship between low well-being and higher risk of an event in employees ages 44 years and older is mitigated in younger age groups. These results suggest that youth attenuates the risk engendered in poor well-being; therefore, methods to maintain or improve well-being as individuals age presents a strong opportunity for reducing hospital events.

Well-Being and Employee Health—How Employees' Well-Being Scores Interact with Demographic Factors to Influence Risk of Hospitalization or an Emergency Room Visit

PubMed Central

Gandy, William M.; Coberley, Carter; Pope, James E.

2014-01-01

Abstract The goal of this study was to determine the relationship between individual well-being and risk of a hospital event in the subsequent year. The authors hypothesized an inverse relationship in which low well-being predicts higher likelihood of hospital use. The study specifically sought to understand how well-being segments and demographic variables interact in defining risk of a hospital event (inpatient admission or emergency room visit) in an employed population. A retrospective study design was conducted with data from 8835 employees who completed a Well-Being Assessment questionnaire based on the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the impact of Individual Well-Being Score (IWBS) segments and member demographics on hazard ratios (HRs) for a hospital event during the 12 months following assessment completion. Significant main effects were found for the influence of IWBS segments, sex, education, and relationship status on HRs of a hospital event, but not for age. However, further analysis revealed significant interactions between age and IWBS segments (P=0.005) and between age and sex (P<0.0001), indicating that the effects for IWBS segments and sex on HRs of a hospital event are mediated through their relationship with age. Overall, the strong relationship between low well-being and higher risk of an event in employees ages 44 years and older is mitigated in younger age groups. These results suggest that youth attenuates the risk engendered in poor well-being; therefore, methods to maintain or improve well-being as individuals age presents a strong opportunity for reducing hospital events. (Population Health Management 2014;17:13–20) PMID:23560493

Social and emotional wellbeing assessment instruments for use with Indigenous Australians: A critical review.

PubMed

Le Grande, M; Ski, C F; Thompson, D R; Scuffham, P; Kularatna, S; Jackson, A C; Brown, A

2017-08-01

There is growing recognition that in addition to universally recognised domains and indicators of wellbeing (such as population health and life expectancy), additional frameworks are required to fully explain and measure Indigenous wellbeing. In particular, Indigenous Australian wellbeing is largely determined by colonisation, historical trauma, grief, loss, and ongoing social marginalisation. Dominant mainstream indicators of wellbeing based on the biomedical model may therefore be inadequate and not entirely relevant in the Indigenous context. It is possible that "standard" wellbeing instruments fail to adequately assess indicators of health and wellbeing within societies that have a more holistic view of health. The aim of this critical review was to identify, document, and evaluate the use of social and emotional wellbeing measures within the Australian Indigenous community. The instruments were systematically described regarding their intrinsic properties (e.g., generic v. disease-specific, domains assessed, extent of cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric characteristics) and their purpose of utilisation in studies (e.g., study setting, intervention, clinical purpose or survey). We included 33 studies, in which 22 distinct instruments were used. Three major categories of social and emotional wellbeing instruments were identified: unmodified standard instruments (10), cross-culturally adapted standard instruments (6), and Indigenous developed measures (6). Recommendations are made for researchers and practitioners who assess social and emotional wellbeing in Indigenous Australians, which may also be applicable to other minority groups where a more holistic framework of wellbeing is applied. It is advised that standard instruments only be used if they have been subject to a formal cross-cultural adaptation process, and Indigenous developed measures continue to be developed, refined, and validated within a diverse range of research and clinical settings. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Financial performance, employee well-being, and client well-being in for-profit and not-for-profit nursing homes: A systematic review.

PubMed

Bos, Aline; Boselie, Paul; Trappenburg, Margo

Expanding the opportunities for for-profit nursing home care is a central theme in the debate on the sustainable organization of the growing nursing home sector in Western countries. We conducted a systematic review of the literature over the last 10 years in order to determine the broad impact of nursing home ownership in the United States. Our review has two main goals: (a) to find out which topics have been studied with regard to financial performance, employee well-being, and client well-being in relation to nursing home ownership and (b) to assess the conclusions related to these topics. The review results in two propositions on the interactions between financial performance, employee well-being, and client well-being as they relate to nursing home ownership. Five search strategies plus inclusion and quality assessment criteria were applied to identify and select eligible studies. As a result, 50 studies were included in the review. Relevant findings were categorized as related to financial performance (profit margins, efficiency), employee well-being (staffing levels, turnover rates, job satisfaction, job benefits), or client well-being (care quality, hospitalization rates, lawsuits/complaints) and then analyzed based on common characteristics. For-profit nursing homes tend to have better financial performance, but worse results with regard to employee well-being and client well-being, compared to not-for-profit sector homes. We argue that the better financial performance of for-profit nursing homes seems to be associated with worse employee and client well-being. For policy makers considering the expansion of the for-profit sector in the nursing home industry, our findings suggest the need for a broad perspective, simultaneously weighing the potential benefits and drawbacks for the organization, its employees, and its clients.

Psychological wellbeing, health and ageing

PubMed Central

Steptoe, Andrew; Deaton, Angus; Stone, Arthur A.

2014-01-01

Summary Psychological wellbeing and health are closely linked at older ages. Three aspects of psychological wellbeing can be distinguished: evaluative wellbeing (or life satisfaction), hedonic wellbeing (feelings of happiness, sadness, etc), and eudemonic wellbeing (sense of purpose and meaning in life). We review recent advances in this field, and present new analyses concerning the pattern of wellbeing across ages and the association between wellbeing and survival at older ages. The Gallup World Poll, an ongoing survey in more than 160 countries, shows a U-shaped relationship between evaluative wellbeing and age in rich, English speaking countries, with the lowest levels of wellbeing around ages 45-54. But this pattern is not universal: for example, respondents from the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe show a large progressive decline in wellbeing with age; Latin America also shows falling wellbeing with age, while wellbeing in sub-Saharan Africa shows little change with age. The relationship between physical health and subjective wellbeing is bidirectional. Older people suffering from illnesses such as coronary heart disease, arthritis and chronic lung disease show both raised levels of depressed mood and impaired hedonic and eudemonic wellbeing. Wellbeing may also have a protective role in health maintenance. In an illustrative analyses from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), we find that eudemonic wellbeing is associated with longer survival; 29.3% of people in the lowest wellbeing quartile died over the average follow-up period of 8.5 years compared with 9.3% of those in the highest quartile. Associations were independent of age, gender, demographic factors, and baseline mental and physical health. We conclude that the wellbeing of the elderly is an important objective for both economic and health policy. Current psychological and economic theories do not adequately account for the variations in pattern of wellbeing with age across different parts of the world. The apparent association between wellbeing and survival is consistent with a protective role of high wellbeing, but alternative explanations cannot be ruled out at this stage. PMID:25468152

Cross-cultural generality and specificity in self-regulation: avoidance personal goals and multiple aspects of well-being in the United States and Japan.

PubMed

Elliot, Andrew J; Sedikides, Constantine; Murayama, Kou; Tanaka, Ayumi; Thrash, Todd M; Mapes, Rachel R

2012-10-01

The authors examined avoidance personal goals as concurrent (Study 1) and longitudinal (Study 2) predictors of multiple aspects of well-being in the United States and Japan. In both studies, participants adopted more avoidance personal goals in Japan relative to the United States. Both studies also demonstrated that avoidance personal goals were significant negative predictors of the most relevant aspects of well-being in each culture. Specifically, avoidance personal goals were negative predictors of intrapersonal and eudaimonic well-being in the United States and were negative predictors of interpersonal and eudaimonic well-being in Japan. The findings clarify and extend puzzling findings from prior empirical work in this area, and raise provocative possibilities about the nature of avoidance goal pursuit.

Is Variety the Spice of Life? An Experimental Investigation into the Effects of Species Richness on Self-Reported Mental Well-Being.

PubMed

Wolf, Lukas J; Zu Ermgassen, Sophus; Balmford, Andrew; White, Mathew; Weinstein, Netta

2017-01-01

Losses in biodiversity and trends toward urbanisation have reduced people's contact with biodiverse nature, yet the consequences for mental well-being are not well understood. Here, we demonstrate that greater plant and animal species richness in isolation causes an improvement in mental well-being. To do so, the present research experimentally manipulated species richness and assessed widely-used indicators of mental well-being. Participants viewed short videos of either high or low tree (Study 1) or bird (Study 2) species richness and reported on positive (i.e., vitality, positive affect) and negative (i.e., anxiety) indicators of mental well-being. Building on Study 1, Study 2 included an urban environment as a reference treatment and explored the role of giving participants information on the presented environment. We find that, in line with expectations, watching videos containing greater species richness consistently leads to higher mental well-being. We discuss findings in light of the importance of connecting people to biodiverse environments.

ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES, FAMILY FUNCTIONING AND ADOLESCENT HEALTH AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING

PubMed Central

Balistreri, Kelly Stamper; Alvira-Hammond, Marta

2015-01-01

Objectives Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) have been consistently linked in a strong and graded fashion to a host of health problems in later adulthood but few studies have examined the more proximate effect of ACE on health and emotional well-being in adolescence. Study Design Nationally representative cross-sectional study. Methods Using logistic regression on the 2011/12 National Survey of Children’s Health, we examined the cumulative effect of total ACE score on the health and emotional well-being of US adolescents ages 12 through 17. We investigated the moderating effect of family functioning on the impact of ACE on adolescent health and emotional well-being. Results Adolescents with higher ACE scores had worse reported physical and emotional well-being than adolescents with fewer ACEs net of key demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Family functioning moderated the negative impact of cumulative ACE on adolescent health and emotional well-being. Conclusions Adolescent well-being has enduring consequences; identifying children with ACE exposure who also have lower-functioning family could also help identify those families at particular risk. PMID:26718424

Opening the gender diversity black box: causality of perceived gender equity and locus of control and mediation of work engagement in employee well-being.

PubMed

Sharma, Radha R; Sharma, Neha P

2015-01-01

The study is aimed at assessing the role of perceived gender equity and locus of control in employee well-being at the workplace and ascertaining if work engagement mediates between perceived gender equity, locus of control, and employee well-being (measured through optimism, general satisfaction with life and work, and executive burnout). Adopting a personal survey method data was collected from 373 managers (both males and females) from the public and private sectors representing manufacturing and service industry in India. The study bridges the knowledge gap by operationalizing the construct of perceived gender equity and studying its role in the work engagement and employee well-being. Conceptualization of the well-being in an unconventional way covering both the positive and the negative aspects extends the understanding of the emerging concept of well-being. It has practical implications for talent management and work engagement besides promoting gender equity at the workplace for employee well-being. It opens vistas for the gender based theory and cross cultural research on gender equity.

Opening the gender diversity black box: causality of perceived gender equity and locus of control and mediation of work engagement in employee well-being

PubMed Central

Sharma, Radha R.; Sharma, Neha P.

2015-01-01

The study is aimed at assessing the role of perceived gender equity and locus of control in employee well-being at the workplace and ascertaining if work engagement mediates between perceived gender equity, locus of control, and employee well-being (measured through optimism, general satisfaction with life and work, and executive burnout). Adopting a personal survey method data was collected from 373 managers (both males and females) from the public and private sectors representing manufacturing and service industry in India. The study bridges the knowledge gap by operationalizing the construct of perceived gender equity and studying its role in the work engagement and employee well-being. Conceptualization of the well-being in an unconventional way covering both the positive and the negative aspects extends the understanding of the emerging concept of well-being. It has practical implications for talent management and work engagement besides promoting gender equity at the workplace for employee well-being. It opens vistas for the gender based theory and cross cultural research on gender equity. PMID:26500566

Gender differences in the associations between age trends of social media interaction and well-being among 10-15 year olds in the UK.

PubMed

Booker, Cara L; Kelly, Yvonne J; Sacker, Amanda

2018-03-20

Adolescents are among the highest consumers of social media while research has shown that their well-being decreases with age. The temporal relationship between social media interaction and well-being is not well established. The aim of this study was to examine whether the changes in social media interaction and two well-being measures are related across ages using parallel growth models. Data come from five waves of the youth questionnaire, 10-15 years, of the Understanding Society, the UK Household Longitudinal Study (pooled n = 9859). Social media interaction was assessed through daily frequency of chatting on social websites. Well-being was measured by happiness with six domains of life and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Findings suggest gender differences in the relationship between interacting on social media and well-being. There were significant correlations between interacting on social media and well-being intercepts and between social media interaction and well-being slopes among females. Additionally higher social media interaction at age 10 was associated with declines in well-being thereafter for females, but not for males. Results were similar for both measures of well-being. High levels of social media interaction in early adolescence have implications for well-being in later adolescence, particularly for females. The lack of an association among males suggests other factors might be associated with their reduction in well-being with age. These findings contribute to the debate on causality and may inform future policy and interventions.

Gender inequalities in mental wellbeing in 26 European countries: do welfare regimes matter?

PubMed

Dreger, Stefanie; Gerlinger, Thomas; Bolte, Gabriele

2016-10-01

Nature and extent of welfare regimes and social policies are important determinants of health and health inequalities. This study examines the association of gender and mental wellbeing in European countries and investigates whether type of welfare regime plays a role in this association. Data of 19 366 women and 14 338 men of the third round of the European Quality of Life Survey (2011-12) was used to analyse mental wellbeing, assessed by the World Health Organization 5-Mental Wellbeing Index. Multilevel logistic regression analyses were performed to analyse the association between gender and good mental wellbeing first at country-level, and secondly the between country variation was analysed and welfare regimes were included as explanatory variables. We observed cross-national variation in good mental wellbeing. At country levels gender inequalities in good mental wellbeing were observed in 7 out of 26 countries. In analyses considering all countries together gender inequalities in good mental wellbeing were identified independent of further individual socio-demographic variables and independent of the welfare regimes that people lived in [women vs. men: OR = 0.76; (95% CI = 0.71-0.81)]. Gender inequalities in good mental wellbeing were not modified by welfare regimes. There are cross-national differences in good mental wellbeing between European countries. Gender inequalities with a lower prevalence of good mental wellbeing among women are common in European countries. This study suggests that welfare regimes do not modify these gender inequalities in mental wellbeing. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Connecting Our Gut Feeling and How Our Gut Feels: The Role of Well-being Attributes in Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

PubMed

Farhadi, Ashkan; Banton, Dwaine; Keefer, Laurie

2018-04-30

There is a close relationship between the mind and gut in the pathogenesis of functional bowel disorders. Common psychological disturbances such as depression and anxiety are not uncommon in those with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). There is little research investigating the role of positive psychology and gastrointestinal (GI) conditions. In this pilot study we investigated the well-being attributes in those with and without IBS. We used an anonymous online survey and recruited 416 study subjects using social media as the main method of recruitment. We gathered demographic information, GI symptoms, history of mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, assessed several well-being attributes, and finally assessed subjective well-being. We hypothesized that those with GI symptoms and IBS have lower scores in their well-being attributes compared to healthy controls. We observed that a history of anxiety and depression is significantly associated with GI symptoms and IBS. In addition, sense of subjective well-being and several well-being attributes are negatively associated with GI symptoms and/or IBS. Of interest, the household income showed a negative correlation with the prevalence of GI symptoms and IBS. Subjective well-being, and several well-being attributes that contribute to the sense of overall contentment, are negatively associated with GI symptoms and IBS. The link between subjective well-being, and GI symptoms and IBS are independent of anxiety and depression. Well-being attributes and sense of subjective well-being may be a contributory factor in clinical expression of GI symptoms or IBS consistent with the biopsychosocial model of the disease.

The Effects of Education on Spirituality through Virtual Social Media on the Spiritual Well-Being of the Public Health Students of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in 2015

PubMed Central

Hasanshahi, Maryam; Mazaheri, Maryam Amidi

2016-01-01

Background: The role and effects of people’s spiritual well-being have received more attention in recent years. Knowing the factors related to spiritual well-being, especially in students as the educated class and future builders of society, is too important. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of education on spirituality through social media in the spirituality well-being of public health students of Isfahan University of medical science. Methods: A semi-experimental, pre-test, post-test study was conducted on 50 under- graduate public health students (3 men, 47 women; age range 18-30 years) of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences through convenience and purposive sampling. The educational content of spirituality education was used to promote and improve spiritual well-being, being sent by using one of the mobile phone applications. Using spiritual well-being questionnaire, the level of the individuals’ spiritual well-being before and after the educational was evaluated. To analyze the data in this study, descriptive statistics and t-test were use SPSS software was used to analyze the data and the significance level was considered lower than 0.05%. Result: In total, 50 students including 3 men and 47women participated in the study. The mean age of the participants was 22.02±3.78. About 68% of the students were single and the remaining were married. The score of the participants’ spiritual well-being was 96.5 before the intervention and it promoted to 103.3 after the intervention. The result of the analysis by t-test on the two groups showed that spirituality education can cause a significant increase in peoples’ spiritual well-being (P<0.001). Conclusion: After the educational intervention, the level of people’s spiritual well-being increased significantly. As a result, spirituality education causes conditions to improve the peoples’ spiritual well-being. PMID:27218114

Supporting wellbeing in motor neurone disease for patients, carers, social networks, and health professionals: A scoping review and synthesis.

PubMed

Harris, Melanie; Thomas, Geoff; Thomas, Mary; Cafarella, Paul; Stocks, Allegra; Greig, Julia; McEvoy, R Doug

2018-04-01

ABSTRACTObjective:Disease management in motor neurone disease (MND) is focused on preserving quality of life. However, the emphasis has so far been on physical symptoms and functioning and not psychosocial wellbeing. MND affects the wellbeing of carers, of family and social network members, and of healthcare providers, as well as of the patients. We therefore aimed to assess and synthesize the knowledge about maximizing MND-related psychosocial wellbeing across all these groups. We used a systematic search and selection process to assess the scope of the literature along with a narrative synthesis of recent high-quality reviews. The original studies were mainly observational studies of patients and, to a lesser extent, of carers. There were few interventional studies, mainly of patients. There were very few studies of any type on wellbeing in their wider social network or in healthcare professionals. All the review literature looked at MND patient or carer wellbeing, with some covering both. No reviews were found of wellbeing in other family members, patients' social networks, or their healthcare professionals. The reviews demonstrated wellbeing problems for patients linked to psychosocial issues. Carer wellbeing is also compromised. Psychotherapies, social supports, improved decision supports, and changes to healthcare delivery are among the suggested strategies for improved patient and carer wellbeing, but no proven interventions were identified for either. Early access to palliative care, also not well-tested but recommended, is poorly implemented. Work on interventions to deal with well-established wellbeing problems for patients and carers is now a research priority. Explicit use of current methods for patient and public involvement and for design and testing of interventions provide a toolkit for this research. Observational research is needed in other groups. There is a potential in considering needs across patients' social networks rather than looking individually at particular groups.

Positive Attitudes towards Technologies and facets of Well-being in Older Adults.

PubMed

Zambianchi, Manuela; Carelli, Maria Grazia

2018-03-01

The current study investigates the relevance of positive attitudes toward Internet technologies for psychological well-being and social well-being in old age. A sample of 245 elderly people ( Mean age = 70; SD =9.1) filled in the Psychological Well-Being Questionnaire, the Social Well-Being Questionnaire, and Attitudes Toward Technologies Questionnaire (ATTQ). Favorable attitudes toward Internet technologies showed positive correlations with overall social well-being and all its components with the exception of social acceptance. Positive correlations with overall psychological well-being and two of its components, namely, personal growth and purpose in life, were also found. Two hierarchical multiple regression models underscored that positive attitudes toward Internet technologies constitute the most important predictor of social well-being, and it appears to be a significant predictor for psychological well-being as well. Results are discussed and integrated into the Positive Technology theoretical framework that sustains the value of technological resources for improving the quality of personal experience and well-being.

Volunteering and Psychological Well-Being among Young-Old Adults: How Much Is Too Much?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Windsor, Timothy D.; Anstey, Kaarin J.; Rodgers, Bryan

2008-01-01

Purpose: Research concerned with the relationship between volunteer activity and psychological well-being has typically reported higher levels of well-being among older adult volunteers relative to nonvolunteers. However, few studies have examined nonlinear associations between frequency of volunteer activity and well-being. We examined nonlinear…

Well-Being: Positive Development across the Life Course.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bornstein, Marc H., Ed.; Davidson, Lucy, Ed.; Keyes, Corey L. M., Ed.; Moore, Kristin A., Ed.

This book offers a holistic examination of well-being across the life course by experts in psychology, sociology, child development, and medicine, and describes foundational strengths for well-being from infancy through adulthood. The chapters are: (1) "A Brief History of the Study of Well-Being in Children and Adults" (Kristin A. Moore…

Virtues and Well-Being of Korean Special Education Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, So-Young; Lim, Young-Jin

2016-01-01

Although much emphasis has been paid to stress and burnout among special education teachers, little attention has been paid to their well-being. This study aimed to examine relations between virtues and well-being among Korean special education teachers. Virtues and well-being of 115 Korean special education teachers were assessed using the…

Food and wellbeing. Towards a consumer-based approach.

PubMed

Ares, Gastón; De Saldamando, Luis; Giménez, Ana; Deliza, Rosires

2014-03-01

Interest in understanding how foods affect consumers' perceived wellbeing has grown in the last decade due to the increasing need to modify dietary patterns. Considering that wellbeing is a broad concept that lacks of a unique definition, in order to use and measure this concept it is necessary to explore how consumers understand it, particularly in the context of food consumption. The aim of the present work was to investigate consumers' perception of wellbeing in a food-related context using an exploratory qualitative approach. A study was carried out with 120 Uruguayan participants using three qualitative techniques: word association, open-ended questions and free listing. Wellbeing in a food-related context was strongly associated with physical health. The expected effects of foods on wellbeing were mainly related to non-communicable diseases such as high cholesterol levels, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases. However, hedonic and emotional aspects of food consumption were also salient for consumers perceived wellbeing. The information gathered in this study can contribute to the development of scales for measuring consumer perceived wellbeing when consuming foods. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Working Hours Mismatch, Macroeconomic Changes, and Mental Well-being in Europe.

PubMed

De Moortel, Deborah; Thévenon, Olivier; De Witte, Hans; Vanroelen, Christophe

2017-06-01

This study explores the association between involuntarily working less or more than the standard workweek and poor mental well-being, and whether this relationship is dependent upon (changing) national-level unemployment and gross domestic product growth rates. Data from the European Social Survey Round 2 (2004-2005) and Round 5 (2010) were analyzed. The sample included 16,224 male and 16,184 female employees. Mental well-being was assessed by the World Health Organization Well-being Index. Three-level linear multilevel modeling was used to account for clustering of employees within research years and countries. Working involuntary long hours was positively associated with poor mental well-being for men. For women, working voluntary long, involuntary long, and involuntary short hours were positively associated with poor mental well-being. The mental well-being of women working voluntary and involuntary long hours was negatively influenced by deteriorating economic conditions. This study suggests women are more vulnerable to the effects of long working hours and working hours mismatch on mental well-being, especially during difficult economic periods.

Racial Discrimination and Psychological Wellbeing of Pregnant Women.

PubMed

Giurgescu, Carmen; Zenk, Shannon N; Engeland, Christopher G; Garfield, Lindsey; Templin, Thomas N

African American women are more likely to be exposed to racial discrimination and to experience psychological distress compared with white women. Although studies have shown that social support is positively related to psychological wellbeing, little is known about the potential buffering effect of social support on the relationship between racial discrimination and psychological wellbeing of pregnant women. The purpose of this study was to determine if social support moderates effects of racial discrimination on psychological wellbeing among pregnant African American women. Using a cross-sectional design, 107 African American women between 15 and 26 weeks gestation from an urban university-based midwifery practice completed questionnaires. Women who reported more experiences of racial discrimination also reported lower levels of social support and psychological wellbeing (p <.05). Maternal child nurses should be aware that experiences of racial discrimination have negative effects on psychological wellbeing of pregnant African American women regardless of their levels of social support. However, social support can reduce psychological distress and improve wellbeing of pregnant women. Therefore, nurses need to provide pregnant women with positive and supportive experiences that may improve their psychological wellbeing.

The Odyssey of Episodic Memories: Identifying the Paths and Processes Through Which They Contribute to Well-Being.

PubMed

Philippe, Frederick L; Bernard-Desrosiers, Léa

2017-08-01

This research highlights the processes through which lasting episodic memories and their characterized level of need satisfaction (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) can impact well-being, both at the situational level and over time. Study 1 (N = 92, M age  = 42.07 years, 72% female) investigated the effect of the unconscious activation of a personal episodic memory on situational well-being using a subliminal priming procedure. Study 2 (N = 275, M age  = 22.45 years, 84% female) followed the odyssey of an episodic memory by examining at various points over time its abstraction into perceptions of general need satisfaction and its long-term effect on well-being. Study 1 revealed that the activation of a need-satisfying memory produced an immediate increase in well-being, whereas the triggering of a need-thwarting memory led to an immediate decrease in well-being compared to controls. Study 2 revealed little influence of individual differences, but need satisfaction in episodic memories had a significant cumulative impact on well-being at different points in time over months and was abstracted into greater perceptions of general need satisfaction over time. Results provide convincing evidence for the directive function of memories on well-being, both at the situational level and over time. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Social embeddedness as a mechanism for linking social cohesion to well-being among older adults: moderating effect of gender

PubMed Central

Momtaz, Yadollah Abolfathi; Haron, Sharifah Azizah; Ibrahim, Rahimah; Hamid, Tengku Aizan

2014-01-01

Background The positive effect of social cohesion on well-being in older adults has been well documented. However, relatively few studies have attempted to understand the mechanisms by which social cohesion influences well-being. The main aim of the current study is to identify social pathways in which social cohesion may contribute to well-being. Methods The data for this study (taken from 1,880 older adults, aged 60 years and older) were drawn from a national survey conducted during 2008–2009. The survey employed a two-stage stratified sampling process for data collection. Structural equation modeling was used to test mediating and moderating analyses. Results The proposed model documented a good fit to the data (GFI =98; CFI =0.99; RMSEA =0.04). The findings from bootstrap analysis and the Sobel test revealed that the impact of social cohesion on well-being is significantly mediated by social embeddedness (Z=5.62; P<0.001). Finally, the results of a multigroup analysis test showed that social cohesion influences well-being through the social embeddedness mechanism somewhat differently for older men than women. Conclusion The findings of this study, in addition to supporting the importance of neighborhood social cohesion for the well-being of older adults, also provide evidence that the impact of social cohesion towards well-being is mediated through the mechanism of social embeddedness. PMID:24904206

Social embeddedness as a mechanism for linking social cohesion to well-being among older adults: moderating effect of gender.

PubMed

Momtaz, Yadollah Abolfathi; Haron, Sharifah Azizah; Ibrahim, Rahimah; Hamid, Tengku Aizan

2014-01-01

The positive effect of social cohesion on well-being in older adults has been well documented. However, relatively few studies have attempted to understand the mechanisms by which social cohesion influences well-being. The main aim of the current study is to identify social pathways in which social cohesion may contribute to well-being. The data for this study (taken from 1,880 older adults, aged 60 years and older) were drawn from a national survey conducted during 2008-2009. The survey employed a two-stage stratified sampling process for data collection. Structural equation modeling was used to test mediating and moderating analyses. The proposed model documented a good fit to the data (GFI =98; CFI =0.99; RMSEA =0.04). The findings from bootstrap analysis and the Sobel test revealed that the impact of social cohesion on well-being is significantly mediated by social embeddedness (Z=5.62; P<0.001). Finally, the results of a multigroup analysis test showed that social cohesion influences well-being through the social embeddedness mechanism somewhat differently for older men than women. The findings of this study, in addition to supporting the importance of neighborhood social cohesion for the well-being of older adults, also provide evidence that the impact of social cohesion towards well-being is mediated through the mechanism of social embeddedness.

Associations Among Individuals' Perceptions of Future Time, Individual Resources, and Subjective Well-Being in Old Age.

PubMed

Hoppmann, Christiane A; Infurna, Frank J; Ram, Nilam; Gerstorf, Denis

2017-05-01

Perceptions of future time are of key interest to aging research because of their implications for subjective well-being. Interestingly, perceptions about future time are only moderately associated with age when looking at the second half of life, pointing to a vast heterogeneity in future time perceptions among older adults. We examine associations between future time perceptions, age, and subjective well-being across two studies, including moderations by individual resources. Using data from the Berlin Aging Study (N = 516; Mage = 85 years), we link one operationalization (subjective nearness to death) and age to subjective well-being. Using Health and Retirement Study data (N = 2,596; Mage = 77 years), we examine associations of another future time perception indicator (subjective future life expectancy) and age with subjective well-being. Consistent across studies, perceptions of limited time left were associated with poorer subjective well-being (lower life satisfaction and positive affect; more negative affect and depressive symptoms). Importantly, individual resources moderated future time perception-subjective well-being associations with those of better health exhibiting reduced future time perception-subjective well-being associations. We discuss our findings in the context of the Model of Strength and Vulnerability Integration. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Persistent Deterioration of Functioning (PDF) and change in well-being in older persons.

PubMed

Jonker, Angèle A; Comijs, Hannie C; Knipscheer, Kees C; Deeg, Dorly J

2008-10-01

It is often assumed that aging is accompanied by diverse and constant functional and cognitive decline, and it is therefore surprising that the well-being of older persons does not appear to decline in the same way. This study investigates longitudinally whether well-being in older persons changes due to Persistent Deterioration of Functioning (PDF). Data were collected in the context of the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA). Conditions of PDF are persistent decline in cognitive functioning, physical functioning and increase in chronic diseases. Measurements of well-being included life satisfaction, positive affect, and valuation of life. T-tests were used to analyse mean difference scores for well-being, and univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to examine changes in three well-being outcomes in relation to PDF. Cross-sectional analyses showed significant differences and associations between the two PDF subgroups and non- PDF for well-being at T3. In longitudinal analyses, we found significant decreases in and associations with wellbeing over time in respondents fulfilling one PDF condition (mild PDF). For respondents fulfilling two or more PDF conditions (severe PDF), longitudinally no significant associations were found. Cognitive aspects of well-being (life satisfaction and valuation of life) and the affective element (positive affect) of well-being appear to be influenced negatively by mild PDF, whereas well-being does not seem to be diminished in persons with more severe PDF. This may be due to the ability to accept finally the inevitable situation of severe PDF.

Relationship Between Increased Personal Well-Being and Enhanced Empathy Among Internal Medicine Residents

PubMed Central

Shanafelt, Tait D; West, Colin; Zhao, Xinghua; Novotny, Paul; Kolars, Joseph; Habermann, Thomas; Sloan, Jeff

2005-01-01

BACKGROUND While resident distress and its potential to negatively effect patient care have been well documented, little is known bout resident well-being or its potential to enhance care. OBJECTIVE We measured resident well-being and explored its relationship with empathy. DESIGN Anonymous, cross-sectional survey. PARTICIPANTS Internal medicine residents at Mayo Clinic Rochester (n=165, summer 2003). MEASUREMENTS Well-being was measured using the previously validated Medical Outcomes Study 8-item Short Form (SF-8). Empathy was measured using the previously validated Perspective Taking (PT) and Empathetic Concerns (EC) Sub-scales of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI). RESULTS Eighty-three (50%) residents responded to the survey. Mean scores for well-being as measured by the SF-8 were comparable to the general population, and empathy scores on the IRI were similar to other resident samples. Resident empathy on both the cognitive (PT) and emotive (EC) sub-scales of the IRI was higher for residents with higher mental well-being on the SF-8; however, this difference was statistically significant only for the cognitive sub-scale. The importance of a number of personal wellness promotion strategies differed for residents with higher mental well-being on the SF-8. CONCLUSIONS High mental well-being was associated with enhanced resident empathy in this cross-sectional survey. Future studies need to explore the potential for high resident well-being to enhance medical care and competency in addition to exploring the negative consequences of resident distress. Studies investigating how to promote resident well-being are needed. PMID:16050855

The eudaimonic component of satisfaction with life and psychological well-being in Spanish cultures.

PubMed

Díaz, Darío; Stavraki, María; Blanco, Amalio; Gandarillas, Beatriz

2015-01-01

In the study of well-being there are two partially overlapping traditions that have been developed in parallel. Subjective well-being (SWB) has been associated with the hedonistic approach of well-being, and psychological well-being (PWB) with the eudaimonistic one. However, satisfaction with life, the most common SWB indicator, is not strictly a hedonic concept and contains many eudaimonic components. The objective of this research is to examine whether a Eudaimonic Well-being G-Factor of Satisfaction with Life (SWLS) and Psychological Well-being Scales (PWBS) emerges. 400 people from the general population of Colombia (Study 1) and 401 from Spain (Study 2), recruited via advertisement, voluntarily participated and filled in a booklet containing, in order of appearance, the PWBS and the SWLS. According to our hypothesis, parallel analysis, eigenvalues, scree plot graphs and exploratory factor analysis (Study 1) suggested the existence of a one-factor structure. Confirmatory factor analysis (Study 2) indicated that this one-factor model provided excellent data fit. Results of a multi-group confirmatory factor analysis confirmed cross-cultural factor invariance. These results question the view that the satisfaction with life indicator is uniquely hedonic and point to the need for a greater integration between hedonic and eudaimonic traditions.

Wellbeing during Active Surveillance for localised prostate cancer: a systematic review of psychological morbidity and quality of life.

PubMed

Carter, Gregory; Clover, Kerrie; Britton, Ben; Mitchell, Alex J; White, Martin; McLeod, Nicholas; Denham, Jim; Lambert, Sylvie D

2015-01-01

Active Surveillance (AS) is recommended for the treatment of localised prostate cancer; however this option may be under-used, at least in part because of expectations of psychological adverse events in those offered or accepting AS. (1) Determine the impact on psychological wellbeing when treated with AS (non-comparative studies). (2) Compare AS with active treatments for the impact on psychological wellbeing (comparative studies). We used the PRISMA guidelines and searched Medline, PsychInfo, EMBASE, CINHAL, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and Scopus for articles published January 2000-2014. Eligible studies reported original quantitative data on any measures of psychological wellbeing. We identified 34 eligible articles (n=12,497 individuals); 24 observational, eight RCTs, and two other interventional studies. Studies came from North America (16), Europe (14) Australia (3) and North America/Europe (1). A minority (5/34) were rated as high quality. Most (26/34) used validated instruments, whilst a substantial minority (14/34) used watchful waiting or no active treatment rather than Active Surveillance. There was modest evidence of no adverse impact on psychological wellbeing associated with Active Surveillance; and no differences in psychological wellbeing compared to active treatments. Patients can be informed that Active Surveillance involves no greater threat to their psychological wellbeing as part of the informed consent process, and clinicians need not limit access to Active Surveillance based on an expectation of adverse impacts on psychological wellbeing. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Iranian and Swedish adolescents: differences in personality traits and well-being

PubMed Central

Nima, Ali A.; Sikström, Sverker; Archer, Trevor

2013-01-01

Introduction. This study addresses the need to further contextualize research on well-being (e.g., Kjell, 2011) in terms of cross-cultural aspects of personality traits among adolescents and by examining two different conceptualizations of well-being: subjective well-being (i.e., life satisfaction, positive and negative affect) and psychological well-being (i.e., positive relations with others, environmental mastery, self-acceptance, autonomy, personal growth, and life purpose). Methods. Iranian (N = 122, mean age 15.23 years) and Swedish (N = 109, mean age 16.69 years) adolescents were asked to fill out a Big Five personality test, as well as questionnaires assessing subjective well-being and psychological well-being. Results. Swedes reported higher subjective and psychological well-being, while Iranians reported higher degree of Agreeableness, Openness and Conscientiousness. Neuroticism and Extraversion did not differ between cultures. Neuroticism was related to well-being within both cultures. Openness was related to well-being only among Iranians, and Extraversion only among Swedes. A mediation analysis within the Swedish sample, the only sample meeting statistical criteria for mediation analysis to be conducted, demonstrated that psychological well-being mediated the relationship between Neuroticism and subjective well-being as well as between Extraversion and subjective well-being. Conclusions. Certain personality traits, such as Extraversion, Openness, and Conscientiousness, relate differently to well-being measures across cultures. Meanwhile, Neuroticism seems to relate similarly across cultures at least with regard to subjective well-being. Furthermore, the results give an indication on how psychological well-being might mediate the relationship between certain personality traits and subjective well-being. Overall, the complexity of the results illustrates the need for more research whilst supporting the importance of contextualizing well-being research. PMID:24255812

Childhood socioeconomic position and adult mental wellbeing: Evidence from four British birth cohort studies

PubMed Central

Bann, David; Hardy, Rebecca; Gale, Catharine; Goodman, Alissa; Crawford, Claire; Stafford, Mai

2017-01-01

Background There is much evidence showing that childhood socioeconomic position is associated with physical health in adulthood; however existing evidence on how early life disadvantage is associated with adult mental wellbeing is inconsistent. This paper investigated whether childhood socioeconomic position (SEP) is associated with adult mental wellbeing and to what extent any association is explained by adult SEP using harmonised data from four British birth cohort studies. Methods The sample comprised 20,717 participants with mental wellbeing data in the Hertfordshire Cohort Study (HCS), the MRC National Survey of Health and Development (NSHD), the National Child Development Study (NCDS), and the British Cohort Study (BCS70). Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS) scores at age 73 (HCS), 60–64 (NSHD), 50 (NCDS), or 42 (BCS70) were used. Harmonised socioeconomic position (Registrar General’s Social Classification) was ascertained in childhood (age 10/11) and adulthood (age 42/43). Associations between childhood SEP, adult SEP, and wellbeing were tested using linear regression and multi-group structural equation models. Results More advantaged father’s social class was associated with better adult mental wellbeing in the BCS70 and the NCDS. This association was independent of adult SEP in the BCS70 but fully mediated by adult SEP in the NCDS. There was no evidence of an association between father’s social class and adult mental wellbeing in the HCS or the NSHD. Conclusions Socioeconomic conditions in childhood are directly and indirectly, through adult socioeconomic pathways, associated with adult mental wellbeing, but findings from these harmonised data suggest this association may depend on cohort or age. PMID:29069091

Associations between the Application of Signature Character Strengths, Health and Well-being of Health Professionals.

PubMed

Hausler, Melanie; Strecker, Cornelia; Huber, Alexandra; Brenner, Mirjam; Höge, Thomas; Höfer, Stefan

2017-01-01

Previous research has shown a positive relation between character strengths, well-being and health. The aim of this analysis was to identify relations between the application of signature character strengths (ASCS) at work, and well-being and health, among medical students (Study 1) and resident physicians (Study 2). We expected positive direct links between the constructs and indirect effects through emotional exhaustion. To test these hypotheses, 387 medical students in their first year and 136 resident physicians completed five scales measuring well-being, mental/physical health, character strengths, the application of their five individual signature strengths, and emotional exhaustion as an indicator of burnout. Partial correlations were examined, and mediation analyses performed. ASCS at work was positively linked with well-being and mental health but not with physical health. All links were mediated by emotional exhaustion in Study 1 and (except for mental health) also in Study 2. Future studies would therefore do well to investigate the promotion of ASCS at work of people operating in medical education and its potential in fostering well-being and preventing burnout from the outset.

Associations between the Application of Signature Character Strengths, Health and Well-being of Health Professionals

PubMed Central

Hausler, Melanie; Strecker, Cornelia; Huber, Alexandra; Brenner, Mirjam; Höge, Thomas; Höfer, Stefan

2017-01-01

Previous research has shown a positive relation between character strengths, well-being and health. The aim of this analysis was to identify relations between the application of signature character strengths (ASCS) at work, and well-being and health, among medical students (Study 1) and resident physicians (Study 2). We expected positive direct links between the constructs and indirect effects through emotional exhaustion. To test these hypotheses, 387 medical students in their first year and 136 resident physicians completed five scales measuring well-being, mental/physical health, character strengths, the application of their five individual signature strengths, and emotional exhaustion as an indicator of burnout. Partial correlations were examined, and mediation analyses performed. ASCS at work was positively linked with well-being and mental health but not with physical health. All links were mediated by emotional exhaustion in Study 1 and (except for mental health) also in Study 2. Future studies would therefore do well to investigate the promotion of ASCS at work of people operating in medical education and its potential in fostering well-being and preventing burnout from the outset. PMID:28824492

Testing the Main Determinants of Teachers' Professional Well-Being by Using a Mixed Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yildirim, Kamil

2015-01-01

Measuring the perception of professional well-being appears as a problematic issue in past studies. Literature reviews show that previous studies have not yet reached an agreement on measures of teachers' professional well-being. Furthermore, when we consider the cultural context, a research gap becomes clearer. The aim of this study was to…

Managing Health and Well-Being: Student Experiences in Transitioning to Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wrench, Alison; Garrett, Robyne; King, Sharron

2014-01-01

It is commonly recognised that health and well-being are influenced by social conditions, such as the transition to higher education. This study explored student perceptions and experiences of factors that impacted on health and well-being during the first year of university studies. Data for this study were collected via an online student…

Students with Self-Identified Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (Si-SEND): Flourishing or Languishing!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skrzypiec, Grace; Askell-Williams, Helen; Slee, Phillip; Rudzinski, Adrian

2016-01-01

Students' wellbeing is an essential component of their ability to function well, not only at school but also in all life domains. Many studies have investigated student wellbeing. However, empirical studies about the wellbeing of students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are scarce. Furthermore, many studies have adopted a…

General Well-Being of Higher Secondary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawrence, A. S. Arul

2017-01-01

General well-being is the quality of life of a person/individual in terms of health, happiness and prosperity rather than wealth. The present study aims to probe the General Well-being of Higher Secondary Students. In this normative survey study, the investigator has selected a sample of 200 higher secondary school students who were studying 11th…

Environmental volunteer well-being: Managers’ perception and actual well-being of volunteers

PubMed Central

Kragh, Gitte; Stafford, Rick; Curtin, Susanna; Diaz, Anita

2016-01-01

Background: Environmental volunteering can increase well-being, but environmental volunteer well-being has rarely been compared to participant well-being associated with other types of volunteering or nature-based activities. This paper aims to use a multidimensional approach to well-being to explore the immediately experienced and later remembered well-being of environmental volunteers and to compare this to the increased well-being of participants in other types of nature-based activities and volunteering. Furthermore, it aims to compare volunteer managers’ perceptions of their volunteers’ well-being with the self-reported well-being of the volunteers. Methods: Onsite surveys were conducted of practical conservation and biodiversity monitoring volunteers, as well as their control groups (walkers and fieldwork students, respectively), to measure general well-being before their nature-based activity and activity-related well-being immediately after their activity. Online surveys of current, former and potential volunteers and volunteer managers measured remembered volunteering-related well-being and managers’ perceptions of their volunteers’ well-being. Data were analysed based on Seligman’s multidimensional PERMA (‘positive emotion’, ‘engagement’, ‘positive relationship’, ‘meaning’, ‘achievement’) model of well-being. Factor analysis recovered three of the five PERMA elements, ‘engagement’, ‘relationship’ and ‘meaning’, as well as ‘negative emotion’ and ‘health’ as factors. Results: Environmental volunteering significantly improved positive elements and significantly decreased negative elements of participants’ immediate well-being, and it did so more than walking or student fieldwork. Even remembering their volunteering up to six months later, volunteers rated their volunteering-related well-being higher than volunteers rated their well-being generally in life. However, volunteering was not found to have an effect on overall mean well-being generally in life. Volunteer managers did not perceive the significant increase in well-being that volunteers reported. Conclusions: This study showed how environmental volunteering immediately improved participants’ well-being, even more than other nature-based activities. It highlights the benefit of regarding well-being as a multidimensional construct to more systematically understand, support and enhance volunteer well-being. PMID:28184285

The Promotion of Well-Being in Aging Individuals Living in Nursing Homes: A Controlled Pilot Intervention with Narrative Strategies.

PubMed

Cesetti, Giulia; Vescovelli, Francesca; Ruini, Chiara

2017-01-01

The study aimed: (1) to compare levels of well-being and distress in older adults living in nursing homes with those living in community; and (2) to test the feasibility of a positive narrative intervention for improving well-being versus a control art-and-craft intervention in a nursing home setting. Sixty older adults participated in the study (M = 77.37; SD = 5.00), Male = 20 (33.3%). In Study 1, 30 adults living in nursing homes were compared with 30 community-dwellers using the following measures: Satisfaction with Life Scale, Psychological Well-being Scale, Social Well-being Scale, Geriatric Depression Scale, and sleep quality. In Study 2, the same 30 adults living in nursing homes were allocated to a positive narrative intervention group (N = 20) or to a control group (N = 10) and assessed at post-intervention. In Study 1, older adults in nursing homes presented more depression and impairments in well-being, compared to community-dwellers. In Study 2, at post-treatment, individuals assigned to the narrative intervention reported significantly increased well-being and sleep quality. Although preliminary, results showed that older adults living in nursing homes are more vulnerable than community-dwellers. These patients experienced improvement when given a short group positive narrative intervention applicable in nursing homes. A brief group intervention based on fairy tales yielded improvements in well-being and sleep quality in nursing home residents, who enjoyed and appreciated its content. These promising results need to be confirmed by future randomized controlled trials.

Well-being and Anticipation for Future Positive Events: Evidences from an fMRI Study.

PubMed

Luo, Yangmei; Chen, Xuhai; Qi, Senqing; You, Xuqun; Huang, Xiting

2017-01-01

Anticipation for future confers great benefits to human well-being and mental health. However, previous work focus on how people's well-being correlate with brain activities during perception of emotional stimuli, rather than anticipation for the future events. Here, the current study investigated how well-being relates to neural circuitry underlying the anticipating process of future desired events. Using event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging, 40 participants were scanned while they were performing an emotion anticipation task, in which they were instructed to anticipate the positive or neutral events. The results showed that bilateral medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) were activated during anticipation for positive events relative to neutral events, and the enhanced brain activation in MPFC was associated with higher level of well-being. The findings suggest a neural mechanism by which the anticipation process to future desired events correlates to human well-being, which provide a future-oriented view on the neural sources of well-being.

Well-being and Anticipation for Future Positive Events: Evidences from an fMRI Study

PubMed Central

Luo, Yangmei; Chen, Xuhai; Qi, Senqing; You, Xuqun; Huang, Xiting

2018-01-01

Anticipation for future confers great benefits to human well-being and mental health. However, previous work focus on how people’s well-being correlate with brain activities during perception of emotional stimuli, rather than anticipation for the future events. Here, the current study investigated how well-being relates to neural circuitry underlying the anticipating process of future desired events. Using event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging, 40 participants were scanned while they were performing an emotion anticipation task, in which they were instructed to anticipate the positive or neutral events. The results showed that bilateral medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) were activated during anticipation for positive events relative to neutral events, and the enhanced brain activation in MPFC was associated with higher level of well-being. The findings suggest a neural mechanism by which the anticipation process to future desired events correlates to human well-being, which provide a future-oriented view on the neural sources of well-being. PMID:29375415

Consequences of Dating for Post-Divorce Maternal Well-Being

PubMed Central

Langlais, Michael R.; Anderson, Edward R.; Greene, Shannon M.

2016-01-01

Repartnering has been linked to health benefits for mothers, yet few studies have examined relationship quality in this context. According to the divorce-stress-adaptation perspective, relationship quality may influence the relationship between maternal well-being and dating after divorce. The current study examines the consequences of dating, relationship quality, and dating transitions (breaking up and dating new partners) on maternal well-being (negative affect and life satisfaction). Using monthly surveys completed by mothers over a two-year period after filing for divorce, we examined changes in intercepts and slopes of dating status and transitions for maternal well-being while also testing the effects of relationship quality. Mothers entering high-quality relationships were likely to report boosts in well-being at relationship initiation compared to single mothers and mothers entering low-quality relationships. Mothers entering lower-quality relationships were likely to report lower levels of well-being than single mothers. Dating transitions were associated with increases in well-being. Implications for maternal adjustment are discussed. PMID:27746511

Influence of family resources and coping behaviors on well-being of African American and Caucasian parents of school-age children with asthma.

PubMed

Lee, E Juanita; Jackson, Brenda; Parker, Veronica; DuBose, Lisa; Botchway, Portia

2009-01-01

A descriptive cross-sectional study was designed to examine the influence of family resources and coping behaviors on the well-being of African American and Caucasian parents providing care to a school-age child with asthma. A convenience sample of 71 (33 African American and 38 Caucasian) parents of school-age children with asthma were recruited from two private medical practices and one school. Family resources were assessed using the Family Inventory of Resources for Management. Coping behaviors were assessed using the Coping Health Inventory for Parents and well-being was measured by the General Well-being Schedule. For both groups, the findings revealed family resources are significantly related to parental well-being. Also, coping behaviors were significantly related to the well-being of Caucasian parents. The results of this study support the literature related to the importance of resiliency factors such as family resources and coping behaviors on parental well-being.

The interaction between individualism and wellbeing in predicting mortality: Survey of Health Ageing and Retirement in Europe.

PubMed

Okely, Judith A; Weiss, Alexander; Gale, Catharine R

2018-02-01

The link between greater wellbeing and longevity is well documented. The aim of the current study was to test whether this association is consistent across individualistic and collectivistic cultures. The sample consisted of 13,596 participants from 11 European countries, each of which was assigned an individualism score according to Hofstede et al.'s (Cultures and organizations: software of the mind, McGraw Hill, New York, 2010) cultural dimension of individualism. We tested whether individualism moderated the cross-sectional association between wellbeing and self-rated health or the longitudinal association between wellbeing and mortality risk. Our analysis revealed a significant interaction between individualism and wellbeing such that the association between wellbeing and self-rated health or risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease was stronger in more individualistic countries. However, the interaction between wellbeing and individualism was not significant in analysis predicting all-cause mortality. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm our finding and to explore the factors responsible for this culturally dependent effect.

The Relative Importance of Psychological Acceptance and Emotional Intelligence to Workplace Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donaldson-Feilder, Emma J.; Bond, Frank W.

2004-01-01

Psychological acceptance (acceptance) and emotional intelligence (EI) are two relatively new individual characteristics that are hypothesised to affect well-being and performance at work. This study compares both of them, in terms of their ability to predict various well-being outcomes (i.e. general mental health, physical well-being, and job…

Understanding, Evidencing, and Promoting Adolescent Well-Being: An Emerging Agenda for Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Nic; Kilgour, Lindsey; Christian, Polly; Mori, Kate; Hill, Denise M.

2015-01-01

The well-being of young people is of considerable concern with many initiatives targeting the health behaviors of this population. Educators are among the professional groups being challenged to understand, evidence, and enhance childhood well-being. Working with a case study U.K. school adolescent subjective well-being (SWB) was examined through…

Coping Strategies and Psychological Well-Being among Teacher Education Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gustems-Carnicer, Josep; Calderón, Caterina

2013-01-01

The coping strategies used by students play a key role in their psychological well-being. This study examines the relationship between coping strategies and psychological well-being in a sample of 98 undergraduates aged between 19 and 42 years. Coping strategies were evaluated by means of the CRI-A (Moos, 1993), while psychological well-being was…

Family Day Care Educators: An Exploration of Their Understanding and Experiences Promoting Children's Social and Emotional Wellbeing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Elise; Priest, Naomi; Davies, Belinda; Smyth, Lisa; Waters, Elizabeth; Herrman, Helen; Sims, Margaret; Harrison, Linda; Cook, Kay; Marshall, Bernie; Williamson, Lara

2012-01-01

This study aimed to explore family day care (FDC) educators' knowledge of child social and emotional wellbeing and mental health problems, the strategies used to promote children's wellbeing, and barriers and opportunities for promoting children's social and emotional wellbeing. Thirteen FDC educators participated in individual semi-structured…

Self-Reported Psychological Wellbeing in Adolescents: The Role of Intellectual/Developmental Disability and Gender

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boström, P.; Åsberg Johnels, J.; Broberg, M.

2018-01-01

Background: The Wellbeing in Special Education Questionnaire was developed to assess subjective wellbeing in young persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD) as this perspective is rarely included in research. The present study explored how ID/DD and gender are related to self-reported wellbeing among adolescents. Method:…

Measuring Well-Being and Progress

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

D'Acci, Luca

2011-01-01

Well-being is becoming a concept which is more and more involved in any world development consideration. A large amount of work is being carried out to study measurements of well-being, including a more holistic vision on the development and welfare of a country. This paper proposes an idea of well-being and progress being in equilibrium with each…

Association of chronic insomnia symptoms and recurrent extreme sleep duration over 10 years with well-being in older adults: a cohort study

PubMed Central

Abell, Jessica G; Shipley, Martin J; Ferrie, Jane E; Kivimäki, Mika; Kumari, Meena

2016-01-01

Objectives The extent to which aspects of sleep affect well-being in the long-term remains unclear. This longitudinal study examines the association between chronic insomnia symptoms, recurrent sleep duration and well-being at older ages. Setting A prospective cohort of UK civil servants (the Whitehall II study). Participants 4491 women and men (25.2% women) with sleep measured 3 times over 10 years and well-being once at age 55–79 years. Insomnia symptoms and sleep duration were assessed through self-reports in 1997–1999, 2003–2004 and 2007–2009. Primary outcome measures Indicators of well-being, measured in 2007–2009, were the Control, Autonomy, Self-realisation and Pleasure measure (CASP-19) of overall well-being (range 0–57) and the physical and mental well-being component scores (range 0–100) of the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Results In maximally adjusted analyses, chronic insomnia symptoms were associated with poorer overall well-being (difference between insomnia at 3 assessments vs none −7.0 (SE=0.4) p<0.001), mental well-being (difference −6.9 (SE=0.4), p<0.001) and physical well-being (difference −2.8 (SE=0.4), p<0.001) independently of the other sleep measures. There was a suggestion of a dose–response pattern in these associations. In addition, recurrent short sleep (difference between ≤5 h sleep reported at 3 assessments vs none −1.7 (SE=0.7), p<0.05) and recurrent long sleep (difference between >9 h reported at 2 or 3 assessments vs none −3.5 (SE=0.9), p<0.001) were associated with poorer physical well-being. Conclusions We conclude that in older people, chronic insomnia symptoms are negatively associated with all aspects of well-being, whereas recurrent long and short sleep is only associated with reduced physical well-being. PMID:26832429

[Activity involvement and extraversion as predictors of psychological wellbeing in older people].

PubMed

Rubio, Laura; Dumitrache, Cristina G; Rubio-Herrera, Ramona

2016-01-01

The relationship between extraversion and wellbeing has been discussed in the literature, however, the impact that this trait has on the wellbeing of older people has been studied to a lesser extent. The relationship between extraversion, participation in activities and psychological wellbeing in older people is analysed in this study. The sample comprised 139 individuals over 55 years from rural and urban areas of the province of Granada who completed the extraversion subscale of the NEO-FFI and the Ryff Scales of the Psychological Wellbeing, as well as responding to questions that evaluated their social participation. A greater social participation was found in rural areas and among women. The activities more frequently performed by the participants were educational and religious activities, walking, everyday chores, crafts, and home improvements. A low positive correlation between extraversion and wellbeing was observed. The multiple regression analysis revealed that extraversion explained 19.9% of the variance in psychological wellbeing, which increased to 25.3% when social participation, gender, and the origin of the sample were considered. Psychological wellbeing appears to be associated with personality traits, such as extraversion. In addition this personality trait is linked to the number and type of activities the elderly perform which also contributes to wellbeing in old age. Copyright © 2015 SEGG. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Well-Being and Associated Factors among Women in the Gender-Segregated Country.

PubMed

Jradi, Hoda; Abouabbas, Oraynab

2017-12-14

Well-being is an essential measure that contributes to the evaluation of the health and quality of life of populations. In 1948, the World Health Organization (WHO) defined health as physical, mental and social well-being. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between July and September 2015. Women aged 18 years old and above were invited to participate in the study. The data were collected using the WHO's Well-Being Index questionnaire. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were fitted to identify factors that are significantly associated with well-being. A total of 900 women completed the survey. Approximately 58% of the women reported moderate to high (≥50) score of well-being, whereas 41.7% reported ill-being/likely depression. Experiencing violence, living in unfavorable physical conditions and reporting morbidities were shown to be significantly associated with low levels of subjective well-being (ill-being) ( p < 0.0001). Our study revealed a significant percentage of low levels of well-being among women in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and identified the factors associated with them. Further research in this domain is recommended to better investigate additional causes of the low levels of well-being hence help in planning and guiding necessary interventions.

Internalized mental illness stigma and subjective well-being: The mediating role of psychological well-being.

PubMed

Pérez-Garín, Daniel; Molero, Fernando; Bos, Arjan E R

2015-08-30

This study examines the relationships between internalized stigma, psychological well-being, and subjective well-being in a sample of people with mental illness. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 213 outpatients from the Spanish public social care network. The results showed that (a) internalized stigma was significantly negatively correlated with psychological well-being and subjective well-being (affect balance and life satisfaction) (all correlations are significant with at least p<0.05; most with p<0.001), (b) the two types of well-being were significantly positively correlated and regressions models were significant and (all correlations are at least p<0.01, and regression models are also significant), (c) the effect of internalized stigma on affect balance and life satisfaction was mediated by psychological well-being. The component of internalized stigma most consistently associated with both types of well-being was alienation (life satisfaction: B=-0.35, p=0.001; affect balance: B=-0.38, p=0.001). These findings should be confirmed in future longitudinal or experimental research. On the basis of these results we recommend that interventions to combat self-stigma aim to reduce feelings of alienation and improve self-acceptance and other aspects of positive psychological functioning. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Aging, mobility impairments and subjective wellbeing.

PubMed

Freedman, Vicki A; Carr, Deborah; Cornman, Jennifer C; Lucas, Richard E

2017-10-01

Wellbeing is often described as U-shaped over the life course, suggesting an apparent paradox that wellbeing remains high at older ages despite increases in impairments. We explore associations among age, lower body impairments-one of the most common late-life impairments-and three measures of wellbeing: life satisfaction, emotional wellbeing and somatic wellbeing. We hypothesize that age effects are positive, become stronger once lower body impairments are controlled, and are concentrated among those who have maintained their mobility. Net of confounding factors, we hypothesize that lower body impairments are associated with worse wellbeing and these effects diminish with advancing age. We analyze the 2013 Disability and Use of Time supplement to the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (N = 1607 adults ages 60 and older). We estimate nested regression models that include age, severity of lower body impairments and confounding demographic, psychological, and socioeconomic factors and activities; test age-impairment interactions; and estimate age- and impairment-stratified models. Positive age effects were observed after controlling for lower body impairments for life satisfaction (β = 0.90; p < 0.05), although statistical significance weakened (p = 0.07) in fully adjusted models. For emotional wellbeing, adjusted age effects were negative (β = -0.05; p < 0.05) and were concentrated among those with limitations (β = -0.14; p < 0.01). For all three outcomes, severity of impairments reduced wellbeing in adjusted models. These effects were strongest for somatic wellbeing, especially for 65-74 year olds. Our study challenges the notion that wellbeing is U-shaped throughout the life course and underscores the critical role of mobility across wellbeing domains in later life. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Positive psychology interventions: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The use of positive psychological interventions may be considered as a complementary strategy in mental health promotion and treatment. The present article constitutes a meta-analytical study of the effectiveness of positive psychology interventions for the general public and for individuals with specific psychosocial problems. Methods We conducted a systematic literature search using PubMed, PsychInfo, the Cochrane register, and manual searches. Forty articles, describing 39 studies, totaling 6,139 participants, met the criteria for inclusion. The outcome measures used were subjective well-being, psychological well-being and depression. Positive psychology interventions included self-help interventions, group training and individual therapy. Results The standardized mean difference was 0.34 for subjective well-being, 0.20 for psychological well-being and 0.23 for depression indicating small effects for positive psychology interventions. At follow-up from three to six months, effect sizes are small, but still significant for subjective well-being and psychological well-being, indicating that effects are fairly sustainable. Heterogeneity was rather high, due to the wide diversity of the studies included. Several variables moderated the impact on depression: Interventions were more effective if they were of longer duration, if recruitment was conducted via referral or hospital, if interventions were delivered to people with certain psychosocial problems and on an individual basis, and if the study design was of low quality. Moreover, indications for publication bias were found, and the quality of the studies varied considerably. Conclusions The results of this meta-analysis show that positive psychology interventions can be effective in the enhancement of subjective well-being and psychological well-being, as well as in helping to reduce depressive symptoms. Additional high-quality peer-reviewed studies in diverse (clinical) populations are needed to strengthen the evidence-base for positive psychology interventions. PMID:23390882

Positive psychology interventions: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies.

PubMed

Bolier, Linda; Haverman, Merel; Westerhof, Gerben J; Riper, Heleen; Smit, Filip; Bohlmeijer, Ernst

2013-02-08

The use of positive psychological interventions may be considered as a complementary strategy in mental health promotion and treatment. The present article constitutes a meta-analytical study of the effectiveness of positive psychology interventions for the general public and for individuals with specific psychosocial problems. We conducted a systematic literature search using PubMed, PsychInfo, the Cochrane register, and manual searches. Forty articles, describing 39 studies, totaling 6,139 participants, met the criteria for inclusion. The outcome measures used were subjective well-being, psychological well-being and depression. Positive psychology interventions included self-help interventions, group training and individual therapy. The standardized mean difference was 0.34 for subjective well-being, 0.20 for psychological well-being and 0.23 for depression indicating small effects for positive psychology interventions. At follow-up from three to six months, effect sizes are small, but still significant for subjective well-being and psychological well-being, indicating that effects are fairly sustainable. Heterogeneity was rather high, due to the wide diversity of the studies included. Several variables moderated the impact on depression: Interventions were more effective if they were of longer duration, if recruitment was conducted via referral or hospital, if interventions were delivered to people with certain psychosocial problems and on an individual basis, and if the study design was of low quality. Moreover, indications for publication bias were found, and the quality of the studies varied considerably. The results of this meta-analysis show that positive psychology interventions can be effective in the enhancement of subjective well-being and psychological well-being, as well as in helping to reduce depressive symptoms. Additional high-quality peer-reviewed studies in diverse (clinical) populations are needed to strengthen the evidence-base for positive psychology interventions.

The Effects of Place Attachment on Social Well-Being in Older Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Afshar, Pouya Farokhnezhad; Foroughan, Mahshid; Vedadhir, AbouAli; Tabatabaei, Mahmoud Ghazi

2017-01-01

Social well-being and place attachment are two important concepts in health and quality of life of older adults. There are few studies on the relationship between these concepts at the individual level. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of place attachment dimensions on social well-being dimensions in older adults. This study was…

A Daily Dose of CALM: Supporting Middle School Educators' Wellbeing and Classroom Functioning through a Brief Stress Reduction Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Alexis R.; Jennings, Patricia A.; Abenavoli, Rachel M.; Katz, Deirdre A.; Greenberg, Mark T.; Schussler, Deborah

2014-01-01

The current study involved the development, implementation, and evaluation of a universal school-based intervention designed to promote health and wellbeing among educators. This study aims to further investigate the efficacy of contemplative practices as a support for teacher wellbeing. The study contributes a new perspective to the current…

Social relationships, mental health and wellbeing in physical disability: a systematic review.

PubMed

Tough, Hannah; Siegrist, Johannes; Fekete, Christine

2017-05-08

Research has consistently found that favourable exchange with one's proximal social environment has positive effects on both mental health and wellbeing. Adults with physical disabilities may have fewer opportunities of favourable exchange, and therefore the effects on mental health and wellbeing may be less advantageous. The aim of this study is to systematically review quantitative studies exploring associations of social relationships with mental health and wellbeing in persons with physical disabilities. The databases PubMed, PsycINFO and Scopus were searched for relevant studies published between 1995 and 2016. Data was extracted on study and participants' characteristics, independent and dependent variables, used measures and effects sizes of associations between social relationships and mental health or wellbeing. A narrative review was performed to synthesize findings along the constructs social support, social networks, negative social interactions, family functioning and relationship quality. Of the 63 included studies, 47 were cross-sectional and 16 longitudinal. Most studies included a measure of social support (n = 58), while other concepts were less often studied (social networks n = 6; negative social interaction n = 3; family functioning n = 2; relationship quality n = 1). Over half of studies included depression as outcome (n = 33), followed by wellbeing (n = 14), composite mental health measures (n = 10), anxiety (n = 8), psychological distress (n = 7), posttraumatic stress disorder (n = 3), and hopelessness (n = 1). Although trends for associations of social support with mental health and wellbeing were consistent, around a quarter of studies failed to report significant associations. Social networks were related to depression, but not to other mental health or wellbeing measures. Family functioning, negative social interactions and relationship quality showed consistent associations with mental health and wellbeing, however, only few studies were available. This review indicates that social relationships play an important role in mental health and wellbeing in persons with disabilities, although findings are less consistent than in general populations and strength of associations vary between constructs. Integrating persons with disabilities into social networks seems not sufficient and rehabilitation professionals together with affected persons and their peers should ensure that high quality relationships and tailored support are available.

Healthcare Staff Wellbeing, Burnout, and Patient Safety: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Hall, Louise H; Johnson, Judith; Watt, Ian; Tsipa, Anastasia; O'Connor, Daryl B

2016-01-01

To determine whether there is an association between healthcare professionals' wellbeing and burnout, with patient safety. Systematic research review. PsychInfo (1806 to July 2015), Medline (1946 to July 2015), Embase (1947 to July 2015) and Scopus (1823 to July 2015) were searched, along with reference lists of eligible articles. Quantitative, empirical studies that included i) either a measure of wellbeing or burnout, and ii) patient safety, in healthcare staff populations. Forty-six studies were identified. Sixteen out of the 27 studies that measured wellbeing found a significant correlation between poor wellbeing and worse patient safety, with six additional studies finding an association with some but not all scales used, and one study finding a significant association but in the opposite direction to the majority of studies. Twenty-one out of the 30 studies that measured burnout found a significant association between burnout and patient safety, whilst a further four studies found an association between one or more (but not all) subscales of the burnout measures employed, and patient safety. Poor wellbeing and moderate to high levels of burnout are associated, in the majority of studies reviewed, with poor patient safety outcomes such as medical errors, however the lack of prospective studies reduces the ability to determine causality. Further prospective studies, research in primary care, conducted within the UK, and a clearer definition of healthcare staff wellbeing are needed. This review illustrates the need for healthcare organisations to consider improving employees' mental health as well as creating safer work environments when planning interventions to improve patient safety. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42015023340.

Well-Being and the Social Environment of Work: A Systematic Review of Intervention Studies.

PubMed

Daniels, Kevin; Watson, David; Gedikli, Cigdem

2017-08-16

There is consistent evidence that a good social environment in the workplace is associated with employee well-being. However, there has been no specific review of interventions to improve well-being through improving social environments at work. We conducted a systematic review of such interventions, and also considered performance as an outcome. We found eight studies of interventions. Six studies were of interventions that were based on introducing shared social activities into workgroups. Six out of the six studies demonstrated improvements in well-being across the sample (five studies), or for an identifiable sub-group (one study). Four out of the five studies demonstrated improvements in social environments, and four out of the five studies demonstrated improvements in indicators of performance. Analysis of implementation factors indicated that the interventions based on shared activities require some external facilitation, favorable worker attitudes prior to the intervention, and several different components. We found two studies that focused on improving fairness perceptions in the workplace. There were no consistent effects of these interventions on well-being or performance. We conclude that there is some evidence that interventions that increase the frequency of shared activities between workers can improve worker well-being and performance. We offer suggestions for improving the evidence base.

Well-Being and the Social Environment of Work: A Systematic Review of Intervention Studies

PubMed Central

Gedikli, Cigdem

2017-01-01

There is consistent evidence that a good social environment in the workplace is associated with employee well-being. However, there has been no specific review of interventions to improve well-being through improving social environments at work. We conducted a systematic review of such interventions, and also considered performance as an outcome. We found eight studies of interventions. Six studies were of interventions that were based on introducing shared social activities into workgroups. Six out of the six studies demonstrated improvements in well-being across the sample (five studies), or for an identifiable sub-group (one study). Four out of the five studies demonstrated improvements in social environments, and four out of the five studies demonstrated improvements in indicators of performance. Analysis of implementation factors indicated that the interventions based on shared activities require some external facilitation, favorable worker attitudes prior to the intervention, and several different components. We found two studies that focused on improving fairness perceptions in the workplace. There were no consistent effects of these interventions on well-being or performance. We conclude that there is some evidence that interventions that increase the frequency of shared activities between workers can improve worker well-being and performance. We offer suggestions for improving the evidence base. PMID:28813009

Faith Maturity and Mental Well-Being: A Longitudinal Study of Indian American Followers of a Guru Tradition.

PubMed

Pandya, Samta P

2018-05-05

This article is based on a longitudinal study of Indian Americans devoted to a guru tradition, aiming to explore how faith contributes to their mental well-being. Respondent sample size at phase 1 (2003-2004) was 1872 and at phase 2 (2013-2014) was 1764. Two scales were used to measure faith maturity and well-being. Results showed that phase 2 well-being scores of the devotees were higher, influenced by faith maturity and engagement regularity, thereby corroborating the faith-religiosity-well-being link, further reinforced by the structural equation model. Faith emerges as critical variable in working with this cohort and planning interventions towards promoting their well-being.

Investigating how menopausal factors and self-compassion shape well-being: An exploratory path analysis.

PubMed

Brown, Lydia; Bryant, Christina; Brown, Valerie; Bei, Bei; Judd, Fiona

2015-06-01

A large body of work has investigated the relationship between menopausal factors and negative well-being (e.g. anxiety and depressive symptoms), but less is known about positive well-being and its correlates among midlife women. This study tests two models with both positive and negative well-being indices as outcomes: the first included menopausal factors as predictors; the second model expanded the first by adding self-compassion, a protective trait, as a predictor and moderator. Cross-sectional study based on self-report questionnaires from 206 women aged 40-60, currently experiencing hot flushes. Hot flush interference ratings, emotional balance, satisfaction with life, eudaimonic well-being and depressive symptoms. In model one, menopausal stage and hot flush frequency were independent of well-being outcomes. Beliefs about perceived control over menopause was the strongest predictor of well-being (β range: .22-.32), followed by hot flush interference ratings (β range: .15-.33). In model two, self-compassion was the strongest predictor of well-being indices (β range: .20-.39), followed by beliefs about control (β range: .16-.20) and interference ratings (β range: .17-.26). Psychological aspects of the menopause appear more strongly linked to well-being than physiological aspects such as menopausal stage and hot flush frequency. Specifically, self-compassion, feeling in control of menopause and low interference ratings are three factors that are associated with well-being among midlife women. These aspects could be considered in tandem, as a means to support well-being in the context of menopause. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Community mental health nurses speak out: the critical relationship between emotional wellbeing and satisfying professional practice.

PubMed

Rose, Jayln; Glass, Nel

2006-10-01

The article reports on selected findings of a research study concerning emotional wellbeing and professional nursing practice (Rose 2002). It highlights the relationship between community mental health nurses' and emotional wellbeing, and their capacity to provide satisfying professional nursing practice (Rose 2002). The notion of emotional wellbeing, factors that impacted upon the participants' emotional wellbeing, and the relationship of emotional wellbeing to professional practice were revealed in the study. These findings were based on a qualitative critical feminist research inquiry and specifically, interviews with five women community mental health nurses in Australia. Whilst complex, emotional wellbeing was found to be both implicitly and explicitly linked to the participants intertwined personal and professional experiences. Four key components were identified: the nebulous notion; the stress relationship; the mind, body, spirit connection; and, inner sense of balance. In terms of emotional wellbeing and professional practice, three themes were revealed. These were: being able to speak out (or not); being autonomous (or not) and being satisfied (or not). The authors argue that the emotional wellbeing of nurses working in community mental health settings is critical to satisfying professional practice. Furthermore nursing work involves emotional work which impacts on one's emotional wellbeing and emotional wellbeing is integrally linked to professional practice. It is recommended that health organisations must be pro-active in addressing the emotional needs of nurses to ensure the delivery of health care that is aligned to professional practice. This approach will ensure nurses will feel more recognised and validated in terms of their nursing practice.

The relationship between spiritual well-being and psychosocial adjustment in Taiwanese patients with colorectal cancer and a colostomy.

PubMed

Li, Chia-Chun; Rew, Lynn; Hwang, Shiow-Li

2012-01-01

We examined relationships among demographic and clinical characteristics, spiritual well-being, and psychosocial adjustment in Taiwanese patients with colorectal cancer and a colostomy. A descriptive, cross-sectional, exploratory study design was used to answer research questions. Participants were recruited from the outpatient ambulatory clinic in the gastrointestinal surgical department at the medical center of National Taiwan University. Forty-five Taiwanese patients aged 42 to 83 years who were diagnosed with colorectal cancer and underwent colostomy surgery participated in the study. Participants completed a personal data questionnaire designed for this study, along with 2 validated instruments, the Spiritual Well-Being Scale and the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale-Self Report. Forty-five persons participated in the study; 69% reported a moderate level of spiritual well-being. Participants reported strong adjustment to extended family relationships, but poor adjustment in sexual relationships. Spiritual well-being was significantly associated with psychosocial adjustment (r = -0.52, P < .01), and 4 predictors (income change after surgery, self-rated disease severity, time since surgery, and spiritual well-being) accounted for 53% of the variance in psychosocial adjustment. Spiritual well-being plays an important role for Taiwanese patients when faced with psychosocial adjustment related to life with colorectal cancer and a colostomy.

How to Apply Feedback to Improve Subjective Wellbeing of Government Servants Engaged in Environmental Protection in China?

PubMed

Gong, Zhenxing; Wang, Xinmeng; Zhang, Na; Li, Miaomiao

2018-01-01

In order to improve subjective wellbeing of government servants engaged in environmental protection who work in high power distance in China, it is important to understand the impact mechanism of feedback. This study aims to analyze how feedback environment influences subjective wellbeing through basic psychological needs satisfaction and analyzing the moderating role of power distance. The study was designed as a cross-sectional study of 492 government servants engaged in environment protection in Shandong, China. Government servants who agreed to participate answered self-report questionnaires concerning demographic conditions, supervisor feedback environment, basic psychological need satisfaction, and power distance as well as subjective wellbeing. Employees in higher levels of supervisor feedback environment were more likely to experience subjective wellbeing. Full mediating effects were found for basic psychological needs satisfaction. Specifically, supervisor feedback environment firstly led to increased basic psychological needs satisfaction, which in turn resulted in increased subjective wellbeing. Additional analysis showed that the mediating effect of basic psychological needs satisfaction was stronger for employees who work in high power distance than in low power distance. The results from the study indicate that supervisor feedback environment plays a vital role in improving subjective wellbeing of government servants engaged in environmental protection through basic psychological needs satisfaction, especially in high power distance.

Preserving Subjective Wellbeing in the Face of Psychopathology: Buffering Effects of Personal Strengths and Resources.

PubMed

Bos, Elisabeth H; Snippe, Evelien; de Jonge, Peter; Jeronimus, Bertus F

2016-01-01

Many studies on resilience have shown that people can succeed in preserving mental health after a traumatic event. Less is known about whether and how people can preserve subjective wellbeing in the presence of psychopathology. We examined to what extent psychopathology can co-exist with acceptable levels of subjective wellbeing and which personal strengths and resources moderate the association between psychopathology and wellbeing. Questionnaire data on wellbeing (Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life/Happiness Index), psychological symptoms (Depression Anxiety Stress Scales), and personal strengths and resources (humor, Humor Style questionnaire; empathy, Empathy Quotient questionnaire; social company; religion; daytime activities, Living situation questionnaire) were collected in a population-based internet study (HowNutsAreTheDutch; N = 12,503). Data of the subset of participants who completed the above questionnaires (n = 2411) were used for the present study. Regression analyses were performed to predict wellbeing from symptoms, resources, and their interactions. Satisfactory levels of wellbeing (happiness score 6 or higher) were found in a substantial proportion of the participants with psychological symptoms (58% and 30% of those with moderate and severe symptom levels, respectively). The association between symptoms and wellbeing was large and negative (-0.67, P < .001), but less so in persons with high levels of self-defeating humor and in those with a partner and/or pet. Several of the personal strengths and resources had a positive main effect on wellbeing, especially self-enhancing humor, having a partner, and daytime activities. Cultivating personal strengths and resources, like humor, social/animal company, and daily occupations, may help people preserve acceptable levels of wellbeing despite the presence of symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.

Preserving Subjective Wellbeing in the Face of Psychopathology: Buffering Effects of Personal Strengths and Resources

PubMed Central

Bos, Elisabeth H.; Snippe, Evelien; de Jonge, Peter; Jeronimus, Bertus F.

2016-01-01

Background Many studies on resilience have shown that people can succeed in preserving mental health after a traumatic event. Less is known about whether and how people can preserve subjective wellbeing in the presence of psychopathology. We examined to what extent psychopathology can co-exist with acceptable levels of subjective wellbeing and which personal strengths and resources moderate the association between psychopathology and wellbeing. Methods Questionnaire data on wellbeing (Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life/Happiness Index), psychological symptoms (Depression Anxiety Stress Scales), and personal strengths and resources (humor, Humor Style questionnaire; empathy, Empathy Quotient questionnaire; social company; religion; daytime activities, Living situation questionnaire) were collected in a population-based internet study (HowNutsAreTheDutch; N = 12,503). Data of the subset of participants who completed the above questionnaires (n = 2411) were used for the present study. Regression analyses were performed to predict wellbeing from symptoms, resources, and their interactions. Results Satisfactory levels of wellbeing (happiness score 6 or higher) were found in a substantial proportion of the participants with psychological symptoms (58% and 30% of those with moderate and severe symptom levels, respectively). The association between symptoms and wellbeing was large and negative (-0.67, P < .001), but less so in persons with high levels of self-defeating humor and in those with a partner and/or pet. Several of the personal strengths and resources had a positive main effect on wellbeing, especially self-enhancing humor, having a partner, and daytime activities. Conclusions Cultivating personal strengths and resources, like humor, social/animal company, and daily occupations, may help people preserve acceptable levels of wellbeing despite the presence of symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. PMID:26963923

The Relationship of Factors of Academic Success and Psychological Well-Being for College Honors Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Mary

2012-01-01

Scope and Method of Study: This study was concerned with perceptions of academic facilitators, academic obstacles, and psychological well-being of college honors students. Differences in the way factors of academic success are perceived, and the relationship these perceptions have with psychological well-being were examined. College honors…

Gender Differences in Predictors of School Wellbeing?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Løhre, Audhild; Moksnes, Unni K.; Lillefjell, Monica

2014-01-01

Objective: Although welfare in childhood and adolescence is of great public concern, individual or other resources have not been extensively studied in relation to wellbeing in schools. In this longitudinal study, factors that may promote girls' or boys' school wellbeing as well as factors that may have an adverse effect were assessed. Methods:…

A Survey of Canadian Early Childhood Educators' Psychological Wellbeing at Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Royer, Nicole; Moreau, Claire

2016-01-01

The study aims to describe early childhood educators' psychological wellbeing at work in terms of their interpersonal fit, thriving, feeling of competency, perceived recognition and desire for involvement. The study approach draws links between perceptions of autonomy at work and wellbeing. The analysis examines the results of a survey conducted…

The Influence of a Positive Psychology Course on Student Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maybury, Karol K.

2013-01-01

This study examined the influence of participation in a positive psychology course on undergraduates' well-being. Twenty-three students from a small liberal arts college in the Northeastern United States participated in this study. As hypothesized, students reported gains in hope, self-actualization, well-being, agency, and pathway hopefulness,…

Is Variety the Spice of Life? An Experimental Investigation into the Effects of Species Richness on Self-Reported Mental Well-Being

PubMed Central

zu Ermgassen, Sophus; Balmford, Andrew; White, Mathew; Weinstein, Netta

2017-01-01

Losses in biodiversity and trends toward urbanisation have reduced people’s contact with biodiverse nature, yet the consequences for mental well-being are not well understood. Here, we demonstrate that greater plant and animal species richness in isolation causes an improvement in mental well-being. To do so, the present research experimentally manipulated species richness and assessed widely-used indicators of mental well-being. Participants viewed short videos of either high or low tree (Study 1) or bird (Study 2) species richness and reported on positive (i.e., vitality, positive affect) and negative (i.e., anxiety) indicators of mental well-being. Building on Study 1, Study 2 included an urban environment as a reference treatment and explored the role of giving participants information on the presented environment. We find that, in line with expectations, watching videos containing greater species richness consistently leads to higher mental well-being. We discuss findings in light of the importance of connecting people to biodiverse environments. PMID:28107417

The role of need fulfillment in relationship functioning and well-being: a self-determination theory perspective.

PubMed

Patrick, Heather; Knee, C Raymond; Canevello, Amy; Lonsbary, Cynthia

2007-03-01

Self-determination theory posits 3 basic psychological needs: autonomy (feeling uncoerced in one's actions), competence (feeling capable), and relatedness (feeling connected to others). Optimal well-being results when these needs are satisfied, though this research has traditionally focused on individual well-being outcomes (e.g., E. L. Deci & R. M. Ryan, 2000). Three studies examined the role of need fulfillment in relationship functioning and well-being. Study 1 found that fulfillment of each need individually predicted both individual and relationship well-being, with relatedness being the strongest unique predictor of relationship outcomes. Study 2 found that both partners' need fulfillment uniquely predicted one's own relationship functioning and well-being. Finally, in Study 3, the authors used a diary recording procedure and tested a model in which the association between need fulfillment and relationship quality was mediated by relationship motivation. Those who experienced greater need fulfillment enjoyed better postdisagreement relationship quality primarily because of their tendency to have more intrinsic or autonomous reasons for being in their relationship. 2007 APA, all rights reserved

A transactional approach to relationships over time between perceived HIV stigma and the psychological and physical well-being of people with HIV.

PubMed

Miller, Carol T; Solomon, Sondra E; Varni, Susan E; Hodge, James J; Knapp, F Andrew; Bunn, Janice Y

2016-08-01

Cross-sectional studies demonstrate that perceived discrimination is related to the psychological and physical well-being of stigmatized people. The theoretical and empirical foci of most of this research in on how racial discrimination undermines well-being. The present study takes a transactional approach to examine people with HIV, a potentially concealable stigma. The transactional approach posits that even as discrimination adversely affects the psychological well-being of people with HIV, psychological distress also makes them more sensitive to perceiving that they may be or have been stigmatized, and may increase the chances that other people actually do stigmatize them. This hypothesis was tested in a longitudinal study in which 216 New England residents with HIV were recruited to complete measures of perceived HIV stigma and well-being across three time points, approximately 90 days apart. This study also expanded on past research by assessing anticipated and internalized stigma as well as perceived discrimination. Results indicated that all of these aspects of HIV stigma prospectively predicted psychological distress, thriving, and physical well-being. Equally important, psychological distress and thriving also prospectively predicted all three aspects of HIV stigma, but physical well-being did not. These findings suggest that people with HIV are ensnared in a cycle in which experiences of stigma and reduced psychological well-being mutually reinforce each other. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spilling over strain between elders and their caregivers in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Cheung, Chau-Kiu; Chow, Esther Oi-wah

2006-01-01

According to the dialectical model, the well-being of the older care recipient, the informal caregiver, and the professional care provider mutually affect each other. Particularly, the caregiver's strain can affect the care recipient's well-being both positively and negatively. Moreover, the task-specific model suggests that as social workers are responsible for maintaining elders' well-being, the workers' strain would be particularly influential on the elders' well-being. To clarify these dialectic relationships, the present study surveyed the three parties involved in home help or home care services in Hong Kong over two successive waves using a panel design. This study reveals the significant negative effect the professional care provider's earlier strain has on the elder's later well-being. Moreover, the social worker's earlier strain was particularly detrimental to the elder's later well-being. In contrast, the effect of the informal caregiver's earlier strain was not significant. Additionally, the elder's well-being had no significant impact on the strain of either the professional care provider or the informal caregiver. Findings of this study support the qualification of the dialectical model by the task-specific model to yield a model of channeled spillover. Accordingly, dialectical influence requires a channel to materialize the spillover effect.

Parenting Mediates the Impact of Caregivers' Distress on Children's Well-Being in Families Affected by HIV/AIDS

PubMed Central

Chi, Peilian; Li, Xiaoming; Tam, Cheuk Chi; Du, Hongfei; Guoxiang, Zhao; Zhao, Junfeng

2015-01-01

Parental illness imposes great challenges to children's life and mental health. Having a parent infected by HIV may further challenge children's psychological well-being. Existing studies have demonstrated a negative impact of caregiver's distress on children's well-being. Limited studies examined the potential pathways of the link. This study aims to examine whether parenting stress, parenting competence and parental responsiveness can explain the relationship between caregivers' distress and children's well-being. A community sample of children of parents living with HIV and their current caregivers (n = 754 dyads) was recruited in rural central China. Children completed the measures on their psychological well-being and perceived parental responsiveness of their caregivers. Caregivers reported on their psychological well-being, parenting stress, and parenting competence. Structural equation modeling analysis showed that caregivers' distress indirectly affect children's well-being through parenting stress, parenting competence and parental responsiveness. Parenting stress explained the impact of caregiver's distress on parental responsiveness and showed pervasive effects on parenting competence. Our findings lend credence to family-based intervention for children affected by HIV and affirm the importance of incorporating the cognitive, emotional and behavioral components of parenting practices in such intervention. PMID:26078116

Subjective and psychological well-being in Parkinson's Disease: A systematic review.

PubMed

Vescovelli, F; Sarti, D; Ruini, C

2018-04-25

The aim of this review is to summarize studies investigating subjective and psychological well-being in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). A systematic and integrative review according to PRISMA criteria was performed with a literature search from inception up to September 2017 in multidisciplinary databases (PubMED, Scopus, Web of Knowledge) by combining together key words related to PD and well-being. Studies were included if: their full-text was available; they involved PD patients; focused on the selected positive dimensions; written in English. Case studies, conference proceedings, abstract, dissertations, book chapters, validation studies and reviews were excluded. Data extracted from the studies included sample characteristics, the positive dimension investigated, type of measure, study aims, design and results. One reviewer extracted details and commented results with other reviewers. The studies' quality was assessed following Kmet, Lee, and Cook. Out of 1425 studies extracted, 12 studies (9 quantitative, 2 qualitative, 1 mixed methods) involving 2204 patients with PD were included. Most of the studies had a cross-sectional design and/or evaluated the effect of physical rehabilitation on well-being. Articles documented that the illness could impair well-being for its progressive impact on patients' motor autonomy. Preserving motor and musculoskeletal functioning facilitate patients' experience of well-being, social contribution and the maintenance of their job. Research on positive resources in PD is still scarce compared to other chronic illnesses. The few available investigations suggest the need of preserving motor abilities by proper rehabilitation programs for maintaining and/or promoting patients' well-being and life engagement. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Money, well-being, and loss aversion: does an income loss have a greater effect on well-being than an equivalent income gain?

PubMed

Boyce, Christopher J; Wood, Alex M; Banks, James; Clark, Andrew E; Brown, Gordon D A

2013-12-01

Higher income is associated with greater well-being, but do income gains and losses affect well-being differently? Loss aversion, whereby losses loom larger than gains, is typically examined in relation to decisions about anticipated outcomes. Here, using subjective-well-being data from Germany (N = 28,723) and the United Kingdom (N = 20,570), we found that losses in income have a larger effect on well-being than equivalent income gains and that this effect is not explained by diminishing marginal benefits of income to well-being. Our findings show that loss aversion applies to experienced losses, challenging suggestions that loss aversion is only an affective-forecasting error. By failing to account for loss aversion, longitudinal studies of the relationship between income and well-being may have overestimated the positive effect of income on well-being. Moreover, societal well-being might best be served by small and stable income increases, even if such stability impairs long-term income growth.

The effects of an emotional intelligence program on the quality of life and well-being of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Yalcin, Bektas Murat; Karahan, Tevfik Fikret; Ozcelik, Muhittin; Igde, Fusun Artiran

2008-01-01

The purpose of the study is to investigate the effect of an emotional intelligence program on the health-related quality of life and well-being of individuals with type 2 diabetes. The BarOn Emotional Intelligence Scale (EQ-I), WHO Well-Being Questionnaire (WHO-WBQ-22), WHO Quality of Life Measure (WHOQOL-Bref), and the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Health Survey (SF-36) were administered to 184 patients with type 2 diabetes who volunteered to participate. Thirty-six patients with the lowest test scores on the WHO-WBQ-22, WHOQOL-Bref, and SF-36 were randomized into study and control groups (18 patients each). A 12-week emotional intelligence program was administered to the study group. At the end of the program, scales were readministered to both groups and again at 3 and 6 months. There were no differences between the quality of life, well-being, and emotional intelligence levels of the study and control groups before the commencement of the program (P > .05). At the conclusion of the program, quality of life, well-being, and emotional intelligence levels of study group patients increased in comparison with those in the control group (P < .001). The positive effect of the program on study groups' quality of life, wellbeing, and emotional intelligence persisted at the 3- and 6-month follow-up. The emotional intelligence program may have positive effects on quality of life and well-being of individuals with type 2 diabetes.

Multiple Group Membership and Well-Being: Is There Always Strength in Numbers?

PubMed Central

Sønderlund, Anders L.; Morton, Thomas A.; Ryan, Michelle K.

2017-01-01

A growing body of research points to the value of multiple group memberships for individual well-being. However, much of this work considers group memberships very broadly and in terms of number alone. We conducted two correlational studies exploring how the relationship between multiple group membership and well-being is shaped by (a) the complexity of those groups within the overall self-concept (i.e., social identity complexity: SIC), and (b) the perceived value and visibility of individual group memberships to others (i.e., stigma). Study 1 (N = 112) found a positive relationship between multiple group membership and well-being, but only for individuals high in SIC. This effect was mediated by perceived identity expression and access to social support. Study 2 (N = 104) also found that multiple group memberships indirectly contributed to well-being via perceived identity expression and social support, as well as identity compatibility and perceived social inclusion. But, in this study the relationship between multiple group memberships and well-being outcomes was moderated by the perceived value and visibility of group memberships to others. Specifically, possessing multiple, devalued and visible group memberships compromised well-being relative to multiple valued group memberships, or devalued group memberships that were invisible. Together, these studies suggest that the benefits of multiple group membership depend on factors beyond their number. Specifically, the features of group memberships, individually and in combination, and the way in which these guide self-expression and social action, determine whether these are a benefit or burden for individual well-being. PMID:28680414

Workplace Bullying and Presenteeism: The Path Through Emotional Exhaustion and Psychological Wellbeing.

PubMed

Neto, Mariana; Ferreira, Aristides I; Martinez, Luis F; Ferreira, Paula C

2017-06-01

Workplace bullying is an increasing phenomenon that concerns managers and employees. However, few studies have investigated how workplace bullying relates with work-related exhaustion and indicators of productivity loss due to presenteeism. Thus, the aim of the present study was to examine the intervening variables of emotional exhaustion and psychological wellbeing in the direct and indirect relationships between workplace bullying and indicators of productivity loss due to presenteeism. In a cross-sectional study, we tested a structural equation model using web survey data of 353 workers from a service company, with the variables: workplace bullying (Quine, 1999), emotional exhaustion (Maslach Burnout Inventory; MBI), psychological wellbeing (GHQ-28), and indicators of productivity loss due to presenteeism (SPS-6). All variables presented acceptable psychometric evidence. The final model revealed a reasonable fit. Workplace bullying was significantly and positively related to emotional exhaustion, which in turn, was significantly related to the loss of psychological wellbeing. Workplace bullying, emotional exhaustion, and the loss of psychological wellbeing were negatively related to concentration (avoiding distraction). Emotional exhaustion and psychological wellbeing mediated the studied structural relationships. Our study contributes to theory and practice, since occupational health professionals should be aware that burnout and the loss of wellbeing may be related to workplace bullying and that productivity loss due to presenteeism may be a warning sign. Leaders can understand the underlying mechanism that explains employees' productivity loss due to presenteeism by addressing workplace bullying and its negative relation with emotional exhaustion and wellbeing. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society.

Near-death experiences and spiritual well-being.

PubMed

Khanna, Surbhi; Greyson, Bruce

2014-12-01

People who have near-death experiences often report a subsequently increased sense of spirituality and a connection with their inner self and the world around them. In this study, we examined spiritual well-being, using Paloutzian and Ellison's Spiritual Well-Being Scale, among 224 persons who had come close to death. Participants who reported having near-death experiences reported greater spiritual well-being than those who did not, and depth of spiritual well-being was positively correlated with depth of near-death experience. We discussed the implications of these findings in light of other reported aftereffects of near-death experiences and of spiritual well-being among other populations.

The Student Perception of Wellbeing Questionnaire: Preliminary Investigation into Its Psychometric Properties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Mark

2015-01-01

An estimated 20% of all adolescents will experience a depressive disorder by the age of 18, with schools being at the forefront of initiatives to promote resilience and well-being. This study reports on the development of the 24-item Student Perception of Wellbeing Questionnaire (SPWQ), created as a measure of well-being in three areas: exercise,…

Native American Kids: American Indian Children's Well-Being Indicators for the Nation and Two States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willeto, Angela A. A.

2007-01-01

American Indian/Alaska Native well-being, survival-based data are rare. This study explores the question of whether or not it is possible to produce such well-being information using secondary data sources. The answer is yes, with some limitations. Hence, Native American data for 10 well-being indicators nationally and for New Mexico and South…

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Well-Being: Is Social Impairment an Issue for College Students with ADHD?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buchanan, Tom

2011-01-01

In this study, the psychological well-being of college students with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) was analyzed. A survey was administered to a convenience sample of undergraduates aged 18-25 at a Southern university (N = 317). Well-being was measured using Ryff's (1989) 6 likert scales of psychological well-being. Students with…

The Influence of Environment and Personality on the Affective and Cognitive Component of Subjective Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schimmack, Ulrich; Schupp, Jurgen; Wagner, Gert G.

2008-01-01

Subjective well-being (SWB) has two components: affective well-being (AWB) and cognitive well-being (CWB). The present study demonstrated that AWB and CWB have are influenced by different factors in a nationally representative sample in Germany (N = 1053). Neuroticism was a stronger predictor of AWB than CWB. Unemployment and regional differences…

Identifying county characteristics associated with resident well-being: A population based study.

PubMed

Roy, Brita; Riley, Carley; Herrin, Jeph; Spatz, Erica S; Arora, Anita; Kell, Kenneth P; Welsh, John; Rula, Elizabeth Y; Krumholz, Harlan M

2018-01-01

Well-being is a positively-framed, holistic assessment of health and quality of life that is associated with longevity and better health outcomes. We aimed to identify county attributes that are independently associated with a comprehensive, multi-dimensional assessment of individual well-being. We performed a cross-sectional study examining associations between 77 pre-specified county attributes and a multi-dimensional assessment of individual US residents' well-being, captured by the Gallup-Sharecare Well-Being Index. Our cohort included 338,846 survey participants, randomly sampled from 3,118 US counties or county equivalents. We identified twelve county-level factors that were independently associated with individual well-being scores. Together, these twelve factors explained 91% of the variance in individual well-being scores, and they represent four conceptually distinct categories: demographic (% black); social and economic (child poverty, education level [

The association between well-being and the COMT gene: Dispositional gratitude and forgiveness as mediators.

PubMed

Liu, Jinting; Gong, Pingyuan; Gao, Xiaoxue; Zhou, Xiaolin

2017-05-01

Previous studies have demonstrated the contributions of genetic variants and positive psychological traits (e.g. gratitude and forgiveness) to well-being. However, little is known about how genes interact with positive traits to affect well-being. To investigate to what extent the COMT Val158Met polymorphism modulates well-being and to what extent dispositional gratitude and forgiveness mediate the individual differences in well-being, 445 participants were recruited and required to complete a battery of questionnaires. We found that individuals with a smaller number of the Met alleles reported greater well-being, less depressive symptoms, and greater tendencies for gratitude and forgiveness. Moreover, dispositional gratitude and forgiveness mediated the genotype effects on well-being and depressive symptoms. These results remained significant after controlling for non-genetic factors (socioeconomic status, religious beliefs, romantic relationship status, parenting style). The sample size limits the generalizability of results. This study demonstrates the contribution of the COMT Val158Met polymorphism to individual differences in well-being and suggests a potential psychobiological pathway from dopaminergic and noradrenergic systems to happiness. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Satisfaction with life and psychological well-being in people with gender dysphoria.

PubMed

Rabito-Alcón, María F; Rodríguez-Molina, José M

2016-01-01

Satisfaction with life and psychological well-being have been extensively studied as measures of mental health, which has led to the development of two major traditions, the hedonic and eudaimonic. A difference has been found between subjective emotional well-being, which is often called psychological well-being, and cognitive well-being, or satisfaction with life. The aim of this study was to explore satisfaction with life and psychological wellbeing in people diagnosed with gender dysphoria (GD), and compare their results to those of the general population. We also looked for gender-related differences. The Fordyce Happiness Measures (or Fordyce Emotions Questionnaire) and the adaptation to Castilian Spanish of the Likert-type 5-item Satisfaction with Life Scale were applied to a control sample of 40 students and a group of 61 people with GD. Descriptive statistics and the t test for independent samples were calculated. The data were analyzed with SPSS v. 15. The results indicated that the GD group had lower scores on the satisfaction with life and psychological well-being scales than the control group. No gender differences were found in satisfaction with life or psychological well-being.

A Multivariate Twin Study of Hippocampal Volume, Self-Esteem and Well-Being in Middle Aged Men

PubMed Central

Kubarych, Thomas S.; Prom-Wormley, Elizabeth C.; Franz, Carol E.; Panizzon, Matthew S.; Dale, Anders M.; Fischl, Bruce; Eyler, Lisa T.; Fennema-Notestine, Christine; Grant, Michael D.; Hauger, Richard L.; Hellhammer, Dirk H.; Jak, Amy J.; Jernigan, Terry L.; Lupien, Sonia J.; Lyons, Michael J.; Mendoza, Sally P.; Neale, Michael C.; Seidman, Larry J.; Tsuang, Ming T.; Kremen, William S.

2012-01-01

Self-esteem and well-being are important for successful aging, and some evidence suggests that self-esteem and well-being are associated with hippocampal volume, cognition, and stress responsivity. Whereas most of this evidence is based on studies of older adults, we investigated self-esteem, well-being and hippocampal volume in 474 male middle-age twins. Self-esteem was significantly positively correlated with hippocampal volume (.09, p=.03 for left hippocampus, .10, p=.04 for right). Correlations for well-being were not significant (ps ≫.05). There were strong phenotypic correlations between self-esteem and well-being (.72, p<.001) and between left and right hippocampal volume (.72, p<.001). In multivariate genetic analyses, a 2-factor AE model with well-being and self-esteem on one factor and left and right hippocampal volumes on the other factor fit the data better than Cholesky, independent pathway or common pathway models. The correlation between the two genetic factors was .12 (p=.03); the correlation between the environmental factors was .09 (p>05). Our results indicate that largely different genetic and environmental factors underlie self-esteem and well-being on the one hand and hippocampal volume on the other. PMID:22471516

Religious Commitment and Well-Being in College Students: Examining Conditional Indirect Effects of Meaning in Life.

PubMed

Dar, Kaiser Ahmad; Iqbal, Naved

2017-12-29

There is systematic and quantitative evidence that religious commitment is associated with indicators of well-being, such as positive emotions and moods, absence of negative emotions, and satisfaction with life; however, researchers remain far from a consensus regarding which mechanisms may account for these observed relationships. Although religious commitment influences well-being through many different mechanisms, meaning in life is probably the predominant one. Thus, we examined the bidimensional conceptualization of meaning in life as a potential mechanism between religious commitment and well-being. The study was cross-sectional in nature. Survey data were collected from 92 college students, aged 17-21. A battery of self-report measures was used for tapping religious commitment, well-being, and meaning in life. Even though presence of meaning, search for meaning, religious commitment, and well-being correlated moderately with each other, presence of meaning carried a substantial proportion of variance in predicting well-being for girls/women. This study suggests that religious commitment influences a person's sense of meaning in life, which, in turn, influences her/his well-being. And, we hope that these results encourage professionals to explore with their clients the fundamental questions of meaning and purpose in life.

Do labour market status transitions predict changes in psychological well-being?

PubMed

Flint, Ellen; Bartley, Mel; Shelton, Nicola; Sacker, Amanda

2013-09-01

The objective of this study was to establish the direction of causality in the relationship between labour market status and psychological well-being by investigating how transitions between secure employment, insecure employment, unemployment, permanent sickness and other economic inactivity predict changes in psychological well-being over a 16-year period. This study used data from the British Household Panel Survey (1991-2007). Psychological well-being was measured using the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Fixed effects models were utilised to investigate how transitions between labour market statuses predicted GHQ-12 score, adjusting for current labour market status and a range of covariates. After taking account of the contemporaneous effects of joblessness on psychological well-being, and the impact of a range of confounding factors, experiencing a transition from employment to joblessness was significantly predictive of poorer psychological well-being. Transitions into employment were not found to have equal and opposite effects: the positive effects of moving into work from unemployment were not as large as the negative effects of job loss. Transitions between secure and insecure employment did not independently predict changes in psychological well-being. A causal relationship between labour market status and psychological well-being is indicated.

Spiritual Well-Being, Depression, and Stress Among Hemodialysis Patients in Jordan.

PubMed

Musa, Ahmad S; Pevalin, David J; Al Khalaileh, Murad A A

2017-10-01

The spiritual dimension of a patient's life is an important factor that may mediate detrimental impacts on mental health. The lack of research investigating spiritual well-being, religiosity, and mental health among Jordanian hemodialysis patients encouraged this research. This study explored levels of spiritual well-being and its associations with depression, anxiety, and stress. A quantitative, cross-sectional correlational study. A sample of 218 Jordanian Muslim hemodialysis patients completed a structured, self-administered questionnaire. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and linear multivariate regression models. The hemodialysis patients had, on average, relatively low levels of spiritual well-being, moderate depression, severe anxiety, and mild to moderate stress. The results of the regression models indicated that aspects of spiritual well-being were negatively associated with depression, anxiety, and stress, but only existential well-being consistently retained significant associations after controlling for religious well-being, religiosity, and sociodemographic variables. Greater spiritual and existential well-being of Jordanian hemodialysis patients were significantly associated with less depression, anxiety, and stress. It appears that these patients use religious and spiritual beliefs and practices as coping mechanisms to overcome their depression, anxiety, and stress. The implications for holistic clinical practice are explored.

Violence Exposure, Posttraumatic Stress, and Subjective Well-Being in a Sample of Russian Adults: A Facebook-Based Study.

PubMed

Bogolyubova, Olga; Tikhonov, Roman; Ivanov, Victor; Panicheva, Polina; Ledovaya, Yanina

2017-03-01

Exposure to violence has been shown to negatively affect mental health and well-being. The goal of this Facebook-based study was to describe the rates of exposure to violence in a sample of Russian adults and to assess the impact of these experiences on subjective well-being and victimization-related psychological distress. Three types of victimization were assessed: physical assault by a stranger, physical assault by someone known to victim, and nonconsensual sexual experiences. The 5-item World Health Organization Well-Being Index (WHO-5) was used to assess subjective well-being, and Primary Care PTSD Screen (PC-PTSD) was employed as an indicator of victimization-related psychological distress. Data were obtained from 6,724 Russian-speaking Facebook users. Significant levels of lifetime victimization were reported by the study participants. Lifetime physical assault by a stranger, physical assault by someone known to victim, and sexual assault were reported by 56.9%, 64.2%, and 54.1% of respondents, respectively. Respondents exposed to violence were more likely to report posttraumatic stress symptoms and lower levels of subjective well-being. Participants who were exposed to at least one type of violence were more likely to experience symptoms of traumatic stress ( U = 1,794,250.50, p < .001, d = 0.35). Exposure to multiple forms of violence was associated with more severe traumatic stress symptoms ( r s = .257, p < .001). Well-being scores were significantly lower among participants exposed to violence ( t = 8.37, p < .001, d = 0.31). The study demonstrated that violence exposure is associated with reduced well-being among Russian adults. Our findings highlight the negative impact of violence exposure on subjective well-being and underscore the necessity to develop programs addressing violence exposure in Russian populations.

Impact of family structure and socio-demographic characteristics on child health and wellbeing in same-sex parent families: A cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

Crouch, Simon Robert; McNair, Ruth; Waters, Elizabeth

2016-05-01

Children with same-sex attracted parents develop well in terms of their health and wellbeing. There are many recognised factors that have an impact on child health, in general, including individual, family and wider social mediators. The aim of this study is to determine the impact of family structure and socio-demographic characteristics on child health and wellbeing in Australian same-sex parent families. A cross-sectional survey of self-identified same-sex attracted parents from across Australia was used to collect information on child health and wellbeing between May and December 2012. Mixed-effects multiple linear regression models were used to identify associations between family structure/socio-demographic characteristics and child wellbeing. Child health outcomes were measured using the Child Health Questionnaire and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. In same-sex parent families, biological relationships, parental gender and parental education were not significantly associated with health and wellbeing. Parental income, rurality and stable parental relationships were associated with health and wellbeing, and living in a single-parent household was associated with poorer wellbeing. Stable dual parent families offer good outcomes for children with same-sex attracted parents. Family processes are most important. This study does not support the assertion that children require both male and female parents, nor that biological relationships are essential to health and wellbeing. This study provides scientific data from a cross-sectional Australian-based study to describe and understand health determinants for children in family contexts that comprise same-sex parent and all family contexts. It recommends equitable, stigma-free family support. © 2016 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (The Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

Relationship between Body Image and Psychological Well-being in Patients with Morbid Obesity.

PubMed

Yazdani, Negar; Hosseini, Sayed Vahid; Amini, Masood; Sobhani, Zahra; Sharif, Farkhondeh; Khazraei, Hajar

2018-04-01

Morbid obesity is rising around the world. It can cause unpleasant appearance and body image. Most of the studies have aimed to evaluate the psychopathology of overweight and obesity and paying attention to mental well-being in morbid obese individuals is rare. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the relationship between body image and psychological well-being in morbid obese patients. This cross-sectional study, using simple random sampling method, was done on 124 morbid obese patients who referred to obesity clinic in Shiraz from 2016 to 2017. The data were collected by body image index and psychological well-being questionnaire. Results were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficient test, ANOVA, and Regression analysis. The results showed a significant relationship between body image and psychological well-being (r=0.43) (P<0.001), and between the total score of the body image and all the subscales of psychological well-being except autonomy and purpose in life (P<0.05). There was also a significant relationship between the total score of psychological well-being and all the subscales of body image (P<0.05). However, there was no significant difference between the mean scores of the body image and those of psychological well-being in different categories of body mass index (BMI) (P>0.05). Final results indicated that body image defects caused by obesity could lie in negative psychological well-being in all aspects. This study can promote health clinicians' knowledge in supporting of mental status of obese individuals. It is suggested that preventing and supporting intervention should be performed as effective methods for encountering and coping with psychological effects of obesity.

Is perceived emotional support beneficial? Well-being and health in independent and interdependent cultures.

PubMed

Uchida, Yukiko; Kitayama, Shinobu; Mesquita, Batja; Reyes, Jose Alberto S; Morling, Beth

2008-06-01

Previous studies show there is little or no association between perceived emotional support and well-being in European American culture. The authors hypothesized that this paradoxical absence of any benefit of perceived support is unique to cultural contexts that privilege independence rather than interdependence of the self. Study 1 tested college students and found, as predicted, that among Euro-Americans a positive effect of perceived emotional support on subjective well-being (positive affect) was weak and, moreover, it disappeared entirely once self-esteem was statistically controlled. In contrast, among Asians in Asia (Japanese and Filipinos) perceived emotional support positively predicted subjective well-being even after self-esteem was controlled. Study 2 extended Study 1 by testing both Japanese and American adults in midlife with respect to multiple indicators of well-being and physical health. Overall, the evidence underscores the central significance of culture as a moderator of the effectiveness of perceived emotional support.

Telling the Tale and Living Well: Adolescent Narrative Identity, Personality Traits, and Well-Being Across Cultures.

PubMed

Reese, Elaine; Myftari, Ella; McAnally, Helena M; Chen, Yan; Neha, Tia; Wang, Qi; Jack, Fiona; Robertson, Sarah-Jane

2017-03-01

This study explored links between narrative identity, personality traits, and well-being for 263 adolescents (age 12-21) from three New Zealand cultures: Māori, Chinese, and European. Turning-point narratives were assessed for autobiographical reasoning (causal coherence), local thematic coherence, emotional expressivity, and topic. Across cultures, older adolescents with higher causal coherence reported better well-being. Younger adolescents with higher causal coherence instead reported poorer well-being. Personal development topics were positively linked to well-being for New Zealand European adolescents only, and thematic coherence was positively linked to well-being for Māori adolescents only. Negative expressivity, neuroticism, conscientiousness, and openness were also linked to well-being. Implications of these cultural similarities and differences are considered for theories of narrative identity, personality, and adolescent well-being. © 2016 The Authors. Child Development © 2016 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

School intervention for promoting psychological well-being in adolescence.

PubMed

Ruini, Chiara; Ottolini, Fedra; Tomba, Elena; Belaise, Carlotta; Albieri, Elisa; Visani, Dalila; Offidani, Emanuela; Caffo, Ernesto; Fava, Giovanni A

2009-12-01

to test the efficacy of a new school program for the promotion of psychological well-being. In this study a school program for promoting psychological well-being has been compared to an attention-placebo intervention in a high school setting. Nine classes (227 students) were randomly assigned to: a) Well-Being intervention (5 classes); b)attention-placebo (4 classes). Assessment was performed at pre and post-intervention, and after six months using: 1) Symptom Questionnaire (SQ); 2) Psychological Well-Being Scales (PWB); 3) Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (RCMAS). A significant effect of WB school intervention in improving Personal Growth (PWB), and in decreasing distress (Somatization (SQ), Physical Well-being (SQ), Anxiety (SQ), and RCMAS Physiological Anxiety) emerged. A school intervention based on promoting positive emotions and well-being was effective not only in increasing psychological well-being among adolescents, but also in decreasing distress, in particular anxiety and somatization.

Students' well-being in nursing undergraduate education.

PubMed

Tuomi, Jouni; Aimala, Anna-Mari; Plazar, Nadja; Starčič, Andreja Istenič; Žvanut, Boštjan

2013-06-01

Although previously the Job-Demand-Control-Support model has been successfully applied in many studies in the field of health care and education, the model was never used for the evaluation of the nursing students' well-being. The aim of this study was to promote nursing students' well-being. The objective was to verify whether the Job-Demand-Control-Support model is appropriate for the evaluation of their well-being. The Job-Demand-Control-Support model was implemented and investigated in a multiple-case study, which consisted of two phases. In phase I the students' well-being along with the perceived levels of control, support, and demand for each individual student during their study were identified. These results were used in phase II, where the usefulness of the presented model was evaluated. The study was performed at the end of the academic year 2009/2010 in two institutions: Tampere University of Applied Sciences, School of Health Care, Finland (institution 1); and the University of Primorska, Faculty of Health Sciences, Slovenia (institution 2). Participants of the study were nursing graduates who finished their studies in 2009/2010 and the Vice-Deans for education of both institutions. The final sample included 83 students in institution 1 and 79 students in institution 2. The case study was combined with a survey (phase I) and an interview (phase II). Although the students' well-being in these two institutions was different, most students of both institutions perceived their studies as low strain, placid, and only some of the students in both institutions had a high risk of malaise. The Vice-Deans for education of both institutions confirmed that the application of the Job-Demand-Control-Support model provided relevant information on the nursing students' well-being, which helped in planning improved nursing study programmes. This study demonstrated that the Job-Demand-Control-Support model is appropriate for estimating undergraduate nursing students' well-being. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Construction and validation of a measure of integrative well-being in seven languages: the Pemberton Happiness Index.

PubMed

Hervás, Gonzalo; Vázquez, Carmelo

2013-04-22

We introduce the Pemberton Happiness Index (PHI), a new integrative measure of well-being in seven languages, detailing the validation process and presenting psychometric data. The scale includes eleven items related to different domains of remembered well-being (general, hedonic, eudaimonic, and social well-being) and ten items related to experienced well-being (i.e., positive and negative emotional events that possibly happened the day before); the sum of these items produces a combined well-being index. A distinctive characteristic of this study is that to construct the scale, an initial pool of items, covering the remembered and experienced well-being domains, were subjected to a complete selection and validation process. These items were based on widely used scales (e.g., PANAS, Satisfaction With Life Scale, Subjective Happiness Scale, and Psychological Well-Being Scales). Both the initial items and reference scales were translated into seven languages and completed via Internet by participants (N = 4,052) aged 16 to 60 years from nine countries (Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, and USA). Results from this initial validation study provided very good support for the psychometric properties of the PHI (i.e., internal consistency, a single-factor structure, and convergent and incremental validity). Given the PHI's good psychometric properties, this simple and integrative index could be used as an instrument to monitor changes in well-being. We discuss the utility of this integrative index to explore well-being in individuals and communities.

Self-transcendence and emotional well-being in women with advanced breast cancer.

PubMed

Coward, D D

1991-07-01

Self-transcendence has been associated, in previous studies, with stressful life events and emotional well-being. This study examined the relationships among self-transcendence, emotional well-being, and illness-related distress in women with advanced breast cancer. The study employed a cross-sectional correlational design in a convenience sample (n = 107) of women with Stage IIIb and Stage IV breast cancer. Subjects completed a questionnaire that included Reed's Self-Transcendence Scale; Bradburn's Affect Balance Scale (ABS); a Cognitive Well-Being (CWB) Scale based on work by Campbell, Converse, and Rogers; McCorkle and Young's Symptom Distress Scale (SDS); and the Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS). Data were analyzed using factor analytic structural equations modeling. Self-transcendence decreased illness distress (assessed by the SDS and the KPS) through the mediating effect of emotional well-being (assessed by the ABS and the CWB Scale). Self-transcendence directly affected emotional well-being (beta = 0.69), and emotional well-being had a strong negative effect on illness distress (beta = -0.84). A direct path from self-transcendence to illness distress (beta = -0.31) became nonsignificant (beta = -0.08) when controlling for emotional well-being. Further research using longitudinal data will seek to validate these relationships and to explain how nurses can promote self-transcendence in women with advanced breast cancer, as well as in others with life-threatening illnesses.

Pain is Associated With Poorer Grades, Reduced Emotional Well-Being, and Attention Problems in Adolescents.

PubMed

Voerman, Jessica S; de Klerk, Cora; Vander Heyden, Karin M; Passchier, Jan; Idema, Wietske; Timman, Reinier; Jolles, Jelle

2017-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to determine whether pain is associated with specific aspects of academic performance, that is, poorer grades, and with factors critical to an adolescent's academic performance, that is, decreased emotional well-being and attention problems. We hypothesized that the association between pain and school grades is mediated by emotional well-being and attention problems. In a cross-sectional study, we collected data from 2215 pupils, ages 12 to 13 years. Pain (no, occasional, and frequent), emotional well-being, and attention problems were measured with self-rating scales. Dutch, English, and math grades were taken as an index of academic performance. Frequent pain in adolescents was associated with poorer grades (Dutch P=0.02 and math P=0.01). Both occasional and frequent pain were associated with reduced emotional well-being (P<0.001) and reduced self-reported attention (P<0.001). However, the association between pain and lower grades disappeared when controlling for emotional well-being and attention. The present study shows that the association between pain and Dutch adolescents grades is mediated by reduced emotional well-being and attention problems. The association between pain and math grades is mediated by emotional problems. The results suggest that an intervention targeted at pain in adolescents could have a positive effect on their emotional well-being, attention, and school performance.

Profiles of Psychological Well-being and Coping Strategies among University Students

PubMed Central

Freire, Carlos; Ferradás, María Del Mar; Valle, Antonio; Núñez, José C.; Vallejo, Guillermo

2016-01-01

In the transactional model of stress, coping responses are the key to preventing the stress response. In this study, the possible role of psychological well-being as a personal determinant of coping strategies in the academic context was analyzed. Specifically, the study has two objectives: (a) to identify different profiles of students according to their level of psychological well-being; and (b) to analyze the differences between these profiles in the use of three coping strategies (positive reappraisal, support-seeking, and planning). Age, gender, and degree were estimated as covariables. A total of 1,072 university students participated in the study. Latent profile analysis was applied to four indices of psychological well-being: self-acceptance, environmental mastery, purpose in life, and personal growth. An optimal four-profile solution, reflecting significant incremental shifts from low to very high psychological well-being, was obtained. As predicted, the profile membership distinguished between participants in positive reappraisal, support-seeking, and planning. Importantly, the higher the profile of psychological well-being was, the higher the use of the three coping strategies. Gender differences in coping strategies were observed, but no interaction effects with psychological well-being were found. Age and degree were not relevant in explaining the use of coping strategies. These results suggest that psychological well-being stands as an important personal resource to favor adaptive coping strategies for academic stress. PMID:27790168

Profiles of Psychological Well-being and Coping Strategies among University Students.

PubMed

Freire, Carlos; Ferradás, María Del Mar; Valle, Antonio; Núñez, José C; Vallejo, Guillermo

2016-01-01

In the transactional model of stress, coping responses are the key to preventing the stress response. In this study, the possible role of psychological well-being as a personal determinant of coping strategies in the academic context was analyzed. Specifically, the study has two objectives: (a) to identify different profiles of students according to their level of psychological well-being; and (b) to analyze the differences between these profiles in the use of three coping strategies (positive reappraisal, support-seeking, and planning). Age, gender, and degree were estimated as covariables. A total of 1,072 university students participated in the study. Latent profile analysis was applied to four indices of psychological well-being: self-acceptance, environmental mastery, purpose in life, and personal growth. An optimal four-profile solution, reflecting significant incremental shifts from low to very high psychological well-being, was obtained. As predicted, the profile membership distinguished between participants in positive reappraisal, support-seeking, and planning. Importantly, the higher the profile of psychological well-being was, the higher the use of the three coping strategies. Gender differences in coping strategies were observed, but no interaction effects with psychological well-being were found. Age and degree were not relevant in explaining the use of coping strategies. These results suggest that psychological well-being stands as an important personal resource to favor adaptive coping strategies for academic stress.

The impact of ethnicity and self-reported health on psychological well-being: a comparative study of Kurdish-born and Swedish-born people.

PubMed

Taloyan, Marina; Sundquist, Jan; Al-Windi, Ahmad

2008-01-01

Although immigrants generally have poorer health and higher psychological distress than the native population, information on Kurdish immigrants' psychological well-being is limited. The aims of the study were to examine the association between ethnicity and poor psychological well-being, and to assess the relationships between socio-demographic characteristics, self-reported health, somatic pain, gastrointestinal complaints and poor psychological well-being. Immigrants with self-reported Kurdish ethnicity (men, n=111; women, n=86) in Sweden from the national sample of immigrants aged 27-60 and 1407 Swedes (1996) were studied. Unconditional logistic regression was performed using the Stata Software program. In the logistic model adjusted for age, sex, employment and self-reported health, the odds ratio for Kurdish-born subjects for having poor psychological well-being is twice as high as for Swedish-born subjects. Subjects with poor self-reported health had more than a threefold higher odds ratio for having poor psychological well-being compared with those with good self-reported health. Furthermore, being female, having somatic pain and recurrent gastrointestinal complaints regardless of ethnicity increased the odds for having poor psychological well-being. Being Kurdish-born and/or reporting poor health in addition to age, female gender, somatic pain and recurrent gastrointestinal complaints is significantly and independently related to poor psychological well-being even when adjusted for all confounders.

Genetic and environmental correlations between subjective wellbeing and experience of life events in adolescence.

PubMed

Wootton, Robyn E; Davis, Oliver S P; Mottershaw, Abigail L; Wang, R Adele H; Haworth, Claire M A

2017-09-01

Some life events appear heritable due to the genetic influence on related behaviours. Shared genetic influence between negative behaviours and negative life events has previously been established. This study investigated whether subjective wellbeing and positive life events were genetically associated. Participants in the Twins Early Development Study (aged 16.32 ± .68 years) completed subjective wellbeing and life events assessments via two separate studies (overlapping N for wellbeing and life events measures ranged from 3527 to 9350). We conducted bivariate twin models between both positive and negative life events with subjective wellbeing and related positive psychological traits including subjective happiness, life satisfaction, optimism, hopefulness and gratitude measured at 16 years. Results suggested that the heritability of life events can partially be explained by shared genetic influences with the wellbeing indicators. Wellbeing traits were positively genetically correlated with positive life events and negatively correlated with negative life events (except curiosity where there was no correlation). Those positive traits that drive behaviour (grit and ambition) showed the highest genetic correlation with life events, whereas the reflective trait gratitude was less correlated. This suggests that gene-environment correlations might explain the observed genetic association between life events and wellbeing. Inheriting propensity for positive traits might cause you to seek environments that lead to positive life events and avoid environments which make negative life events more likely.

A pilot study exploring the relationship between self-compassion, self-judgement, self-kindness, compassion, professional quality of life and wellbeing among UK community nurses.

PubMed

Durkin, Mark; Beaumont, Elaine; Hollins Martin, Caroline J; Carson, Jerome

2016-11-01

Compassion fatigue and burnout can impact on performance of nurses. This paper explores the relationship between self-compassion, self-judgement, self-kindness, compassion, professional quality of life, and wellbeing among community nurses. To measure associations between self-compassion, compassion fatigue, wellbeing, and burnout in community nurses. Quantitative data were collected using standardised psychometric questionnaires: (1) Professional Quality of Life Scale; (2) Self-Compassion Scale; (3) short Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale; (4) Compassion For Others Scale, used to measure relationships between self-compassion, compassion fatigue, wellbeing, and burnout. A cross sectional sample of registered community nurses (n=37) studying for a postgraduate diploma at a University in the North of England took part in this study. Results show that community nurses who score high on measures of self-compassion and wellbeing, also report less burnout. Greater compassion satisfaction was also positively associated with compassion for others, and wellbeing, whilst also being negatively correlated with burnout. High levels of self-compassion were linked with lower levels of burnout. Furthermore when community nurses have greater compassion satisfaction they also report more compassion for others, increased wellbeing, and less burnout. The implications of this are discussed alongside suggestions for the promotion of greater compassion. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hope, emotion regulation, and psychosocial well-being in patients newly diagnosed with cancer.

PubMed

Peh, Chao Xu; Kua, Ee Heok; Mahendran, Rathi

2016-05-01

Patients newly diagnosed with cancer are often confronted with feelings of uncertainty and life threat. A significant proportion may report impairments in psychosocial well-being. Previous studies examining protective psychological factors such as hope and emotion regulation (ER) have yet to investigate these processes concurrently within a common self-regulation framework and/or focus on newly diagnosed patients. The present study aimed to examine how hope and ER may relate to psychosocial outcomes of patients newly diagnosed with cancer. The present study used a cross-sectional design with self-report questionnaires. Participants were newly diagnosed patients (N = 101) recruited from three cancer therapy clinics in a hospital. Patients completed measures of hope, ER (cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression), and psychosocial well-being (life satisfaction and negative affectivity). Findings showed that (1) hope and reappraisal, but not suppression, were associated with well-being and (2) the interaction between hope and reappraisal was associated with well-being; reappraisal was not associated with well-being in high hope patients, while high reappraisal was associated with better well-being in low hope patients. Individual differences in hope and reappraisal appeared to be associated with psychosocial outcomes in newly diagnosed cancer patients. Hopeful thinking appeared to benefit patients' psychosocial well-being. In addition, an interaction effect between hope and reappraisal suggested that reappraisal as an ER strategy may be particularly adaptive for patients with low hope.

The relationship between momentary emotions and well-being across European Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Asian Americans.

PubMed

Choi, Eunsoo; Chentsova-Dutton, Yulia E

2017-09-01

Cultural differences in the emphasis on positive and negative emotions suggest that the impact of these emotions on well-being may differ across cultural contexts. The present study utilised a momentary sampling method to capture average momentary emotional experiences. We found that for participants from cultural contexts that foster positive emotions (European Americans and Hispanic Americans), average momentary positive emotions predicted well-being better than average momentary negative emotions. In contrast, average momentary negative emotions were more strongly associated with well-being measures for Asian Americans, the group from a cultural context that emphasises monitoring of negative emotions. Furthermore, we found that acculturation to American culture moderated the association between average momentary positive emotions and well-being for Asian Americans. These findings suggest the importance of culture in studying the impact of daily emotional experiences on well-being.

Japan's silver human resource centers and participant well-being.

PubMed

Weiss, Robert S; Bass, Scott A; Heimovitz, Harley K; Oka, Masato

2005-03-01

Japan's Silver Human Resource Center (SHRC) program provides part-time, paid employment to retirement-aged men and women. We studied 393 new program participants and examined whether part-time work influenced their well-being or "ikigai." The participants were divided into those who had worked in SHRC-provided jobs in the preceding year, and those who had not. Gender-stratified regression models were fitted to determine whether SHRC employment was associated with increased well-being. For men, actively working at a SHRC job was associated with greater well-being, compared to inactive members. And men with SHRC jobs and previous volunteering experience had the greatest increase in well-being. Women SHRC job holders did not experience increased well-being at the year's end. The study concludes that there is justification for exploring the usefulness of a similar program for American retirees who desire post-retirement part-time work.

What works for wellbeing? A systematic review of wellbeing outcomes for music and singing in adults.

PubMed

Daykin, Norma; Mansfield, Louise; Meads, Catherine; Julier, Guy; Tomlinson, Alan; Payne, Annette; Grigsby Duffy, Lily; Lane, Jack; D'Innocenzo, Giorgia; Burnett, Adele; Kay, Tess; Dolan, Paul; Testoni, Stefano; Victor, Christina

2018-01-01

The role of arts and music in supporting subjective wellbeing (SWB) is increasingly recognised. Robust evidence is needed to support policy and practice. This article reports on the first of four reviews of Culture, Sport and Wellbeing (CSW) commissioned by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)-funded What Works Centre for Wellbeing ( https://whatworkswellbeing.org/ ). To identify SWB outcomes for music and singing in adults. Comprehensive literature searches were conducted in PsychInfo, Medline, ERIC, Arts and Humanities, Social Science and Science Citation Indexes, Scopus, PILOTS and CINAHL databases. From 5,397 records identified, 61 relevant records were assessed using GRADE and CERQual schema. A wide range of wellbeing measures was used, with no consistency in how SWB was measured across the studies. A wide range of activities was reported, most commonly music listening and regular group singing. Music has been associated with reduced anxiety in young adults, enhanced mood and purpose in adults and mental wellbeing, quality of life, self-awareness and coping in people with diagnosed health conditions. Music and singing have been shown to be effective in enhancing morale and reducing risk of depression in older people. Few studies address SWB in people with dementia. While there are a few studies of music with marginalised communities, participants in community choirs tend to be female, white and relatively well educated. Research challenges include recruiting participants with baseline wellbeing scores that are low enough to record any significant or noteworthy change following a music or singing intervention. There is reliable evidence for positive effects of music and singing on wellbeing in adults. There remains a need for research with sub-groups who are at greater risk of lower levels of wellbeing, and on the processes by which wellbeing outcomes are, or are not, achieved.

What works for wellbeing? A systematic review of wellbeing outcomes for music and singing in adults

PubMed Central

Daykin, Norma; Mansfield, Louise; Meads, Catherine; Julier, Guy; Tomlinson, Alan; Payne, Annette; Grigsby Duffy, Lily; Lane, Jack; D’Innocenzo, Giorgia; Burnett, Adele; Kay, Tess; Dolan, Paul; Testoni, Stefano; Victor, Christina

2017-01-01

Aims: The role of arts and music in supporting subjective wellbeing (SWB) is increasingly recognised. Robust evidence is needed to support policy and practice. This article reports on the first of four reviews of Culture, Sport and Wellbeing (CSW) commissioned by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)-funded What Works Centre for Wellbeing (https://whatworkswellbeing.org/). Objective: To identify SWB outcomes for music and singing in adults. Methods: Comprehensive literature searches were conducted in PsychInfo, Medline, ERIC, Arts and Humanities, Social Science and Science Citation Indexes, Scopus, PILOTS and CINAHL databases. From 5,397 records identified, 61 relevant records were assessed using GRADE and CERQual schema. Results: A wide range of wellbeing measures was used, with no consistency in how SWB was measured across the studies. A wide range of activities was reported, most commonly music listening and regular group singing. Music has been associated with reduced anxiety in young adults, enhanced mood and purpose in adults and mental wellbeing, quality of life, self-awareness and coping in people with diagnosed health conditions. Music and singing have been shown to be effective in enhancing morale and reducing risk of depression in older people. Few studies address SWB in people with dementia. While there are a few studies of music with marginalised communities, participants in community choirs tend to be female, white and relatively well educated. Research challenges include recruiting participants with baseline wellbeing scores that are low enough to record any significant or noteworthy change following a music or singing intervention. Conclusions: There is reliable evidence for positive effects of music and singing on wellbeing in adults. There remains a need for research with sub-groups who are at greater risk of lower levels of wellbeing, and on the processes by which wellbeing outcomes are, or are not, achieved. PMID:29130840

Life balance and well-being: testing a novel conceptual and measurement approach.

PubMed

Sheldon, Kennon M; Cummins, Robert; Kamble, Shanmukh

2010-08-01

Although a balanced life has always been viewed as desirable, there are problems with extant conceptualizations and measures of this construct. Here we introduce 2 new life-balance measures, based on time-use profiles, that address these problems. One defines life balance as objectively equitable time use across multiple life domains, and the other defines life balance as low subjective discrepancy between actual and ideal time-use profiles. Study 1 finds that both measures predict concurrent well-being, in both U.S. and Indian samples. Study 2 shows that fluctuations in balance predict fluctuations in well-being over a 3-week period. Study 3 replicates the Study 1 findings using a different time assessment technique, based on the Day Reconstruction Method. Study 4 assigns participants the month-long goal of enhancing their life balance, finding that those who achieve this goal enhance their well-being. In all 4 studies, the balance effects on well-being were mediated by psychological need satisfaction associated with balance.

Subjective Well-Being of Gifted American College Students: An Examination of Psychometric Properties of the PWI-A

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sayler, Micheal F.; Boazman, Janette; Natesan, Prathiba; Periathiruvadi, Sita

2015-01-01

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Personal Well-being Index for Adults (PWI-A), a measure of subjective well-being. The study used data from 533 high-ability American college students: honors students and participants in an early college entrance program. In earlier studies using the PWI-A, the instrument appeared to show…

Does Emotions Communication Ability Affect Psychological Well-Being? A Study with the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) v2.0.

PubMed

Lanciano, Tiziana; Curci, Antonietta

2015-01-01

The main aim of the current study was to provide evidence regarding the relationship between emotions communication ability--in terms of emotional intelligence (EI)--and psychological well-being. Additionally, the study explored the moderating effect of sex on this relationship. Participants filled in the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test, General Health Questionnaire, Psychological General Well-Being Index, and Depression Questionnaire. Results showed the moderating role of sex in the relationship between EI ability and psychological well-being. Furthermore, the associations between EI and psychological well-being measures were generally higher for men than for women, supporting the idea that sex needs to be taken into account when considering EI measures. The potential helpfulness of EI and emotions communications ability in promoting mental health is discussed.

A randomized, blinded study of the impact of intercessory prayer on spiritual well-being in patients with cancer.

PubMed

Olver, Ian N; Dutney, Andrew

2012-01-01

Cochrane reviews have analyzed multiple studies on intercessory prayer that treatment teams had added to health interventions; however, the reviewers could draw no conclusions about the efficacy of prayer because the studies showed either positive or no effects and used different endpoints and methodologies. The study intended to determine whether researchers could measure the impact of intercessory prayer on spiritual well-being. The research team conducted a randomized blinded trial of intercessory prayer added to normal cancer treatment with participants agreeing to complete quality of life (QOL) and spiritual well-being scales at baseline and 6 months later. The research team had shown previously that spiritual well-being is an important, unique domain in the assessment of QOL. Participants remained blinded to the randomization. Based on a previous study, the research team determined that the study required a sample of 1000 participants to detect small differences (P = .05, 2-tailed, 80% power). SETTING The research team performed this research at the Royal Adelaide Hospital Cancer Centre, South Australia, Australia. Participants were patients at the cancer center between June 2003 and May 2008. Of 999 participants with mixed diagnoses who completed the baseline questionnaires, 66.6% provided follow-up. The average age was 61 years, and most participants were married/de facto (living with partners), were Australians or New Zealanders living in Australia, and were Christian. Intervention The research team asked an external group offering Christian intercessory prayer to add the study's participants to their usual prayer lists. They received details about the participants, but this information was not sufficient to identify them. Outcome Measures The research team used the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-being questionnaire to assess spiritual wellbeing and QOL. Results The intervention group showed significantly greater improvements over time for the primary endpoint of spiritual well-being as compared to the control group (P = .03, partial η2 = .01). The study found a similar result for emotional well-being (P = .04, partial η2 = .01) and functional well-being (P = .06, partial η2 = .01). Participants with cancer whom the research team randomly allocated to the experimental group to receive remote intercessory prayer showed small but significant improvements in spiritual well-being.

Healthcare Staff Wellbeing, Burnout, and Patient Safety: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Hall, Louise H.; Johnson, Judith; Watt, Ian; Tsipa, Anastasia; O’Connor, Daryl B.

2016-01-01

Objective To determine whether there is an association between healthcare professionals’ wellbeing and burnout, with patient safety. Design Systematic research review. Data Sources PsychInfo (1806 to July 2015), Medline (1946 to July 2015), Embase (1947 to July 2015) and Scopus (1823 to July 2015) were searched, along with reference lists of eligible articles. Eligibility Criteria for Selecting Studies Quantitative, empirical studies that included i) either a measure of wellbeing or burnout, and ii) patient safety, in healthcare staff populations. Results Forty-six studies were identified. Sixteen out of the 27 studies that measured wellbeing found a significant correlation between poor wellbeing and worse patient safety, with six additional studies finding an association with some but not all scales used, and one study finding a significant association but in the opposite direction to the majority of studies. Twenty-one out of the 30 studies that measured burnout found a significant association between burnout and patient safety, whilst a further four studies found an association between one or more (but not all) subscales of the burnout measures employed, and patient safety. Conclusions Poor wellbeing and moderate to high levels of burnout are associated, in the majority of studies reviewed, with poor patient safety outcomes such as medical errors, however the lack of prospective studies reduces the ability to determine causality. Further prospective studies, research in primary care, conducted within the UK, and a clearer definition of healthcare staff wellbeing are needed. Implications This review illustrates the need for healthcare organisations to consider improving employees’ mental health as well as creating safer work environments when planning interventions to improve patient safety. Systematic Review Registration PROSPERO registration number: CRD42015023340. PMID:27391946

Relational Consequences of Compulsive Internet Use: A Longitudinal Study among Newlyweds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kerkhof, Peter; Finkenauer, Catrin; Muusses, Linda D.

2011-01-01

This article examines how compulsive Internet use and marital well-being are related to each other. We suggest that they are negatively related and explore whether compulsive Internet use predicts marital well-being or vice versa. The relation between compulsive Internet use and marital well-being is tested in a two-wave prospective study among…

Emotional Eating and Spiritual Well-Being: A Possible Connection?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawks, Steven R.; Goudy, Marylynn B.; Gast, Julie A.

2003-01-01

The purpose of this exploratory study was to evaluate the relationship between emotional eating and spiritual well-being. It was found that among college women lower levels of spiritual well-being correlated with higher levels of emotional eating (r = -0.22, p = 0.0015). In other studies emotional eating has been found to contribute to higher…

Are Psychological and Ecological Well-Being Compatible? The Role of Values, Mindfulness, and Lifestyle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Kirk Warren; Kasser, Tim

2005-01-01

Happiness and ecological well-being are often portrayed as conflictual pursuits, but they may actually be complementary. In samples of adolescents (Study 1) and adults (Study 2), we tested this proposition and examined the role of three factors in promoting both subjective well-being (SWB) and ecologically responsible behavior (ERB). In both…

The Social-Emotional Well-Being of Children of Mothers with Intellectual Impairment: A Population-Based Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hindmarsh, Gabrielle; Llewellyn, Gwynnyth; Emerson, Eric

2017-01-01

Background: Children of parents with intellectual impairment are thought to be at risk for poor social-emotional well-being. This study investigated the relationship between maternal intellectual impairment and poor child social-emotional well-being. Method: Secondary analysis of data from waves 2-4 of the Millennium Cohort Study (UK).…

Vocational Identity and Well-Being among Diverse, Upper-Division Health Science Undergraduates in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donlin, Ayla A.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine, from a constructivist career development perspective, the factors of well-being and vocational identity that emerged among a diverse sample of upper-division undergraduate students. This study also examined which factors of vocational identity predicted well-being and which factors of…

New Horizon of Spiritual Well-Being and Hope among Cancer Patients: A Psychological Aspect

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liaquat, Sidra; Sultan, Sarwat; Hussain, Irshad

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to address the importance of spiritual well-being and hope among cancer patients diagnosed with its different stages. Through stratified sampling techniques, 120 cancer patients from four stages evenly divided into male and female participated in this study. Spiritual Well-being Scale (Paloutzian & Ellison, 1982)…

Relationships between Adult Workers' Spiritual Well-Being and Job Satisfaction: A Preliminary Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robert, Tracey E.; Young, J. Scott; Kelly, Virginia A.

2006-01-01

The authors studied the relationships between adult workers' spiritual well-being and job satisfaction. Two hundred participants completed 2 instruments: the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (C. W. Ellison & R. F. Paloutzian, 1982) and the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire Short Form (D. J. Weiss, R. V. Dawis, G. W. England, & L. H. Lofquist,…

Emotional approach coping and the effects of online peer-led support group participation among patients with breast cancer: a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Batenburg, Anika; Das, Enny

2014-11-28

Previous research on the effects of online peer support on psychological well-being of patients with cancer showed mixed findings. There is a need for longitudinal studies explaining if and when online peer-led support groups are beneficial. How patients cope with emotions that come along with the cancer diagnosis might influence effectiveness of online participation. Emotional approach coping is a construct encompassing the intentional use of emotional processing and emotional expression in efforts to manage adverse circumstances. In this longitudinal study, we hypothesize that mixed findings in previous research are partly caused by individual differences in coping with emotions, which may moderate the effects of online support group participation on patients' well-being. A total of 133 Dutch patients with breast cancer filled out a baseline (T0) and a follow-up (T1, 6 months later) questionnaire assessing intensity of online participation within the online support community, emotional approach coping (ie, actively processing and expressing emotions), and psychological well-being (depression, emotional well-being, and breast cancer-related concerns). There were 109 patients who visited an online support community at both points in time. Repeated measures ANOVAs assessed change in well-being over time. Results showed 3-way interactions of time, online intensity of participation, and emotional approach coping on emotional well-being (F1,89=4.232, P=.04, η(2) ρ=.045) and depression (F1,88=8.167, P=.005, η(2) ρ=.085). Online support group participation increased emotional well-being over time for patients who scored low on emotional approach coping at T0, provided that they were highly active online. Patients who were highly active online with a high score on emotional approach coping reported no change in sense of well-being, but showed the highest score on well-being overall. Participating less frequently online was only beneficial for patients who scored high on emotional approach coping, showing an increase in well-being over time. Patients participating less frequently and with a low score on emotional approach coping reported no significant change in well-being over time. This study extends previous findings on the effects of online peer support in two ways: by testing changes in well-being as a function of intensity of online support group participation and by examining the role of individual differences in emotional coping styles. Findings showed no negative effects of intense support group participation. Participating frequently online was especially helpful for patients who approach their emotions less actively; their emotional well-being increased over time. In contrast, frequent online users who actively approach their emotions experienced no change in well-being, reporting highest levels of well-being overall. For patients who participate less intensively within the support community, coping style seems to outweigh effects of online participation; over time, patients who actively approached emotions experienced an increase in psychological well-being, whereas patients with a low score on emotional approach coping reported no change in depression and emotional well-being.

Emotional Approach Coping and the Effects of Online Peer-Led Support Group Participation Among Patients With Breast Cancer: A Longitudinal Study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Previous research on the effects of online peer support on psychological well-being of patients with cancer showed mixed findings. There is a need for longitudinal studies explaining if and when online peer-led support groups are beneficial. How patients cope with emotions that come along with the cancer diagnosis might influence effectiveness of online participation. Emotional approach coping is a construct encompassing the intentional use of emotional processing and emotional expression in efforts to manage adverse circumstances. Objective In this longitudinal study, we hypothesize that mixed findings in previous research are partly caused by individual differences in coping with emotions, which may moderate the effects of online support group participation on patients’ well-being. Methods A total of 133 Dutch patients with breast cancer filled out a baseline (T0) and a follow-up (T1, 6 months later) questionnaire assessing intensity of online participation within the online support community, emotional approach coping (ie, actively processing and expressing emotions), and psychological well-being (depression, emotional well-being, and breast cancer–related concerns). There were 109 patients who visited an online support community at both points in time. Repeated measures ANOVAs assessed change in well-being over time. Results Results showed 3-way interactions of time, online intensity of participation, and emotional approach coping on emotional well-being (F 1,89=4.232, P=.04, η2 ρ=.045) and depression (F 1,88=8.167, P=.005, η2 ρ=.085). Online support group participation increased emotional well-being over time for patients who scored low on emotional approach coping at T0, provided that they were highly active online. Patients who were highly active online with a high score on emotional approach coping reported no change in sense of well-being, but showed the highest score on well-being overall. Participating less frequently online was only beneficial for patients who scored high on emotional approach coping, showing an increase in well-being over time. Patients participating less frequently and with a low score on emotional approach coping reported no significant change in well-being over time. Conclusions This study extends previous findings on the effects of online peer support in two ways: by testing changes in well-being as a function of intensity of online support group participation and by examining the role of individual differences in emotional coping styles. Findings showed no negative effects of intense support group participation. Participating frequently online was especially helpful for patients who approach their emotions less actively; their emotional well-being increased over time. In contrast, frequent online users who actively approach their emotions experienced no change in well-being, reporting highest levels of well-being overall. For patients who participate less intensively within the support community, coping style seems to outweigh effects of online participation; over time, patients who actively approached emotions experienced an increase in psychological well-being, whereas patients with a low score on emotional approach coping reported no change in depression and emotional well-being. PMID:25474819

Supporting Teachers' Well-Being in the Context of Schools for Children with Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rae, Tina; Cowell, Naina; Field, Louise

2017-01-01

The importance of nurture for the development of well-being has been extensively documented as has the importance of the relationship between education and well-being. Supervision is seen as an invaluable and essential resource for monitoring staff well-being and as a means of maintaining effective practice. This exploratory study had two aims.…

An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a "Five Ways to Well-Being" Group Run with People with Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahoney-Davies, Gerwyn; Dixon, Clare; Tynan, Hannah; Mann, Sian

2017-01-01

Background: The "Five Ways to Well-being" document presents five ways in which people in the general population may be able to improve their well-being. This study evaluates the use of a "Five Ways to Well-being" group in a population of people with learning disabilities. Materials and Methods: Twelve participants who attend a…

Relatively Different? How Do Gender Differences in Well-Being Depend on Paid and Unpaid Work in Europe?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boye, Katarina

2009-01-01

Absolute as well as relative hours of paid and unpaid work may influence well-being. This study investigates whether absolute hours spent on paid work and housework account for the lower well-being among women as compared to men in Europe, and whether the associations between well-being and hours of paid work and housework differ by gender…

The Values Adolescents Aspire to, Their Well-Being and the Values Parents Aspire to for Their Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Casas, Ferran; Figuer, Cristina; Gonzalez, Monica; Malo, Sara

2007-01-01

This paper presents a study of the relationship between the psychological well-being of Spanish adolescents from 12 to 16 years old and the values they aspire to for the future (N = 1,618). Adolescents' well-being is explored through (a) their satisfaction with 19 specific life domains, (b) the Personal Well-Being Index (Cummins, "Social…

Long-term mental wellbeing of adolescents and young adults diagnosed with venous thromboembolism: results from a multistage mixed methods study.

PubMed

Højen, A A; Sørensen, E E; Dreyer, P S; Søgaard, M; Larsen, T B

2017-12-01

Essentials Long-term mental wellbeing of adolescents and young adults with venous thromboembolism is unclear. This multistage mixed methods study was based on Danish nationwide registry data and interviews. Mental wellbeing is negatively impacted in the long-term and uncertainty of recurrence is pivotal. The perceived health threat is more important than disease severity for long-term mental wellbeing. Background Critical and chronic illness in youth can lead to impaired mental wellbeing. Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a potentially traumatic and life-threatening condition. Nonetheless, the long-term mental wellbeing of adolescents and young adults (AYAS) with VTE is unclear. Objectives To investigate the long-term mental wellbeing of AYAS (aged 13-33 years) diagnosed with VTE. Methods We performed a multistage mixed method study based on data from the Danish nationwide health registries, and semistructured interviews with 12 AYAS diagnosed with VTE. An integrated mixed methods interpretation of the findings was conducted through narrative weaving and joint displays. Results The integrated mixed methods interpretation showed that the mental wellbeing of AYAS with VTE had a chronic perspective, with a persistently higher risk of psychotropic drug purchase among AYAS with a first-time diagnosis of VTE than among sex-matched and age-matched population controls and AYAS with a first-time diagnosis of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Impaired mental wellbeing was largely connected to a fear of recurrence and concomitant uncertainty. Therefore, it was important for the long-term mental wellbeing to navigate uncertainty. The perceived health threat played a more profound role in long-term mental wellbeing than disease severity, as the potential life threat was the pivot which pointed back to the initial VTE and forward to the perception of future health threat and the potential risk of dying of a recurrent event. Conclusion Our findings show that the long-term mental wellbeing of AYAS diagnosed with VTE is negatively affected, and highlights these patients' need for adequate support. © 2017 International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis.

Predictors of Online Health Information Seeking Among Women with Breast Cancer: The Role of Social Support Perception and Emotional Well-Being

PubMed Central

Kim, Sojung Claire; Shah, Dhavan V.; Namkoong, Kang; McTavish, Fiona M.; Gustafson, David H.

2013-01-01

This study attempts to examine the role of social support perception and emotional well-being on online information seeking among cancer patients within the context of CHESS, a well-established Interactive Cancer Communication System (ICCS). Factor and regression analyses conducted among 231 breast cancer patients revealed that social support perception and emotional well-being interacted with each other to influence online health information seeking. Patients with low social support perception and high emotional well-being were most likely to seek health information, whereas patients with high social support perception and high emotional well-being sought out the same information least. Practical implications of the study findings were further discussed. PMID:24634575

Predictors of Online Health Information Seeking Among Women with Breast Cancer: The Role of Social Support Perception and Emotional Well-Being.

PubMed

Kim, Sojung Claire; Shah, Dhavan V; Namkoong, Kang; McTavish, Fiona M; Gustafson, David H

2013-01-01

This study attempts to examine the role of social support perception and emotional well-being on online information seeking among cancer patients within the context of CHESS, a well-established Interactive Cancer Communication System (ICCS). Factor and regression analyses conducted among 231 breast cancer patients revealed that social support perception and emotional well-being interacted with each other to influence online health information seeking. Patients with low social support perception and high emotional well-being were most likely to seek health information, whereas patients with high social support perception and high emotional well-being sought out the same information least. Practical implications of the study findings were further discussed.

Engaged, workaholic, burned-out or just 9-to-5? Toward a typology of employee well-being.

PubMed

Salanova, Marisa; Del Líbano, Mario; Llorens, Susana; Schaufeli, Wilmar B

2014-02-01

The aim of this study was to establish a typology of employee well-being, together with its psychosocial antecedents and consequences. Results obtained with a sample of 786 full-time employees from different occupational sectors show four types of employee well-being: 9-to-5 or relaxed, work engaged or enthusiastic, workaholic or tense, and burned-out or fatigued, each having different relationships with job and personal characteristics. This study provides evidence of a parsimonious, theory-based classification of employee well-being and contributes to the existing literature about work investment because meaningful relations were found between various types of employee well-being, and heavy and soft work investors. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Nonformal Learning and Well-Being among Older Adults: Links between Participation in Swedish Study Circles, Feelings of Well-Being and Social Aspects of Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Åberg, Pelle

2016-01-01

How does participation in nonformal learning influence the self-perceived well-being among older adults? This article looks into that issue through a study of people aged 65 years or older who have participated in Swedish study circles. The data analyzed consists of a nation-wide survey of study circle participants. The results show that there are…

Psychosocial factors and psychological well-being: a study from a nationally representative sample of Korean workers.

PubMed

Lee, Bum-Joon; Lamichhane, Dirga Kumar; Jung, Dal-Young; Moon, So-Hyun; Kim, Seong-Jin; Kim, Hwan-Cheol

2016-06-10

This study was conducted to examine how each psychosocial factor on working conditions is related to a worker's well-being. Data from the 2011 Korean Working Conditions Survey were analyzed for 33,569 employed workers aged ≥15 years. Well-being was evaluated through the WHO-5 questionnaire and variables about occupational psychosocial factors were classified into eight categories. The prevalence ratios were estimated using Poisson regression model. Overall, 44.3% of men and 57.4% of women were in a low well-being group. In a univariate analysis, most of the psychosocial factors on working conditions are significantly related with a worker's low well-being, except for insufficient job autonomy in both genders and job insecurity for males only. After adjusting for sociodemographic and structural factors on working conditions, job dissatisfaction, lack of reward, lack of social support, violence and discrimination at work still showed a statistically significant association with a worker's low well-being for both genders. We found that psychosocial working conditions were associated with the workers' well-being.

Psychosocial factors and psychological well-being: a study from a nationally representative sample of Korean workers

PubMed Central

LEE, Bum-Joon; LAMICHHANE, Dirga Kumar; JUNG, Dal-Young; MOON, So-Hyun; KIM, Seong-Jin; KIM, Hwan-Cheol

2015-01-01

This study was conducted to examine how each psychosocial factor on working conditions is related to a worker’s well-being. Data from the 2011 Korean Working Conditions Survey were analyzed for 33,569 employed workers aged ≥15 years. Well-being was evaluated through the WHO-5 questionnaire and variables about occupational psychosocial factors were classified into eight categories. The prevalence ratios were estimated using Poisson regression model. Overall, 44.3% of men and 57.4% of women were in a low well-being group. In a univariate analysis, most of the psychosocial factors on working conditions are significantly related with a worker’s low well-being, except for insufficient job autonomy in both genders and job insecurity for males only. After adjusting for sociodemographic and structural factors on working conditions, job dissatisfaction, lack of reward, lack of social support, violence and discrimination at work still showed a statistically significant association with a worker’s low well-being for both genders. We found that psychosocial working conditions were associated with the workers’ well-being. PMID:26726830

Employers' views on the promotion of workplace health and wellbeing: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Pescud, Melanie; Teal, Renee; Shilton, Trevor; Slevin, Terry; Ledger, Melissa; Waterworth, Pippa; Rosenberg, Michael

2015-07-11

The evidence surrounding the value of workplace health promotion in positively influencing employees' health and wellbeing via changes to their health behaviours is growing. The aim of the study was to explore employers' views on the promotion of workplace health and wellbeing and the factors affecting these views. Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, 10 focus groups were conducted with employers selected from a range of industries and geographical locations within Western Australia. The total sample size was 79. Three factors were identified: employers' conceptualization of workplace health and wellbeing; employers' descriptions of (un)healthy workers and perceptions surrounding the importance of healthy workers; and employers' beliefs around the role the workplace should play in influencing health. Progress may be viable in promoting health and wellbeing if a multifaceted approach is employed taking into account the complex factors influencing employers' views. This could include an education campaign providing information about what constitutes health and wellbeing beyond the scope of occupational health and safety paradigms along with information on the benefits of workplace health and wellbeing aligned with perceptions relating to healthy and unhealthy workers.

Adverse childhood experiences, family functioning and adolescent health and emotional well-being.

PubMed

Balistreri, K S; Alvira-Hammond, M

2016-03-01

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been consistently linked in a strong and graded fashion to a host of health problems in later adulthood but few studies have examined the more proximate effect of ACEs on health and emotional well-being in adolescence. Nationally representative cross-sectional study. Using logistic regression on the 2011/12 National Survey of Children's Health, we examined the cumulative effect of total ACE score on the health and emotional well-being of US adolescents aged 12 to 17 years. We investigated the moderating effect of family functioning on the impact of ACE on adolescent health and emotional well-being. Adolescents with higher ACE scores had worse reported physical and emotional well-being than adolescents with fewer ACEs net of key demographic and socio-economic characteristics. Family functioning moderated the negative impact of cumulative ACE on adolescent health and emotional well-being. Adolescent well-being has enduring consequences; identifying children with ACE exposure who also have lower-functioning family could also help identify those families at particular risk. Copyright © 2015 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Predictors of mental and physical health: individual and neighborhood levels of education, social well-being, and ethnicity.

PubMed

Zhang, Wei; Chen, Qi; McCubbin, Hamilton; McCubbin, Laurie; Foley, Shirley

2011-01-01

This study examines how education benefits health through social well-being in Hawaii where the centrality of community life is underscored. The 2007 Hawaii Health Survey with linked zip-code information was used to investigate the effects of education at both individual and neighborhood levels using mixed-effects models. Geographic Information System was applied to map the geographical distributions of education, social well-being, and health. It was found that individual-level education benefits mental health and its effects are largely mediated by respondents' employment status and their social well-being (social integration, social contribution, social actualization, and social coherence). Both individual and neighborhood-level education promotes physical health and their effects are partially mediated by economic well-being and two indicators of social well-being (social integration and social coherence). Results of this study suggest the independent effects of two levels of education on physical health and the importance of education and social well-being to both mental and physical health in the State of Hawaii. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploring the Association Between Health Literacy and Psychological Well-Being Among Industry Managers in Germany.

PubMed

Fiedler, Silja; Pfaff, Holger; Soellner, Renate; Pförtner, Timo-Kolja

2018-03-19

Industry managers are typically exposed to high work demands but have received limited attention by research, particularly concerning the issue of health literacy and how this relates to their psychological well-being. The aim of this study was to explore the association between health literacy and psychological well-being among managers in Germany. An online survey of a sample of 126 commercial industry managers was conducted. Effects of health literacy on psychological well-being (WHO-5 index) were investigated using path analysis. The findings show a quarter of managers were classified as having poor well-being. Health literacy, namely the facets self-regulation (β = 0.40, P < 0.001), self-perception (β = 0.26, P < 0.001), self-control (β = 0.25, P < 0.01), and proactive approach to health (β = 0.09, P < 0.05), were positively associated with psychological well-being. The study indicates that higher health literacy is associated with decreased risk of poor well-being.

The mediating role of relatedness need satisfaction in the relationship between charitable behavior and well-being: Empirical evidence from China.

PubMed

Jiang, Jiang; Zeng, Taoran; Zhang, Chong; Wang, Rong

2016-08-03

Based on self-determination theory, the current research aimed to explore the potential mediating effect of relatedness need satisfaction on the relationship between charitable behavior and well-being in the Chinese context. Employing a cross-sectional design, participants reported data on the aforementioned variables in Study 1. The results indicated that relatedness need satisfaction mediated the positive relationship between charitable behavior and hedonic well-being and that between charitable behavior and eudaimonic well-being. Subsequently, a field experiment was conducted in Study 2. Participants rated their levels of relatedness need satisfaction and well-being after charitable donation behaviors were primed. We again observed consistent results. Specifically, charitable behavior was positively associated with both hedonic and eudaimonic well-being, and these relationships were mediated by relatedness need satisfaction. The above findings help to clarify the association between charitable behavior and people's subjective feelings (i.e., well-being), and they deepen our understanding of the underlying mechanism from the perspective of psychological needs satisfaction. © 2016 International Union of Psychological Science.

Wellbeing in retirement villages: eudaimonic challenges and opportunities.

PubMed

Chandler, Rebecca C; Robinson, Oliver C

2014-12-01

A retirement village consists of a collection of privately owned or leased flats or maisonettes for elderly adults that are supported by a central hub that provides catering, medical care and social activities. There have been studies of the psychological experience and impacts of such environments, however, there is lack of research that links the retirement village experience to overarching theories of eudaimonic wellbeing, and that uses qualitative methods to find out about how wellbeing manifests for the individual. This study used Ryff's (1989) model of wellbeing as a framework for analysis, while aiming to gain an in-depth understanding of the experiences and sources of wellbeing in residents of two retirement villages in the South East of England. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 18 residents. Thematic analysis revealed a dialectical tension to retirement village living: while facilitating all six core components of eudaimonic wellbeing as conceptualized by Ryff's model, individuals living within the retirement villages also experience challenges to wellbeing on the same dimensions. An integrative model of these tensions between positive and negative experiences is presented and discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mental well-being mediates the relationship between perceived stress and perceived health.

PubMed

Teh, Hui Chian; Archer, Josephine A; Chang, Weining; Chen, S H Annabel

2015-02-01

The association between stress and health has been well researched in the past; however, comparatively few mediators have been tested to understand the underlying mechanism. With increasing awareness on mental well-being, this study evaluated the relationship between perceived stress and perceived health and examined mental well-being as a mediator. Two-hundred undergraduates aged 21 to 26 years completed the English Perceived Stress Scale, Health Status Questionnaire and Asian Mental Well-Being Scale that assess perceived stress, perceived health and mental well-being, respectively. Factor analysis and structural equation modelling on the Perceived Stress Scale replicated the reported two-factor structure after excluding an insignificant item. Linear multiple regression analyses indicated that perceived stress was negatively associated with perceived health. Results showed that mental well-being partially mediated the relationship between perceived stress and perceived health, although it is acknowledged that this association could be bidirectional. Findings from the present study suggest that future research could focus on reducing stress and improving mental well-being to alleviate the effect of stress on health. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Prenatal yoga in late pregnancy and optimism, power, and well-being.

PubMed

Reis, Pamela J; Alligood, Martha R

2014-01-01

The study reported here explored changes in optimism, power, and well-being over time in women who participated in a six-week prenatal yoga program during their second and third trimesters of pregnancy. The study was conceptualized from the perspective of Rogers' science of unitary human beings. A correlational, one-group, pre-post-assessment survey design with a convenience sample was conducted. Increases in mean scores for optimism, power, and well-being were statistically significant from baseline to completion of the prenatal yoga program. Findings from this study suggested that yoga as a self-care practice that nurses might recommend to promote well-being in pregnant women.

Confronting as autonomy promotion: Speaking up against discrimination and psychological well-being in racial minorities.

PubMed

Sanchez, Diana T; Himmelstein, Mary S; Young, Danielle M; Albuja, Analia F; Garcia, Julie A

2016-09-01

Few studies have considered confrontation in the context of coping with discriminatory experiences. These studies test for the first time whether confronting racial discrimination is associated with greater psychological well-being and physical health through the promotion of autonomy. In two separate samples of racial minorities who had experienced racial discrimination, confrontation was associated with greater psychological well-being, and this relationship was mediated by autonomy promotion. These findings did not extend to physical health symptoms. These studies provide preliminary evidence that confrontation may aid in the process of regaining autonomy after experiencing discrimination and therefore promote well-being. © The Author(s) 2015.

Spiritual Well-Being in Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Survivors of Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

PubMed Central

Prince, Patricia; Mitchell, Sandra A.; Wehlen, Leslie; Childs, Richard; Savani, Bipin; Yang, Li; Bevans, Margaret

2016-01-01

Research suggests that spiritual well-being positively contributes to quality of life during and following cancer treatment. This relationship has not been well-described in ethnically diverse survivors of allogeneic transplantation. This study compares spiritual well-being and quality of life of Hispanic (n=69) and non-Hispanic (n=102) survivors. Hispanic participants were significantly younger, and reported significantly greater spiritual well-being than non-Hispanic survivors. Survivors with higher spiritual well-being had significantly better quality of life. Meaning and Peace significantly predicted quality of life. Although Hispanic survivors report greater spiritual well-being, Meaning and Peace, irrespective of ethnicity, have a salutary effect on quality of life. PMID:26315721

Work health promotion, job well-being, and sickness absences--a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Kuoppala, Jaana; Lamminpää, Anne; Husman, Päivi

2008-11-01

The aim of this systematic literature analysis was to study the association between work health promotion and job well-being, work ability, absenteeism, and early retirement. This systematic review is a part of a large research project studying multiple workplace factors and interventions that may affect workers' health and well-being. Original articles published in 1970 to 2005 were searched in Medline and PsycINFO databases, the main search terms being health promotion, well-being, work ability, sick leave, and disability pension. Out of 1312 references and 35 potentially eligible publications, 10 studies were included in the analysis. Other sources producing 36 eligible studies, 46 studies in total were included in the analysis. There is moderate evidence that work health promotion decreases sickness absences (risk ratio [RR], 0.78; range, 0.10 to 1.57) and work ability (RR, 1.38; range, 1.15 to 1.66). It also seems to increase mental well-being (RR, 1.39; range, 0.98 to 1.91), but not physical well-being. There is no evidence on disability pension. Exercise seems to increase overall well-being (RR, 1.25; range, 1.05 to 1.47) and work ability (RR, 1.38; range, 1.15 to 1.66), but education and psychological methods do not seem to affect well-being or sickness absences. Sickness absences seem to be reduced by activities promoting healthy lifestyle (RR, 0.80; range, 0.74 to 0.93) and ergonomics (RR, 0.72; range, 0.13 to 1.57). Work health promotion is valuable on employees' well-being and work ability and productive in terms of less sickness absences. Activities involving exercise, lifestyle, and ergonomics are potentially effective. On the other hand, education and psychological means applied alone do not seem effective. Work health promotion should target both physical and psychosocial environments at work.

Psychological well-being and family satisfaction levels five years after being confirmed as a carrier of the Machado-Joseph disease mutation.

PubMed

Gonzalez, Carlos; Gomes, Elisabete; Kazachkova, Nadiya; Bettencourt, Conceição; Raposo, Mafalda; Kay, Teresa Taylor; MacLeod, Patrick; Vasconcelos, João; Lima, Manuela

2012-12-01

The present study on long-term outcome of presymptomatic testing for Machado-Joseph disease (MJD) aimed to evaluate the psychological well-being and the familial satisfaction of subjects that 5 years prior received an unfavorable result in the predictive testing (PT). The study included 47 testees of Azorean origin (23 from the island of Flores and 24 from S. Miguel) that completed the fourth evaluation session of the MJD protocol, and undertook a neurological examination at the moment of participation in the study. Nearly 50% of testees were symptomatic at the time of the study. Psychological well-being of the 47 participants was evaluated using the Psychological General Well-Being Index (PGWB). The family satisfaction scale by adjectives was applied to obtain information on family dynamics. The average PGWB score of the total participants was of 73.3, a value indicative of psychological well-being. Nearly half of the testees presented scores indicating psychological well-being, whereas scores indicating moderate (28.9%) or severe (23.7%) stress were found in the remaining. The average score in the PGWB scale was lower in symptomatic than in asymptomatic subjects; moreover, the distinct distribution of the well-being categories seen in the two groups shows an impact of the appearance of first symptoms on the psychological state. Motives for undertaking the test, provided 5 years prior, failed to show an impact in well-being. The average score for familial satisfaction was of 134, a value compatible with high familial satisfaction, which represented the most frequent category (59.6%). Results demonstrate that well-being and family satisfaction need to be monitored in confirmed carriers of the MJD mutation. The inclusion of acceptance studies, after PT, as well as the development of acceptance training actions, should be of major importance to anticipate the possibility of psychological damage.

The interrelations between spiritual well-being, pain interference and depressive symptoms in patients with multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Nsamenang, Sheri A; Hirsch, Jameson K; Topciu, Raluca; Goodman, Andrew D; Duberstein, Paul R

2016-04-01

Depressive symptoms are common in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS), and are frequently exacerbated by pain; however, spiritual well-being may allow persons with MS to more effectively cope with pain-related deficits in physical and role functioning. We explored the associations between spiritual well-being, pain interference and depressive symptoms, assessing each as a potential mediator, in eighty-one patients being treated for MS, who completed self-report measures: Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being Scale, Pain Effects Scale, and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale Revised. At the bivariate level, spiritual well-being and its subscale of meaning and peace were negatively associated with depression and pain interference. In mediation models, depression was not related to pain interference via spiritual well-being, or to spiritual well-being via pain interference. Pain interference was related to depression via spiritual well-being and meaning/peace, and to spiritual well-being and meaning/peace via depressive symptoms. Finally, spiritual well-being and meaning/peace were related to depression via pain interference, and to pain interference via depressive symptoms. For patients with MS, a multi-faceted approach to treatment that includes pain reduction and promotion of spiritual well-being may be beneficial, although amelioration of depression remains a critical task.

Emotional Intelligence Relates to Well-Being: Evidence from the Situational Judgment Test of Emotional Management.

PubMed

Burrus, Jeremy; Betancourt, Anthony; Holtzman, Steven; Minsky, Jennifer; MacCann, Carolyn; Roberts, Richard D

2012-07-01

This research was conducted to examine whether people high in emotional intelligence (EI) have greater well-being than people low in EI. The Situational Test of Emotion Management, Scales of Psychological Well-being, and Day Reconstruction Method were completed by 131 college students. Responses to the Situational Test of Emotion Management were strongly related to eudaimonic well-being as measured by responses on the Scales of Psychological Well-being (r=.54). Furthermore, the ability to manage emotions was related to hedonic well-being, correlating with both the frequency of experienced positive affect and the frequency of experienced negative affect, as measured by the Day Reconstruction Method. Two aspects of these results suggest a relationship between EI and well-being. First, the observed relationship between ability EI and psychological well-being is the largest reported in the literature to date. Second, this study is the first use of the Day Reconstruction Method to examine the relationship between well-being and EI. Results are discussed in terms of the potential for training emotion management to enhance well-being. Methodological advances for future research are also suggested. © 2012 The Authors. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being © 2012 The International Association of Applied Psychology.

Exploring constructs of well-being, happiness and quality of life.

PubMed

Medvedev, Oleg N; Landhuis, C Erik

2018-01-01

Existing definitions of happiness, subjective well-being, and quality of life suggest conceptual overlap between these constructs. This study explored the relationship between these well-being constructs by applying widely used measures with satisfactory psychometric properties. University students ( n = 180) completed widely used well-being measures including the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ), the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the Positive and Negative Affect Scale. We analyzed the data using correlation, regression, and exploratory factor analysis. All included well-being measures demonstrated high loadings on the global well-being construct that explains about 80% of the variance in the OHQ, the psychological domain of Quality of Life and subjective well-being. The results show high positive correlations between happiness, psychological and health domains of quality of life, life satisfaction, and positive affect. Social and environmental domains of quality of life were poor predictors of happiness and subjective well-being after controlling for psychological quality of life. Together, these data provide support for a global well-being dimension and interchangeable use of terms happiness, subjective well-being, and psychological quality of life with the current sample and measures. Further investigation with larger heterogeneous samples and other well-being measures is warranted.

Exploring constructs of well-being, happiness and quality of life

PubMed Central

Landhuis, C. Erik

2018-01-01

Background Existing definitions of happiness, subjective well-being, and quality of life suggest conceptual overlap between these constructs. This study explored the relationship between these well-being constructs by applying widely used measures with satisfactory psychometric properties. Materials and Methods University students (n = 180) completed widely used well-being measures including the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ), the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the Positive and Negative Affect Scale. We analyzed the data using correlation, regression, and exploratory factor analysis. Results All included well-being measures demonstrated high loadings on the global well-being construct that explains about 80% of the variance in the OHQ, the psychological domain of Quality of Life and subjective well-being. The results show high positive correlations between happiness, psychological and health domains of quality of life, life satisfaction, and positive affect. Social and environmental domains of quality of life were poor predictors of happiness and subjective well-being after controlling for psychological quality of life. Conclusion Together, these data provide support for a global well-being dimension and interchangeable use of terms happiness, subjective well-being, and psychological quality of life with the current sample and measures. Further investigation with larger heterogeneous samples and other well-being measures is warranted. PMID:29876148

The PERMA Well-Being Model and Music Facilitation Practice: Preliminary Documentation for Well-Being through Music Provision in Australian Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Juyoung; Krause, Amanda E.; Davidson, Jane W.

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to consider how we can invest in music-making to promote well-being in school contexts. Web-based data collection was conducted where researchers identified 17 case studies that describe successful music programs in schools in Australia. The researchers aligned content from these case studies into the five categories of…

Clarifying Associations between Childhood Adversity, Social Support, Behavioral Factors, and Mental Health, Health, and Well-Being in Adulthood: A Population-Based Study

PubMed Central

Sheikh, Mashhood A.; Abelsen, Birgit; Olsen, Jan A.

2016-01-01

Previous studies have shown that socio-demographic factors, childhood socioeconomic status (CSES), childhood traumatic experiences (CTEs), social support and behavioral factors are associated with health and well-being in adulthood. However, the relative importance of these factors for mental health, health, and well-being has not been studied. Moreover, the mechanisms by which CTEs affect mental health, health, and well-being in adulthood are not clear. Using data from a representative sample (n = 12,981) of the adult population in Tromsø, Norway, this study examines (i) the relative contribution of structural conditions (gender, age, CSES, psychological abuse, physical abuse, and substance abuse distress) to social support and behavioral factors in adulthood; (ii) the relative contribution of socio-demographic factors, CSES, CTEs, social support, and behavioral factors to three multi-item instruments of mental health (SCL-10), health (EQ-5D), and subjective well-being (SWLS) in adulthood; (iii) the impact of CTEs on mental health, health, and well-being in adulthood, and; (iv) the mediating role of adult social support and behavioral factors in these associations. Instrumental support (24.16%, p < 0.001) explained most of the variation in mental health, while gender (21.32%, p < 0.001) explained most of the variation in health, and emotional support (23.34%, p < 0.001) explained most of the variation in well-being. Psychological abuse was relatively more important for mental health (12.13%), health (7.01%), and well-being (9.09%), as compared to physical abuse, and substance abuse distress. The subjective assessment of childhood financial conditions was relatively more important for mental health (6.02%), health (10.60%), and well-being (20.60%), as compared to mother's and father's education. CTEs were relatively more important for mental health, while, CSES was relatively more important for health and well-being. Respondents exposed to all three types of CTEs had a more than two-fold increased risk of being mentally unhealthy (RRTotal Effect = 2.75, 95% CI: 2.19–3.10), an 89% increased risk of being unhealthy (RRTotal Effect = 1.89, 95% CI: 1.47–1.99), and a 42% increased risk of having a low level of well-being in adulthood (RRTotal Effect = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.29–1.52). Social support and behavioral factors mediate 11–18% (p < 0.01) of these effects. The study advances the theoretical understanding of how CTEs influence adult mental health, health, and well-being. PMID:27252668

Psychosocial working conditions and psychological well-being among employees in 34 European countries.

PubMed

Schütte, Stefanie; Chastang, Jean-François; Malard, Lucile; Parent-Thirion, Agnès; Vermeylen, Greet; Niedhammer, Isabelle

2014-11-01

The aim of this study was to explore the associations between psychosocial working conditions and psychological well-being among employees in 34 European countries. Another objective was to examine whether these associations varied according to occupation and country. The study was based on data from the European Working Conditions Survey 2010 including 33,443 employees, 16,512 men and 16,931 women, from 34 European countries. Well-being was measured by the WHO-5 well-being index. Twenty-five psychosocial work factors were constructed including job demands, role stressors, work hours, job influence and freedom, job promotion, job insecurity, social support, quality of leadership, discrimination and violence at work, and work-life imbalance. The associations between these factors and well-being were examined using multilevel logistic regression analyses. Different models were performed including interaction tests. When all 25 psychosocial work factors were studied simultaneously in the same model with adjustment variables, 13 showed a significant association with poor well-being among both genders: quantitative demands, demands for hiding emotions, low possibilities for development, low meaning of work, low role conflict, low quality of leadership, low social support, low sense of community, job insecurity, low job promotion, work-life imbalance, discrimination, and bullying. The association with low sense of community on poor well-being was particularly strong. A large number of psychosocial work factors were associated with poor well-being. Almost no country and occupational differences were found in these associations. This study gave a first European overview and could be useful to inform cross-national policy debate.

The influence of health-specific social network site use on the psychological well-being of cancer-affected people.

PubMed

Erfani, Seyedezahra Shadi; Blount, Yvette; Abedin, Babak

2016-05-01

We aimed to explore and examine how and in what ways the use of social network sites (SNSs) can improve health outcomes, specifically better psychological well-being, for cancer-affected people. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with users of the Ovarian Cancer Australia Facebook page (OCA Facebook), the exemplar SNS used in this study. Twenty-five women affected by ovarian cancer who were users of OCA Facebook were interviewed. A multi-theory perspective was employed to interpret the data. Most of the study participants used OCA Facebook daily. Some users were passive and only observed created content, while other users actively posted content and communicated with other members. Analysis showed that the use of this SNS enhanced social support for users, improved the users' experiences of social connectedness, and helped users learn and develop social presence, which ultimately improved their psychological well-being. The strong theoretical underpinning of our research and empirically derived results led to a new understanding of the capacity of SNSs to improve psychological well-being. Our study provides evidence showing how the integration of these tools into existing health services can enhance patients' psychological well-being. This study also contributes to the body of knowledge on the implications of SNS use for improving the psychological well-being of cancer-affected people. This research assessed the relationship between the use of SNSs, specifically OCA Facebook, and the psychological well-being of cancer-affected people. The study confirmed that using OCA Facebook can improve psychological well-being by demonstrating the potential value of SNSs as a support service in the healthcare industry. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Using Ryff's scales of psychological well-being in adolescents in mainland China.

PubMed

Gao, Jie; McLellan, Ros

2018-04-20

Psychological well-being in adolescence has always been a focus of public attention and academic research. Ryff's six-factor model of psychological well-being potentially provides a comprehensive theoretical framework for investigating positive functioning of adolescents. However, previous studies reported inconsistent findings of the reliability and validity of Ryff's Scales of Psychological Well-being (SPWB). The present study aimed to explore whether Ryff's six-factor model of psychological well-being could be applied in Chinese adolescents. The Scales of Psychological Well-being (SPWB) were adapted for assessing the psychological well-being of adolescents in mainland China. 772 adolescents (365 boys to 401 girls, 6 missing gender data, mean age = 13.65) completed the adapted 33-item SPWB. The data was used to examine the reliability and construct validity of the adapted SPWB. Results showed that five of the six sub-scales had acceptable internal consistency of items, except the sub-scale of autonomy. The factorial structure of the SPWB was not as clear-cut as the theoretical framework suggested. Among the models under examination, the six-factor model had better model fit than the hierarchical model and the one-factor model. However, the goodness-of-fit of the six-factor model was hardly acceptable. High factor correlations were identified between the sub-scales of environmental mastery, purpose in life and personal growth. Findings of the present study echoed a number of previous studies which reported inadequate reliability and validity of Ryff's scales. Given the evidence, it was suggested that future adolescent studies should seek to develop more age-specific and context-appropriate items for a better operationalisation of Ryff's theoretical model of psychological well-being.

Walking for Well-Being: Are Group Walks in Certain Types of Natural Environments Better for Well-Being than Group Walks in Urban Environments?

PubMed Central

Marselle, Melissa R.; Irvine, Katherine N.; Warber, Sara L.

2013-01-01

The benefits of walking in natural environments for well-being are increasingly understood. However, less well known are the impacts different types of natural environments have on psychological and emotional well-being. This cross-sectional study investigated whether group walks in specific types of natural environments were associated with greater psychological and emotional well-being compared to group walks in urban environments. Individuals who frequently attended a walking group once a week or more (n = 708) were surveyed on mental well-being (Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale), depression (Major Depressive Inventory), perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale) and emotional well-being (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule). Compared to group walks in urban environments, group walks in farmland were significantly associated with less perceived stress and negative affect, and greater mental well-being. Group walks in green corridors were significantly associated with less perceived stress and negative affect. There were no significant differences between the effect of any environment types on depression or positive affect. Outdoor walking group programs could be endorsed through “green prescriptions” to improve psychological and emotional well-being, as well as physical activity. PMID:24173142

Activity as a predictor of mental well-being among older adults.

PubMed

Lampinen, P; Heikkinen, R-L; Kauppinen, M; Heikkinen, E

2006-09-01

This eight-year follow-up study examines the roles of physical and leisure activity as predictors of mental well-being among older adults born in 1904-1923. As part of the Evergreen project, 1224 (80%) persons aged 65-84 years were interviewed at baseline (1988), and 663 (90%) persons in the follow-up (1996). Mental well-being factors including depressive symptoms, anxiety, loneliness, self-rated mental vigour and meaning in life were constructed using factor analysis. The predictors of mental well-being included physical and leisure activity, mobility status and number of chronic illnesses. We used a path analysis model to examine the predictors of mental well-being. At baseline, low number of chronic illnesses, better mobility status and leisure activity were associated with mental well-being. Baseline mental well-being, better mobility status and younger age predicted mental well-being in the follow-up. Explanatory power of the path analysis model for the mental well-being factor at baseline was 19% and 35% in the follow-up. These findings suggest that mental well-being in later life is associated with activity, better health and mobility status, which should become targets for preventive measures.

How to Apply Feedback to Improve Subjective Wellbeing of Government Servants Engaged in Environmental Protection in China?

PubMed Central

Wang, Xinmeng; Zhang, Na; Li, Miaomiao

2018-01-01

Background In order to improve subjective wellbeing of government servants engaged in environmental protection who work in high power distance in China, it is important to understand the impact mechanism of feedback. This study aims to analyze how feedback environment influences subjective wellbeing through basic psychological needs satisfaction and analyzing the moderating role of power distance. Method The study was designed as a cross-sectional study of 492 government servants engaged in environment protection in Shandong, China. Government servants who agreed to participate answered self-report questionnaires concerning demographic conditions, supervisor feedback environment, basic psychological need satisfaction, and power distance as well as subjective wellbeing. Results Employees in higher levels of supervisor feedback environment were more likely to experience subjective wellbeing. Full mediating effects were found for basic psychological needs satisfaction. Specifically, supervisor feedback environment firstly led to increased basic psychological needs satisfaction, which in turn resulted in increased subjective wellbeing. Additional analysis showed that the mediating effect of basic psychological needs satisfaction was stronger for employees who work in high power distance than in low power distance. Conclusion The results from the study indicate that supervisor feedback environment plays a vital role in improving subjective wellbeing of government servants engaged in environmental protection through basic psychological needs satisfaction, especially in high power distance. PMID:29662901

Social support as a moderator of positive psychological strengths and subjective well-being.

PubMed

Khan, Aqeel; Husain, Akbar

2010-04-01

The present study was conducted to examine: (a) the relation of positive psychological strengths, i.e., hope, optimism, self-efficacy, and resiliency, with subjective well-being, and (b) the role of social support as a moderator of positive psychological strengths and subjective well-being. The following hypotheses were proposed: (a) that positive psychological strengths would be positively related with subjective well-being and social support; (b) social support would moderate the relation of positive psychological strengths with subjective well-being. 116 men and 64 women (M age=21.53 yr., SD=4.99, range=33) from India participated. Significant positive relationships were found for positive psychological strengths with subjective well-being and with social support network (family, friends, and others). Regression analysis showed social support significantly moderated the relations of positive psychological strengths with subjective well-being.

Mixed Emotional Experience Is Associated with and Precedes Improvements in Psychological Well-Being

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The relationships between positive and negative emotional experience and physical and psychological well-being have been well-documented. The present study examines the prospective positive relationship between concurrent positive and negative emotional experience and psychological well-being in the context of psychotherapy. Methods 47 adults undergoing psychotherapy completed measures of psychological well-being and wrote private narratives that were coded by trained raters for emotional content. Results The specific concurrent experience of happiness and sadness was associated with improvements in psychological well-being above and beyond the impact of the passage of time, personality traits, or the independent effects of happiness and sadness. Changes in mixed emotional experience preceded improvements in well-being. Conclusions Experiencing happiness alongside sadness in psychotherapy may be a harbinger of improvement in psychological well-being. PMID:22539987

Focusing Resource Allocation-Wellbeing as a Tool for Prioritizing Interventions for Communities at Risk

PubMed Central

Hogan, Anthony; Tanton, Robert; Lockie, Stewart; May, Sarah

2013-01-01

Objective: This study examined whether a wellbeing approach to resilience and adaptation would provide practical insights for prioritizing support to communities experiencing environmental and socio-economic stressors. Methods: A cross-sectional survey, based on a purposive sample of 2,196 stakeholders (landholders, hobby farmers, town resident and change agents) from three irrigation-dependent communities in Australia’s Murray-Darling Basin. Respondents’ adaptive capacity and wellbeing (individual and collective adaptive capacity, subjective wellbeing, social support, community connectivity, community leadership, in the context of known life stressors) were examined using chi-square, comparison of mean scores, hierarchical regression and factor-cluster analysis. Results: Statistically significant correlations (p < 0.05) were observed between individual (0.331) and collective (0.318) adaptive capacity and wellbeing. Taking into account respondents’ self-assessed health and socio-economic circumstances, perceptions of individual (15%) and collective adaptive capacity (10%) as well as community connectivity (13%) were associated with wellbeing (R2 = 0.36; F (9, 2099) = 132.9; p < 0.001). Cluster analysis found that 11% of respondents were particularly vulnerable, reporting below average scores on all indicators, with 56% of these reporting below threshold scores on subjective wellbeing. Conclusions: Addressing the capacity of individuals to work with others and to adapt to change, serve as important strategies in maintaining wellbeing in communities under stress. The human impacts of exogenous stressors appear to manifest themselves in poorer health outcomes; addressing primary stressors may in turn aid wellbeing. Longitudinal studies are indicated to verify these findings. Wellbeing may serve as a useful and parsimonious proxy measure for resilience and adaptive capacity. PMID:23924885

Need assessment of staffs' welfare services at tehran university of medical sciences: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Dehghan, Reza; Mafimoradi, Shiva; Hadi, Mohammad

2015-01-01

Reviewing the human resources management literature shows an absence of attention given to the employee's benefits. Taking a look at functions of the Tehran University of Medical Sciences' wellbeing services system, it uncovers a gap between employees' real needs and what is delivered to meet their needs. So it requires an improved comprehensive system for delivering wellbeing services (financial, insurance, health care services, educational and training services, etc). Wellbeing need assessment can helps planners to identify vital needs of employee and response to them effectively. Moreover it can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the current services which are delivered. Thus, the aim of this study is to assess wellbeing services of staffs working in TUMS to (1) evaluate the satisfactory rate of services which are delivered, and (2) exploring those wellbeing needs which were not fulfilled by the organization. Being a cross-sectional and analytic-descriptive survey including 98 responding participants, it is conducted by a questionnaire collecting employees' demographic information, their satisfactory rate of the implemented services, and determines unfulfilled wellbeing needs which were not already covered. Results indicated that services related to financial, educational, non-financial, insurance, occupational health and tourism/recreational services were the most satisfactory services successively. 'Staff's unwillingness to receive services' and 'poor announcement' (unawareness on the wellbeing services),' were found to be the most frequent reasons for not receiving the existing wellbeing services. To increase the satisfaction rate and responsiveness to the real needs of the staff, the current delivery system of wellbeing services in the TUMS should be redesigned by defining new wellbeing packages.

Parental practices predict psychological well-being in midlife: life-course associations among women in the 1946 British birth cohort.

PubMed

Huppert, F A; Abbott, R A; Ploubidis, G B; Richards, M; Kuh, D

2010-09-01

Certain parenting styles are influential in the emergence of later mental health problems, but less is known about the relationship between parenting style and later psychological well-being. Our aim was to examine the association between well-being in midlife and parental behaviour during childhood and adolescence, and the role of personality as a possible mediator of this relationship. Data from 984 women in the 1946 British birth cohort study were analysed using structural equation modelling. Psychological well-being was assessed at age 52 years using Ryff's scales of psychological well-being. Parenting practices were recollected at age 43 years using the Parental Bonding Instrument. Extraversion and neuroticism were assessed at age 26 years using the Maudsley Personality Inventory. In this sample, three parenting style factors were identified: care; non-engagement; control. Higher levels of parental care were associated with higher psychological well-being, while higher parental non-engagement or control were associated with lower levels of psychological well-being. The effects of care and non-engagement were largely mediated by the offspring's personality, whereas control had direct effects on psychological well-being. The psychological well-being of adult women was at least as strongly linked to the parenting style of their fathers as to that of their mothers, particularly in relation to the adverse effects of non-engagement and control. This study used a prospective longitudinal design to examine the effects of parenting practices on psychological well-being in midlife. The effects of parenting, both positive and negative, persisted well into mid-adulthood.

Construction and validation of a measure of integrative well-being in seven languages: The Pemberton Happiness Index

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Purpose We introduce the Pemberton Happiness Index (PHI), a new integrative measure of well-being in seven languages, detailing the validation process and presenting psychometric data. The scale includes eleven items related to different domains of remembered well-being (general, hedonic, eudaimonic, and social well-being) and ten items related to experienced well-being (i.e., positive and negative emotional events that possibly happened the day before); the sum of these items produces a combined well-being index. Methods A distinctive characteristic of this study is that to construct the scale, an initial pool of items, covering the remembered and experienced well-being domains, were subjected to a complete selection and validation process. These items were based on widely used scales (e.g., PANAS, Satisfaction With Life Scale, Subjective Happiness Scale, and Psychological Well-Being Scales). Both the initial items and reference scales were translated into seven languages and completed via Internet by participants (N = 4,052) aged 16 to 60 years from nine countries (Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, and USA). Results Results from this initial validation study provided very good support for the psychometric properties of the PHI (i.e., internal consistency, a single-factor structure, and convergent and incremental validity). Conclusions Given the PHI’s good psychometric properties, this simple and integrative index could be used as an instrument to monitor changes in well-being. We discuss the utility of this integrative index to explore well-being in individuals and communities. PMID:23607679

Chinese adolescents with higher social dominance orientation are less prosocial and less happy: A value-environment fit analysis.

PubMed

Yang, Ying; Li, Wenqi; Sheldon, Kennon M; Kou, Yu

2018-01-10

This study aims to investigate the relationship between social dominance orientation (SDO) and subjective well-being among Chinese adolescents (N = 4246), and to examine the mediating role of prosocial behaviour in this relationship. The structural equation model's results showed that SDO was negatively associated with prosocial behaviour and subjective well-being, that prosocial behaviour was positively associated with subjective well-being, and also that (low) prosocial behaviour partially mediated the negative relationship between SDO and subjective well-being. Multi-group analyses showed that the mediation model was generally similar between boys and girls, but that the negative relationship between SDO and prosocial behaviour was somewhat stronger among girls than boys. This study sheds light on how SDO is associated with positive outcomes among Chinese adolescents and highlights the mediating role of prosocial behaviour as an underlying mechanism between SDO and subjective well-being. Future studies are needed to further discover the role of culture values in the association between SDO and subjective well-being. © 2018 International Union of Psychological Science.

Dementia and well-being: A conceptual framework based on Tom Kitwood's model of needs.

PubMed

Kaufmann, Elke G; Engel, Sabine A

2016-07-01

The topic of well-being is becoming increasingly significant as a key outcome measure in dementia care. Previous work on personhood of individuals with dementia suggests that their subjective well-being can be described in terms of comfort, inclusion, identity, occupation and attachment The study aimed to examine Tom Kitwood's model of psychological needs and well-being in dementia based on the self-report of individuals with moderate or severe dementia and to differentiate and elaborate this model in the light of the empirical qualitative data. Nineteen inhabitants of a special long-term care unit were interviewed using a semi-structured interview. Data were analysed using content analysis. Thirty components within Kitwood's model have been identified. A conceptual framework of subjective well-being in dementia was developed based on a theoretical background. The study was able to find indications that Kitwood's model has empirical relevance. Nevertheless, it requires to be extended by the domain agency. Furthermore, the study suggests that individuals with dementia are important informants of their subjective well-being. © The Author(s) 2014.

Life Satisfaction and Psychological Well-Being of Older Adults With Cancer Experience: The Role of Optimism and Volunteering.

PubMed

Heo, Jinmoo; Chun, Sanghee; Lee, Sunwoo; Kim, Junhyoung

2016-09-01

Promoting health and well-being among individuals of advancing age is a significant issue due to increased incidence of cancer among older adults. This study demonstrates the benefits of expecting positive outcomes and participating in volunteer activities among older adults with cancer. We used a nationally representative sample of 2,670 individuals who have experienced cancer from the 2008 wave of the Health and Retirement Study. We constructed a structural equation model to explore the associations of optimism, volunteerism, life satisfaction, and psychological well-being. The level of optimism was a significant predictor of volunteerism, which in turn affected life satisfaction and psychological well-being. The level of engagement in volunteer activities was found to have significant path coefficients toward both life satisfaction and psychological well-being. Our study provides evidence that older adults who have experienced cancer and maintained a positive outlook on their lives and engaged in personally meaningful activities tended to experience psychological well-being and life satisfaction. © The Author(s) 2016.

Personal wellbeing in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD): association with PTSD symptoms during and following treatment.

PubMed

Berle, David; Hilbrink, Dominic; Russell-Williams, Clare; Kiely, Rachael; Hardaker, Laura; Garwood, Natasha; Gilchrist, Anne; Steel, Zachary

2018-03-02

It remains unclear to what extent treatment-related gains in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms translate to improvements in broader domains of personal wellbeing, such as community connectedness, life achievement and security. We sought to determine whether: 1. personal wellbeing improves during the course of a treatment program and 2. changes in core symptom domains (PTSD, anxiety and depression) were associated with improvements in overall personal wellbeing. Participants (N = 124) completed the PTSD Checklist, the Depression and Anxiety Stress Scales and the Personal Wellbeing Index at the start and end of a 4-week Trauma Focused CBT residential program, as well as 3- and 9-months post-treatment. Personal wellbeing improved significantly across the 9-months of the study. Generalised estimating equations analyses indicated that (older) age and improvements in PTSD and depressive symptoms were independent predictors of personal wellbeing across time. Although personal wellbeing improved in tandem with PTSD symptoms, the magnitude of improvement was small. These findings highlight a need to better understand how improvements in personal wellbeing can be optimised following PTSD treatment.

The Stability of Individual Well-Being in Short Windows of Time: Women's Perceptions across the Ovulatory Cycle.

PubMed

Villani, Daniela; Iannello, Paola; Cipresso, Pietro; Antonietti, Alessandro

2017-01-01

Empirical research on well-being has rapidly increased in recent years. One of the most dominant issue concerns the degree of cross-situational consistency and stability of well-being across time, and this is of particular relevance to women life. The aim of this study was to verify the stability of women well-being in short windows of time, specifically across menstrual cycle phases. A within-subject design with 25 normally cycling women (range: 19-26 years) was carried out. The multidimensional assessment of well-being included the administration of psychological well-being, self-esteem, and emotional self-efficacy beliefs questionnaires during both high and low-fertility phases. The results showed the stability of the level of individual well-being across menstrual cycle phases. Albeit preliminary, results indicated that women representations of their well-being do not change according to menstrual cycle. Rather, an effective organization and integration of the entire self-system appears sustained by the stability of well-being measured through a multi-componential assessment over short periods of time.

Associations between active commuting and physical and mental wellbeing.

PubMed

Humphreys, David K; Goodman, Anna; Ogilvie, David

2013-08-01

To examine whether a relationship exists between active commuting and physical and mental wellbeing. In 2009, cross-sectional postal questionnaire data were collected from a sample of working adults (aged 16 and over) in the Commuting and Health in Cambridge study. Travel behaviour and physical activity were ascertained using the Recent Physical Activity Questionnaire (RPAQ) and a seven-day travel-to-work recall instrument from which weekly time spent in active commuting (walking and cycling) was derived. Physical and mental wellbeing were assessed using the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form survey (SF-8). Associations were tested using multivariable linear regression. An association was observed between physical wellbeing (PCS-8) score and time spent in active commuting after adjustment for other physical activity (adjusted regression coefficients 0.48, 0.79 and 1.21 for 30-149 min/week, 150-224 min/week and ≥ 225 min/week respectively versus < 30 min/week, p=0.01 for trend; n=989). No such relationship was found for mental wellbeing (MCS-8) (p=0.52). Greater time spent actively commuting is associated with higher levels of physical wellbeing. Longitudinal studies should examine the contribution of changing levels of active commuting and other forms of physical activity to overall health and wellbeing. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The social well-being of nurses shows a thirst for a holistic support: A qualitative study.

PubMed

Mozaffari, Naser; Peyrovi, Hamid; Nayeri, Nahid Dehghan

2015-01-01

Social well-being is one of the important aspects of health. In fact, this is a reflection of experience in a social environment, indicating how social challenges are determined. In other words, social well-being is an explanation of people's perception and experience of being in a good situation, satisfaction with the structure, and social interaction. This qualitative study intended to explore nurses' experience of social well-being. Qualitative content analysis was used to conduct the study. Through purposive sampling, a total of 18 nurses with various clinical experiences participated in semi-structured interviews. The data were analysed using the five-step, qualitative content analysis introduced by Graneheim and Lundman. The main theme extracted from the data analysis was "thirst for a holistic support" in nurses. It consisted of two subthemes including internal support (family's support, colleague's support, and organizational support) and external support (society's support and media's support). Nurses' experiences in shaping their social well-being show that nurses need support in order to rebuild their social well-being. It is supported in partnership with the media, the community, health-related organizations, and by nurses and family. This improves job satisfaction, hope, motivation, commitment, and confidence so as to ultimately facilitate improvement of social well-being of nurses.

Dispositional characteristics, relational well-being and perceived life satisfaction and empowerment of elders.

PubMed

Francescato, Donata; Pezzuti, Lina; Mebane, Minou; Tomai, Manuela; Benedetti, Maura; Moro, Annalisa

2017-10-01

The broad purpose of this research is to identify the key modifiable variables most related to elders' life satisfaction and empowerment in order to improve the efficacy of interventions projects. Our study aims to integrate the theoretical perspectives of personality and community psychology focusing both on dispositional characteristics and relational well-being of elders, investigating triads, composed by an elder, a paid caregiver and the most involved relative. This study explores the impact of (1) some socio-demographic characteristics of elders, (2) some modifiable dispositional variables of elders and (3) elders' relational well-being on elders' empowerment and life satisfaction. The study involved 429 people in 143 triads. Semi-structured interviews with elders, paid caregiver and close relatives were used to construct a new pilot measure of elders' relational well-being. Life Satisfaction, Empowerment, Loneliness, Positivity, Humor and Emotions self-efficacy scales were also administered. Hierarchical multiple regressions were performed. Elders' positivity, relational well-being of elders and living alone were significantly related to empowerment. Elders' relational well-being and positivity significantly contributed to life satisfaction. Interventions to increase empowerment and life satisfaction should focus primarily on augmenting positivity and relational well-being integrating the theoretical premises of both personality and community psychology.

Spiritual well-being of patients with multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Allahbakhshian, Maryam; Jafarpour, Mahshid; Parvizi, Soroor

2011-01-01

Spiritual well-being is one of the fundamental concepts in chronic diseases which create meaning and purpose in life and is an important approach in promoting general health and quality of life. This study performed to determine the level of spiritual health and its dimensions in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). 236 members of Iranian MS Society were volunteered to participate in a descriptive co-relational study. Spiritual well-being was evaluated by The Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS) questionnaires in two religious and Existential dimensions. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA, t-test and Pearson correlation coefficient were used to analyse the data. The majority of patients (% 97.9) showed moderate spiritual well-being (mean score = 74.3, SD= 8.90). Although Existential well-being (mean score = 40.3, SD= 5.51) was higher than religious well- being (mean score = 33.9, SD= 4.88). A significant relationship was seen between economic status and the spiritual well-being. The results emphasize on the necessity of spiritual well-being as an effective factor on different aspects of these patients' life. This key point is useful and even necessary to be considered to design programs of care and cure for these patients in a country (like Iran) with cultural and religious beliefs. On the other hand, patients' economic status should be considered.

Still stressed but feeling better: Well-being in autism spectrum disorder families as children become adults.

PubMed

Pozo, Pilar; Sarriá, Encarnación

2015-10-01

The transition to adulthood and adulthood itself have been identified as times of stress for parents of individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Longitudinal studies, however, show improvements in the well-being of mothers of adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorder. This article presents a cross-sectional study of 102 Spanish parents (51 mothers and 51 fathers) of 102 individuals with autism spectrum disorder. The aim was to examine parental well-being (evaluated based on stress, anxiety, depression and psychological well-being) in three groups of parents of adults, adolescents and young children with autism spectrum disorder. In addition, the relationships between parental well-being and the characteristics of their children, social support, parental age and sense of coherence were analysed. The results showed that although parental stress and psychological well-being levels were similar across the groups, depression and anxiety were lower in parents of adolescents or adults compared with parents of young children. Different factors predicted different measures of parental well-being, but sense of coherence emerged as the main predictive factor for all parental well-being measures. These findings are discussed in relation to parental adaptation over the lifespan and the implications for interventions in autism spectrum disorder families. © The Author(s) 2015.

On the Reciprocal Association Between Loneliness and Subjective Well-being

PubMed Central

VanderWeele, Tyler J.; Hawkley, Louise C.; Cacioppo, John T.

2012-01-01

Loneliness has been shown to longitudinally predict subjective well-being. The authors used data from a longitudinal population-based study (2002–2006) of non-Hispanic white, African-American, and nonblack Latino-American persons born between 1935 and 1952 and living in Cook County, Illinois. They applied marginal structural models for time-varying exposures to examine the magnitude and persistence of the effects of loneliness on subjective well-being and of subjective well-being on loneliness. Their results indicate that, if interventions on loneliness were made 1 and 2 years prior to assessing final subjective well-being, then only the intervention 1 year prior would have an effect (standardized effect = −0.29). In contrast, increases in subjective well-being 1 year prior (standardized effect = −0.26) and 2 years prior (standardized effect = −0.13) to assessing final loneliness would both have an effect on an individual's final loneliness. These effects persist even after control is made for depressive symptoms, social support, and psychiatric conditions and medications as time-varying confounders. Results from this study indicate an asymmetrical and persistent feedback of fairly substantial magnitude between loneliness and subjective well-being. Mechanisms responsible for the asymmetry are discussed. Developing interventions for loneliness and subjective well-being could have substantial psychological and health benefits. PMID:23077285

Well-being in elderly long-term care residents with chronic mental disorder: a systematic review.

PubMed

van der Wolf, Elja; van Hooren, Susan A H; Waterink, Wim; Lechner, Lilian

2017-12-21

One of the most important objectives of care for older long-term care residents with chronic mental disorders is to facilitate well-being. This review provides an overview of research literature on well-being in this population. A systematic review was conducted using Pubmed, PsycINFO and PsycARTICLES for all studies up until March 2016. Three reviewers independently assessed the eligibility of the publications and made a selection. From a total of 720 unique search results, ten studies were deemed eligible. Specialized care, specifically the presence of mental health-workers was associated with increased well-being outcomes. Perceived amount of personal freedom was also related to higher well-being, whereas stigmatization and depression were related to reduced well-being. Size of residence, single or group-accommodation or moving to another locationdid not, however, seem to have an impact on well-being. Specialized care, aimed at psychiatric disorders and extra attention for depressed residents are useful tools to promote well-being. Additionally, themes like personal freedom and stigmatization should be taken into consideration in the care for older long-term care residents with chronic mental disorder. However, as very little research has been conducted on this topic, conclusions should be interpreted with caution. More research is highly desirable.

Subjective well-being in centenarians: a comparison of Japan and the United States.

PubMed

Nakagawa, Takeshi; Cho, Jinmyoung; Gondo, Yasuyuki; Martin, Peter; Johnson, Mary Ann; Poon, Leonard W; Hirose, Nobuyoshi

2017-07-06

The present study examined the cultural differences and similarities in the levels and predictors of subjective well-being in Japanese and American centenarians. We analyzed data on cognitively intact Japanese (N = 59) and American (N = 125) participants from the Tokyo and Georgia Centenarian Studies, respectively. The Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale was used to measure subjective well-being, while sociodemographic, social, and health resources were assessed as potential predictors. The American participants reported higher scores on well-being (satisfaction with social relations and psychological comfort). However, cultural differences in the levels of well-being disappeared after we controlled for its predictors. The regression models revealed that health resources (cognitive function, hearing problems, and activities of daily living) were strong predictors of well-being in both countries. Social resources (living with others) were strongly associated with one dimension of well-being (attitude toward one's aging) among the Japanese participants. The findings support the existing lifespan and cross-cultural literature, indicating that declines in health impose certain limitations on adaptive capacity in oldest-old age irrespective of cultures, and that social embeddedness is valued in Eastern cultures. The authors speculate that cultural values, i.e. personal autonomy versus relational harmony, play an important role for well-being in oldest-old age.

Age Differences in Goal Concordance, Time Use, and Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Yiwei; Lee, Yue-Ting; Pethtel, Olivia L.; Gutowitz, Michael S.; Kirk, Robert M.

2012-01-01

The primary purpose of the present study was to investigate age differences in goal concordance, time use, and Well-Being. Past research has found that despite age-related decline in life circumstances (e.g., health), the Well-Being of older adults is as high as young adults. The present study used a novel approach to explore the Paradox of…

Religion and Wellbeing: Concurrent Validation of the Spiritual Well-Being Scale.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bufford, Rodger K.; Parker, Thomas G., Jr.

This study was designed to explore the concurrent validity of the Spiritual Well-being Scale (SWB). Ninety first-year student volunteers at an evangelical seminary served as subjects. As part of a larger study, the students completed the SWB and the Interpersonal Behavior Survey (IBS). The SWB Scale is a 20-item self-report scale. Ten items…

What Evidence is Being Used to Inform Municipal Strategic Planning for Health and Wellbeing? Victoria, Australia, a Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Browne, Geoffrey R.; Davern, Melanie; Giles-Corti, Billie

2017-01-01

Victorian local governments (LGs) are required to develop evidence-based Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plans (MPHWPs) that improve health and wellbeing. This study evaluated the implementation of this requirement across 79 LGs. Evidence in 116 documents was categorised by source, issue, and policy specificity. Over 11,000…

The association between psychological well-being and problematic use of Internet communicative services among young people.

PubMed

Casale, Silvia; Lecchi, Stefano; Fioravanti, Giulia

2015-01-01

Previous studies on problematic Internet use have focused almost exclusively on the fact that presence of negative functioning, such as social anxiety, depressive symptoms, or loneliness, represents a risk factor for unhealthy use of the web. For this reason the aim of the present study was to investigate the association between psychological well-being dimensions and problematic use of Internet communicative services. In the current study 495 undergraduate students were recruited. The Italian adaptations of the Psychological Well-being Scales and the Generalized Problematic Internet Use Scale 2 (GPIUS2) were used to assess psychological well-being dimensions and generalized problematic Internet use, respectively. Psychological well-being dimensions explained a significant portion of variance for the GPIUS2 total score levels, after controlling for sex, age, and occupational status. The levels of Autonomy, Environmental Mastery, and Positive Relations with Others acted as significant negative predictors of the tendency to use the web for regulating negative feelings, compulsive use of the web, and the negative outcomes that can arise as a result. The overall findings of the present study provide preliminary evidence that low psychological well-being is associated with problematic use of Internet communicative services.

Race differences in the relationship between role experiences and well-being.

PubMed

Marcussen, Kristen; Piatt, Liz

2005-07-01

Theory and research generally support the notion that social roles benefit subjective well-being. These conclusions, however, are largely based on studies examining Whites. Studies that have included Blacks have found race differences in the influence of social roles on well-being, yet most of these studies focus on role occupancy. With few exceptions, little attention has been paid to whether there are race differences in how individuals experience their roles, and the extent to which race differences in role experiences relate to differences in well-being. In this article we examine racial variation in the experience of work and family roles. We find that Blacks and Whites are similar in their experiences of role conflict and perceptions of role success and balance, but the association between these experiences and well-being varies, to some extent, by race and gender. The implications of these findings as well as suggestions for future research are discussed.

The influence of transformational leadership on employee well-being: results from a survey of companies in the information and communication technology sector in Germany.

PubMed

Jacobs, Christine; Pfaff, Holger; Lehner, Birgit; Driller, Elke; Nitzsche, Anika; Stieler-Lorenz, Brigitte; Wasem, Jürgen; Jung, Julia

2013-07-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of a transformational leadership style on employee well-being. Data for the study were taken from an on-line survey of all employees from six German companies in the information and communication technology sector. The data obtained were analyzed using multiple logistic regressions. Analysis of data from a total of 318 employees (response rate 58.4%) revealed a significant relationship between transformational leadership and employee well-being (P = 0.00; OR = 1.13; 95% CI = 1.05 to 1.22). A higher degree of perceived transformational leadership is associated with greater well-being. The results of this study suggest that a transformational leadership style, which both conveys a sense of trust and meaningfulness and individually challenges and develops employees, also has a positive effect on employee well-being.

Psychological well-being and restorative biological processes: HDL-C in older English adults.

PubMed

Soo, Jackie; Kubzansky, Laura D; Chen, Ying; Zevon, Emily S; Boehm, Julia K

2018-05-14

Psychological well-being is associated with better cardiovascular health, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. This study investigates one possible mechanism by examining psychological well-being's prospective association with lipid levels, focusing on high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Participants were 4757 healthy men and women ages ≥50 from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing with clinical data from three times, three to five years apart. Psychological well-being was assessed at baseline using the Control, Autonomy, Satisfaction, and Pleasure scale; HDL-C, triglycerides, and total cholesterol were assayed from blood samples. Descriptive statistics and linear mixed models were used to examine associations between psychological well-being and lipid levels over time; the latter controlled for confounders and health behaviours. In descriptive analyses, HDL-C levels were initially higher in people with greater psychological well-being. Among those who met recommended levels of HDL-C at baseline, fewer individuals with higher versus lower psychological well-being dropped below HDL-C recommendations over time. Mixed models indicated that HDL-C increased over time (β = 0.64; 95% CI = 0.58 to 0.69) and higher baseline psychological well-being was associated with higher baseline HDL-C (β = 0.51; 95% CI = 0.03 to 0.99). A significant well-being by time interaction indicated individuals with higher versus lower well-being exhibited a more rapid rate of increase in HDL-C over follow-up. Higher psychological well-being was also significantly associated with lower triglycerides, but main effects for both HDL-C and triglycerides were attenuated after accounting for health behaviours. Higher psychological well-being is associated with healthier HDL-C levels; these effects may compound over time. This protective effect may be partly explained by health behaviours. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stability and Instability of Subjective Well-Being in the Transition from Adolescence to Young Adulthood: Longitudinal Evidence from 20991 Young Australians

PubMed Central

Page, Andrew

2016-01-01

Purpose This study assessed the long-term stability and instability of subjective well-being during post-school transition (i.e., transition from adolescence to young adulthood) and evaluated the determinants of transition stability. Methods Using two cohorts from a national representative longitudinal study, the Longitudinal Study of Australian Youth (N = 20991), latent profile analysis and latent transition analysis were conducted to examine transition patterns among subjective well-being profiles for youth from age 17 to 25. Multinomial logistic regressions were conducted to evaluate whether key socio-demographic variables were associated with transition stability. Results We identified: (1) three subjective well-being profiles: Low (30%), Moderate (50%), and High (20%); and (2) three major transition patterns among these subjective well-being profiles: stable, partially-stable, and unstable. The majority of youth had stable transition patterns during the transition from adolescence to adulthood. A large percentage of youth (52%) started low in subjective well-being profile and remained in the low subjective-wellbeing profile. Our examination also revealed gender was the most pronounced indicator for transition stability during this time period, with males more likely to have unstable transition patterns than females. Conclusions Results suggest that different subjective well-being status and transition patterns can be identified in the post-high school transition to adulthood, including unstable transitions. By targeting those groups more vulnerable to transition, mental health promotion and interventions may be delivered more effectively. PMID:27232183

The importance of transformational leadership style for the well-being of employees working with older people.

PubMed

Nielsen, Karina; Yarker, Joanna; Brenner, Sten-Olof; Randall, Raymond; Borg, Vilhelm

2008-09-01

This paper is a report of a study to explore the relationships between transformational leadership, followers' perceived working conditions and employee well-being and job satisfaction. There is some evidence that transformational leadership style is linked to employee job satisfaction and well-being. However, it is not clear whether this is due to (i) a direct relationship between leadership and job satisfaction and well-being outcomes or (ii) whether followers' perceived working conditions mediate this relationship. A cross-sectional design was applied to data from a questionnaire study of 447 staff caring for older people in Denmark. Data were collected in 2005. A theory-driven model of the relationships between leadership, working conditions, job satisfaction and well-being was tested using structural equation modelling. The transformational leadership style was closely associated with followers' working conditions, namely involvement, influence and meaningfulness. Involvement was associated with job satisfaction and meaningfulness was associated with well-being. However, working conditions were closely correlated with each other, and thus the mediating mechanisms may operate through several different working conditions. A direct path between leadership behaviour and employee well-being was also found. Considering working conditions in the absence of studying leadership behaviour (or vice versa) may reveal an incomplete picture of the impact of work and work relationships on well-being. Work re-design interventions focused on influence may benefit from the consideration of training managers to exert transformational leadership behaviours.

Association of adverse drug effects with subjective well-being in patients with schizophrenia receiving stable doses of risperidone.

PubMed

Kim, Jong-Hoon; Kim, Min-Jung

2009-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to examine the association of adverse drug effects with subjective well-being in patients with schizophrenia receiving stable doses of risperidone. Thirty outpatients with schizophrenia receiving stable doses of risperidone were comprehensively evaluated for psychopathology, subjective well-being, and adverse drug effects. Subjective well-being was assessed using the Subjective Well-being Under Neuroleptics Scale (SWN). Adverse drug effects were evaluated using the Liverpool University Neuroleptic Side Effect Rating Scale (LUNSERS) and the Drug-Induced Extrapyramidal Symptoms Scale (DIEPSS). In correlation analysis controlling for relevant variables, the SWN score had significant negative correlations with the following subscale scores of the LUNSERS: extrapyramidal side effect (EPS) (r = -0.54, P < 0.01), akathisia (r = -0.46, P < 0.05), and autonomic adverse effect (r = -0.44, P < 0.05). The SWN score also had a significant negative correlation with the global severity of EPS as measured by the DIEPSS (r = -0.44, P < 0.05). The results of our study suggest that adverse effects, particularly EPS and akathisia, are significantly associated with subjective well-being, implying the necessity to develop rational strategies to control these variables effectively. The results also suggest that EPS and akathisia continue to be major adverse effects associated with a low level of subjective well-being in patients receiving risperidone. Further studies are required to investigate the multidimensional factors associated with subjective well-being in patients receiving atypical antipsychotics and to determine their relative contributions.

Neighborhood attributes security and solidarity promote the well-being of community-dwelling older people in the Netherlands.

PubMed

Cramm, Jane M; Nieboer, Anna P

2014-07-01

To determine whether the neighborhood attributes solidarity and security positively affect the well-being of community-dwelling older people in the Netherlands after accounting for individual characteristics, and to test if a higher level of security in combination with a stronger sense of neighborhood solidarity results in a higher level of well-being. The study sample for the cross-sectional study consisted of 869 out of 2212 (39% response rate) independently-living older adults (aged >70 years) in 92 neighborhoods of Rotterdam. We fitted a hierarchical random-effects model to account for the structure of the study design: 869 older people (level 1) nested in 92 neighborhoods (level 2) in 10 districts (level 3). Neighborhood security and solidarity among neighbors varied significantly among the 10 districts. Univariate analyses showed that education, income, neighborhood security and solidarity within neighborhoods (all P ≤ 0.001) were significantly related to the well-being of community-dwelling older people. Multilevel analyses showed neighborhood security and solidarity within neighborhoods predicted the well-being of community-dwelling older people. Furthermore, a positive interaction effect was found between neighborhood security and solidarity within neighborhoods, and well-being of community-dwelling older people. Neighborhood security and solidarity among neighbors are important for the well-being of community-dwelling older people. Furthermore, neighborhoods with high levels of perceived security in combination with stronger solidarity among neighbors are especially beneficial to the well-being of community-dwelling older people. © 2013 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Effect of Islam-based religious program on spiritual wellbeing in elderly with hypertension.

PubMed

Moeini, Mahin; Sharifi, Somaye; Kajbaf, Mohamed Bagher

2016-01-01

Lack of spiritual health in patients with hypertension leads to many mental, social, and physical effects, On the other hand, considering the prevalence of hypertension among the elderly, interventions to enhance their spiritual wellbeing is essential. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the effect of religious programs based on Islam on spiritual wellbeing in elderly patients with hypertension who referred to the health centers of Isfahan in 2014. This study was a randomized clinical trial. The participants (52 elderly patients with hypertension) were randomly divided in to experimental and control groups. Religious program was implemented for the experimental group in eight sessions in two Isfahan health centers. Spirituality wellbeing survey (SWB) questionnaire was completed in three steps, namely, pretest, posttest and follow-up (1 month) in two groups. In the study, Chi-square test, independent t -test, and repeated-measures analysis of variance were performed for analyzing the data. Before the intervention, there was no significant difference between the mean scores of spiritual wellbeing, the religious dimension, and the existential aspect of spiritual wellbeing of the two groups. However in the posttest step and follow-up stage, the mean scores of spiritual wellbeing, the religious dimension, and the existential aspect of spiritual wellbeing in the experimental group was significantly higher than in the control group ( P < 0.001). The religious program based on Islam promoted the SWB of elderly patients with hypertension; further, nurses can use these programs to promote the SWB of elderly patients with hypertension.

Mind over hormones: sex differences in associations of well-being with IGF-I, IGFBP-3 and physical activity in the KORA-Age study.

PubMed

Emeny, R T; Bidlingmaier, M; Lacruz, M E; Linkohr, B; Peters, A; Reincke, M; Ladwig, K H

2014-11-01

A ssociations between well-being, serum levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-I), and its primary binding protein IGFBP-3, were examined in an epidemiologic study. The influence of physical activity on the effect of hormones on well-being was considered. Cross-sectional data from participants of the KORA-Age study (n=985, age 64-93) was analyzed in sex-specific multivariable regressions of well-being (World Health Organization (WHO) -5) or ill-being (geriatric depression scale (GDS) -15). Models were adjusted for age, physical activity, sleep, BMI, smoking, and cognition. Adjusted WHO-5 means demonstrated the interaction between hormone quintiles with physical activity. Full models indicated that increased IGFBP-3 positively associated with well-being in women (β estimate=0.14, standard error (SE)=0.06) and less so in men (β=0.11, SE=0.07). IGF-I associated positively with depression (β=0.11, SE=0.06) and negatively with well-being (β=-0.11, SE=0.06) in women. Similar but not statistically discernable effects were observed in men. Adjusted mean WHO-5 scores illustrated the positive effect of physical activity and IGFBP-3 on well-being in women only. Opposite and independent associations of IGF-I and IGFBP-3 on well-being observed in women suggests neuroprotective effects of IGFBP-3 in age. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Investigating the effect of the London living wage on the psychological wellbeing of low-wage service sector employees: a feasibility study.

PubMed

Flint, Ellen; Cummins, Steven; Wills, Jane

2014-06-01

Working poverty has become a major public health concern in recent times, and low-paid, insecure employment has been widely linked to poor psychological wellbeing. The London Living Wage (LLW) campaign aims to ensure employees receive adequate pay. The objective of this study is to investigate whether working for a LLW employer predicted higher levels of psychological wellbeing among low-wage service sector employees. Workplace interviews were conducted with 300 service sector employees in London; 173 of whom were in LLW workplaces. Positive psychological wellbeing was measured using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale. Multivariate linear regression was used to assess whether working for a LLW employer was associated with greater psychological wellbeing, adjusting for hypothesised confounding and mediating factors. After adjustment, respondents working for LLW employers had wellbeing scores 3.9 units higher on average than those who did not (95% CI: 1.8, 6.0). These empirical results are complemented by methodological findings regarding the difficulties associated with accessing the study group. Those who worked for a LLW employer had significantly higher psychological wellbeing on average than those who did not. This was shown to be irrespective of any differences in the socioeconomic or demographic composition of these two groups. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Associations between faith, distress and mental adjustment--a Danish survivorship study.

PubMed

Johannessen-Henry, Christine Tind; Deltour, Isabelle; Bidstrup, Pernille Envold; Dalton, Susanne O; Johansen, Christoffer

2013-02-01

Several studies have suggested that religion and spirituality are important for overcoming psychological distress and adjusting mentally to cancer, but these studies did not differentiate between spiritual well-being and specific aspects of faith. We examined the extent to which spiritual well-being, the faith dimension of spiritual well-being and aspects of performed faith are associated with distress and mental adjustment among cancer patients. In a cross-sectional design, 1043 survivors of various cancers filled in a questionnaire on spiritual well-being (FACIT-Sp-12), specific aspects of faith ('belief in a god', 'belief in a god with whom I can talk' and 'experiences of god or a higher power'), religious community and church attendance (DUREL), distress (POMS-SF), adjustment to cancer (Mini-MAC) and sociodemographic factors. Linear regression models were used to analyze the associations between exposure (spiritual well-being and specific faith aspects) and outcome (distress and adjustment to cancer) with adjustment for age, gender, cancer diagnosis and physical and social well-being. Higher spiritual well-being was associated with less total distress (β = -0.79, CI -0.92; -0.66) and increased adjustment to cancer (fighting spirit, anxious preoccupation, helplessness-hopelessness). Specific aspects of faith were associated with high confusion-bewilderment and tension-anxiety, but also lower score on vigor-activity, and with higher anxious-preoccupation, both higher and lower cognitive avoidance, but also more fighting spirit. As hypothesized, spiritual well-being were associated with less distress and better mental adjustment. However, specific aspects of faith were both positively and negatively associated with distress and mental adjustment. The results illustrate the complexity of associations between spiritual well-being and specific aspects of faith with psychological function among cancer survivors.

Efficacy of the Fun For Wellness Online Intervention to Promote Multidimensional Well-Being: a Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Myers, Nicholas D; Prilleltensky, Isaac; Prilleltensky, Ora; McMahon, Adam; Dietz, Samantha; Rubenstein, Carolyn L

2017-11-01

Subjective well-being refers to people's level of satisfaction with life as a whole and with multiple dimensions within it. Interventions that promote subjective well-being are important because there is evidence that physical health, mental health, substance use, and health care costs may be related to subjective well-being. Fun For Wellness (FFW) is a new online universal intervention designed to promote growth in multiple dimensions of subjective well-being. The purpose of this study was to provide an initial evaluation of the efficacy of FFW to increase subjective well-being in multiple dimensions in a universal sample. The study design was a prospective, double-blind, parallel group randomized controlled trial. Data were collected at baseline and 30 and 60 days-post baseline. A total of 479 adult employees at a major university in the southeast of the USA were enrolled. Recruitment, eligibility verification, and data collection were conducted online. Measures of interpersonal, community, occupational, physical, psychological, economic (i.e., I COPPE), and overall subjective well-being were constructed based on responses to the I COPPE Scale. A two-class linear regression model with complier average causal effect estimation was imposed for each dimension of subjective well-being. Participants who complied with the FFW intervention had significantly higher subjective well-being, as compared to potential compliers in the Usual Care group, in the following dimensions: interpersonal at 60 days, community at 30 and 60 days, psychological at 60 days, and economic at 30 and 60 days. Results from this study provide some initial evidence for both the efficacy of, and possible revisions to, the FFW intervention.

The influence of social support on ethnic differences in well-being and depression in adolescents: findings from the prospective Olympic Regeneration in East London (ORiEL) study.

PubMed

Smith, Neil R; Clark, Charlotte; Smuk, Melanie; Cummins, Steven; Stansfeld, Stephen A

2015-11-01

This study examines the extent to which in adolescent positive mental well-being and depressive symptoms vary across ethnic groups, and prospectively examines whether social support is protective against low/poor well-being and depression. A longitudinal survey of 2426 adolescents from the Olympic Regeneration in East London study measured well-being and depressive symptoms at baseline at ages 11-12 and at follow-up two years later at ages 13-14. Social support was assessed at ages 11-12 years by the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, by the level of parental support for school, by the frequency of family activities and by friendship choices. Ethnic differences in well-being and depression in Bangladeshi (N = 337) and Black African (N = 249) adolescents compared to their White UK counterparts (N = 380) were estimated adjusted stepwise for socio-demographic factors and domains of social support. Black African and Bangladeshi adolescents scored significantly higher for well-being than their White UK counterparts. There were no significant ethnic differences in the prevalence of depressive symptoms. Lower levels of social support were prospectively associated with lower well-being and higher rates of depression in all ethnic groups. Adjustment for multiple domains of social support did not account for ethnic differences in well-being. Bangladeshi and Black African adolescents in East London may have a positive mental health advantage over their White UK counterparts though social support did not fully explain this difference. Further investigation of the reasons for lower well-being in the White UK group is needed.

Does physical activity impact on presenteeism and other indicators of workplace well-being?

PubMed

Brown, Helen E; Gilson, Nicholas D; Burton, Nicola W; Brown, Wendy J

2011-03-01

The term 'presenteeism' is a relatively new concept in workplace health, and has come to signify being at work despite poor health and performing below par. Presenteeism, which is potentially critical to employers, has been associated with a range of psychosocial outcome measures, such as poor mental health and employee well-being. Physical activity is a potential strategy for reducing presenteeism, and for improving the mental health of employees. This article reviews evidence on the relationships between physical activity and employee well-being and presenteeism in the workplace, and identifies directions for research in an emerging field. Electronic and manual literature searches were used to identify 20 articles that met the inclusion criteria. These included 13 intervention trials (8 randomized controlled trials, 5 comparison trials) and 7 observational studies (3 cohort, 4 cross-sectional). Outcome measures were grouped into 'workplace well-being', 'psychosocial well-being' and 'physical well-being'. Studies measured a wide variety of outcomes, with absenteeism being the most commonly assessed. Evidence indicated a positive association between physical activity and psychosocial health in employees, particularly for quality of life and emotional well-being. However, findings were inconclusive as to the role of physical activity in promoting workplace well-being. Only one study reported on presenteeism, with mixed evidence for outcomes. This article indicates that physical activity and employee psychosocial health are positively related, but there is limited evidence of a relationship between physical activity and presenteeism. A standardized definition of presenteeism and an appropriate evaluation tool are key research priorities if the complex relationships between physical activity and workplace well-being are to be better understood. © 2011 Adis Data Information BV. All rights reserved.

Work Characteristics and Personal Social Support as Determinants of Subjective Well-Being

PubMed Central

Stansfeld, Stephen A.; Shipley, Martin J.; Head, Jenny; Fuhrer, Rebecca; Kivimaki, Mika

2013-01-01

Background Well-being is an important health outcome and a potential national indicator of policy success. There is a need for longitudinal epidemiological surveys to understand determinants of well-being. This study examines the role of personal social support and psychosocial work environment as predictors of well-being in an occupational cohort study. Methods Social support and work characteristics were measured by questionnaire in 5182 United Kingdom civil servants from phase 1 of the Whitehall II study and were used to predict subjective well-being assessed using the Affect Balance Scale (range -15 to 15, SD = 4.2) at phase 2. External assessments of job control and demands were provided by personnel managers. Results Higher levels of well-being were predicted by high levels of confiding/emotional support (difference in mean from the reference group with low levels of confiding/emotional support  =  0.63, 95%CI 0.38–0.89, ptrend<0.001), high control at work (0.57, 95%CI 0.31–0.83, ptrend<0.001; reference low control) and low levels of job strain (0.60, 95%CI 0.31–0.88; reference high job strain), after adjusting for a range of confounding factors and affect balance score at baseline. Higher externally assessed work pace was also associated with greater well-being. Conclusions Our results suggest that the psychosocial work environment and personal relationships have independent effects on subjective well-being. Policies designed to increase national well-being should take account of the quality of working conditions and factors that facilitate positive personal relationships. Policies designed to improve workplaces should focus not only on minimising negative aspects of work but also on increasing the positive aspects of work. PMID:24260545

Work characteristics and personal social support as determinants of subjective well-being.

PubMed

Stansfeld, Stephen A; Shipley, Martin J; Head, Jenny; Fuhrer, Rebecca; Kivimaki, Mika

2013-01-01

Well-being is an important health outcome and a potential national indicator of policy success. There is a need for longitudinal epidemiological surveys to understand determinants of well-being. This study examines the role of personal social support and psychosocial work environment as predictors of well-being in an occupational cohort study. Social support and work characteristics were measured by questionnaire in 5182 United Kingdom civil servants from phase 1 of the Whitehall II study and were used to predict subjective well-being assessed using the Affect Balance Scale (range -15 to 15, SD = 4.2) at phase 2. External assessments of job control and demands were provided by personnel managers. Higher levels of well-being were predicted by high levels of confiding/emotional support (difference in mean from the reference group with low levels of confiding/emotional support  =  0.63, 95%CI 0.38-0.89, p(trend)<0.001), high control at work (0.57, 95%CI 0.31-0.83, p(trend)<0.001; reference low control) and low levels of job strain (0.60, 95%CI 0.31-0.88; reference high job strain), after adjusting for a range of confounding factors and affect balance score at baseline. Higher externally assessed work pace was also associated with greater well-being. Our results suggest that the psychosocial work environment and personal relationships have independent effects on subjective well-being. Policies designed to increase national well-being should take account of the quality of working conditions and factors that facilitate positive personal relationships. Policies designed to improve workplaces should focus not only on minimising negative aspects of work but also on increasing the positive aspects of work.

The home as a workplace: work-family interaction and psychological well-being in telework.

PubMed

Standen, P; Daniels, K; Lamond, D

1999-10-01

Home-based telework is a growing phenomenon with great potential to affect employees' psychological well-being. Although prior studies show both positive and negative effects on work-family interaction, conclusions are limited by the way telework, well-being, and work-family interaction have been modeled. The authors present a conceptual framework that describes telework as a multidimensional phenomenon and separates the effects of the home environment from those of distance from the organization. Propositions concerning work-family interaction are developed from P. Warr's (1987) model of the environmental antecedents of well-being, prior telework studies, and the work-family literature. Spillover between work and nonwork domains of well-being is discussed, and suggestions for future research on this complex issue are presented.

The differential effects of intrinsic and identified motivation on well-being and performance: prospective, experimental, and implicit approaches to self-determination theory.

PubMed

Burton, Kimberly D; Lydon, John E; D'Alessandro, David U; Koestner, Richard

2006-10-01

Self-determination theory research has demonstrated that intrinsic and identified self-regulations are associated with successful adaptation. However, few distinctions are typically made between these regulations and their outcomes. In the present studies, the associations between intrinsic and identified motivations and outcomes of psychological well-being and academic performance are compared in educational settings. In Study 1, intrinsic self-regulation predicted psychological well-being, independent of academic performance. In contrast, identified regulation predicted academic performance. Additionally, the more that students demonstrated an identified academic regulation, the more that their psychological well-being was contingent on performance. In Study 2a, priming intrinsic self-regulation led to greater psychological well-being 10 days later. In Study 2b, an implicit measure of identified regulation predicted academic performance 6 weeks later. Results indicate the need to address important distinctions between intrinsic and identified regulations. 2006 APA, all rights reserved

Understanding seasonal mobilities, health and wellbeing to Sanya, China.

PubMed

Kou, Lirong; Xu, Honggang; Hannam, Kevin

2017-03-01

Both the ageing of the Chinese population and elderly mobility impact on the Chinese social infrastructure, triggering challenges to maintain elderly wellbeing. This paper reflects on the notion that seasonal mobility promotes wellbeing, and explores how two crucial factors, namely, forced migration and health conditions, influence the relations between seasonal retirement mobility and wellbeing. This study analyses amenity-led seasonal retired mobilities to Sanya as a case study, and adopts and develops a conceptual framework for relations between mobility and wellbeing in terms of daily activity, sociality, and context through seasonal mobility. Qualitative methods including participant observation, non-participant observation, in-depth interviews, and mobile ethnography were used to collect data. This revealed the heterogeneity of health conditions, and the constrained mobilities of seasonal retirees. Health and willingness for mobility are shown as significant factors in influencing the relations between mobility and wellbeing, which are in turn complicated and dynamic. Seasonal mobilities bring about difficulties for retirees particularly in terms of their efforts to reconstruct their previous life and self-continuities. However, it is argued that these retirees can merely maintain temporary and superficial wellbeing due to constant health concerns and uncertainties over potential temporary or permanent return to their places of origin. Those with serious health problems have more limitations, sacrificing other aspects of wellbeing for physical health. Practical implications from state, destination, and individual levels to better facilitate seasonal mobility and promote wellbeing are provided. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The relationship of 19 functional polymorphisms in iodothyronine deiodinase and psychological well-being in hypothyroid patients.

PubMed

Young Cho, Yoon; Jeong Kim, Hye; Won Jang, Hye; Hyuk Kim, Tae; Ki, Chang-Seok; Wook Kim, Sun; Hoon Chung, Jae

2017-07-01

Levothyroxine supplementation is insufficient for the management of one tenth of patients with hypothyroidism. Iodothyronine deiodinases have been suggested to play a role in residual hypothyroid symptoms of these patients by controlling local thyroid hormone homeostasis. Previous research has suggested a relationship between commonly inherited variations in type 2 iodothyronine deiodinase and impaired well-being. We evaluated the prevalence of iodothyronine deiodinase genotypes and their association with psychological well-being in the Korean hypothyroid population. A prospective observational study. We enrolled 196 hypothyroid subjects (136 chronic autoimmune thyroiditis and 60 thyroid cancer) and assessed baseline well-being using six validated questionnaires. Genotyping was conducted for 19 single nucleotide polymorphisms in type 1, 2, and 3 iodothyronine deiodinase using Sequenom MassARRAY matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry in all patients. Frequencies of iodothyronine deiodinase genotypes and well-being scores were not different in hypothyroid subjects according to their disease types. Minor genotypes of a few iodothyronine deiodinase 1 variants (rs11206244, rs2294512, and rs4926616) were associated with reduced psychological well-being. However, iodothyronine deiodinase 2 and 3 variants had no effect on baseline well-being. Minor variations in iodothyronine deiodinase 1 were associated with decreased well-being in the Korean hypothyroid population, whereas iodothyronine deiodinase 2 and 3 were not. Due to controversial results among different ethnicities, further studies to clarify the effects of iodothyronine deiodinase polymorphisms on psychological well-being are warranted in hypothyroid individuals.

Emerging Adulthood: A Time of Changes in Psychosocial Well-Being.

PubMed

Baggio, Stéphanie; Studer, Joseph; Iglesias, Katia; Daeppen, Jean-Bernard; Gmel, Gerhard

2017-12-01

The principal aim of this study was to investigate the psychosocial well-being of emerging adults using psychological states associated with this transitional phase and classic measures of emerging adulthood. We expected psychological states to be more closely associated with psychological well-being than classic markers of achieved adulthood. Data were collected in the Cohort Study on Substance Use Risk Factors from 4,991 Swiss men aged 18-25 years. The assessment included the Short Form of the Inventory of Dimensions of Emerging Adulthood (IDEA-8), classic markers of achieved adulthood (e.g., financial independence, stable relationship), and psychosocial well-being. Structural equation models (SEMs) were conducted to test the association between measures of emerging adulthood and psychosocial well-being. Overall, the results highlighted contrasting associations of measures of emerging adulthood and psychosocial well-being. Youths facing negative psychological states (dimension "negativity") and exploring life without knowing how to define themselves (dimension "identity exploration") had a decreased psychosocial well-being. On the contrary, youths exploring many opportunities with an optimistic perspective (dimension "experimentation") had an increased psychosocial well-being. By contrast, classic markers of adulthood were less related to psychosocial well-being. The IDEA-8 Scale appeared to be a useful screening tool for identifying vulnerable youths, and emerging adulthood should be measured with a focus on the psychological states associated with this period. This information may be valuable for mental health systems that have not yet adapted to emerging adults' needs.

Work-related well-being

PubMed Central

Soh, Melinda; Zarola, Antonio; Palaiou, Kat; Furnham, Adrian

2016-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the different dimensions of well-being (namely, work engagement, job satisfaction, and psychological stress) and possible predictors such as personality and perceived organizational support. A cross-sectional survey design was used, with a sample of 490 ambulance personnel in the United Kingdom. Significant correlations were found between the dimensions of job satisfaction, engagement, and stress. The results also supported a hierarchical model with job satisfaction, stress, and engagement loading onto one higher order factor of work well-being. Emotional stability and perceived organizational support were identified as significant predictors of well-being. The findings suggest the importance of measuring the work-related well-being of ambulance personnel holistically and present perceived organizational support as a possible area for interventions to improve well-being. PMID:28070386

Self-reported sitting time and physical activity: interactive associations with mental well-being and productivity in office employees.

PubMed

Puig-Ribera, Anna; Martínez-Lemos, Iván; Giné-Garriga, Maria; González-Suárez, Ángel Manuel; Bort-Roig, Judit; Fortuño, Jesús; Muñoz-Ortiz, Laura; McKenna, Jim; Gilson, Nicholas D

2015-01-31

Little is known about how sitting time, alone or in combination with markers of physical activity (PA), influences mental well-being and work productivity. Given the need to develop workplace PA interventions that target employees' health related efficiency outcomes; this study examined the associations between self-reported sitting time, PA, mental well-being and work productivity in office employees. Descriptive cross-sectional study. Spanish university office employees (n = 557) completed a survey measuring socio-demographics, total and domain specific (work and travel) self-reported sitting time, PA (International Physical Activity Questionnaire short version), mental well-being (Warwick-Edinburg Mental Well-Being Scale) and work productivity (Work Limitations Questionnaire). Multivariate linear regression analyses determined associations between the main variables adjusted for gender, age, body mass index and occupation. PA levels (low, moderate and high) were introduced into the model to examine interactive associations. Higher volumes of PA were related to higher mental well-being, work productivity and spending less time sitting at work, throughout the working day and travelling during the week, including the weekends (p < 0.05). Greater levels of sitting during weekends was associated with lower mental well-being (p < 0.05). Similarly, more sitting while travelling at weekends was linked to lower work productivity (p < 0.05). In highly active employees, higher sitting times on work days and occupational sitting were associated with decreased mental well-being (p < 0.05). Higher sitting times while travelling on weekend days was also linked to lower work productivity in the highly active (p < 0.05). No significant associations were observed in low active employees. Employees' PA levels exerts different influences on the associations between sitting time, mental well-being and work productivity. The specific associations and the broad sweep of evidence in the current study suggest that workplace PA strategies to improve the mental well-being and productivity of all employees should focus on reducing sitting time alongside efforts to increase PA.

Spiritual well-being and moral distress among Iranian nurses.

PubMed

Soleimani, Mohammad Ali; Sharif, Saeed Pahlevan; Yaghoobzadeh, Ameneh; Sheikhi, Mohammad Reza; Panarello, Bianca; Win, Ma Thin Mar

2016-06-16

Moral distress is increasingly recognized as a problem affecting healthcare professionals, especially nurses. If not addressed, it may create job dissatisfaction, withdrawal from the moral dimensions of patient care, or even encourage one to leave the profession. Spiritual well-being is a concept which is considered when dealing with problems and stress relating to a variety of issues. This research aimed to examine the relationship between spiritual well-being and moral distress among a sample of Iranian nurses and also to study the determinant factors of moral distress and spiritual well-being in nurses. A cross-sectional, correlational design was employed to collect data from 193 nurses using the Spiritual Well-Being Scale and the Moral Distress Scale-Revised. This study was approved by the Regional Committee of Medical Research Ethics. The ethical principles of voluntary participation, anonymity, and confidentiality were considered. Mean scores of spiritual well-being and moral distress were 94.73 ± 15.89 and 109.56 ± 58.70, respectively. There was no significant correlation between spiritual well-being and moral distress (r = -.053, p = .462). Marital status and job satisfaction were found to be independent predictors of spiritual well-being. However, gender and educational levels were found to be independent predictors for moral distress. Age, working in rotation shifts, and a tendency to leave the current job also became significant after adjusting other factors for moral distress. This study could not support the relationship between spiritual well-being and moral distress. However, the results showed that moral distress is related to many elements including individual ideals and differences as well as organizational factors. Informing nurses about moral distress and its consequences, establishing periodic consultations, and making some organizational arrangement may play an important role in the identification and management of moral distress and spiritual well-being. © The Author(s) 2016.

Associations among patient characteristics, health-related quality of life, and spiritual well-being among Arab Muslim cancer patients.

PubMed

Lazenby, Mark; Khatib, Jamal

2012-12-01

Despite Islam being the world's second largest religion and despite the fact that there are 22 Arabic-speaking nations representing North Africa and the Middle East, little is known about the relationship between spiritual well-being and health-related quality of life (HrQoL) for Arabic-speaking Muslims in treatment for cancer. The study's aim was to determine whether spiritual well-being is correlated with HrQoL and whether participants' age, sex, marital status, site of cancer, and stage of disease are related to spiritual well-being. Using a cross-sectional design, a total of 159 Arabic-speaking, study-eligible cancer patients who were in treatment at the King Hussein Cancer Center (KHCC), Amman, Jordan, completed three questionnaires: a demographic questionnaire; the Functional Assessment in Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G), which assesses the physical, social, functional, and emotional domains of HrQoL; and the Functional Assessment in Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-being (FACIT-Sp). Physical well-being was negatively correlated with the FACIT-Sp for men, divorced, and stage IV disease. Social Well-being was positively correlated with the FACIT-Sp for ages 18-34 and 35-49 years; both sexes; married, never married, and divorced; breast, bone/sarcoma, and gastrointestinal cancers; and stages II-IV. Emotional Well-being was negatively correlated with the FACIT-Sp for ages 35-49; males; never married; and stages III and IV. Functional Well-being was positively correlated with the FACIT-Sp for ages 35-49 and 50-64; both sexes; married or never married; and stages II and III. Age and cancer site showed a positive relationship with spiritual well-being. The FACIT-Sp distinguishes between domains of HrQoL and patient characteristics. Further study on the unique contribution of the FACIT-Sp's Peace and Meaning subscales to HrQoL is needed.

Persistently high psychological well-being predicts better HDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels: findings from the midlife in the U.S. (MIDUS) longitudinal study.

PubMed

Radler, Barry T; Rigotti, Attilio; Ryff, Carol D

2018-01-03

Psychological correlates of blood lipid levels have been previously evaluated mostly in cross sectional studies. However, prospectively measured psychological factors might also predict favorable blood lipid profiles, thereby indicating a healthy mind/body interplay that is associated with less disease, better health and longer lives. This paper examined whether longitudinal profiles of psychological well-being over 9-10 years are predictors of blood lipid profiles. Using the MIDUS (Midlife in the U.S.) biological subsample (n = 1054, aged 34 to 84, 55% female), cross-time trajectories of well-being were linked with three lipid outcomes (i.e., HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol), measured for the first time at the 2nd wave of the study. Most adults showed largely stable profiles of well-being, albeit at different levels. Some showed persistently high well-being over time, while others revealed persistently low or moderate well-being. After adjusting for the effect of demographics, health behaviors, medications, and insulin resistance, adults with persistently high levels of environmental mastery and self-acceptance-two components of psychological well-being-had significantly higher levels of HDL as well as significantly lower levels of triglycerides compared to adults with persistently low levels of well-being. Converging with prior findings, no association was found between well-being and LDL cholesterol. Over 9-10 years, persistently high levels of psychological well-being measures predicted high HDL cholesterol and low triglycerides. These findings add longitudinal evidence to the growing body of research showing that positive psychological factors are linked with better lipoprotein profiles. A better blood lipid profile, particularly higher HDL-C, may be key in mediating how psychological well-being positively impacts health and length of life. Additional research is required to further validate this hypothesis as well as to establish potential underlying mechanisms.

Spirituality and sexual orientation: relationship to mental well-being and functional health status.

PubMed

Coleman, Christopher L

2003-09-01

Research has shown that spirituality has a positive effect on physical and mental health; however, few studies have explored the influence of spirituality and sexuality on mental well-being and functional health status in people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). This descriptive cross-sectional study was designed to examine the relationships among spirituality, sexual orientation, mental well-being and aspects of functional health status (physical, role, social and cognitive functioning) in a sample of 117 African-American men and women living with HIV/AIDS. Spirituality was measured using the Spiritual Well-Being Scale. A demographic questionnaire gathered data on sexual orientation, age and gender. The Medical Outcomes Study Questionnaire-30 assessed aspects of functional health status and mental well-being. The HIV Symptom Checklist for Persons With HIV disease was used to collect data on HIV symptoms. The data were collected in 1996. The findings indicate that spirituality had a direct relationship with cognitive and social functioning and was inversely related to HIV symptoms. Sexual orientation had direct relationships with mental well-being, cognitive, physical, social and role functioning. t-Tests showed that heterosexual participants reported poorer mental well-being and functional health status compared with homosexual participants. Regression analysis showed that spirituality, sexual orientation, age and HIV symptoms contributed significantly to mental well-being and functional health status. The regression analysis showed that spirituality, sexual orientation, age and HIV symptoms contributed significantly to mental well-being and functional health status. Further research is needed to explore the various ways that sexual orientation influences health status findings in those with HIV disease in certain segments of the population. The findings support the inclusion of spirituality as a variable when examining mental well-being and physical health. Finally, given the limitations of the design, more rigorous methods should be employed to understand further the contribution of spirituality to the health status of African-Americans living with HIV, because of its social importance to this particular community.

Crystallization of desire and crystallization of discontent in narratives of life-changing decisions.

PubMed

Bauer, Jack J; McAdams, Dan P; Sakaeda, April R

2005-10-01

Two studies of adults examined personal narratives of life-changing decisions in relation to personality and well-being. Participants whose decision narratives emphasized a crystallization of desire (i.e., approaching a desired future) rather than a crystallization of discontent (i.e., escaping an undesired past; Baumeister, 1991, 1994) reported higher well-being, fewer avoidance strivings, lower Neuroticism (in Study 1 only), and better decision outcomes (in Study 2). However, neither strivings, traits, nor outcomes accounted for the relationship between crystallization of desire and well-being. The discussion considers the roles of life-changing decisions and personal narratives in research on personality, well-being, and positive personal development.

The antecedents and consequences of autonomous self-regulation for college: a self-determination theory perspective on socialization.

PubMed

Niemiec, Christopher P; Lynch, Martin F; Vansteenkiste, Maarten; Bernstein, Jessey; Deci, Edward L; Ryan, Richard M

2006-10-01

Using self-determination theory, two studies investigated the relations among perceived need support from parents, their adolescents' autonomous self-regulation for academics, and the adolescents' well-being. Study 1 indicated that perceived need support from parents independently predicted adolescents' well-being, although when mothers' and fathers' data were examined separately, the relation was stronger for mothers than for fathers. In Study 2, autonomous self-regulation for planning to attend college was a significant partial mediator of the relation of adolescents' perceived need support to well-being. Thus, perceived need support from parents does seem important for the development of adolescents' autonomous self-regulation and well-being.

School-related social support and subjective well-being in school among adolescents: The role of self-system factors.

PubMed

Tian, Lili; Zhao, Jie; Huebner, E Scott

2015-12-01

This 6-week longitudinal study aimed to examine a moderated mediation model that may explain the link between school-related social support (i.e., teacher support and classmate support) and optimal subjective well-being in school among adolescents (n = 1316). Analyses confirmed the hypothesized model that scholastic competence partially mediated the relations between school-related social support and subjective well-being in school, and social acceptance moderated the mediation process in the school-related social support--> subjective well-being in school path and in the scholastic competence--> subjective well-being in school path. The findings suggested that both social contextual factors (e.g., school-related social support) and self-system factors (e.g., scholastic competence and social acceptance) are crucial for adolescents' optimal subjective well-being in school. Limitations and practical applications of the study were discussed. Copyright © 2015 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Does Partner Responsiveness Predict Hedonic and Eudaimonic Well-Being? A 10-Year Longitudinal Study

PubMed Central

Selcuk, Emre; Gunaydin, Gul; Ong, Anthony D.; Almeida, David M.

2017-01-01

Motivated by attachment theory and recent conceptualizations of perceived partner responsiveness as a core feature of close relationships, the present study examined change in hedonic and eudaimonic well-being over a decade in a sample of more than 2,000 married adults across the United States. Longitudinal analyses revealed that perceived partner responsiveness— the extent to which individuals believe that their partner cares for, appreciates, and understands them—predicted increases in eudaimonic well-being a decade later. These results remained after controlling for initial hedonic and eudaimonic well-being, age, gender, extraversion, neuroticism, and perceived responsiveness of family and friends. Affective reactivity, measured via an 8-day diary protocol in a subset of the sample, partially mediated this longitudinal association. After controlling for covariates, perceived partner responsiveness did not prospectively predict hedonic well-being. These findings are the first to document the long-term benefits of perceived partner responsiveness on eudaimonic well-being. PMID:28592909

Work support, psychological well-being and safety performance among nurses in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Wong, Kenchi C K

2018-02-06

This study investigated the mediating role of psychological well-being between work support and safety performance of 314 Hong Kong nurses, using self-reported questionnaires. Results showed that psychological well-being mediated the effects of work support on safety performance. The findings illustrate that work support was an important element to improve psychological well-being. This could generate better safety performance of the nurses. Implications and limitations are discussed.

The association between modifiable well-being risks and productivity: a longitudinal study in pooled employer sample.

PubMed

Shi, Yuyan; Sears, Lindsay E; Coberley, Carter R; Pope, James E

2013-04-01

To examine the longitudinal relationship between modifiable well-being risks and productivity. A total of 19,121 employees from five employers participated in baseline and follow-up well-being assessment surveys. Multivariate regressions assessed whether changes in absenteeism, presenteeism, and job performance were associated with changes in 19 modifiable well-being risks. Over time, a 5% reduction in total count of well-being risks was significantly associated with 0.74% decrease in absenteeism, 2.38% decrease in presenteeism, and 0.24% increase in performance. High blood pressure, recurring pain, unhealthy diet, inadequate exercise, poor emotional health, poor supervisor relationship, not utilizing strengths doing job, and organization unsupportive of well-being had greater independent contributions in explaining productivity impairment. The often-ignored well-being risks such as work-related and financial health risks provided incremental explanation of longitudinal productivity variations beyond traditional measures of health-related risks.

Mental health, well-being, and poverty: A study in urban and rural communities in Northeastern Brazil.

PubMed

Nepomuceno, Bárbara Barbosa; Cardoso, Antonio Alan Vieira; Ximenes, Verônica Morais; Barros, João Paulo Pereira; Leite, Jáder Ferreira

2016-01-01

This article analyzes the relations between mental health and well-being in urban and rural contexts marked by poverty. The analysis takes as its basis a quantitative research conducted with 417 adult inhabitants of two communities, one rural and the other urban, in Northeastern Brazil. The data were constructed using questionnaires composed of sociodemographic data, the Personal Wellbeing Index and Self Report Questionnaire (SRQ-20) scales. We found significant differences between the inhabitants of the rural and urban communities regarding well-being and the prevalence of common mental disorders (CMD), with a higher average well-being score in the rural context; the urban sample had a higher average regarding the prevalence of CMD. The variable income significantly influenced the SRQ-20 average scores; the same was not observed with well-being scores. Besides, it was observed that there is a negative correlation with well-being and CMD.

An Investigation into Psychological Well-Being Levels of Higher Education Students with Respect to Personality Traits and Self-Compassion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saricaoglu, Halim; Arslan, Coskun

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the correlation between psychological well-being, personal traits and self-compassion levels, and to find out whether personal traits and self-compassion level significantly predict psychological well-being. The study sample is composed of 232 (36.5%) students from Education Faculty of Selçuk University,…

Evaluation of a Modified Version of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory-Short Form

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-04-20

psychological well-being at a single time point. Methods: The study population (N = 135,843) was randomly and equally split into exploratory and confirmatory...with social support and personal mastery. Conclusions: The modified PTGI-SF in this study captures psychological well-being in cross-sectional...Keywords: Psychological well-being, Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, Military, Psychometrics Background Posttraumatic growth refers to the positive

Towards a Model of Teacher Well-Being: Personal and Job Resources Involved in Teacher Burnout and Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bermejo-Toro, Laura; Prieto-Ursúa, María; Hernández, Vicente

2016-01-01

Although much research has focused on the role of job demands and job resources in teacher well-being, few studies have targeted the function of personal variables. The aim of this study is to develop a comprehensive model of teacher well-being, using burnout and engagement in order to reflect, not only job demands and professional resources, but…

Associations between adolescent risk for restrictive disordered eating and long-term outcomes related to somatic symptoms, body mass index, and poor well-being.

PubMed

Landstedt, Evelina; Hammarström, Anne; Fairweather-Schmidt, A Kate; Wade, Tracey

2018-05-01

To date, no longitudinal, community-based studies have examined the association between disordered eating emerging in adolescence and long-term physical well-being. This study sought to explore the longitudinal associations between risk for restrictive disordered eating (DE-R; those not presenting with binge-purge symptoms) in adolescence and trajectories of functional somatic symptoms (FSS) and body mass index (BMI), and several indicators of poor physical well-being across early- to mid-adulthood, including medication, number of doctor visits, and sick leave. Data were obtained from the Northern Swedish Cohort Study (N = 1,001), a prospective longitudinal study including four time points from age 16 to 42 years. A cumulative measure of DE-R risk was computed. Latent class growth analysis was used to identify subpopulation trajectories of FSS and BMI. The three-step method for auxiliary variables and logistic regressions were used to assess associations between DE-R and the trajectory classes as well as indicators of poor physical well-being. Three trajectories were identified for FSS. A gender by BMI interaction led to a classification of four BMI trajectories in men, but three in women. The presence of DE-R risk in adolescence increased odds of unfavourable FSS development, increasing BMI in women, and continually low BMI in men. Indicators of poor physical well-being at ages 21, 30, and 42 years were associated with DE-R risk in adolescence. Data spanning nearly three decades suggest that physical well-being impairment is related to DE-R risk measured earlier in life, underscoring the urgency for targeted, gender-sensitive preventive interventions for teenagers. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Disordered eating is linked to poor physical and mental well-being and quality of life. No longitudinal studies have examined long-term physical well-being consequences of adolescent disordered eating risk. What does this study add? Non-purging disordered eating symptoms in adolescence predict adverse physical well-being outcomes in middle-aged men and women. Targeted interventions and preventative work during adolescence are needed. © 2018 The British Psychological Society.

The Relationship of Physiopsychosocial Factors and Spiritual Well-Being in Elderly Residents: Implications for Evidence-Based Practice.

PubMed

Chen, Yi-Heng; Lin, Li-Chan; Chuang, Li-Lan; Chen, Mei-Li

2017-12-01

Older adults in residential settings frequently suffer from functional decline, mental illness, and social isolation, which make them more vulnerable to spiritual distress. However, empirical evidence of the interrelationships between physiopsychosocial variables and spiritual well-being are still lacking, limiting the application of the biopsychosocial-spiritual model in institutional healthcare practice. To explain the mechanisms by which these variables are linked, this cross-sectional study tested a causal model of predictors of spiritual well-being among 377 institutionalized older adults with disability using a structural equation modeling approach. The primary variables in the hypothesized model were measured using the Barthel Index for functional ability, the Geriatric Depression Scale-short form for depression, the Personal Resources Questionnaire 85-Part 2 for perceived social support, and the Spiritual Well-Being Scale for spiritual well-being. The model fit indices suggest that the hypothesized model had a reasonably adequate model fit (χ 2 = 12.18, df = 6, p = .07, goodness-of-fitness index [GFI] = 0.99, adjusted GIF index [AGFI] = 0.93, nonnormed fit index [NFI] = 0.99, comparative fit index [CFI] = 0.99). In this study, perceived social support and depression directly affected spiritual well-being, and functional ability indirectly affected spiritual well-being via perceived social support or depression. In addition, functional ability influenced perceived social support directly, which in turn influenced depression and ultimately influenced spiritual well-being. This study results confirm the effect of physiopsychosocial factors on institutionalized older adults' spiritual well-being. However, the presence and level of functional disability do not necessarily influence spiritual well-being in late life unless it is disruptive to social relationships and is thus bound to lead to low perceived social support and the onset of depression. The findings address the fact that the practice of spirituality is multidimensional and multileveled. Psychosocial interventions for institutionalized elders with disabilities should focus on increasing nurse-patient interaction and providing access to meaningful social activities to improve mental health and spiritual well-being. © 2017 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Association of volunteering with mental well-being: a lifecourse analysis of a national population-based longitudinal study in the UK

PubMed Central

Tabassum, Faiza; Mohan, John; Smith, Peter

2016-01-01

Objectives The association of volunteering with well-being has been found in previous research, but mostly among older people. The aim of this study was to examine the association of volunteering with mental well-being among the British population across the life course. Design British Household Panel Survey, a population-based longitudinal study. Setting UK. Participants 66 343 observations (person-years). Main outcome measures Mental well-being was measured by using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12 or GHQ); high values denote high mental disorder. Four groups of volunteering participation were created: frequent (once a week), infrequent (once a month/several times a year), rare (once or less a year) and never. Multilevel linear models were used to analyse variations in mental well-being over the life course by levels of volunteering. Results When not considering age, those who engaged in volunteering regularly appeared to experience higher levels of mental well-being than those who never volunteered. To explore the association of volunteering with the GHQ across the life course, interaction terms were fitted between age and volunteering. The interactions were significant, demonstrating that these associations vary by age. The association between volunteering and well-being did not emerge during early adulthood to mid-adulthood, instead becoming apparent above the age of 40 years and continuing up to old age. Moreover, in early adulthood, the absence of engagement in voluntary activity was not related to mental well-being, but GHQ scores for this group increased sharply with age, levelling off after the age of 40 and then increasing again above the age of 70 years. The study also indicates variation in GHQ scores (65%) within individuals across time, suggesting evidence of lifecourse effects. Conclusions We conclude that volunteering may be more meaningful for mental well-being at some points of time in the life course. PMID:27503861

Impaired mental well-being and psychosocial risk: a cross-sectional study in female nursing home direct staff

PubMed Central

Pélissier, C; Fontana, L; Fort, E; Vohito, M; Sellier, B; Perrier, C; Glerant, V; Couprie, F; Agard, J P; Charbotel, B

2015-01-01

Objectives The present study sought to quantify the impaired mental well-being and psychosocial stress experienced by nursing home staff and to determine the relationship between impaired mental well-being assessed on the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and exposure to psychosocial stress assessed on Siegrist's effort/reward and overcommitment model. Methods A transverse study was conducted in France on 2471 female employees in 105 nursing homes for the elderly. Personal and occupational data were collected by questionnaire for 668 housekeepers, 1454 nursing assistants and 349 nurses. Results 36.8% of participants (n=896) showed impaired mental well-being, 42.7% (n=1039) overcommitment and 9% (n=224) effort/reward imbalance. Overcommitment (prevalence ratio (PR)=1.27; 95% CI (1.21 to 1.34)) and effort–reward imbalance (PR=1.19; 95% CI (1.12 to 1.27)) were significantly associated with presence of impaired mental well-being after adjustment for personal factors (age and private life events). Taking effort and reward levels into account, the frequency of impaired mental well-being was highest in case of exposure to great extrinsic effort and low rewards of any type: esteem, PR=3.53, 95% CI (3.06 to 4.08); earnings, PR=3.48, 95% CI (2.99 to 4.06); or job security, PR=3.30, 95% CI (2.88 to 3.78). Participants in situations of overcommitment and of effort/reward imbalance were at the highest risk of impaired mental well-being: PR=3.86, 95% CI (3.42 to 4.35). Conclusions Several changes in nursing home organisation can be suggested to reduce staff exposure to factors of psychosocial stress. Qualitative studies of the relation between impaired mental well-being and psychosocial stress in nursing home staff could guide prevention of impaired mental well-being at work. PMID:25829371

Impaired mental well-being and psychosocial risk: a cross-sectional study in female nursing home direct staff.

PubMed

Pélissier, C; Fontana, L; Fort, E; Vohito, M; Sellier, B; Perrier, C; Glerant, V; Couprie, F; Agard, J P; Charbotel, B

2015-03-31

The present study sought to quantify the impaired mental well-being and psychosocial stress experienced by nursing home staff and to determine the relationship between impaired mental well-being assessed on the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and exposure to psychosocial stress assessed on Siegrist's effort/reward and overcommitment model. A transverse study was conducted in France on 2471 female employees in 105 nursing homes for the elderly. Personal and occupational data were collected by questionnaire for 668 housekeepers, 1454 nursing assistants and 349 nurses. 36.8% of participants (n=896) showed impaired mental well-being, 42.7% (n=1039) overcommitment and 9% (n=224) effort/reward imbalance. Overcommitment (prevalence ratio (PR)=1.27; 95% CI (1.21 to 1.34)) and effort-reward imbalance (PR=1.19; 95% CI (1.12 to 1.27)) were significantly associated with presence of impaired mental well-being after adjustment for personal factors (age and private life events). Taking effort and reward levels into account, the frequency of impaired mental well-being was highest in case of exposure to great extrinsic effort and low rewards of any type: esteem, PR=3.53, 95% CI (3.06 to 4.08); earnings, PR=3.48, 95% CI (2.99 to 4.06); or job security, PR=3.30, 95% CI (2.88 to 3.78). Participants in situations of overcommitment and of effort/reward imbalance were at the highest risk of impaired mental well-being: PR=3.86, 95% CI (3.42 to 4.35). Several changes in nursing home organisation can be suggested to reduce staff exposure to factors of psychosocial stress. Qualitative studies of the relation between impaired mental well-being and psychosocial stress in nursing home staff could guide prevention of impaired mental well-being at work. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Spiritual therapy to improve the spiritual well-being of Iranian women with breast cancer: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Jafari, Najmeh; Farajzadegan, Ziba; Zamani, Ahmadreza; Bahrami, Fatemeh; Emami, Hamid; Loghmani, Amir; Jafari, Nooshin

2013-01-01

Purpose. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of spiritual therapy intervention in improving the spiritual well-being and quality of life (QOL) of Iranian women with breast cancer. Methods. This randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT) recruited 65 women with breast cancer, randomly assigned to a 6-week spirituality-based intervention (n = 34) or control group (n = 31). Before and after six-week spiritual therapy intervention, spiritual well-being and quality of life (QOL) were assessed using Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy Spiritual Well-being scale (FACIT-Sp12) and cancer quality-of-life questionnaire (QLQ-C30), respectively. t-test, Paired t-test, pearson's correlation, and hierarchical regression analyses were used for analysis using Predictive Analytic software (PASW, version 18) for Windows. Results. After six spiritual therapy sessions, the mean spiritual well-being score from 29.76 (SD = 6.63) to 37.24 (SD = 3.52) in the intervention group (P < 0.001). There was a significant difference between arms of study (F = 22.91, P < 0.001). A significant positive correlation was detected between meaning and peace with all subscales of functional subscales on European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer quality of Life (EORTC QLQ-C30) (P < 0.05). Hierarchical regression analyses of participants indicated that the study arm, pain, and financial impact were significant predictors of spiritual well-being and overall QOL. Social functioning was another significant predictor of spiritual well-being. Conclusion. The results of this randomized controlled trial study suggest that participation in spiritual therapy program is associated with improvements in spiritual well-being and QOL. Targeted interventions to acknowledge and incorporate spiritual needs into conventional treatment should be considered in caring of Iranian patients with breast cancer.

Spiritual well-being and quality of life in Iranian women with breast cancer undergoing radiation therapy.

PubMed

Jafari, Najmeh; Farajzadegan, Ziba; Zamani, Ahmadreza; Bahrami, Fatemeh; Emami, Hamid; Loghmani, Amir

2013-05-01

Psychological distress and morbidity are common consequences of diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer and associated with poor quality of life (QOL). Spiritual well-being is an important aspect of QOL, but little is known about the spiritual well-being and its relationship with QOL in patients of different cultures such as Iranian Muslim patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of QOL and spirituality among patients with breast cancer undergoing radiation therapy. This was a cross-sectional study which was conducted in the Breast Cancer Research Center of St. S. Al-Shohada Hospital, Isfahan, Iran. Spiritual well-being was measured using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being Scale (FACIT-Sp12). The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life (EORTC QLQ-C30) and its supplementary breast cancer questionnaire (QLQ-BR23) were used to assess the quality of life of patients. Descriptive analysis, Pearson's correlation, and multiple regression analysis were performed for statistical assessment. In all, 68 patients fulfilled the study's inclusion criteria and were interviewed. The mean global QOL was 41.42 (SD = 18.02), and the mean spiritual well-being was 28.41 (SD = 6.95). There was a significant positive correlation between general QOL and total spiritual well-being scores. Also, spiritual well-being, social functioning, pain, and arm symptoms were significant predictors of global QOL. The results of this study provide evidence that breast cancer survivors in Iran experience a poor quality of life across a broad spectrum of health domains, particularly social, emotional, and spiritual, indicating that psychosocial-spiritual support should be considered in caring for patients with breast cancer.

Comparison of Happiness and Spiritual Well-Being among the Community Dwelling Elderly and those who Lived in Sanitariums.

PubMed

Adib-Hajbaghery, Mohsen; Faraji, Mona

2015-07-01

Several studies are available on the lifestyle, psychological and mental health of the elderly adults. This study aimed to compare the spiritual well-being and happiness in the elderly who lived in sanitariums with those lived in the community. A comparative study was conducted on 384 elderly adults. A census sampling was used in sanitariums and a convenience sampling was performed to select the community dwelling (CD) older adults. A demographic questionnaire, the Pauloutzian and Ellison's spiritual well-being scale and the Oxford happiness questionnaire were used in this study. Descriptive statistics and Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests and Spearman correlation coefficient were employed for data analysis, using the SPSS software, version 13.0. From the total participants, 56% were CD elderly and 44% were in sanitariums. Among the CD older adults, no one was at a high level of spiritual well-being while in sanitariums 24.4% were at a high level of spiritual well-being. Also, 71.2% of the community dwelling older adults were at a high level of happiness while only 3.6% of those living in sanitariums expressed a high level of happiness. A significant association was found between the level of spiritual well-being and happiness in those who lived in sanitariums (r=0.177, P<0.021). Most of the elderly living in the community and in sanitariums showed moderate spiritual well-being and low happiness. Therefore, nurses and health authorities are responsible not only to inform the community about the importance of spiritual well-being and happiness, but also to establish some strategies in this regard.

Consequences of Casual Sex Relationships and Experiences on Adolescents' Psychological Well-Being: A Prospective Study.

PubMed

Dubé, Sophie; Lavoie, Francine; Blais, Martin; Hébert, Martine

2017-10-01

Casual sexual relationships and experiences (CSREs) are still considered to be detrimental to the psychological well-being of youth even though findings remain inconclusive. Most studies have focused on emerging adulthood. Using a prospective design based on a representative sample of high school students in the province of Québec, we measured sexually active adolescents' (N = 2,304) psychological well-being six months after engaging in these relationships while controlling for prior well-being. We analyzed two forms of CSREs, friends with benefits (FWB) and one-night stand (ONS) relationships, as well as levels of sexual intimacy. The results show that CSREs had a small impact (small effect sizes) on subsequent psychological well-being, especially among girls; FWB relationships involving penetrative contact increased girls' psychological distress and both their alcohol and drug consumption. ONSs including sexual touching increased girls' psychological distress and their drug use. None of the CSREs influenced boys' psychological well-being. The findings underscored the importance of using caution when arguing that CSREs are detrimental or harmless to the psychological well-being of adolescents. The results also highlight the importance of taking into account gender and forms of CSREs in prevention and health interventions.

Cohort comparisons: emotional well-being among adolescents and older adults

PubMed Central

Momtaz, Yadollah Abolfathi; Hamid, Tengku Aizan; Ibrahim, Rahimah

2014-01-01

Background There are several negative stereotypes about older adults that have negatively influenced people’s attitude about aging. The present study compared emotional well-being between older adults and adolescents. Methods Data for this study came from 1,403 community-dwelling elderly persons and 1,190 secondary school students and were obtained from two national cross-sectional surveys. Emotional well-being was measured using the World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index. Data analysis was conducted using a multivariate analysis of covariance with SPSS software version 20 (IBM Corporation, Armonk, NY, USA). Results Elderly people significantly scored higher levels of emotional well-being (mean, 62.3; standard deviation, 22.55) than younger people (mean, 57.9; standard deviation, 18.46; t, 5.32; P≤0.001). The findings from the multivariate analysis of covariance revealed a significant difference between older adults and younger people in emotional well-being [F(3, 2587)=120.21; P≤0.001; η2=0.122] after controlling for sex. Conclusion Contrary to negative stereotypes about aging, our findings show a higher level of emotional well-being among older adults compared with younger people. PMID:24872683

Effect of persistent menopausal symptoms on the wellbeing of Japanese breast cancer survivors.

PubMed

Yamamoto, Sena; Masutani, Eiko; Arao, Harue

2016-09-01

While more women with breast cancer survive because of advances in cancer treatment including hormonal therapy, they are at a risk of menopausal symptoms, which can threaten their psychological wellbeing. We examined the effect of menopausal symptoms on women's psychological wellbeing during three different phases of breast cancer: short-term (0-1 years since diagnosis), medium-term (2-5 years), and long-term (more than 5 years). In this cross-sectional study, 425 survivors treated with hormonal therapy were recruited from a convenience sample in Japan and completed an anonymous self-administered questionnaire. Multiple regression analysis revealed that menopausal symptoms significantly contributed to psychological wellbeing in all phases. In long-term survivors, menopausal symptoms were significantly milder; however, the negative effect was prolonged. One in three to four survivors was suspected to have poor psychological wellbeing, irrespective of time. Although the effect of menopausal symptoms on psychological wellbeing has been described in short-term survivors, little is known about the long-term effect. This study examines the effect of menopausal symptoms on psychological wellbeing, thereby providing useful information regarding long-term quality of life. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Spousal autonomy support, need satisfaction, and well-being in individuals with chronic pain: A longitudinal study.

PubMed

Uysal, Ahmet; Ascigil, Esra; Turunc, Gamze

2017-04-01

The present research examined the effect of spousal autonomy support on the need satisfaction and well-being of individuals with chronic pain. Married individuals with a diagnosed musculoskeletal chronic pain condition (N = 109) completed a baseline questionnaire and a follow-up questionnaire after a 6-month time period. Cross-lagged analyses indicated that spousal autonomy support predicted increases in basic need satisfaction, and need satisfaction predicted increases in well-being. Moreover, the analyses in the opposite direction were not significant. Similarly, cross-lagged analyses were more supportive of the direction from pain intensity to lower well-being, rather than well-being to pain intensity. Finally, we tested a longitudinal structural model using pain intensity and spousal autonomy support as the predictors, basic needs as the mediator, and well-being as the outcome. The model provided a good fit to the data. Results showed that spousal autonomy support had a positive effect on the need satisfaction and well-being of individuals with chronic pain, independent of pain intensity. These findings extend self-determination theory to the chronic pain context and lay the groundwork for future chronic pain studies using the self-determination theory framework.

Self-compassion, attitudes to ageing and indicators of health and well-being among midlife women.

PubMed

Brown, Lydia; Bryant, Christina; Brown, Valerie; Bei, Bei; Judd, Fiona

2016-10-01

Attitudes to ageing exert a powerful influence on health and well-being, yet surprisingly little research has examined factors that contribute to the formation of these attitudes. The aim of this study was to consider the potential role of self-compassion in predicting attitudes to ageing, which in turn contribute to positive and negative mental well-being and self-reported health. This was a cross-sectional study using data from 517 midlife women aged between 40 and 60. Structural equation modelling was used to examine the relationships between self-compassion, three facets of attitudes to ageing and well-being outcomes. Together, self-compassion and attitudes to ageing explained between 36% and 67% of the variance in well-being. Self-compassion was a strong predictor of attitudes towards psychosocial loss, physical change and psychological growth (β range: .22-.51). Furthermore, the relationship between self-compassion and well-being outcomes was partially mediated by attitudes to physical change. Self-compassion may be a modifiable internal resource to promote healthy attitudes to ageing in midlife, when ageing becomes personally relevant. Moreover, attitudes towards physical change may help explain how self-compassion promotes well-being among midlife women.

Physical and emotional well-being and support in newly diagnosed head and neck cancer patient-caregiver dyads.

PubMed

Sterba, Katherine R; Zapka, Jane; Armeson, Kent E; Shirai, Keisuke; Buchanan, Amy; Day, Terry A; Alberg, Anthony J

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the physical and emotional well-being and social support in newly diagnosed head and neck cancer (HNC) patients and caregivers and identify sociodemographic, clinical, and behavioral risk factors associated with compromised well-being in patients and caregivers. Newly diagnosed HNC patients and their primary caregivers (N = 72 dyads) completed questionnaires before treatment assessing physical and mental well-being, depression, cancer worry, and open-ended support questions. Patients reported worse physical well-being than caregivers (p < 0.05) but similar levels of mental well-being. Caregivers reported providing emotional and instrumental support most frequently with an emphasis on nutrition and assistance with speech, appearance, and addictions. Both patients and their caregivers reported suboptimal mental well-being and depression. Smoking was associated with compromised well-being in patients, caregivers, and dyads. Compromised well-being in patients and their caregivers was more likely when patients were younger, had worse symptoms, and smoked/consumed alcohol (p < 0.05). While patients face more physical strain than caregivers, both equally confront emotional challenges. Results highlight risk factors for compromised well-being in both patients and their caregivers that should be assessed at diagnosis to guide identification of needed dyadic-focused supportive care resources.

Globally Happy: Individual Globalization, Expanded Capacities, and Subjective Wellbeing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsai, Ming-Chang; Chang, Heng-Hao; Chen, Wan-chi

2012-01-01

Deep integration of Asia into the global society necessarily affects wellbeing of local populations. This study proposes a notion of "extend capacities" to explain the relationships between individual globalization and subjective wellbeing among Asian populations in a context of increasing global integration. Using Amartya Sen's theory…

Parenting Styles and Youth Well-Being across Immigrant Generations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Driscoll, Anne K.; Russell, Stephen T.; Crockett, Lisa J.

2008-01-01

This study examines generational patterns of parenting styles, the relationships between parenting styles and adolescent well-being among youth of Mexican origin, and the role of generational parenting style patterns in explaining generational patterns in youth behavior (delinquency and alcohol problems) and psychological well-being (depression…

Relationship between Racial Microaggression and Psychological Wellbeing of African American College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Helm, Charles Andre

2013-01-01

Many researchers have investigated the relationship between the experiences of overt racist events and psychological wellbeing (Greene, Way, & Pahl, 2006; Harrell, Hall & Taliaferro, 2003; Okazaki, 2009). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between psychological wellbeing and racial microaggressions. Psychological…

Children's Well-Being in Day Care Centres: An Exploratory Empirical Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayr, Toni; Ulich, Michaela

1999-01-01

Used educators' ratings to describe preschool children's well-being in day care centers. Identified 11 independent dimensions of well-being: empathic, prosocial behavior; social initiative and vitality; self-assertiveness, openness; pleasure in exploring; coping with stress; positive self-defense; pleasure in sensory experiences;…

Activity, Social Network and Well-Being: An Empirical Examination.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Litwin, Howard

2000-01-01

A study of 170 older adults in Israel found that physical disability was a primary predictor of well-being. The social network aspect of activity made a difference in older persons' subjective well-being, rather than the effect of the activity. (Contains 62 references.) (JOW)

The Big Five personality factors and psychological well-being following stroke: a systematic review.

PubMed

Dwan, Toni; Ownsworth, Tamara

2017-12-22

To identify and appraise studies investigating the relationship between the Big Five personality factors and psychological well-being following stroke and evidence for personality change. Systematic searches of six databases (PsychINFO, CINAHL, Ovid Medline, Cochrane, PubMed, and Web of Science) were conducted from inception to June 2017. Studies involving adult stroke samples that employed a validated measure of at least one of the Big Five personality factors were included. Two reviewers independently assessed the eligibility and methodological quality of studies. Eleven studies were identified that assessed associations between personality and psychological well-being after stroke (nine studies) or post-stroke personality change (two studies). A consistent finding was that higher neuroticism was significantly related to poorer psychological well-being. The evidence for the other Big Five factors was mixed. In terms of personality change, two cross-sectional studies reported high rates of elevated neuroticism (38-48%) and low extraversion (33-40%) relative to normative data. Different questionnaires and approaches to measuring personality (i.e., self vs. informant ratings, premorbid personality vs. current personality) complicated comparisons between studies. People high on neuroticism are at increased risk of poor psychological well-being after stroke. Prospective longitudinal studies are needed to address the limited research on post-stroke personality change. Implications for rehabilitation High neuroticism is associated with poorer psychological well-being after stroke. Assessing personality characteristics early after stroke may help to identify those at risk of poor psychological outcomes.

Psychological well-being over time among informal caregivers caring for persons with dementia living at home.

PubMed

Lethin, Connie; Renom-Guiteras, Anna; Zwakhalen, Sandra; Soto-Martin, Maria; Saks, Kai; Zabalegui, Adelaida; Challis, David J; Nilsson, Christer; Karlsson, Staffan

2017-11-01

To investigate informal caregivers' psychological well-being and predicted increase in psychological well-being, when caring for persons with dementia (PwDs) living at home, related to caregiver, PwD and formal care (FC) factors. A cohort study at baseline and 3 months' follow-up in eight European countries. Caregivers included (n = 1223) were caring for PwDs aged ≥ 65 years at home. Data on caregivers, PwDs and FC were collected using standardized instruments. Regression analysis of factors associated with caregiver psychological well-being at baseline and 3 months later was performed. Factors associated with caregiver psychological well-being at baseline were positive experience of caregiving, low caregiver burden, high quality of life (QoL) for caregivers, male gender of PwD, high QoL of PwD, few neuropsychiatric symptoms and depressive symptoms for the PwD. At follow-up, caregivers with increased psychological well-being experienced of quality of care (QoC) higher and were more often using dementia specific service. Predicting factors for caregivers' increased psychological well-being were less caregiver burden, positive experience of caregiving, less supervision of the PwD and higher caregiver QoL, if PwD were male, had higher QoL and less neuropsychiatric symptoms. Furthermore, higher QoC predicted increased caregivers' psychological well-being. Informal caregiving for PwDs living at home is a complex task. Our study shows that caregivers' psychological well-being was associated with, among other things, less caregiver burden and higher QoL. Professionals should be aware of PwD neuropsychiatric symptoms that might affect caregivers' psychological well-being, and provide proper care and treatment for caregivers and PwDs.

Need Assessment of Staffs’ Welfare Services at Tehran University of Medical Sciences: A Cross-Sectional Study

PubMed Central

Dehghan, Reza; Mafimoradi, Shiva; Hadi, Mohammad

2015-01-01

Background: Reviewing the human resources management literature shows an absence of attention given to the employee's benefits. Taking a look at functions of the Tehran University of Medical Sciences’ wellbeing services system, it uncovers a gap between employees’ real needs and what is delivered to meet their needs. So it requires an improved comprehensive system for delivering wellbeing services (financial, insurance, health care services, educational and training services, etc). Wellbeing need assessment can helps planners to identify vital needs of employee and response to them effectively. Moreover it can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the current services which are delivered. Thus, the aim of this study is to assess wellbeing services of staffs working in TUMS to (1) evaluate the satisfactory rate of services which are delivered, and (2) exploring those wellbeing needs which were not fulfilled by the organization. Material and Methods: Being a cross-sectional and analytic-descriptive survey including 98 responding participants, it is conducted by a questionnaire collecting employees’ demographic information, their satisfactory rate of the implemented services, and determines unfulfilled wellbeing needs which were not already covered. Result: Results indicated that services related to financial, educational, non-financial, insurance, occupational health and tourism/recreational services were the most satisfactory services successively. ‘Staff's unwillingness to receive services’ and ‘poor announcement’ (unawareness on the wellbeing services),’ were found to be the most frequent reasons for not receiving the existing wellbeing services. Conclusion: To increase the satisfaction rate and responsiveness to the real needs of the staff, the current delivery system of wellbeing services in the TUMS should be redesigned by defining new wellbeing packages. PMID:25767818

The impact of pain on spiritual well-being in people with a spinal cord injury.

PubMed

Siddall, P J; McIndoe, L; Austin, P; Wrigley, P J

2017-01-01

The study uses a cross-sectional, group comparison, questionnaire-based design. To determine whether spinal cord injury and pain have an impact on spiritual well-being and whether there is an association between spiritual well-being and measures of pain and psychological function. University teaching hospital in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Questionnaires evaluating pain, psychological and spiritual well-being were administered to a group of people with a spinal cord injury (n=53) and a group without spinal cord injury (n=37). Spiritual well-being was assessed using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness and Therapy - Spirituality Extended Scale (FACIT-Sp-Ex). Pain and psychological function were also assessed using standard, validated measures of pain intensity, pain interference, mood and cognition. Levels of spiritual well-being in people with a spinal cord injury were significantly lower when compared with people without a spinal cord injury. In addition, there was a moderate but significant negative correlation between spiritual well-being and pain intensity. There was also a strong and significant negative correlation between depression and spiritual well-being and a strong and significant positive correlation between spiritual well-being and both pain self-efficacy and satisfaction with life. Consequences of a spinal cord injury include increased levels of spiritual distress, which is associated, with higher levels of pain and depression and lower levels of pain self-efficacy and satisfaction with life. These findings indicate the importance of addressing spiritual well-being as an important component in the long-term rehabilitation of any person following spinal cord injury. This study was supported by grant funding from the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists, and the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia.

The Role of Gratitude in Spiritual Well-being in Asymptomatic Heart Failure Patients

PubMed Central

Mills, Paul J.; Redwine, Laura; Wilson, Kathleen; Pung, Meredith A.; Chinh, Kelly; Greenberg, Barry H.; Lunde, Ottar; Maisel, Alan; Raisinghani, Ajit; Wood, Alex; Chopra, Deepak

2015-01-01

Spirituality and gratitude are associated with wellbeing. Few if any studies have examined the role of gratitude in heart failure (HF) patients or whether it is a mechanism through which spirituality may exert its beneficial effects on physical and mental health in this clinical population. This study examined associations bet ween gratitude, spiritual wellbeing, sleep, mood, fatigue, cardiac-specific self-efficacy, and inflammation in 186 men and women with Stage B asymptomatic HF (age 66.5 years ±10). In correlational analysis, gratitude was associated with better sleep (r=-.25, p<0.01), less depressed mood (r=-.41, p<0.01), less fatigue (r=-.46, p<0.01), and better self-efficacy to maintain cardiac function (r=.42, p<0.01). Patients expressing more gratitude also had lower levels of inflammatory biomarkers (r=-.17, p<0.05). We further explored relationships among these variables by examining a putative pathway to determine whether spirituality exerts its beneficial effects through gratitude. We found that gratitude fully mediated the relationship between spiritual wellbeing and sleep quality (z=−2.35, SE=.03, p=.02) and also the relationship between spiritual wellbeing and depressed mood (z=−4.00, SE=.075, p<.001). Gratitude also partially mediated the relationships between spiritual wellbeing and fatigue (z=−3.85, SE=.18, p<.001), and between spiritual wellbeing and self-efficacy (z=2.91, SE=.04, p=.003). In sum, we report that gratitude and spiritual wellbeing are related to better mood and sleep, less fatigue, and more self-efficacy, and that gratitude fully or partially mediates the beneficial effects of spiritual wellbeing on these endpoints. Efforts to increase gratitude may be a treatment for improving wellbeing in HF patients’ lives and be of potential clinical value. PMID:26203459

The Role of Gratitude in Spiritual Well-being in Asymptomatic Heart Failure Patients.

PubMed

Mills, Paul J; Redwine, Laura; Wilson, Kathleen; Pung, Meredith A; Chinh, Kelly; Greenberg, Barry H; Lunde, Ottar; Maisel, Alan; Raisinghani, Ajit; Wood, Alex; Chopra, Deepak

2015-03-01

Spirituality and gratitude are associated with wellbeing. Few if any studies have examined the role of gratitude in heart failure (HF) patients or whether it is a mechanism through which spirituality may exert its beneficial effects on physical and mental health in this clinical population. This study examined associations bet ween gratitude, spiritual wellbeing, sleep, mood, fatigue, cardiac-specific self-efficacy, and inflammation in 186 men and women with Stage B asymptomatic HF (age 66.5 years ±10). In correlational analysis, gratitude was associated with better sleep (r=-.25, p<0.01), less depressed mood (r=-.41, p<0.01), less fatigue (r=-.46, p<0.01), and better self-efficacy to maintain cardiac function (r=.42, p<0.01). Patients expressing more gratitude also had lower levels of inflammatory biomarkers (r=-.17, p<0.05). We further explored relationships among these variables by examining a putative pathway to determine whether spirituality exerts its beneficial effects through gratitude. We found that gratitude fully mediated the relationship between spiritual wellbeing and sleep quality (z=-2.35, SE=.03, p=.02) and also the relationship between spiritual wellbeing and depressed mood (z=-4.00, SE=.075, p<.001). Gratitude also partially mediated the relationships between spiritual wellbeing and fatigue (z=-3.85, SE=.18, p<.001), and between spiritual wellbeing and self-efficacy (z=2.91, SE=.04, p=.003). In sum, we report that gratitude and spiritual wellbeing are related to better mood and sleep, less fatigue, and more self-efficacy, and that gratitude fully or partially mediates the beneficial effects of spiritual wellbeing on these endpoints. Efforts to increase gratitude may be a treatment for improving wellbeing in HF patients' lives and be of potential clinical value.

Psychological well-being and incident frailty in men and women: the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.

PubMed

Gale, C R; Cooper, C; Deary, I J; Aihie Sayer, A

2014-03-01

Observations that older people who enjoy life more tend to live longer suggest that psychological well-being may be a potential resource for healthier ageing. We investigated whether psychological well-being was associated with incidence of physical frailty. We used multinomial logistic regression to examine the prospective relationship between psychological well-being, assessed using the CASP-19, a questionnaire that assesses perceptions of control, autonomy, self-realization and pleasure, and incidence of physical frailty or pre-frailty, defined according to the Fried criteria (unintentional weight loss, weakness, self-reported exhaustion, slow walking speed and low physical activity), in 2557 men and women aged 60 to ≥ 90 years from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). Men and women with higher levels of psychological well-being were less likely to become frail over the 4-year follow-up period. For a standard deviation higher score in psychological well-being at baseline, the relative risk ratio (RR) for incident frailty, adjusted for age, sex and baseline frailty status, was 0.46 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.40-0.54]. There was a significant association between psychological well-being and risk of pre-frailty (RR 0.69, 95% CI 0.63-0.77). Examination of scores for hedonic (pleasure) and eudaimonic (control, autonomy and self-realization) well-being showed that higher scores on both were associated with decreased risk. Associations were partially attenuated by further adjustment for other potential confounding factors but persisted. Incidence of pre-frailty or frailty was associated with a decline in well-being, suggesting that the relationship is bidirectional. Maintaining a stronger sense of psychological well-being in later life may protect against the development of physical frailty. Future research needs to establish the mechanisms underlying these findings.

A year in transition: a qualitative study examining the trajectory of first year residents’ well-being

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background It is generally understood that trainees experience periods of heightened stress during first year residency, yet there is little information on variations in stress and well-being over the transition period or those factors that contribute to these variations. This qualitative study explored the trajectory of well-being described by first year residents in the context of challenges, supports and adaptations over time. Methods In-depth interviews were conducted face-to-face with 17 first year residents at the University of Toronto. Participants drew a graph of their well-being over the course of their first year and described critical periods of challenge and adaptation. Interviews were audio-taped and transcribed. Results were organized into a thematic analysis using NVivo software. Results Residents described a pattern of well-being that varied in accordance with changes in rotations. Well-being increased when residents perceived high levels of team support, felt competent and experienced valued learning opportunities. Well-being decreased with low team support, heavy work demands, few learning opportunities and poor orientations. Anxiety and excitement in the beginning of the year gave way to heightened confidence but increased fatigue and apathy towards the year’s end. Residents used a number of cognitive, behavioural and self-care strategies to cope with transitional challenges. Conclusions Residents experienced a pattern of highly fluctuating well-being that coincided with changes in rotations. Residents’ well-being varied according to levels of supervisor and colleague support, learning opportunities, and work demands. Residents’ well-being may be improved by program interventions that facilitate better team and supervisory supports, maintain optimal service to learning ratios, establish effective fatigue and risk management systems, offer wellness support services and integrate skills based resiliency training into the curriculum. PMID:23842470

Parental Debt and Children's Socioemotional Well-being.

PubMed

Berger, Lawrence M; Houle, Jason N

2016-02-01

We estimated associations between total amount of parental debt and of home mortgage, student loan, automobile, and unsecured debt with children's socioemotional well-being. We used population-based longitudinal data from the National Longitudinal Study of Youth 1979 Cohort and Children of the National Longitudinal Study of Youth 1979 Cohort. Our analytic sample consisted of 29 318 child-year observations of 9011 children and their mothers observed annually or biennially from 1986 to 2008. We used the Behavioral Problems Index to measure socioemotional well-being. We used ordinary least squares regressions to estimate between-child associations of amounts and types of parental debt with socioemotional well-being, net of a host of control variables, and regressions with child-specific fixed effects to estimate within-child associations of changes in parental debt with changes in socioemotional well-being, net of all time-constant observed and unobserved confounders. Greater total debt was associated with poorer child socioemotional well-being. However, this association varied by type of debt. Specifically, higher levels of home mortgage and education debt were associated with greater socioemotional well-being for children, whereas higher levels of and increases in unsecured debt were associated with lower levels of and declines in child socioemotional well-being. Debt that allows for investment in homes (and perhaps access to better neighborhoods and schools) and parental education is associated with greater socioemotional well-being for children, whereas unsecured debt is negatively associated with socioemotional development, which may reflect limited financial resources to invest in children and/or parental financial stress. This suggests that debt is not universally harmful for children's well-being, particularly if used to invest in a home or education. Copyright © 2016 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

A systematic review of associations between spiritual well-being and quality of life at the scale and factor levels in studies among patients with cancer.

PubMed

Bai, Mei; Lazenby, Mark

2015-03-01

The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the literature for associations between spiritual well-being and quality of life (QOL) among adults diagnosed with cancer. A systematic literature search was conducted in the PubMed and CINAHL databases on descriptive correlational studies that provided bivariate correlations or multivariate associations between spiritual well-being and QOL. A total of 566 citations were identified; 36 studies were included in the final review. Thirty-two studies were cross-sectional and four longitudinal; 27 were from the United States. Sample size ranged from 44 to 8805 patients. A majority of studies reported a positive association (ranges from 0.36 to 0.70) between overall spiritual well-being and QOL, which was not equal among physical, social, emotional, and functional well-being. The 16 studies that examined the Meaning/Peace factor and its association with QOL reported a positive association for overall QOL (ranges from 0.49 to 0.70) and for physical (ranges from 0.25 to 0.28) and mental health (ranges from 0.55 to 0.73), and remained significant after controlling for demographic and clinical variables. The Faith factor was not consistently associated with QOL. This review found consistent independent associations between spiritual well-being and QOL at the scale and factor (Meaning/Peace) levels, lending support for integrating Meaning/Peace constituents into assessment of QOL outcomes among people with cancer; more research is needed to verify our findings. The number of studies conducted on spiritual well-being and the attention to its importance globally emphasizes its importance in enhancing patients' QOL in cancer care.

A Systematic Review of Associations between Spiritual Well-Being and Quality of Life at the Scale and Factor Levels in Studies among Patients with Cancer

PubMed Central

Lazenby, Mark

2015-01-01

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the literature for associations between spiritual well-being and quality of life (QOL) among adults diagnosed with cancer. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in the PubMed and CINAHL databases on descriptive correlational studies that provided bivariate correlations or multivariate associations between spiritual well-being and QOL. A total of 566 citations were identified; 36 studies were included in the final review. Thirty-two studies were cross-sectional and four longitudinal; 27 were from the United States. Sample size ranged from 44 to 8805 patients. Results: A majority of studies reported a positive association (ranges from 0.36 to 0.70) between overall spiritual well-being and QOL, which was not equal among physical, social, emotional, and functional well-being. The 16 studies that examined the Meaning/Peace factor and its association with QOL reported a positive association for overall QOL (ranges from 0.49 to 0.70) and for physical (ranges from 0.25 to 0.28) and mental health (ranges from 0.55 to 0.73), and remained significant after controlling for demographic and clinical variables. The Faith factor was not consistently associated with QOL. Conclusions: This review found consistent independent associations between spiritual well-being and QOL at the scale and factor (Meaning/Peace) levels, lending support for integrating Meaning/Peace constituents into assessment of QOL outcomes among people with cancer; more research is needed to verify our findings. The number of studies conducted on spiritual well-being and the attention to its importance globally emphasizes its importance in enhancing patients' QOL in cancer care. PMID:25303461

Resilience and well-being of university nursing students in Hong Kong: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Chow, Ka Ming; Tang, Wing Ki Fiona; Chan, Wing Han Carmen; Sit, Wing Hung Janet; Choi, Kai Chow; Chan, Sally

2018-01-12

University nursing students experience higher levels of academic stress than those of other disciplines. Academic stress leads to psychological distress and has detrimental effects on well-being. The ability to overcome such adversity and learn to be stronger from the experience is regarded as resilience. Resilience is found to have an impact on learning experience, academic performance, course completion and, in the longer term, professional practice. Resilience and positive coping strategies can resist stress and improve personal well-being. However, the relationship between resilience and well-being remains unexplored in nursing students, which are significant attributes to their academic success and future career persistence. The study was a cross-sectional descriptive correlational design. Inclusion criteria for recruitment was students studying pre-registration nursing programmes at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10) and World Health Organisation-5 Well-Being Index (WHO-5) were used to measure resilience and psychological well-being respectively. A convenience sample of 678 university nursing students was recruited from a university. The mean score of CD-RISC-10 was 24.0. When comparing the resilience levels of undergraduate and postgraduate students, the total scores were found to be 23.8 and 24.9 respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between the groups (p = .020). With regard to perceived well-being, the mean score of WHO-5 was 15.5. There was no significant difference between undergraduates and postgraduates (p = .131). Bivariate analysis showed that self-reported resilience had a medium, positive correlation with perceived well-being (r = .378, p = .000), and senior students had significantly higher level of perceived well-being than junior students (16.0 vs 15.1, p = .003). Multivariable regression analysis on perceived well-being indicated that self-reported resilience emerged as a significant predictor of perceived well-being (regression coefficient B = 0.259; p < .001). The results demonstrate that nursing students with a high level of resilience have better perceived well-being, and the level of resilience of postgraduates was significantly higher than that of undergraduates. Therefore, educational strategies should be developed in the nursing curriculum and a supportive learning environment should be created to foster resilience in the students.

Using Exponential Random Graph Models to Analyze the Character of Peer Relationship Networks and Their Effects on the Subjective Well-being of Adolescents.

PubMed

Jiao, Can; Wang, Ting; Liu, Jianxin; Wu, Huanjie; Cui, Fang; Peng, Xiaozhe

2017-01-01

The influences of peer relationships on adolescent subjective well-being were investigated within the framework of social network analysis, using exponential random graph models as a methodological tool. The participants in the study were 1,279 students (678 boys and 601 girls) from nine junior middle schools in Shenzhen, China. The initial stage of the research used a peer nomination questionnaire and a subjective well-being scale (used in previous studies) to collect data on the peer relationship networks and the subjective well-being of the students. Exponential random graph models were then used to explore the relationships between students with the aim of clarifying the character of the peer relationship networks and the influence of peer relationships on subjective well being. The results showed that all the adolescent peer relationship networks in our investigation had positive reciprocal effects, positive transitivity effects and negative expansiveness effects. However, none of the relationship networks had obvious receiver effects or leaders. The adolescents in partial peer relationship networks presented similar levels of subjective well-being on three dimensions (satisfaction with life, positive affects and negative affects) though not all network friends presented these similarities. The study shows that peer networks can affect an individual's subjective well-being. However, whether similarities among adolescents are the result of social influences or social choices needs further exploration, including longitudinal studies that investigate the potential processes of subjective well-being similarities among adolescents.

Wellbeing, mental health knowledge and caregiving experiences of siblings of people with psychosis, compared to their peers and parents: an exploratory study.

PubMed

Sin, Jacqueline; Murrells, Trevor; Spain, Debbie; Norman, Ian; Henderson, Claire

2016-09-01

The wellbeing and caregiving experiences of family carers supporting people with psychosis has garnered increasing interest. Evidence indicates that the burden of caregiving can adversely impact on parents' wellbeing, few studies have investigated whether this is also the case for siblings, who often take on caregiving responsibilities. This exploratory study investigated the wellbeing, mental health knowledge, and appraisals of caregiving in siblings of individuals with psychosis. Using a cross-sectional design, 90 siblings completed three validated questionnaires: Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS), Mental Health Knowledge Schedule (MAKS), and Experience of Caregiving Inventory (ECI). Data obtained were compared to general population norms and parent-carers' scores. Multi-variable regression analyses were conducted to examine relationships between questionnaire scores and demographic characteristics including age, sex, birth order, marital status, accommodation and educational level. Siblings, especially sisters, had significantly poorer mental wellbeing, compared to normative scores. Conversely, they had better mental health knowledge. Siblings and parent-carers had comparable high levels of negative appraisals of caregiving experiences, but siblings reported more satisfaction with personal experiences and relationships. Education level was a significant predictor for better mental health knowledge; there were no other relationships between siblings' demographic factors and outcomes. Study findings suggest that siblings have overlapping as well as distinct needs, compared to parent-carers. Further research is required to better understand siblings' experiences so as to inform development of targeted interventions that enhance wellbeing and caregiving capacity.

Using Exponential Random Graph Models to Analyze the Character of Peer Relationship Networks and Their Effects on the Subjective Well-being of Adolescents

PubMed Central

Jiao, Can; Wang, Ting; Liu, Jianxin; Wu, Huanjie; Cui, Fang; Peng, Xiaozhe

2017-01-01

The influences of peer relationships on adolescent subjective well-being were investigated within the framework of social network analysis, using exponential random graph models as a methodological tool. The participants in the study were 1,279 students (678 boys and 601 girls) from nine junior middle schools in Shenzhen, China. The initial stage of the research used a peer nomination questionnaire and a subjective well-being scale (used in previous studies) to collect data on the peer relationship networks and the subjective well-being of the students. Exponential random graph models were then used to explore the relationships between students with the aim of clarifying the character of the peer relationship networks and the influence of peer relationships on subjective well being. The results showed that all the adolescent peer relationship networks in our investigation had positive reciprocal effects, positive transitivity effects and negative expansiveness effects. However, none of the relationship networks had obvious receiver effects or leaders. The adolescents in partial peer relationship networks presented similar levels of subjective well-being on three dimensions (satisfaction with life, positive affects and negative affects) though not all network friends presented these similarities. The study shows that peer networks can affect an individual’s subjective well-being. However, whether similarities among adolescents are the result of social influences or social choices needs further exploration, including longitudinal studies that investigate the potential processes of subjective well-being similarities among adolescents. PMID:28450845

Comparison of Subjective Wellbeing and Positive Future Expectations in Between Working and Nonworking Adolescents in Turkey.

PubMed

Karaca, Semra; Karakoc, Ayse; Bingol, Fadime; Eren, Nurhan; Andsoy, Isil Isik

2016-02-01

Wellbeing is one's evaluation and judgment of one's life. It consists of 3 dimensions: positive affectivity, negative affectivity, and life satisfaction. This study aimed to compare the subjective wellbeing and positive future expectations between working and nonworking adolescents. The study was designed as descriptive and comparative. The study sample consisted of 420 working and 482 nonworking adolescents (n = 902) aged 15 - 20 years, who were randomly recruited from two occupational education centers in Istanbul, Turkey and two high schools (formal educations) in the same district. Adolescent subjective wellbeing scale (ASWS) total mean (SD) scores for working adolescents and nonworking adolescents were 48.76 (9.50) and 49.72 (8.01), respectively. In addition, positive future expectations scale (PFES) total mean (SD) scores for working adolescents and nonworking adolescents were 18.71 (4.50) and 19.06 (3.49), respectively. In this study, no significant difference was found between the general wellbeing (scale total median score) scores of the working and nonworking adolescent groups (Z = 1.01, P = 0.315). However, significant differences were found in the family relations satisfaction (Z = 3.23, P = 0.002) and relations with significant others (Z = 2.85, P = 0.004) subscales of the ASWS. A positive relationship was found between adolescent subjective wellbeing and positive future expectations. It was found that nonworking adolescents scored higher on the dimensions of "family relations" and "relations with significant others" of subjective wellbeing compared to those dimensions in working adolescents.

Emotional coping differences among breast cancer patients from an online support group: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Batenburg, Anika; Das, Enny

2014-02-05

Due to mixed findings in research on the effect of online peer-to-peer support on psychological well-being, there is a need for studies explaining why and when online support communities are beneficial for cancer patients. Previous studies have typically not taken into account individual coping differences, despite the fact that patients have different strategies to cope with cancer-related emotions. In the current study, it was predicted that the effects of online support group participation would partly depend on patients' ability to cope with thoughts and emotions regarding the illness. For this study, 184 Dutch breast cancer patients filled out a questionnaire assessing activity within a peer-led online support community, coping with emotions and thoughts regarding the illness (cognitive avoidance, emotional processing, and expression) and psychological well-being (depression, breast cancer-related concerns, and emotional well-being). Of these, 163 patients were visiting an online peer-led support community. Results showed interactions of the intensity of support group participation and coping style on psychological well-being. Specifically, we found an interaction of online activity and emotional expression on depression (beta=-.17, P=.030), a marginally significant interaction of online activity and emotional expression on emotional well-being (beta=.14, P=.089), and an interaction of online activity and cognitive avoidance on breast cancer-related concerns (beta=.15, P=.027). For patients who actively dealt with their emotions and thoughts, active online support group participation was positively related to psychological well-being. For patients high on avoidance of illness-related thoughts or low on emotional expression, active participation was negatively related to measures of well-being. The current study revealed the role of individual differences in coping in online support group participation. Results suggest that breast cancer patients' ability to cope with emotions and thoughts regarding the illness influence the relationship between online support group participation and psychological well-being.

Emotional Coping Differences Among Breast Cancer Patients From an Online Support Group: A Cross-Sectional Study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Due to mixed findings in research on the effect of online peer-to-peer support on psychological well-being, there is a need for studies explaining why and when online support communities are beneficial for cancer patients. Objective Previous studies have typically not taken into account individual coping differences, despite the fact that patients have different strategies to cope with cancer-related emotions. In the current study, it was predicted that the effects of online support group participation would partly depend on patients’ ability to cope with thoughts and emotions regarding the illness. Methods For this study, 184 Dutch breast cancer patients filled out a questionnaire assessing activity within a peer-led online support community, coping with emotions and thoughts regarding the illness (cognitive avoidance, emotional processing, and expression) and psychological well-being (depression, breast cancer-related concerns, and emotional well-being). Of these, 163 patients were visiting an online peer-led support community. Results Results showed interactions of the intensity of support group participation and coping style on psychological well-being. Specifically, we found an interaction of online activity and emotional expression on depression (beta=–.17, P=.030), a marginally significant interaction of online activity and emotional expression on emotional well-being (beta=.14, P=.089), and an interaction of online activity and cognitive avoidance on breast cancer–related concerns (beta=.15, P=.027). For patients who actively dealt with their emotions and thoughts, active online support group participation was positively related to psychological well-being. For patients high on avoidance of illness-related thoughts or low on emotional expression, active participation was negatively related to measures of well-being. Conclusions The current study revealed the role of individual differences in coping in online support group participation. Results suggest that breast cancer patients’ ability to cope with emotions and thoughts regarding the illness influence the relationship between online support group participation and psychological well-being. PMID:24499687

A descriptive qualitative study of adolescent girls' well-being in Northern Finland.

PubMed

Wiens, Varpu; Kyngäs, Helvi; Pölkki, Tarja

2014-01-01

Previous studies have shown that girls present welfare-related symptoms differently than boys and that the severity of their symptoms increases with age. Girls living in Northern Finland experience reduced well-being in some aspects of their lives. However, the opinions of girls on these matters have not previously been studied. The aim of this study was to describe girls' well-being in Northern Finland. This is a descriptive qualitative study. The participants were 117 girls aged between 13 and 16 who were living in the province of Lapland in Finland and attending primary school. Data were collected electronically; the girls were asked to respond to a set of open-ended questions using a computer during a school day. The responses were evaluated by using inductive content analysis. Four main categories of girls' well-being were identified: health as a resource, a beneficial lifestyle, positive experience of life course, and favourable social relationships. Health as a resource was about feeling healthy and the ability to enjoy life. A beneficial lifestyle was about healthy habits and meaningful hobbies. Positive experience of life course is related to high self-esteem and feeling good, safe, and optimistic. Favourable social relationships meant having good relationships with family and friends. To the participating girls, well-being was a positive experience and feeling which was revealed when they interact between their relationships, living conditions, lifestyle, and environment. Knowledge about girls' description of their well-being can be used to understand how the girls themselves and their environment influence their well-being and what can be done to promote it.

Unpacking the Relationship between Parental Migration and Child well-Being: Evidence from Moldova and Georgia.

PubMed

Gassmann, Franziska; Siegel, Melissa; Vanore, Michaella; Waidler, Jennifer

2018-01-01

Using household survey data collected between September 2011 and December 2012 from Moldova and Georgia, this paper measures and compares the multidimensional well-being of children with and without parents abroad. While a growing body of literature has addressed the effects of migration for children 'left behind', relatively few studies have empirically analysed if and to what extent migration implies different well-being outcomes for children, and fewer still have conducted comparisons across countries. To compare the outcomes of children in current- and non-migrant households, this paper defines a multidimensional well-being index comprised of six dimensions of wellness: education, physical health, housing conditions, protection, communication access, and emotional health. This paper challenges conventional wisdom that parental migration is harmful for child well-being: while in Moldova migration does not appear to correspond to any positive or negative well-being outcomes, in Georgia migration was linked to higher probabilities of children attaining well-being in the domains of communication access, housing, and combined well-being index. The different relationship between migration and child well-being in Moldova and Georgia likely reflects different migration trajectories, mobility patterns, and levels of maturity of each migration stream.

The daily digital practice as a form of self-care: Using photography for everyday well-being.

PubMed

Brewster, Liz; Cox, Andrew M

2018-04-01

Interest in the connection between involvement in digital communities and well-being has increased as these communities become more commonplace. Specific models of interaction that affect well-being have emerged; here, we examine one of those models, termed 'digital daily practice'. Digital daily practices involve a commitment to doing one thing - exercise, photography and writing - every day and sharing it online. Participants in these practices agree that they provide an unexpected benefit of improving well-being. This article makes an in-depth examination of one digital daily practice, photo-a-day, using a practice theory framework to understand the affordances it offers for well-being. We engage with the literature on well-being and self-care, critiquing its presentation of well-being as an individual trait. We present data from an ethnographic study including interviews and observations to highlight how photo-a-day as a practice functions as self-care and how communities are formed around it. Photo-a-day is not a simple and uncomplicated practice; rather it is the complex affordances and variance within the practice that relate it to well-being. We conclude that this practice has multi-faceted benefits for improving well-being.

City scale climate change policies: Do they matter for wellbeing?

PubMed

Hiscock, Rosemary; Asikainen, Arja; Tuomisto, Jouni; Jantunen, Matti; Pärjälä, Erkki; Sabel, Clive E

2017-06-01

Climate change mitigation policies aim to reduce climate change through reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions whereas adaption policies seek to enable humans to live in a world with increasingly variable and more extreme climatic conditions. It is increasingly realised that enacting such policies will have unintended implications for public health, but there has been less focus on their implications for wellbeing. Wellbeing can be defined as a positive mental state which is influenced by living conditions. As part of URGENCHE, an EU funded project to identify health and wellbeing outcomes of city greenhouse gas emission reduction policies, a survey designed to measure these living conditions and levels of wellbeing in Kuopio, Finland was collected in December 2013. Kuopio was the northmost among seven cities in Europe and China studied. Generalised estimating equation modelling was used to determine which living conditions were associated with subjective wellbeing (measured through the WHO-5 Scale). Local greenspace and spending time in nature were associated with higher levels of wellbeing whereas cold housing and poor quality indoor air were associated with lower levels of wellbeing. Thus adaption policies to increase greenspace might, in addition to reducing heat island effects, have the co-benefit of increasing wellbeing and improving housing insulation.

Comparing the Reliability and Validity of Global Self-Report Measures of Subjective Well-Being With Experiential Day Reconstruction Measures.

PubMed

Hudson, Nathan W; Anusic, Ivana; Lucas, Richard E; Donnellan, M Brent

2017-12-01

Self-report measures of global well-being are thought to reflect the overall quality of people's lives. However, several scholars have argued that people rely on heuristics, such as current mood, when reporting their global well-being. Experiential well-being measures, such as the day reconstruction method (DRM), have been proposed as an alternative technique to obtain a potentially more accurate assessment of well-being. Across two multimethod, short-term longitudinal studies, we compared the psychometric properties of global self-reports and short-form DRM-based assessments of well-being. We evaluated their stability across one month, tested their convergent validity using self-informant agreement, and evaluated correlations with personality traits. Results indicated that global measures of well-being were more stable than DRM-based experiential measures. Self-informant agreement was also either equal across global and DRM measures or higher for global measures. Correlations with personality were similar across approaches. These findings suggest that DRM and global measures of well-being have similar psychometric properties when used to provide an overall assessment of a person's typical level of subjective well-being.

Work-to-Family Enrichment and Conflict Profiles: Job Characteristics and Employees' Well-Being.

PubMed

Carvalho, Vânia Sofia; Chambel, Maria José

2016-10-03

This article aims to analyze work-to-family conflict (WFC) and enrichment (WFE) profiles related to job characteristics and well-being at work and general well-being. A cross-sectional survey data of 1885 employees was analyzed. The Latent Profile Analysis revealed that the five-profile solution exhibited strong statistical significance (p > .001). ANCOVAs were performed to analyze the relationship of the identified profiles with job characteristics and well-being. Employees in the Beneficial profile had the best perception of job characteristics (lowest demands and the highest control and support) and the highest well-being, and those in the Harmful profile had the lowest job characteristics perceptions and the lowest well-being. Through a comparison of the Moderate Active profile and the Moderate Harmful profile, WFE was found to buffer the effects of the WFC on well-being at work (burnout; engagement) and on general well-being (i.e., health perceptions). The promotion of WFE through higher job autonomy, job support, and fewer demands is a crucial aspect to consider. This study helps to consolidate the work-family balance typology and its effects on employees' well-being, and broadens this framework to consider job characteristics.

Using Media While Interacting Face-to-Face Is Associated With Psychosocial Well-Being and Personality Traits.

PubMed

Lee, Mindy; Murphy, Karen; Andrews, Glenda

2018-01-01

Positive face-to-face human interactions are known to benefit well-being. Drawing upon previous work regarding the interference of media (via technological devices or print) in social interaction, the aim of this study was to identify whether using media during face-to-face interaction could potentially limit the positive effect of interaction on well-being. Participants were 437 university students who completed an online survey which assessed media multitasking behaviors, well-being (trait depression, trait anxiety, social anxiety, empathy, and psychological well-being), and personality traits (Big-5 and narcissism). Face-to-face interaction was positively associated with well-being. However, when media use during face-to-face interaction was considered, there was a negative relationship with well-being (more depression, more anxiety, and less psychological well-being). Those who used certain media types, such as phone or video chatting, listening to music, and gaming, while interacting with others, also had lower scores on measures of empathy. Regression analyses showed significant contributions by these media types to empathy levels, even after controlling for age, gender, and personality traits. Face-to-face media multitasking was related to higher levels of narcissism and neuroticism, and lower levels of agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness. This study provides insight into the possible role of media multitasking during face-to-face interaction on psychosocial outcomes.

Planning for Retirement: Longitudinal Effect on Retirement Resources and Post-retirement Well-being

PubMed Central

Yeung, Dannii Y.; Zhou, Xiaoyu

2017-01-01

Retirement is a major life event, and a positive adjustment to retirement is essential for maintaining physical and psychological well-being in later life. Previous research demonstrates that pre-retirement planning predicts post-retirement well-being. This study further explores the underlying mechanism between planning activities and post-retirement well-being. By applying the resource-based dynamic model (Wang et al., 2011), the present longitudinal study examines whether pre-retirement planning activities can increase the total resources of retirees, including tangible, mental and social resources, and consequently contribute to better psychological and physical well-being 1 year after actual retirement. A total of 118 Hong Kong Chinese retirees completed three assessments: Time 1 assessment was conducted 6 months before retirement, and Times 2 and 3 assessments were carried out 6 and 12 months, respectively, after retirement. Latent growth models were employed to examine changes in retirement resources and post-retirement well-being over time. Consistent with the proposition of the resource-based dynamic model, positive changes in well-being were observed in the retirees with increases in retirement resources between pre- and post-retirement phases. The results of the latent growth mediation models also support our prediction: retirees with more preparatory activities before retirement acquire greater resources at the initial stage, which contribute to positive changes in post-retirement well-being over time. PMID:28798716

Sexual Closeness Discrepancies: What They Are and Why They Matter for Sexual Well-Being in Romantic Relationships.

PubMed

Frost, David M; McClelland, Sara I; Dettmann, Miranda

2017-11-01

This study examined the impact of sexual closeness on sexual well-being. We developed a nuanced and multifaceted conceptualization of sexual closeness in the form of a constellation of ideal sexual closeness with a partner, actual sexual closeness, and the discrepancy between the two. Data were obtained from a diverse sample of N = 619 participants who took part in the Lives and Relationships Study: A longitudinal survey of men and women in relationships living in the U.S. and Canada. Increases in sexual closeness discrepancies over a period of 1 year predicted concomitant decreases in two indicators of sexual well-being: sexual satisfaction and orgasm frequency evaluations. Decreases in sexual closeness discrepancies resulted in improvement in sexual well-being. Individuals who reported no sexual closeness discrepancies and experienced no changes in sexual closeness discrepancies tended to have the highest levels of sexual well-being. Importantly, sexual closeness discrepancies were robust predictors of sexual well-being, above and beyond individuals' actual sexual closeness, general relationship closeness, and other demographic and relationship characteristics known to be associated with sexual well-being. The present findings demonstrate that how close people feel sexually to their relationship partners is part of a general constellation of factors related to relationship closeness that, only when considered together, sufficiently explain the ways in which experiences of closeness impact sexual well-being in romantic relationships.

Planning for Retirement: Longitudinal Effect on Retirement Resources and Post-retirement Well-being.

PubMed

Yeung, Dannii Y; Zhou, Xiaoyu

2017-01-01

Retirement is a major life event, and a positive adjustment to retirement is essential for maintaining physical and psychological well-being in later life. Previous research demonstrates that pre-retirement planning predicts post-retirement well-being. This study further explores the underlying mechanism between planning activities and post-retirement well-being. By applying the resource-based dynamic model (Wang et al., 2011), the present longitudinal study examines whether pre-retirement planning activities can increase the total resources of retirees, including tangible, mental and social resources, and consequently contribute to better psychological and physical well-being 1 year after actual retirement. A total of 118 Hong Kong Chinese retirees completed three assessments: Time 1 assessment was conducted 6 months before retirement, and Times 2 and 3 assessments were carried out 6 and 12 months, respectively, after retirement. Latent growth models were employed to examine changes in retirement resources and post-retirement well-being over time. Consistent with the proposition of the resource-based dynamic model, positive changes in well-being were observed in the retirees with increases in retirement resources between pre- and post-retirement phases. The results of the latent growth mediation models also support our prediction: retirees with more preparatory activities before retirement acquire greater resources at the initial stage, which contribute to positive changes in post-retirement well-being over time.

Issues promoting and hindering girls' well-being in Northern Finland.

PubMed

Wiens, Varpu; Kyngäs, Helvi; Pölkki, Tarja

2017-08-01

Well-being is a complex concept that includes elements of inequality due to socio-economics, living environment or gender. Every person also encounters unique situations and has different experiences of well-being. This qualitative study aims to describe what issues promote and hinder the well-being of girls aged 13-16 in Northern Finland. A total of 117 girls aged 13-16 living in Northern Finland were asked to write about the issues that hinder and promote their well-being. The girls' responses were analysed using content analysis. After analysis, two combining categories were discovered: issues hindering well-being were a debilitating sphere of life and negative experiences in life, and issues promoting well-being were positive subjective sensations and favourably perceived conditions. The results of this study indicate that girls' well-being is connected to their social and physical environment. As the girls' view of the issues that promote or hinder health are connected and interact with their living environment, there is also a need for health promotion measures to take into account both the individuals and the environment in which they function and live. This view challenges us to see health promotion in a broader way-a way which takes into account structural and political factors, individual consultation and empowerment. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Positive Psychology Interventions Addressing Pleasure, Engagement, Meaning, Positive Relationships, and Accomplishment Increase Well-Being and Ameliorate Depressive Symptoms: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Online Study.

PubMed

Gander, Fabian; Proyer, René T; Ruch, Willibald

2016-01-01

Seligman (2002) suggested three paths to well-being, the pursuit of pleasure, the pursuit of meaning, and the pursuit of engagement, later adding two more, positive relationships and accomplishment, in his 2011 version. The contribution of these new components to well-being has yet to be addressed. In an online positive psychology intervention study, we randomly assigned 1624 adults aged 18-78 (M = 46.13; 79.2% women) to seven conditions. Participants wrote down three things they related to either one of the five components of Seligman's Well-Being theory (Conditions 1-5), all of the five components (Condition 6) or early childhood memories (placebo control condition). We assessed happiness (AHI) and depression (CES-D) before and after the intervention, and 1-, 3-, and 6 months afterwards. Additionally, we considered moderation effects of well-being levels at baseline. Results confirmed that all interventions were effective in increasing happiness and most ameliorated depressive symptoms. The interventions worked best for those in the middle-range of the well-being continuum. We conclude that interventions based on pleasure, engagement, meaning, positive relationships, and accomplishment are effective strategies for increasing well-being and ameliorating depressive symptoms and that positive psychology interventions are most effective for those people in the middle range of the well-being continuum.

Parenting characteristics and adolescent psychological well-being: a longitudinal study in a Chinese context.

PubMed

Shek, D T

1999-02-01

In this longitudinal study, the relationships between perceived parenting characteristics and adolescent psychological well-being were examined in a sample of Hong Kong Chinese adolescents (N = 378). The results indicated that global parenting styles and specific parenting behaviors are concurrently related to hopelessness, life satisfaction, self-esteem, purpose in life, and general psychiatric morbidity at Time 1 and Time 2. Longitudinal and prospective analyses (Time 1 predictors of Time 2 criterion variables) suggested that the relations between parenting characteristics and adolescent psychological well-being are bidirectional in nature. The results indicated that the strengths of association between perceived parenting characteristics and adolescent psychological well-being are stronger in female than in male adolescents. Relative to maternal parenting characteristics, paternal parenting was found to exert a stronger influence on adolescent psychological well-being.

Exploring self-compassion and eudaimonic well-being in young women athletes.

PubMed

Ferguson, Leah J; Kowalski, Kent C; Mack, Diane E; Sabiston, Catherine M

2014-04-01

Using a mixed methods research design, we explored self-compassion and eudaimonic well-being in young women athletes. In a quantitative study (n = 83), we found that self-compassion and eudaimonic well-being were positively related (r = .76, p < .01). A model of multiple mediation was proposed, with self-compassion, passivity, responsibility, initiative, and self-determination accounting for 83% of the variance in eudaimonic well-being. In a qualitative study (n = 11), we explored when and how self-compassion might be useful in striving to reach one's potential in sport. Self-compassion was described as advantageous in difficult sport-specific situations by increasing positivity, perseverance, and responsibility, as well as decreasing rumination. Apprehensions about fully embracing a self-compassionate mindset in sport warrant additional research to explore the seemingly paradoxical role of self-compassion in eudaimonic well-being.

Optimism, well-being, and perceived stigma in individuals living with HIV.

PubMed

Ammirati, Rachel J; Lamis, Dorian A; Campos, Peter E; Farber, Eugene W

2015-01-01

Given the significant psychological challenges posed by HIV-related stigma for individuals living with HIV, investigating psychological resource factors for coping with HIV-related stigma is important. Optimism, which refers to generalized expectations regarding favorable outcomes, has been associated with enhanced psychological adaptation to health conditions, including HIV. Therefore, this cross-sectional study investigated associations among optimism, psychological well-being, and HIV stigma in a sample of 116 adults living with HIV and seeking mental health services. Consistent with study hypotheses, optimism was positively associated with psychological well-being, and psychological well-being was negatively associated with HIV-related stigma. Moreover, results of a full structural equation model suggested a mediation pattern such that as optimism increases, psychological well-being increases, and perceived HIV-related stigma decreases. The implications of these findings for clinical interventions and future research are discussed.

Well-Being and Arthritis Incidence: The Role of Inflammatory Mechanisms. Findings From the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.

PubMed

Okely, Judith A; Weiss, Alexander; Gale, Catharine R

2017-09-01

Higher levels of well-being are associated with lower levels of inflammatory markers in healthy populations; however, it is unclear whether this association translates into a reduced risk of disease. In the current study, we tested whether the association between well-being and inflammation results in a lower risk of arthritis. The sample consisted of 5622 participants 50 years or older from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing and included six waves of data collection. We used a structural equation modeling approach to test whether inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein [CRP] or fibrinogen) mediated the association between well-being and arthritis risk for a 10-year follow-up period. Higher levels of well-being were associated with a decrease in arthritis risk (hazard ratio = 0.97 per unit, 95% confidence interval = 0.96 to 0.98, p < .001). Of the two inflammatory markers, only CRP was associated with arthritis risk. Mediation analysis revealed that the indirect effect of well-being (at wave 1) on arthritis risk via CRP (at wave 2) was significant (hazard ratio = 0.996, 95% confidence interval = 0.995 to 0.998, p < .001). This effect remained significant after adjustment for demographic and health behavior variables and depressive symptoms. CRP accounts for a small proportion of the association between well-being and a reduced risk of arthritis.

Slaughtering for a living: A hermeneutic phenomenological perspective on the well-being of slaughterhouse employees.

PubMed

Victor, Karen; Barnard, Antoni

2016-01-01

Slaughterhouses constitute a unique work setting exposing employees to particular physical and psychological health challenges. Research that focuses on the well-being of slaughterhouse employees is limited, and the aim of this study was to explore their well-being by conducting a hermeneutic phenomenological study of specifically the slaughterfloor employees' work-life experiences. The study was conducted in a South African commercial abattoir setting. Thirteen slaughterfloor employees and two managers of the slaughterfloor section participated in unstructured interviews. A hermeneutic phenomenological approach to data analysis was adopted following the stages of a naïve reading, a structural thematic analysis, and a comprehensive understanding. Data analysis resulted in four process-related themes representing the different stages of becoming a slaughterer, (mal)adjusting to slaughter work, coping with and maintaining the work, and living with the psycho-social consequences of slaughter work. Results facilitate an understanding of how employee well-being manifests in each of these stages of being a slaughterfloor employee. The risk potential of employees suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome was evident throughout the stages of being a slaughterfloor employee and offers a useful diagnostic framework to facilitate employee well-being assistance. Slaughterhouse management should develop a holistic focus addressing employee well-being needs evident in each of the stages of being a slaughter worker and by extending well-being interventions to the broader communities that the slaughterhouse functions in.

Association Between Unstable Work and Occupational Wellbeing Among Artists in Finland: Results of a Psychosocial Survey.

PubMed

Tuisku, Katinka; Houni, Pia; Seppänen, Johanna; Virtanen, Marianna

2016-06-01

Although artistic work is in transition, the occupational wellbeing of artists has been less studied than wellbeing among other workers. This study aimed to explore the relationship between work characteristics and occupational (psychosocial) wellbeing of artists. A national questionnaire was sent to all artists (theatre artists, writers, and visual artists) reached by four major labor unions in Finland. Type of employment (permanent full-time work vs other), working field (own field of art vs other), regularity of working hours (regular vs irregular), and control of workload were assessed. The wellbeing outcomes were work engagement, recovery from work, and experience of stress and low mood. Full-time permanent employment, regular working hours, and working in one's own field of art were positively associated with work engagement. Furthermore, regular working hours were positively associated with recovery and negatively associated with subjective report of low mood. Ability to control workload was positively associated with recovery and negatively associated with stress and low mood. Higher age was associated with lower stress and better recovery. Artists with regular working hours, secure employment, ability to control workload, working in one's own field of art, and higher age reported better wellbeing in this study. The late stages of career appear to guarantee more stability and wellbeing than the more insecure beginning of a career.

The social well-being of nurses shows a thirst for a holistic support: A qualitative study

PubMed Central

Mozaffari, Naser; Peyrovi, Hamid; Nayeri, Nahid Dehghan

2015-01-01

Introduction Social well-being is one of the important aspects of health. In fact, this is a reflection of experience in a social environment, indicating how social challenges are determined. In other words, social well-being is an explanation of people's perception and experience of being in a good situation, satisfaction with the structure, and social interaction. This qualitative study intended to explore nurses’ experience of social well-being. Methods Qualitative content analysis was used to conduct the study. Through purposive sampling, a total of 18 nurses with various clinical experiences participated in semi-structured interviews. The data were analysed using the five-step, qualitative content analysis introduced by Graneheim and Lundman. Results The main theme extracted from the data analysis was “thirst for a holistic support” in nurses. It consisted of two subthemes including internal support (family's support, colleague's support, and organizational support) and external support (society's support and media's support). Conclusions and discussion Nurses’ experiences in shaping their social well-being show that nurses need support in order to rebuild their social well-being. It is supported in partnership with the media, the community, health-related organizations, and by nurses and family. This improves job satisfaction, hope, motivation, commitment, and confidence so as to ultimately facilitate improvement of social well-being of nurses. PMID:26381217

Emotion regulation and well-being in primary classrooms situated in low-socioeconomic communities.

PubMed

Somerville, Matthew P; Whitebread, David

2018-04-14

Although emotion is central to most models of children's well-being, few studies have looked at how well-being is related to the ways in which children regulate their emotions. The aim of this study was to examine the associations among children's emotion regulation strategy choice and their emotional expression, behaviour, and well-being. The study also investigated whether contextual factors influenced the emotion regulation strategies children chose to use. Participants (N = 33) were selected from four Year 5/6 composite classrooms situated in low-socioeconomic urban communities in New Zealand. Questionnaires were used to measure children's well-being and teacher-reported emotional and behavioural problems. Emotional expression and emotion regulation strategies were measured through video-recorded observations in the classroom. A total of 1,184 instances of emotion regulation strategy use were coded using a framework based on Gross' process model of emotion regulation. The findings highlight the complexity of the relations among emotion regulation, emotion expression, and well-being. Some strategies, such as Cognitive Reappraisal, were effective at upregulating negative emotion in the short term, yet not strongly associated with well-being. Others, such as Situation Modification: Physical, were positively associated with well-being, yet not with an immediate change in a child's emotional experience. The findings also suggest children flexibly use different strategies in relation to different contextual demands. These findings may be used to guide future intervention efforts which target emotion regulation strategy use as well as those which focus on teachers' support of children during emotionally challenging situations. © 2018 The British Psychological Society.

Marital Well-Being and Religiousness as Mediated by Relational Virtue and Equality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Day, Randal D.; Acock, Alan

2013-01-01

This study investigated religiousness and couple well-being as mediated by relational virtue and equality. Relational spiritual framework theory posits that religiousness is associated with couple well-being through relational virtues (e.g., forgiveness, commitment, and sacrifice). Theories of relational inequality postulate that religion…

Work, Welfare, and Family Well-Being.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sing, Merrile; Hill, Heather; Mendenko, Linda

As more families move from welfare to work, little is known about the implications of employment for family well-being. This survey and case study examined the effects of employment on the economic, social, and emotional well-being of parents, children, and families. Survey respondents received assistance through Iowa's Family Investment Program…

Occupational Well-Being among University Faculty: A Job Demands-Resources Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mudrak, Jiri; Zabrodska, Katerina; Kveton, Petr; Jelinek, Martin; Blatny, Marek; Solcova, Iva; Machovcova, Katerina

2018-01-01

The effects of changing academic environments on faculty well-being have attracted considerable research attention. However, few studies have examined the multifaceted relationships between the academic work environment and the multiple dimensions of faculty well-being using a comprehensive theoretical framework. To address this gap, this study…

Psychometrics of the Revised College Student Subjective Wellbeing Questionnaire

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Renshaw, Tyler L.

2018-01-01

The College Student Subjective Wellbeing Questionnaire (CSSWQ) is a 15-item self-report rating scale for measuring four classes of college-specific wellbeing behavior: academic efficacy, academic satisfaction, school connectedness, and college gratitude. The present study investigated the psychometrics of a revised version of this measure, which…

Child Maltreatment and Adult Socioeconomic Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zielinski, David S.

2009-01-01

Objective: Little empirical research has examined the impact that child maltreatment may have on victims' long-term socioeconomic well-being. The current study sought to address this gap by exploring the relationship between childhood experiences of abuse and neglect and several indicators of socioeconomic well-being in adulthood. Method: Data…

It Hurts to Be Lonely! Loneliness and Positive Mental Wellbeing in Australian Rural and Urban Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Houghton, Stephen; Hattie, John; Carroll, Annemaree; Wood, Lisa; Baffour, Bernard

2016-01-01

This study examined associations between loneliness, a construct associated with serious adverse mental health outcomes, and positive mental wellbeing. Validated measures of loneliness (represented by friendship-related loneliness, isolation, positive attitude to solitude, and negative attitude to solitude) and positive mental wellbeing were…

The Sleep Patterns and Well-Being of Australian Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Short, Michelle A.; Gradisar, Michael; Lack, Leon C.; Wright, Helen R.; Dohnt, Hayley

2013-01-01

Aim: Adolescent sleep patterns vary between countries, and these differences influence adolescent functioning and well-being. The present study provides data on the sleep and well-being of Australian adolescents. Methods: 385 adolescents aged 13-18 years were recruited from 8 South Australian schools spanning the socio-economic spectrum.…

Financial Knowledge and Aptitudes: Impacts on College Students' Financial Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, S. Fiona; Chau, Albert Wai-Lap; Chan, Kim Yin-Kwan

2012-01-01

The study examines relationship between college students' money-related aptitudes, financial management practices and financial well-being. By integrating Kidwell, Brinberg and Turrisi's model of money management (2003) and other research on financial well-being, we surveyed 802 university students in Hong Kong. Our findings confirm the hypothesis…

'To give is better than to receive?' Couples massage significantly benefits both partners' wellbeing.

PubMed

Naruse, Sayuri M; Cornelissen, Piers L; Moss, Mark

2018-03-01

This experimental study evaluated the differential effects of 'giving' and 'receiving' massage on wellbeing in healthy but stressed couples. Forty-two volunteers started the study and of these, 38 (i.e. 19 couples) completed a 3-week massage course. Emotional stress and mental clarity were assessed before and after mutual massage between each pair of adults belonging to a couple at home. While massage benefitted both parties' wellbeing within a session, critically we found no differences in wellbeing between those 'giving' and 'receiving' massage. These novel findings suggest that home-based massage may be advocated to couples as a 'selves-care', health-promoting behaviour.

Does the "marriage benefit" extend to same-sex union?: Evidence from a sample of married lesbian couples in Massachusetts.

PubMed

Ducharme, Jamie K; Kollar, Marilou M

2012-01-01

This study investigated the relationship between wellbeing and marital quality in a married lesbian sample from Massachusetts. Two hundred twenty five (225) participants responded to this mailed survey study. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire, the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS), and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief Instrument (WHOQOL-Bref). DAS scores were a strong predictor of reported wellbeing in all quality of life domains including physical, psychological, and financial wellbeing. Results support the finding in the heterosexual marriage literature that healthy marriage is associated with distinct wellbeing benefits for lesbian couples. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Examining a Sequential Mediation Model of Chinese University Students’ Well-Being: A Career Construction Perspective

PubMed Central

Zhuang, Mingke; She, Zhuolin; Cai, Zijun; Huang, Zheng; Xiang, Qian; Wang, Ping; Zhu, Fei

2018-01-01

Despite career construction theory attends to individual subjective career and provides a useful lens to study well-being, extant research has yielded limited insights into the mechanisms through which career construction variables influence individual well-being. To address this important gap, the present study examined a mediation model that links indicators of career adaptivity (big-five personality and approach/avoidance traits) to psychological well-being (psychological flourishing and life satisfaction) through career adaptability and in sequent meaning of life (presence of life meaning and search for life meaning) among a sample of Chinese university students (N = 165). The results of a two-wave survey study showed that career adaptability and presence of life meaning mediated the effects of openness to experience, consciousness, approach trait, and avoidance trait on individual well-being in sequence. The results also showed that approach trait’s effect on presence of meaning was partially mediated by career adaptability; career adaptability’s effect on psychological flourishing was partially mediated by presence of meaning. These findings advance understanding of antecedents to individual well-being from a career construction perspective, and carry implications for career education and counseling practices. PMID:29743876

The Multicultural Identity Integration Scale (MULTIIS): Developing a comprehensive measure for configuring one's multiple cultural identities within the self.

PubMed

Yampolsky, Maya A; Amiot, Catherine E; de la Sablonnière, Roxane

2016-04-01

The research investigating how one's multiple cultural identities are configured within the self has yet to account for existing cultural identity configurations aside from integration, and for identifying with more than 2 cultural groups at once. The current research addresses these issues by constructing the Multicultural Identity Integration Scale (MULTIIS) to examine 3 different multicultural identity configurations, and their relationship to well-being based on Amiot and colleagues' (2007) cognitive-developmental model of social identity integration (CDSMII). Diverse samples of multicultural individuals completed the MULTIIS along with identity and well-being measures. (Study 1A: N = 407; 1B: N = 310; 2A = 338 and 2A = 254) RESULTS: Reliability and confirmatory factorial analyses (Studies 1A and 2A) all supported the factorial structure of the MULTIIS. Regression analyses (Studies 1B and 2B) confirmed that the integration subscale of the MULTIIS positively predicted well-being, whereas compartmentalization negatively predicted well-being. Categorization was inconsistently related to well-being. These findings support the CDSMII and the usefulness of the MULTIIS measure, and suggest that each identity configuration is uniquely related to well-being outcomes. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Examining a Sequential Mediation Model of Chinese University Students' Well-Being: A Career Construction Perspective.

PubMed

Zhuang, Mingke; She, Zhuolin; Cai, Zijun; Huang, Zheng; Xiang, Qian; Wang, Ping; Zhu, Fei

2018-01-01

Despite career construction theory attends to individual subjective career and provides a useful lens to study well-being, extant research has yielded limited insights into the mechanisms through which career construction variables influence individual well-being. To address this important gap, the present study examined a mediation model that links indicators of career adaptivity (big-five personality and approach/avoidance traits) to psychological well-being (psychological flourishing and life satisfaction) through career adaptability and in sequent meaning of life (presence of life meaning and search for life meaning) among a sample of Chinese university students ( N = 165). The results of a two-wave survey study showed that career adaptability and presence of life meaning mediated the effects of openness to experience, consciousness, approach trait, and avoidance trait on individual well-being in sequence. The results also showed that approach trait's effect on presence of meaning was partially mediated by career adaptability; career adaptability's effect on psychological flourishing was partially mediated by presence of meaning. These findings advance understanding of antecedents to individual well-being from a career construction perspective, and carry implications for career education and counseling practices.

Do employed and nonemployed Korean mothers experience different levels of psychological well-being in relation to their gender role attitudes and role qualities?

PubMed

Kim, H

1998-06-01

This study explored the association of gender role attitudes (GRAs) and the quality of roles with the psychological well-being among employed and nonemployed mothers in Korea. Evidence supports the thesis that employed mothers with more liberal GRAs will report higher levels of psychological well-being. All role qualities were expected to be related to women's psychological well-being regardless of work status. Maternal role was expected to be more important in determining a working mothers well-being, but wife role was in fact the most important. Among nonemployed mothers, both the maternal and wife role affected well-being. Participants were recruits from a variety of institutional settings in Seoul, Korea, in 1995. The sample included 700 mothers, of whom 263 were working mothers; 295 were nonemployed mothers. Most were highly educated and affluent. The first model included only social structural variables, which were unrelated to the relationship between employment status and well-being. Gender of children was the only significant variable. Nonemployed mothers with a son had greater well-being than those without a son. The model excluding all social structural variables showed that GRA was unrelated to employed mothers' well-being. But, inclusion of the interaction between attitude and group suggests that well-being was related to agreement with whatever their role was. A model that included role qualities found that roles as wife, mother, and employee were positively related to well-being. The role of wife was significantly related to well-being among employed mothers. The wife and mother roles were significantly related to well-being among nonemployed mothers.

Self-transcendence, nurse-patient interaction and the outcome of multidimensional well-being in cognitively intact nursing home patients.

PubMed

Haugan, Gørill; Hanssen, Brith; Moksnes, Unni K

2013-12-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between age, gender, self-transcendence, nurse-patient interaction and multidimensional well-being as the outcome among cognitively intact nursing home patients. Self-transcendence is considered to be a vital resource of well-being in vulnerable populations and at the end of life. Moreover, the quality of care and the nurse-patient interaction is found to influence self-transcendence and well-being in nursing home patients. A cross-sectional design employing the Self-Transcendence Scale, the Nurse-Patient Interaction Scale, the FACT-G Quality of Life and the FACIT-Sp Spiritual Well-Being questionnaires was adopted. A sample of 202 cognitively intact nursing home patients from 44 nursing homes in central Norway was selected. A previous documented two-factor construct of self-transcendence was applied. The statistical analyses were carried out by means of independent sample t-test, correlation and regression analyses. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed significant relationships between interpersonal self-transcendence and social, functional and spiritual well-being, whereas intrapersonal self-transcendence significantly related to emotional, social, functional and spiritual well-being. Nurse-patient interaction related to physical, emotional and functional well-being. Age and gender were not significant predictors for well-being, except for functional and spiritual well-being where women scored higher than men. Nurse-patient interaction and self-transcendence are vital resources for promoting well-being physically, emotionally, functionally, socially and spiritually among cognitively intact nursing home patients. Nurse-patient interaction signifies vital and ultimate nursing qualities promoting self-transcendence and multidimensional well-being. These findings are important for clinical nursing intending to increase patients' well-being. © 2012 The Authors Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences © 2012 Nordic College of Caring Science.

A model of well-being for children with neurodevelopmental disorders: Parental perceptions of functioning, services, and support.

PubMed

Ritzema, A M; Lach, L M; Nicholas, D; Sladeczek, I E

2018-03-01

Both child function and supports and services have been found to impact the well-being of parents of children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD). The relationship between function and services and the well-being of children with NDD is less well-understood and is important to clarify in order to effect program and service change. The current project assessed whether child function as well as the adequacy of formal supports and services provided to children and their families were predictive of child well-being. Well-being was assessed using a measure of quality of life developed for use with children with NDD. Data from 234 parents were analysed using structural equation modelling. Each predictor was found to load significantly on the overall outcome variable of well-being. Parent concerns about child function were significantly related to child well-being; parents who reported more concerns about their children's functioning reported lower levels of child well-being. Unmet needs for formal supports and services were also significantly related to child well-being; parents who reported that more of their children's and family's service needs were unmet reported lower child well-being. An indirect relationship was also found between child function and child well-being. When parents reported that their formal support needs were adequately met, their children's functional difficulties had a lower impact on parent perceptions of their children's overall well-being. Taken together, the results of the current study enrich our understanding of well-being for children with NDD. Discussion focuses on the service implications for children with NDD and their families. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Spiritual well-being and mental health outcomes in adolescents with or without inflammatory bowel disease.

PubMed

Cotton, Sian; Kudel, Ian; Roberts, Yvonne Humenay; Pallerla, Harini; Tsevat, Joel; Succop, Paul; Yi, Michael S

2009-05-01

The purpose of this study was threefold: 1) to describe spiritual well-being (existential and religious well-being) in adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) versus healthy peers; 2) to examine associations of spiritual well-being with mental health outcomes (emotional functioning and depressive symptoms); and 3) to assess the differential impact of existential versus religious well-being on mental health. A total of 155 adolescents aged 11-19 years from a children's hospital and a university hospital filled out questionnaires including the Spiritual Well-Being Scale, the Children's Depression Inventory-Short Form, and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory. Covariates in multivariable models included demographics, disease status, and interactions. Participants' mean (SD) age was 15.1 (2.0) years; 80 (52%) were male; and 121 (78%) were of white ethnicity. Levels of existential and religious well-being were similar between adolescents with IBD and healthy peers. In multivariable analyses, existential well-being was associated with mental health (partial R(2) change = .08-.11, p < .01) above and beyond other characteristics (total R(2) = .23, p < .01). Presence of disease moderated both the relationship between existential well-being and emotional functioning and that between religious well-being and depressive symptoms: that is, the relationships were stronger in adolescents with IBD as compared with healthy peers. Religious well-being was only marginally significantly associated with mental health after controlling for other factors. Although both healthy adolescents and those with IBD had high levels of spiritual well-being, having IBD moderated the relationship between spiritual well-being and mental health. Meaning/purpose was related to mental health more than was connectedness to the sacred.

Exposure to public natural space as a protective factor for emotional well-being among young people in Canada

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Positive emotional well-being is fundamentally important to general health status, and is linked to many favorable health outcomes. There is societal interest in understanding determinants of emotional well-being in adolescence, and the natural environment represents one potential determinant. Psychological and experimental research have each shown links between exposure to nature and both stress reduction and attention restoration. Some population studies have suggested positive effects of green space on various indicators of health. However, there are limited large-scale epidemiological studies assessing this relationship, specifically for populations of young people and in the Canadian context. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between exposure to public natural space and positive emotional well-being among young adolescent Canadians. Methods This cross-sectional study was based upon the Canadian 2009/10 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children Survey with linked geographic information system (GIS) data. Following exclusions, the sample included 17 249 (grades 6 to 10, mostly ages 11 to 16) students from 317 schools. Features of the natural environment were extracted using GIS within a 5 km radius circular buffer surrounding each school. Multilevel logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between the presence of public natural space (features include green and blue spaces such as parks, wooded areas, and water bodies) and students’ reports of positive emotional well-being, while controlling for salient covariates and the clustered nature of the data. Results Over half of Canadian youth reported positive emotional well-being (58.5% among boys and 51.6% among girls). Relationships between measures of natural space and positive emotional well-being were weak and lacked consistency overall, but modest protective effects were observed in small cities. Positive emotional well-being was more strongly associated with other factors including demographic characteristics, family affluence, and perceptions of neighbourhood surroundings. Conclusion Exposure to natural space in youth’s immediate living environment may not be a leading determinant of their emotional well-being. The relationship between natural space and positive emotional well-being may be context specific, and thus different for Canadian youth compared to adult populations and those studied in other nations. Factors of the individual context were stronger potential determinants. PMID:23627738

Effectiveness of a Mindfulness-Based Program on School Children's Self-Reported Well-Being: A Pilot Study Comparing Effects with an Emotional Literacy Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Devcich, Daniel A.; Rix, Grant; Bernay, Ross; Graham, Esther

2017-01-01

This pilot study aimed to test the well-being effects of a locally developed mindfulness-based program tailored for New Zealand elementary school children in comparison with an active control condition. It was hypothesized that significantly greater well-being change scores would be observed for the mindfulness group. Students (n = 106) between 9…

Development of Subjective Well-Being Increasing Strategies Scale for Children (1-5 Ages) Their Mothers Use

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eryilmaz, Ali; Sapsaglam, Özkan

2018-01-01

Subjective well-being is a sign of positive mental health of children. The aim of the present study is to develop subjective well-being increasing strategies scale for children whose mothers' uses are varied 1 to 5. In this study, there were 195 mothers whose mean ages were 31, 49 and standard deviation were 4,71. Satisfaction with life, positive…

Neo-Marxian social class inequalities in the mental well-being of employed men and women: the role of European welfare regimes.

PubMed

De Moortel, Deborah; Palència, Laia; Artazcoz, Lucía; Borrell, Carme; Vanroelen, Christophe

2015-03-01

The relation between "neo-Marxian" social class (NMSC) and health in the working population has received considerable attention in public health research. However, less is known about the distribution of mental well-being according to NMSC in a European context. The objectives of this study are (i) to analyse the association of mental well-being and NMSC among employees in Europe (using a welfare regime typology), (ii) to investigate whether the relation between NMSC and mental well-being is the same in women compared to men within each welfare regime, and (iii) to examine within each welfare regime the role of the gender division of labour and job quality as potential mediating factors in explaining this association. Data from the European Social Survey Round 5 (2010) were analysed. Mental well-being was assessed by the WHO Well-being Index. Social class was measured through E.O. Wright's social class scheme. Models separated by sex were generated using Poisson regression with a robust error variance. The associations were presented as prevalence ratios with 95% confidence intervals. Women reported NMSC differences in mental well-being in State corporatist/family support and Southern welfare regimes. Men reported NMSC differences in mental well-being in all but the Basic security/market-oriented welfare regimes. Gender inequalities were more marked and widespread in Basic security/market-oriented welfare regimes. In all welfare regimes job quality (partly) explained NMSC inequalities in mental well-being for men, the role of the gender division of labour was unclear. This study showed that the relationship between NMSC and mental well-being among employees differs by gender and welfare regimes. It confirms the importance of NMSC and welfare regimes to explain gender and social class inequalities in mental well-being. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Interactive Individualized Intervention to Promote Behavioral Change to Increase Personal Well-Being in US Surgeons

PubMed Central

Shanafelt, Tait D.; Kaups, Krista L.; Nelson, Heidi; Satele, Daniel V.; Sloan, Jeff A.; Oreskovich, Michael R.; Dyrbye, Lotte N.

2015-01-01

Objective Evaluate the utility of a computer-based, interactive, and individualized intervention for promoting well-being in US surgeons. Background Distress and burnout are common among US surgeons. Surgeons experiencing distress are unlikely to seek help on their own initiative. A belief that distress and burnout are a normal part of being a physician and lack of awareness of distress level relative to colleagues may contribute to this problem. Methods Surgeons who were members of the American College of Surgeons were invited to participate in an intervention study. Participating surgeons completed a 3-step, interactive, electronic intervention. First, surgeons subjectively assessed their well-being relative to colleagues. Second, surgeons completed the 7-item Mayo Clinic Physician Well-Being Index and received objective, individualized feedback about their well-being relative to national physician norms. Third, surgeons evaluated the usefulness of the feedback and whether they intended to make specific changes as a result. Results A total of 1150 US surgeons volunteered to participate in the study. Surgeons’ subjective assessment of their well-being relative to colleagues was poor. A majority of surgeons (89.2%) believed that their well-being was at or above average, including 70.5% with scores in the bottom 30% relative to national norms. After receiving objective, individualized feedback based on the Mayo Clinic Physician Well-Being Index score, 46.6% of surgeons indicated that they intended to make specific changes as a result. Surgeons with lower well-being scores were more likely to make changes in each dimension assessed (all Ps < 0.001). Conclusions US surgeons do not reliably calibrate their level of distress. After self-assessment and individualized feedback using the Mayo Clinic Physician Well-Being Index, half of participating surgeons reported that they were contemplating behavioral changes to improve personal well-being. PMID:23979287

Dispositional mindfulness predicts attenuated waking salivary cortisol levels in cancer survivors: a latent growth curve analysis.

PubMed

Garland, Eric L; Beck, Anna C; Lipschitz, David L; Nakamura, Yoshio

2015-06-01

Cancer survivors experience significant stress and diminished well-being long after treatment. Dispositional mindfulness is linked with salutary coping with stress and enhanced well-being, with potentially beneficial effects on stress-related hormones. In the present study, we evaluated dispositional mindfulness as a predictor of changes in waking salivary cortisol levels among a sample of cancer survivors. Mindfulness, well-being, and saliva samples were collected at baseline and at 4- and 12-week follow-ups. Latent growth curve analysis was conducted to examine baseline dispositional mindfulness as a predictor of changes in waking salivary cortisol over time, and regression analyses examined associations between well-being and cortisol. Findings indicated that cancer survivors who reported lower baseline levels of dispositional mindfulness exhibited increases in waking cortisol over time, whereas those who reported higher baseline dispositional mindfulness showed comparatively stable waking cortisol over the study period. Furthermore, increases in waking cortisol were associated with decreased well-being over the study period. This study provides preliminary evidence that cancer survivors with higher levels of dispositional mindfulness may be buffered from deleterious changes in cortisol secretion. Enhanced dispositional mindfulness may promote salutary neuroendocrine function among cancer survivors and thereby improve well-being during the survivorship process.

[Psychological Well-being of Highly-sensitive Persons in Transition to Parenthood - A Cross-sectional Study].

PubMed

Schmückle, M; Lindert, J; Schmolz, G

2017-12-01

Well-being of highly sensitive people in the transformation period to parenthood is of increasing concern. This study examines whether the transformation period to parenthood has a higher effect on the psychological well-being (PWB) of highly sensitive people than on not highly sensitive people. A cross-sectional study was undertaken of parents (n=614), highly sensitive (n=440) and not highly sensitive (n=174), at the transition to parenthood. Instruments were the Ryff psychological well-being scale. Independent variables and well-being were examined by descriptive and bivariate methods. Well-being of highly sensitive parents is associated with transition to parenthood (b=-10,129; p<0.05) compared to the control group (7.3% of highly sensitive <50% of PWB; 0.6% of not highly sensitive <50% of PWB). As one of the first studies, this examination looks into the data of highly sensitive parents. It can be stated that there is an urgent need for research in this area. Because with a prevalence of 10-20% highly sensitive people within the population, it can be assumed that highly sensitive mostly young parents, could be an important target group of health promotion. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Life skills and subjective well-being of people with disabilities: a canonical correlation analysis.

PubMed

da Silva Cardoso, Elizabeth; Blalock, Kacie; Allen, Chase A; Chan, Fong; Rubin, Stanford E

2004-12-01

This study examined the canonical relationships between a set of life skill variables and a set of subjective well-being variables among a national sample of vocational rehabilitation clients in the USA. Self-direction, work tolerance, general employability, and self-care were related to physical, family and social, and financial well-being. This analysis also found that communication skill is related to family and social well-being, while psychological well-being is not related to any life skills in the set. The results showed that vocational rehabilitation services aimed to improve life functioning will lead to an improvement in subjective quality of life.

Well-being in schools: a conceptual model.

PubMed

Konu, Anne; Rimpelä, Matti

2002-03-01

Health and well-being have mostly been separated from other aspects of school life. Health services and health education have been available for school-aged children in Western societies for a long time. Recently, more comprehensive school health programmes have been developed, e.g. the WHO 'health promoting school' and 'coordinated school health programme' in the USA. They focus on how to implement health promotion and health education in school. However, a theoretically grounded model based on the sociological concept of well-being is needed for planning and evaluation of school development programmes. The School Well-being Model is based on Allardt's sociological theory of welfare and assesses well-being as an entity in school setting. Well-being is connected with teaching and education, and with learning and achievements. Indicators of well-being are divided into four categories: school conditions (having), social relationships (loving), means for self-fulfilment (being) and health status. 'Means for self-fulfilment' encompasses possibilities for each pupil to study according to his/her own resources and capabilities. 'Health status' is seen through pupils' symptoms, diseases and illnesses. Each well-being category contains several aspects of pupils' life in school. The model takes into account the important impact of pupils' homes and the surrounding community. Compared with others, The School Well-being Model's main differences are the use of the well-being concept, the definition of health and the subcategory means for self-fulfilment. Making the outline of the well-being concept facilitates the development of theoretically grounded subjective and objective well-being indicators.

Can alcohol make you happy? A subjective wellbeing approach.

PubMed

Geiger, Ben Baumberg; MacKerron, George

2016-05-01

There are surprisingly few discussions of the link between wellbeing and alcohol, and few empirical studies to underpin them. Policymakers have therefore typically considered negative wellbeing impacts while ignoring positive ones, used gross overestimates of positive impacts via a naïve 'consumer surplus' approach, or ignored wellbeing completely. We examine an alternative subjective wellbeing method for investigating alcohol and wellbeing, using fixed effects analyses of the associations between drinking and wellbeing within two different types of data. Study 1 examines wave-to-wave changes in life satisfaction and past-week alcohol consumption/alcohol problems (CAGE) from a representative cohort of people born in Britain in 1970, utilising responses at ages 30, 34 and 42 (a sample size of 29,145 observations from 10,107 individuals). Study 2 examines moment-to-moment changes in happiness and drinking from an iPhone-based data set in Britain 2010-13, which is innovative and large (2,049,120 observations from 31,302 individuals) but unrepresentative. In Study 1 we find no significant relationship between changing drinking levels and changing life satisfaction (p = 0.20), but a negative association with developing drinking problems (-0.18 points on a 0-10 scale; p = 0.003). In contrast, Study 2 shows a strong and consistent moment-to-moment relationship between happiness and drinking events (+3.88 points on a 0-100 scale; p < 0.001), although associations beyond the moment in question are smaller and more inconsistent. In conclusion, while iPhone users are happier at the moment of drinking, there are only small overspills to other moments, and among the wider population, changing drinking levels across several years are not associated with changing life satisfaction. Furthermore, drinking problems are associated with lower life satisfaction. Simple accounts of the wellbeing impacts of alcohol policies are therefore likely to be misleading. Policymakers must consider the complexity of different policy impacts on different conceptions of 'wellbeing', over different time periods, and among different types of drinkers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of spiritual well-being in haemodialysis patients.

PubMed

Reig-Ferrer, Abilio; Arenas, M Dolores; Ferrer-Cascales, Rosario; Fernández-Pascual, M Dolores; Albaladejo-Blázquez, Natalia; Gil, M Teresa; de la Fuente, Vanesa

2012-01-01

Spirituality can be defined as a personal search for meaning and purpose in life that may or may not encompass religion. In this article we report on the development and testing of an instrument for measuring spiritual well-being within a sample of haemodialysis patients. The main instrument, a 21-item Meaning in Life Scale (MiLS), comprises four scales: Life Perspective, Purpose and Goals, Confusion and Lessened Meaning, Harmony and Peace, and Benefits of Spirituality. A total score for spiritual well-being is also produced. We also used the following variables: clinical (time on haemodialysis, modified Charlson comorbidity index), sociodemographic (age, gender), and self-assessments of health, quality of life (general and recent), personal happiness, religiosity, and belief in the afterlife. A cross-sectional study was carried out on 94 haemodialysis patients. This study demonstrates that the MiLS-Sp is a psychometrically sound measure of spiritual well-being for dialysis patients (reliability, validity) as they manage the complex demands of a chronic illness. Spiritual well-being was significantly associated with various quality of life variables, health status, personal happiness, or religiosity in patients on dialysis. There was no relationship between spirituality scores and comorbidity, HD duration, gender, or age. Spiritual well-being is relatively low in dialysis patients. Spirituality may play an important role on psychological well-being, quality of life, and self-rated health for patients on haemodialysis. Spiritual well-being in these patients is relatively low. Results suggest that assessing and addressing spiritual well-being in dialysis patients may be helpful in clinical practice.

What are the predictor variables of social well-being among the medical science students?

PubMed

Javadi-Pashaki, Nazila; Darvishpour, Azar

2018-01-01

Individuals with social well-being can cope more successfully with major problems of social roles. Due to the social nature of human life, it cannot be ignored to pay attention the social aspect of health. The purpose of this study was to identify variables that predict the social well-being of medical students. A descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 489 medical science students of Gilan Province, the North of Iran, during May to September 2016. The samples were selected using quota sampling method. Research instrument was a questionnaire consisting of two parts: demographic section and Keyes social well-being questionnaire. Data analysis was done using SPSS software version 19 and with descriptive and inferential statistics (t-test, ANOVA, and linear regression). The results showed that majority of the students had average social well-being. Furthermore, a significant relationship between the academic degree ( P = 0.009), major ( P = 0.0001), the interest and field's satisfaction ( P = 0.0001), and social well-being was seen. The results of linear regression model showed that four variables (academic degree, major, group membership, and the interest and field's satisfaction) were significantly associated with the social well-being ( P < 0.05). The findings demonstrate that the different effects of the demographic factors on social well-being and the need for further consideration of these factors are obvious. Thus, health and education authorities are advised to pay attention students' academic degree, major, group membership, and the interest and field's satisfaction to upgrade and maintain the level of their social well-being.

The role of social media use in improving cancer survivors' emotional well-being: a moderated mediation study.

PubMed

Jiang, Shaohai

2017-06-01

In the USA, levels of emotional well-being among cancer survivors remain low. Social media is recognized as important to improve their emotional well-being. However, little is known about social mechanisms that underlie the impact of health-related social media in cancer care. This study proposed a moderated mediation model to signify a pathway linking social media use to emotional well-being. Four-hundred and fifty-nine cancer survivors identified through the 2013 US-based Health Information National Trends Survey were included for data analysis. First, structural equation modeling was conducted to examine the path from social media use to emotional well-being, mediated by patient activation. Second, hierarchical regression was performed to test the moderation effect of emotion management. Last, a normal theory-based approach was used to explore the final moderated mediation model. The effect of health-related social media use on emotional well-being was completely mediated by patient activation. Also, emotion management positively moderated the effect of patient activation on emotional well-being. Last, emotion management positively moderated the mediation pathway from health-related social media use to patient activation, and finally, to emotional well-being. Health-related social media, by itself, is not sufficient to bring about improvement in cancer survivors' emotional well-being. Patient activation and emotion management play a significant role. In future interventions designed to improve cancer survivors' emotional health, health practitioners should not only encourage cancer survivors to use social media for health purposes, but also activate them in the course of care, and improve their emotion self-management skills.

Does performance management affect nurses' well-being?

PubMed

Decramer, Adelien; Audenaert, Mieke; Van Waeyenberg, Thomas; Claeys, Tine; Claes, Claudia; Vandevelde, Stijn; van Loon, Jos; Crucke, Saskia

2015-04-01

This article focuses on employee performance-management practices in the healthcare sector. We specifically aim to contribute to a better understanding of the impact of employee performance-management practices on affective well-being of nurses in hospitals. Theory suggests that the features of employee-performance management (planning and evaluation of individual performances) predict affective well-being (in this study: job satisfaction and affective commitment). Performance-management planning and evaluation and affective well-being were drawn from a survey of nurses at a Flemish hospital. Separate estimations were performed for different aspects of affective well-being. Performance planning has a negative effect on job satisfaction of nurses. Both vertical alignment and satisfaction with the employee performance-management system increase the affective well-being of nurses; however, the impact of vertical alignment differs for different aspects of affective well-being (i.e. job satisfaction and affective commitment). Performance-management planning and evaluation of nurses are associated with attitudinal outcomes. The results indicate that employee performance-management features have different impacts on different aspects of well-being. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Perceived Discrimination and Subjective Well-being in Chinese Migrant Adolescents: Collective and Personal Self-esteem As Mediators

PubMed Central

Jia, Xuji; Liu, Xia; Shi, Baoguo

2017-01-01

This study aimed to examine whether collective and personal self-esteem serve as mediators in the relationship between perceived discrimination and subjective well-being among Chinese rural-to-urban migrant adolescents. Six hundred and ninety-two adolescents completed a perceived discrimination scale, a collective self-esteem scale, a personal self-esteem scale, and a subjective well-being scale. Structural equation modeling was used to test the mediation hypothesis. The analysis indicated that both collective and personal self-esteem partially mediated the relationship between perceived discrimination and subjective well-being. The final model also revealed a significant path from perceived discrimination through collective and personal self-esteem to subjective well-being. These findings contribute to the understanding of the complicated relationships among perceived discrimination, collective and personal self-esteem, and subjective well-being. The findings suggest that collective and personal self-esteem are possible targets for interventions aimed at improving subjective well-being. Programs to nurture both the personal and collective self-esteem of migrant adolescents may help to weaken the negative relationships between perceived discrimination and subjective well-being. PMID:28769850

Perceived Discrimination and Subjective Well-being in Chinese Migrant Adolescents: Collective and Personal Self-esteem As Mediators.

PubMed

Jia, Xuji; Liu, Xia; Shi, Baoguo

2017-01-01

This study aimed to examine whether collective and personal self-esteem serve as mediators in the relationship between perceived discrimination and subjective well-being among Chinese rural-to-urban migrant adolescents. Six hundred and ninety-two adolescents completed a perceived discrimination scale, a collective self-esteem scale, a personal self-esteem scale, and a subjective well-being scale. Structural equation modeling was used to test the mediation hypothesis. The analysis indicated that both collective and personal self-esteem partially mediated the relationship between perceived discrimination and subjective well-being. The final model also revealed a significant path from perceived discrimination through collective and personal self-esteem to subjective well-being. These findings contribute to the understanding of the complicated relationships among perceived discrimination, collective and personal self-esteem, and subjective well-being. The findings suggest that collective and personal self-esteem are possible targets for interventions aimed at improving subjective well-being. Programs to nurture both the personal and collective self-esteem of migrant adolescents may help to weaken the negative relationships between perceived discrimination and subjective well-being.

Individual, social and community-level predictors of wellbeing in a US sample of transgender and gender non-conforming individuals.

PubMed

Stanton, Megan C; Ali, Samira; Chaudhuri, Sambuddha

2017-01-01

In the last decade, increased attention has been paid to the physical and mental health needs of transgender and gender non-conforming individuals. However, despite this surge of research, scant literature addresses factors associated with wellbeing among members of this population. Using data from the US Social Justice Sexuality Survey, this study examines predictors of wellbeing in a sample of transgender and gender non-conforming individuals. Results indicate that higher levels of wellbeing are predicted by education, older age and a greater sense of connectedness to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Additionally, although health insurance did not have a significant impact on wellbeing, increased general health was associated with greater wellbeing, as was perceived comfort of the healthcare provider regarding the respondent's sexual identity. These findings can inform multi-level intervention with transgender and gender non-conforming persons to promote their wellbeing, as well as guide policies and practices around healthcare provider training. Future research should further examine the interconnected predictors of wellbeing among members of this population.

Beyond Positive Psychology?

PubMed Central

McNulty, James K.; Fincham, Frank D.

2014-01-01

The field of positive psychology rests on the assumption that certain psychological traits and processes are inherently beneficial for well-being. We review evidence that challenges this assumption. First, we review data from 4 independent longitudinal studies of marriage revealing that 4 ostensibly positive processes—forgiveness, optimistic expectations, positive thoughts, and kindness—can either benefit or harm well-being depending on the context in which they operate. Although all 4 processes predicted better relationship well-being among spouses in healthy marriages, they predicted worse relationship well-being in more troubled marriages. Then, we review evidence from other research that reveals that whether ostensibly positive psychological traits and processes benefit or harm well-being depends on the context of various noninterpersonal domains as well. Finally, we conclude by arguing that any movement to promote well-being may be most successful to the extent that it (a) examines the conditions under which the same traits and processes may promote versus threaten well-being, (b) examines both healthy and unhealthy people, (c) examines well-being over substantial periods of time, and (d) avoids labeling psychological traits and processes as positive or negative. PMID:21787036

Possible Selves and Self-Regulatory Beliefs: Exploring the Relationship Between Health Selves, Health Efficacy, and Psychological Well-Being.

PubMed

Dark-Freudeman, Alissa; West, Robin L

2016-03-01

The present study identified middle-aged (ages 40-64) and older individuals (ages 65-90) who reported a highly important possible self related to health. The relationship between age, physical health, health efficacy, and psychological well-being were examined among these individuals. We tested a model in which health efficacy predicted both positive and negative psychological well-being. For both age groups, self-reported health predicted health self-efficacy; however, the direct effects of health efficacy on both positive and negative psychological well-being were also significant. Higher levels of health efficacy were associated with higher levels of positive psychological well-being and lower levels of negative well-being, as predicted. Physical health indirectly predicted well-being through its impact on health self-efficacy for middle-aged and older individuals who valued their health highly. Overall, these results support the notion that health efficacy related to a most important health self is a predictor of psychological well-being in mid and late life. © The Author(s) 2016.

Childhood Environment and Mental Wellbeing at Age 60-64 Years: Prospective Evidence from the MRC National Survey of Health and Development.

PubMed

Stafford, Mai; Gale, Catharine R; Mishra, Gita; Richards, Marcus; Black, Stephanie; Kuh, Diana L

2015-01-01

Mental wellbeing, conceptualised as positive affect, life satisfaction and realisation of needs that contribute to psychological growth, captures more than the absence of mental ill health. Several nations now aim to monitor and improve mental wellbeing. Whilst many studies document associations between adverse childhood experiences and mental disorders in adulthood, possible links between childhood experiences and adult mental wellbeing have so far received less attention. Using data from 1976 men and women in the MRC National Survey for Health and Development, we investigated prospective associations between childhood socioeconomic and psychosocial environments and the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale, designed to capture both hedonic and eudaimonic facets of wellbeing, at age 60-64. Whilst there was no evidence that childhood socioeconomic circumstances were related to later wellbeing independently of other childhood experiences, elements of childrearing and parenting, parental health and adjustment, and childhood illness were related. More advantaged socioeconomic position was associated with greater wellbeing but this did not explain the links between these childhood exposures and adult wellbeing, suggesting alternative explanatory pathways should be considered. Childhood illness and family psychosocial environment are associated with mental wellbeing in early older age, with effects sizes that are larger or comparable to socioeconomic circumstances in adulthood. Initiatives to improve the nation's mental wellbeing that include programmes targeted to supporting families and children may additionally have benefits that continue into older age.

Acculturation and well-being among college students from immigrant families.

PubMed

Schwartz, Seth J; Waterman, Alan S; Umaña-Taylor, Adriana J; Lee, Richard M; Kim, Su Yeong; Vazsonyi, Alexander T; Huynh, Que-Lam; Whitbourne, Susan Krauss; Park, Irene J K; Hudson, Monika; Zamboanga, Byron L; Bersamin, Melina M; Williams, Michelle K

2013-04-01

The present study was designed to ascertain the associations between acculturation and well-being in first-generation and second-generation immigrant college students. Acculturation was operationalized as a multidimensional construct comprised of heritage and American cultural practices, values (individualism and collectivism), and identifications, and well-being was operationalized in terms of subjective, psychological, and eudaimonic components. Participants were 2,774 first-generation and second-generation immigrant students (70% women), from 6 ethnic groups and from 30 colleges and universities around the United States. Participants completed measures of heritage and American cultural practices, values, and identifications, as well as of subjective, psychological, and eudaimonic well-being. Findings indicated that individualistic values were positively related to psychological and eudaimonic well-being, and positively, although somewhat less strongly, linked with subjective well-being. American and heritage identifications were both modestly related to psychological and eudaimonic well-being. These findings were consistent across gender, immigrant generation (first versus second), and ethnicity. Psychological and eudaimonic well-being appear to be inherently individualistic conceptions of happiness, and endorsement of individualistic values appears linked with these forms of well-being. Attachments to a cultural group-the United States, one's country of origin, or both-appear to promote psychological and eudaimonic well-being as well. The present findings suggest that similar strategies can be used to promote well-being for both male and female students, for students from various ethnic backgrounds, and for both first-generation and second-generation immigrant students. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Childhood Environment and Mental Wellbeing at Age 60-64 Years: Prospective Evidence from the MRC National Survey of Health and Development

PubMed Central

Stafford, Mai; Gale, Catharine R.; Mishra, Gita; Richards, Marcus; Black, Stephanie; Kuh, Diana L.

2015-01-01

Background Mental wellbeing, conceptualised as positive affect, life satisfaction and realisation of needs that contribute to psychological growth, captures more than the absence of mental ill health. Several nations now aim to monitor and improve mental wellbeing. Whilst many studies document associations between adverse childhood experiences and mental disorders in adulthood, possible links between childhood experiences and adult mental wellbeing have so far received less attention. Methods Using data from 1976 men and women in the MRC National Survey for Health and Development, we investigated prospective associations between childhood socioeconomic and psychosocial environments and the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale, designed to capture both hedonic and eudaimonic facets of wellbeing, at age 60-64. Results Whilst there was no evidence that childhood socioeconomic circumstances were related to later wellbeing independently of other childhood experiences, elements of childrearing and parenting, parental health and adjustment, and childhood illness were related. More advantaged socioeconomic position was associated with greater wellbeing but this did not explain the links between these childhood exposures and adult wellbeing, suggesting alternative explanatory pathways should be considered. Conclusions Childhood illness and family psychosocial environment are associated with mental wellbeing in early older age, with effects sizes that are larger or comparable to socioeconomic circumstances in adulthood. Initiatives to improve the nation’s mental wellbeing that include programmes targeted to supporting families and children may additionally have benefits that continue into older age. PMID:26030929

Effect of Growth Mindset on School Engagement and Psychological Well-Being of Chinese Primary and Middle School Students: The Mediating Role of Resilience

PubMed Central

Zeng, Guang; Hou, Hanchao; Peng, Kaiping

2016-01-01

The objective of positive education is not only to improve students’ well-being but also their academic performance. As an important concept in positive education, growth mindset refers to core assumptions about the malleability of a person’s intellectual abilities. The present study investigates the relation of growth mindsets to psychological well-being and school engagement. The study also explores the mediating function of resilience in this relation. We recruited a total of 1260 (658 males and 602 females) Chinese students from five diversified primary and middle schools. Results from the structural equation model show that the development of high levels of growth mindsets in students predicts higher psychological well-being and school engagement through the enhancement of resilience. The current study contributes to our understanding of the potential mechanisms by which positive education (e.g., altering the mindset of students) can impact psychological well-being and school engagement. PMID:28018251

Effect of Growth Mindset on School Engagement and Psychological Well-Being of Chinese Primary and Middle School Students: The Mediating Role of Resilience.

PubMed

Zeng, Guang; Hou, Hanchao; Peng, Kaiping

2016-01-01

The objective of positive education is not only to improve students' well-being but also their academic performance. As an important concept in positive education, growth mindset refers to core assumptions about the malleability of a person's intellectual abilities. The present study investigates the relation of growth mindsets to psychological well-being and school engagement. The study also explores the mediating function of resilience in this relation. We recruited a total of 1260 (658 males and 602 females) Chinese students from five diversified primary and middle schools. Results from the structural equation model show that the development of high levels of growth mindsets in students predicts higher psychological well-being and school engagement through the enhancement of resilience. The current study contributes to our understanding of the potential mechanisms by which positive education (e.g., altering the mindset of students) can impact psychological well-being and school engagement.

A descriptive study of the psychosocial well-being and quality of life of childhood cancer survivors in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Li, Ho Cheung William; Chung, Oi Kwan Joyce; Ho, Ka Yan Eva; Chiu, Sau Ying; Lopez, Violeta

2012-01-01

Research indicates that increased survival rates are accompanied by an increase in associated psychosocial problems. Whereas much of the attention has focused on the physiological care of childhood cancer survivors, the consequences of cancer and its treatments on psychosocial well-being and quality of life remain relatively underexplored. The aim of this study was to describe the psychosocial well-being and quality of life of Hong Kong Chinese childhood cancer survivors. A cross-sectional study was used. A total of 137 childhood cancer survivors (9- to 16-year olds) who underwent medical follow-up in the outpatient clinic were invited to participate in the study. A significant number of childhood cancer survivors had low self-esteem and experienced high levels of depression. The study also indicated that greater symptoms of depression in childhood cancer survivors were associated with higher state anxiety, lower self-esteem, and poor quality of life. Cancer and its treatments can have adverse effects on the psychosocial well-being and quality of life of survivors. It is essential for nurses to develop and evaluate interventions with the aim of promoting psychosocial well-being and quality of life for childhood cancer survivors. Knowing the self-esteem and coping behavior of survivors can help design appropriate and effective psychosocial interventions to promote their psychosocial well-being.

A 4-year Longitudinal Study of Well-being of Chinese University Students in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Shek, Daniel T L; Yu, Lu; Wu, Florence K Y; Zhu, Xiaoqin; Chan, Kevin H Y

2017-01-01

The present longitudinal study explored the development of personal well-being in university students over 4 years. Personal well-being was indexed by multiple indicators including life satisfaction, positive youth development qualities, and university engagement. A sample of 434 students enrolled in the new 4-year undergraduate program in one university in Hong Kong was successfully followed up for 4 years since they started their university study in 2012-2013 academic year. Students completed an online survey on a yearly basis and four waves of data were collected. Results revealed significant changes in most well-being indicators over time with three main observations. First, students' life satisfaction remained at a stable level during 4 years. Second, most students' self-reported positive youth development competencies followed a U-shaped developmental trajectory, which was characterised by a dip in the second year and a continuous rebound in the third year and fourth year. Third, students' university engagement in different aspects showed significant increments in the third and fourth year of university study. The findings underscore the disparate developmental patterns of different aspects of student well-being during university study. This suggests that there is a need to take into account students' developmental characteristics and related challenges in different stages of university life when develop and implement programs in university to promote student well-being.

Social participation, health literacy, and health and well-being: A cross-sectional study in Ghana.

PubMed

Amoah, Padmore Adusei

2018-04-01

Numerous studies attest to the salubriousness of social participation across contexts. Factors such as health-related behaviour, health risk aversion, and psychosocial traits partly explain this association. While a study of these factors contributes to an understanding of the role that social participation plays in health-related outcomes, significant gaps still exist in this field of investigation. In particular, existing studies have not explored the relationship between social participation and health literacy and how it affects health and well-being adequately. This paper addresses this gap by examining the responses of some 779 rural and urban residents in Ashanti Region in Ghana. The study used path analyses within structural equation modelling (SEM) to assess the mediational role of health literacy in the association between social participation (religious participation, volunteer activities and group membership), and health status and subjective well-being. All the proxies of social participation significantly predicted health literacy. It was also evident that social participation influences health and well-being substantially. After controlling for socio-demographic variables, religious participation and group membership indirectly predicted well-being and health status through health literacy. Volunteer activities showed a negative indirect effect; thus, social participation does not always have a favourable effect on health and well-being. However, the findings suggest that overall, enhancing social participation may be promising for effective health promotion.

Factors affecting the well-being of adolescents living with unemployed parents in times of economic recession: findings from the Portuguese HBSC study.

PubMed

Frasquilho, D; de Matos, M G; Marques, A; Gaspar, T; Caldas-de-Almeida, J M

2017-02-01

Using a national representative sample of adolescents with unemployed parents, this study examined which factors (sociodemographic and of satisfaction with family life and peers) are related to the negative effect of parents' unemployment on emotional well-being. Cross-sectional survey study. Data on adolescents (14.1 ± 1.7 years old), with at least one parent unemployed (n = 1311, 53.2% girls), was provided by the Portuguese Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were performed. A high proportion of adolescents reported being emotionally affected by father's unemployment but not by their mother's. Older boys and older girls were more likely to report that their same-gender parent's unemployment situation (sons-fathers and daughters-mothers) has had a negative effect on their well-being. Girls from low socio-economic status and with poor family satisfaction were more likely to report negative emotional well-being related to parental unemployment. This study presents evidence on factors that can shape adolescents' emotional well-being related to parents' unemployment situation. Given the recessionary context and high unemployment rates, these insights are valuable to assist the design of an action to improve the levels of well-being of Portuguese adolescents from unemployed families. Copyright © 2016 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Social cohesion and belonging predict the well-being of community-dwelling older people.

PubMed

Cramm, Jane M; Nieboer, Anna P

2015-03-21

The neighborhood social environment has been identified as an important aspect of older people's well-being. Poor neighborhood conditions can pose difficulties in obtaining support, especially for older people who live alone. Although social environments have been found to be related to well-being among older people, the longitudinal relationship between the social environment and well-being remains poorly undestood. Research on the effects of changes in neighborhood characteristics, such as social cohesion and social belonging, on well-being is lacking. Therefore, the study aims are (i) describe social cohesion, social belonging, and instrumental goals to achieve well-being among community-dwelling older people, (ii) determine whether these factors varied according to neighborhood social deprivation and compare these findings to those from chronically ill/previously hospitalized older people, and (iii) identify longitudinal relationships between social cohesion and belonging and well-being. Independently living Dutch older adults (aged ≥ 70 years) were asked to complete questionnaires in 2011 (T0) and 2013 (T1). Response rates at T0 and T1 were 66% (945/1440) and 62% (588/945), respectively. Descriptive statistics, paired sample t-tests, analysis of variance, univariate analyses and multilevel regression analyses controlling for background characteristics and baseline well-being were performed. Of 945 respondents [43% male; mean age, 77.5 ± 5.8 (range, 70-101) years], 34.7% were married and 83.3% were Dutch natives. Social cohesion remained constant over time, whereas social belonging improved (p ≤ 0.05). Older people living in socially deprived neighborhoods report poorer overall well-being and instrumental goals to achieve well-being. Baseline social cohesion, changes therein (both p ≤ .001), baseline social belonging, and changes therein (both p ≤ .05) predicted well-being at T1. This study showed that social cohesion, belonging, and changes therein predict the social as well as physical well-being of community-dwelling older people in the Netherlands over time. The creation of stronger ties among neighbors and a sense of belonging is needed.

Association of experienced and evaluative well-being with health in nine countries with different income levels: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Miret, Marta; Caballero, Francisco Félix; Olaya, Beatriz; Koskinen, Seppo; Naidoo, Nirmala; Tobiasz-Adamczyk, Beata; Leonardi, Matilde; Haro, Josep Maria; Chatterji, Somnath; Ayuso-Mateos, José Luis

2017-08-23

It is important to know whether the relationships between experienced and evaluative well-being and health are consistent across countries with different income levels. This would allow to confirm whether the evidence found in high income countries is the same as in low- and middle-income countries and to suggest policy recommendations that are generalisable across countries. We assessed the association of well-being with health status; analysed the differential relationship that positive affect, negative affect, and evaluative well-being have with health status; and examined whether these relationships are similar across countries. In this cross-sectional study, interviews were conducted amongst 53,269 adults from nine countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Evaluative well-being was measured with a short version of the World Health Organization (WHO) Quality of Life instrument, and experienced well-being was measured with the Day Reconstruction Method. Decrements in health were assessed with the 12-item version of WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0. Block-wise linear regression and structural equation models were employed. Considering the overall sample, evaluative well-being was more strongly associated with health (β = -0.35) than experienced well-being (β = -0.14), and negative affect was more strongly associated with health (β = 0.10) than positive affect (β = -0.02). The relationship between health and well-being was similar across countries. Lower scores in evaluative well-being and a higher age were the factors more strongly related with a worse health. The different patterns observed across countries may be related to differences in the countries' gross domestic product, social protection system, economic situation, health care provision, lifestyle behaviours, or living conditions. The fact that evaluative well-being is more predictive of health than experienced well-being suggests that our level of satisfaction with our lives might be more important for our health than the actual emotions than we experience in our day-to-day lives and points out the need of interventions that improve the way people evaluate their lives.

One-Year Linear Trajectories of Symptoms, Physical Functioning, Cognitive Functioning, Emotional Well-being, and Spiritual Well-being Among Patients Receiving Dialysis.

PubMed

Song, Mi-Kyung; Paul, Sudeshna; Ward, Sandra E; Gilet, Constance A; Hladik, Gerald A

2018-01-25

This study evaluated 1-year linear trajectories of patient-reported dimensions of quality of life among patients receiving dialysis. Longitudinal observational study. 227 patients recruited from 12 dialysis centers. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Participants completed an hour-long interview monthly for 12 months. Each interview included patient-reported outcome measures of overall symptoms (Edmonton Symptom Assessment System), physical functioning (Activities of Daily Living/Instrumental Activities of Daily Living), cognitive functioning (Patient's Assessment of Own Functioning Inventory), emotional well-being (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, State Anxiety Inventory, and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule), and spiritual well-being (Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being Scale). For each dimension, linear and generalized linear mixed-effects models were used. Linear trajectories of the 5 dimensions were jointly modeled as a multivariate outcome over time. Although dimension scores fluctuated greatly from month to month, overall symptoms, cognitive functioning, emotional well-being, and spiritual well-being improved over time. Older compared with younger participants reported higher scores across all dimensions (all P<0.05). Higher comorbidity scores were associated with worse scores in most dimensions (all P<0.01). Nonwhite participants reported better spiritual well-being compared with their white counterparts (P<0.01). Clustering analysis of dimension scores revealed 2 distinctive clusters. Cluster 1 was characterized by better scores than those of cluster 2 in nearly all dimensions at baseline and by gradual improvement over time. Study was conducted in a single region of the United States and included mostly patients with high levels of function across the dimensions of quality of life studied. Multidimensional patient-reported quality of life varies widely from month to month regardless of whether overall trajectories improve or worsen over time. Additional research is needed to identify the best approaches to incorporate patient-reported outcome measures into dialysis care. Copyright © 2017 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

International parental migration and the psychological well-being of children in Ghana, Nigeria, and Angola.

PubMed

Mazzucato, Valentina; Cebotari, Victor; Veale, Angela; White, Allen; Grassi, Marzia; Vivet, Jeanne

2015-05-01

When parents migrate, leaving their children in the origin country, transnational families are formed. Transnational family studies on children who are "left behind" indicate that children suffer psychologically from parental migration. Many of the factors identified as affecting children's responses to parental migration however are not considered in child psychology and family sociology studies. This study aims to bridge these areas of knowledge by quantitatively investigating the association between transnational families and children's psychological well-being. It analyzes a survey conducted in three African countries in 2010-11 (Ghana N = 2760; Angola N = 2243; Nigeria N = 2168) amongst pupils of secondary schools. The study compares children in transnational families to those living with their parents in their country of origin. Children's psychological well-being is measured through the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Multiple regression analyses reveal that children in transnational families fare worse than their counterparts living with both parents but not in Ghana where living conditions mediate this relationship. This paper also looks at four characteristics of transnational families and finds that specific characteristics of transnational families and country contexts matter: (1) changing caregivers is associated with poorer well-being in all countries; (2) which parent migrates does not make a difference in Ghana, when mothers migrate and fathers are caregivers results in poorer well-being in Nigeria, and both mother's and father's migration result in worse outcomes in Angola; (3) the kin relationship of the caregiver is not associated with poorer well-being in Ghana and Nigeria but is in Angola; (4) children with parents who migrate internationally do not show different results than children whose parents migrate nationally in Ghana and Nigeria but in Angola international parental migration is associated with poorer psychological well-being. The study shows that broader characteristics in the population rather than parental migration per se are associated with decreased levels of well-being. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Effects of sub-clinical psychosis and cognitive insight on psychological well-being: a structural equation model.

PubMed

Weintraub, Marc J; Weisman de Mamani, Amy

2015-03-30

Psychological well-being has been widely researched along the psychosis spectrum, and increased psychotic symptoms are generally associated with worse well-being. Additionally, the construct of insight has been extensively studied in schizophrenia. While having greater insight has many benefits for those with schizophrenia, a paradox exists in which greater insight is also associated with poorer psychological well-being. However, it is unclear whether the link between insight and poor well-being occurs only once serious psychopathology has been established, or whether this is a more universal process seen even at lower levels on the psychosis spectrum. We used a structural modeling approach in an ethnically diverse, non-clinical sample of 420 undergraduates to evaluate the association between sub-clinical psychosis, cognitive insight and psychological well-being. As hypothesized, results indicated that sub-clinical psychotic symptoms were negatively associated with psychological well-being. The insight paradox was also substantiated, as greater cognitive insight was associated with worse psychological well-being. However, cognitive insight did not moderate the association between symptoms and well-being. The link between sub-clinical psychotic symptoms and psychological well-being as well as the insight paradox appears to emerge even before reaching threshold for a psychotic disorder. Research and clinical implications are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Psychological Well-Being Revisited: Advances in Science and Practice

PubMed Central

Ryff, Carol D.

2014-01-01

This article reviews the research and interventions that have grown up around a model of psychological well-being (Ryff, 1989) generated more than two decades ago to address neglected aspects of positive functioning, such as purposeful engagement in life, realization of personal talents and capacities, and enlightened self-knowledge. The conceptual origins of this formulation are revisited and scientific products emerging from six thematic areas are examined: (1) how well-being changes across adult development and later life, (2) what are the personality correlates of well-being, (3) how well-being is linked with experiences in family life, (4) how well-being relates to work and other community activities, (5) what are the connections between well-being and health, including biological risk factors, (6) and via clinical and intervention studies, how psychological well-being can be promoted for ever greater segments of society. Together, these topics illustrate flourishing interest across diverse scientific disciplines in understanding adults as striving, meaning-making, proactive organisms who are actively negotiating the challenges of life. A take-home message is that increasing evidence supports the health protective features of psychological well-being in reducing risk for disease and promoting length of life. A recurrent and increasingly important theme is resilience – the capacity to maintain or regain well-being in the face of adversity. Implications for future research and practice are considered. PMID:24281296

A new approach to evaluating the well-being of police.

PubMed

Juniper, B; White, N; Bellamy, P

2010-10-01

There is a growing body of evidence that links employee well-being to organizational performance. Although police forces are under increasing pressure to improve efficiency and productivity, the evaluation of well-being in law enforcement is mostly restricted to self-report stress questionnaires that are based on questionable construction methodologies. No instrument to specifically determine the well-being of police force employees currently exists. To construct an instrument that measures the work-related well-being of officers and staff within a police force. The approach is drawn from well-established clinical models used to evaluate the well-being of patients. Potential variables were confirmed using an item selection method known as impact analysis that places keen emphasis on frequency and importance as perceived by the respondents themselves. Analyses of 822 completed response sets showed that nine separate dimensions of police work can adversely affect well-being (advancement, facilities, home work interface, job, physical health, psychological health, relationships, organizational and workload). Overall, officers showed inferior well-being compared with their colleagues. Content validity and adequate internal reliability were confirmed. This study considered a new robust approach to evaluating the well-being of all those working in law enforcement. The nine dimensions extended beyond conventional stress measures and may offer a practical alternative way of assessing the overall well-being status of an entire force using a systematic item selection framework.

Overall well-being as a predictor of health care, productivity, and retention outcomes in a large employer.

PubMed

Sears, Lindsay E; Shi, Yuyan; Coberley, Carter R; Pope, James E

2013-12-01

Employers struggle with the high cost of health care, lost productivity, and turnover in their workforce. The present study aims to understand the association between overall well-being and these employer outcomes. In a sample of 11,700 employees who took the Well-being Assessment, the authors used multivariate linear and logistic regression to investigate overall well-being as a predictor of health care outcomes (total health care expenditure, emergency room visits, hospitalizations), productivity outcomes (unscheduled absence, short-term disability leave, presenteeism, job performance ratings), and retention outcomes (intention to stay, voluntary turnover, involuntary turnover). Testing this hypothesis both cross-sectionally and longitudinally, the authors investigated the association between baseline well-being and these outcomes in the following year, and the relationship between change in overall well-being and change in these outcomes over 1 year. The results demonstrated that baseline overall well-being was a significant predictor of all outcomes in the following year when holding baseline employee characteristics constant. Change in overall well-being over 1 year also was significantly associated with the change in employer outcomes, with the exception that the relationship to change in manager-rated job performance was marginally significant. The relationships between overall well-being and outcomes suggest that implementing a well-being improvement solution could have a significant bottom and top line impact on business performance.

The Health and Economic Well-Being of US Mothers with Intellectual Impairments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powell, Robyn M.; Parish, Susan L.; Akobirshoev, Ilhom

2017-01-01

Background: While the United States has seen increased attention by policymakers on the rights of parents with disabilities, there is limited understanding of the health and economic well-being of parents with intellectual impairments. This study compares the health and economic well-being of mothers with and without intellectual impairments.…

Productive Activities and Subjective Well-Being among Older Adults: The Influence of Number of Activities and Time Commitment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Lindsey A.; Cahalin, Lawrence P.; Gerst, Kerstin; Burr, Jeffrey A.

2005-01-01

This study examines relationships among three measures of subjective well-being (life satisfaction, happiness and depressive symptoms), and two global measures of productive activity (number of activities and time commitment). We argue that participation in multiple productive activities should increase subjective well-being because these…

Participation in Learning and Wellbeing among Older Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenkins, Andrew

2011-01-01

The objective of this research was to identify the effects of participation in learning on the subjective wellbeing of older adults. Data were from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), a large-scale, nationally representative survey of those aged 50 and above. The survey contains several wellbeing measures and information on three…

Relationships between Psychological Well-Being, Happiness, and Educational Satisfaction in a Group of University Music Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demirbatir, Rasim Erol

2015-01-01

Few studies have been conducted on music students' psychological well-being and happiness. The purpose was to assess the psychological well-being, happiness and educational satisfaction among a group of university music students. Students participated voluntarily and filled out a sociodemographic questionnaire, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale…

Why Well-Being, Why Now?: Tracing an Alternate Genealogy of Emotion in Composition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Belli, Jill

2016-01-01

This article critically analyzes under-acknowledged influences on the recent turn toward emotions, happiness, and well-being in higher education generally and in writing studies specifically: positive psychology (the science of happiness) and positive education (teaching well-being). I provide an overview of their primary features and complicate…

Students' Technology Use and the Impacts on Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cotten, Shelia R.

2008-01-01

This chapter reviews technology use patterns and the social impacts of technology on well-being among college students. It provides empirical evidence delineating the processes through which Internet use affects well-being among college students, and provides suggestions for ways to advance future studies in this area and for higher education…

Personal Wellbeing Index in a National Cohort of 87,134 Thai Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yiengprugsawan, V.; Seubsman, S.; Khamman, S.; Lim, L. L.-Y.; Sleigh, A. C.

2010-01-01

Satisfaction with life correlates with other measures of subjective wellbeing and correlates predictably with individual characteristics and overall health. Social indicators and subjective wellbeing measures are necessary to evaluate a society and can be used to produce national indicators of happiness. This study therefore aims to help close the…

Understanding Undergraduate Student Perceptions of Mental Health, Mental Well-Being and Help-Seeking Behaviour

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laidlaw, Anita; McLellan, Julie; Ozakinci, Gozde

2016-01-01

Despite relatively high levels of psychological distress, many students in higher education do not seek help for difficulties. This study explored undergraduate student understanding of the concepts of mental health and mental well-being and where undergraduate students would seek help for mental well-being difficulties. Semi-structured interviews…

Adaptation of the PERMA Well-Being Scale into Turkish: Validity and Reliability Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ayse, Eliüsük Bülbül

2018-01-01

Seligman's "well-being scale" PERMA evaluates people's level of well-being in five dimensions: P: Positive and Negative emotions, E: Engagement, R: Relationships, M: Meaning, A: Accomplishment, N: Negative Emotion and H: Health. This scale measures a person's level of well being using five components. The measurement scale developed…

The Estimated Effects of College Student Involvement on Psychological Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kilgo, Cindy A.; Mollet, Amanda L.; Pascarella, Ernest T.

2016-01-01

This brief examines student psychological well-being, an important issue of growing interest in U.S. higher education. Extensive research focused on student involvement in college suggested that quality involvement leads to higher levels of student learning and development. This study for psychological well-being was measured using the Ryff Scales…

Factors Influencing the General Well-Being of Low-Income Korean Immigrant Elders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Kyoung Hag; Yoon, Dong Pil

2011-01-01

This study explores factors that influence the general well-being (anxiety, depression, positive well-being, self-control, vitality, and general health) of low-income Korean immigrant elders by interviewing 206 older adults living in Los Angeles County and Orange County, California. Ordinary least squares regression results reveal that lack of…

The Influence of Loneliness and Interpersonal Relations on Latina/o Middle School Students' Wellbeing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heredia, Dagoberto, Jr.; Sanchéz Gonzalez, Mayra L.; Rosner, Christine M.; He, Xiao; Castillo, Linda G.; Ojeda, Lizette

2017-01-01

This study examined associations of loneliness and relationships (e.g., teacher/student relationships, peer support, and family support) with wellbeing among Latina/o middle school students. A hierarchical regression analysis demonstrated that age and loneliness predicted wellbeing; older students and students with high levels of loneliness…

College Adjustment and Subjective Well-Being when Coping with a Family Member's Illness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmidt, Christa K.; Welsh, Anne C.

2010-01-01

Individuals coping with the chronic or terminal illness of a family member are presented with a unique challenge that may influence their adjustment and overall well-being. This study investigated variables that relate to college adjustment and subjective well-being, including attachment, social support, coping, and illness-related constructs, in…

Relations between Media, Perceived Social Support and Personal Well-Being in Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sarriera, Jorge Castella; Abs, Daniel; Casas, Ferran; Bedin, Livia Maria

2012-01-01

This paper's main objective is to show relations between interest in media, perceived social support and adolescents' personal well-being. For this purpose, 1,589 Brazilian adolescents answered a questionnaire containing Cummins' Personal Well-Being, Vaux's Social Support Appraisals and Casas' interest in media scales. The media in study are: The…

Procrastination, Self-Esteem, Academic Performance, and Well-Being: A Moderated Mediation Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duru, Erdinç; Balkis, Murat

2017-01-01

The current study attempts to examine integrated effects of procrastination, self-esteem, and academic performance on well-being in a sample of Turkish undergraduate students (N = 348). Results confirm prior evidence suggesting that procrastination and self-esteem were important predictors of well-being. Results also indicated that both…

"Besides that I'm Ok": Well-Being in Caribbean and American Adolescents and Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morris, Ruth Williams; Martin, Bess; Hopson, Jamal; Welch-Murphy, Kristin

2010-01-01

A total of 235 adolescents and college students from Aruba, St. Lucia, Tennessee, and Alabama participated in this study that measured various aspects of well-being. The Life Factors Questionnaire measured participants' responses on such self-reported measures as health, intelligence, subjective well-being, responses to stress, optimism,…

Minority Ethnic Adolescents' Wellbeing: Child Rearing Practices and Positive Family Influences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ochieng, Bertha M. N.

2014-01-01

Objective: This paper examines Black adolescents' experiences and views on the interrelationships between their families' parenting practices and their wellbeing. Method: The material is drawn from a community-based qualitative study on the health and wellbeing experiences of Black African families and adolescents. A total of 53 adolescents of…

Personal Well-Being in Urban China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smyth, Russell; Nielsen, Ingrid; Zhai, Qingguo

2010-01-01

This article reports the findings of a survey administering the personal well-being index (PWI) in six Chinese cities (N = 3,390) to ascertain the personal well-being of China's urban population. The specific aims of the study were: (a) ascertain whether Chinese urban residents are satisfied with their lives; (b) validate the PWI using an urban…

Concordance Between Life Satisfaction and Six Elements of Well-Being Among Respondents to a Health Assessment Survey, HealthPartners Employees, Minnesota, 2011.

PubMed

Pronk, Nicolaas P; Kottke, Thomas E; Lowry, Marcia; Katz, Abigail S; Gallagher, Jason M; Knudson, Susan M; Rauri, Sachin J; Tillema, Juliana O

2016-12-22

We assessed and tracked perceptions of well-being among employees of member companies of HealthPartners, a nonprofit health care provider and health insurance company in Bloomington, Minnesota. The objective of our study was to determine the concordance between self-reported life satisfaction and a construct of subjective well-being that comprised 6 elements of well-being: emotional and mental health, social and interpersonal status, financial status, career status, physical health, and community support. We analyzed responses of 23,268 employees (of 37,982 invitees) from 6 HealthPartners companies who completed a health assessment in 2011. We compared respondents' answers to the question, "How satisfied are you with your life?" with their indicators of well-being where "high life satisfaction" was defined as a rating of 9 or 10 on a scale of 0 (lowest) to 10 (highest) and "high level of well-being" was defined as a rating of 9 or 10 for 5 or 6 of the 6 indicators of well-being. We found a correlation between self-reported life satisfaction and the number of well-being elements scored as high (9 or 10) (r = 0.62, P < .001); 73.6% of the respondents were concordant (high on both or high on neither). Although 82.9% of respondents with high overall well-being indicated high life satisfaction, only 34.7% of those indicating high life satisfaction reported high overall well-being. The correlation between self-reported life satisfaction and our well-being measure was strong, and members who met our criterion of high overall well-being were likely to report high life satisfaction. However, many respondents who reported high life satisfaction did not meet our criterion for high overall well-being, which suggests that either they adapted to negative life circumstances or that our well-being measure did not identify their sources of life satisfaction.

Wellbeing: the challenge of 'operationalising' an holistic concept within a reductionist public health programme.

PubMed

Dooris, Mark; Farrier, Alan; Froggett, Lynn

2018-03-01

Wellbeing is a concept that, while contested, recognises individual and wider social, economic, political and environmental contextual influences - and is of growing interest and relevance locally and globally. In this article, we report on one aspect of an evaluative research study conducted on a public health programme in North West England. Within the context of a process evaluation that explored the delivery of a public health programme and sought to increase understanding of how and why different approaches worked well or not so well, this article focuses specifically on the concept of wellbeing, examining perceptions of multiple stakeholders. Interviews and focus groups were undertaken with 52 stakeholders involved in managing and facilitating the programme and its composite projects and with 90 community members involved as project participants. Data were subjected to thematic analysis, cross-check and refining. Results highlight stakeholders' diverse understandings of wellbeing, the complex relationship between health and wellbeing, and the perceived dissonance between the holistic concept of wellbeing and the reductionist design of the programme. Wellbeing was understood to be 'more than health' and 'more than happiness', concerned with effective functioning, sense of purpose and flourishing. Essentially holistic, wellbeing offers opportunities to transcend clinical/pathogenic conceptions of 'health' and resonate with individuals, communities and local authorities. This raises concerns about how wellbeing can be meaningfully realised without compromising the concept, particularly when programmes are structured in reductionist ways requiring monitoring against discrete outcomes. Implications for practice include the following: utilising wellbeing as a driver for cross-cutting public health in challenging economic and organisational contexts, acknowledging that wellbeing is essentially social as well as individual, appreciating that wellbeing is experienced in relation to contexts and surroundings, and recognising that wellbeing defined in terms of individual happiness risks compromising the future wellbeing of societies and the planet.

Does Employee Recognition Affect Positive Psychological Functioning and Well-Being?

PubMed

Merino, M Dolores; Privado, Jesús

2015-09-14

Employee recognition is one of the typical characteristics of healthy organizations. The majority of research on recognition has studied the consequences of this variable on workers. But few investigations have focused on understanding what mechanisms mediate between recognition and its consequences. This work aims to understand whether the relationship between employee recognition and well-being, psychological resources mediate. To answer this question a sample of 1831 workers was used. The variables measured were: employee recognition, subjective well-being and positive psychological functioning (PPF), which consists of 11 psychological resources. In the analysis of data, structural equation models were applied. The results confirmed our hypothesis and showed that PPF mediate the relationship between recognition and well-being. The effect of recognition over PPF is two times greater (.39) with peer-recognition than with supervisor-recognition (.20), and, the effect of PPF over well-being is .59. This study highlights the importance of promoting employee recognition policies in organizations for the impact it has, not only on well-being, but also on the positive psychological functioning of the workers.

Parent–child relationships and offspring’s positive mental wellbeing from adolescence to early older age

PubMed Central

Stafford, Mai; Kuh, Diana L.; Gale, Catharine R.; Mishra, Gita; Richards, Marcus

2016-01-01

We examined parent-child relationship quality and positive mental well-being using Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development data. Well-being was measured at ages 13–15 (teacher-rated happiness), 36 (life satisfaction), 43 (satisfaction with home and family life) and 60–64 years (Diener Satisfaction With Life scale and Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-being scale). The Parental Bonding Instrument captured perceived care and control from the father and mother to age 16, recalled by study members at age 43. Greater well-being was seen for offspring with higher combined parental care and lower combined parental psychological control (p < 0.05 at all ages). Controlling for maternal care and paternal and maternal behavioural and psychological control, childhood social class, parental separation, mother’s neuroticism and study member’s personality, higher well-being was consistently related to paternal care. This suggests that both mother–child and father–child relationships may have short and long-term consequences for positive mental well-being. PMID:27019664

Public violence, staff harassment and the wellbeing of nursing staff: an analysis of national survey data.

PubMed

Woodrow, Chris; Guest, David E

2012-02-01

Instances of physical violence from members of the public and non-physical harassment from colleagues are highly prevalent in the health-care workforce and can be damaging to both staff and patients. While policy has tended to focus on the more visible problem of public violence, little is known about which of the two behaviours is the most damaging. This study compared the consequences of public violence and staff harassment for wellbeing in two large samples of English nurses. The results revealed that while both types of aggression were related to decreased levels of staff wellbeing, staff harassment had a stronger negative association with wellbeing than public violence. The relationships between each of the types of aggression and some aspects of wellbeing were moderated by perceived supervisory support, such that the negative effects on wellbeing were greater for those with higher levels of support. The major implication of this study is that health-care organizations must pay more attention to the prevention of staff harassment in the workplace.

The influence of resilience on mental health: The role of general well-being.

PubMed

Gao, Tingting; Ding, Xinna; Chai, Jingxin; Zhang, Zhao; Zhang, Han; Kong, Yixi; Mei, Songli

2017-06-01

Nurses are suffering from increasing stress, and nursing is recognized as one of the most stressful job. Their mental health problems are serious and worthy of attention. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between resilience and mental health and general well-being among nurses. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2014, using a self-reported questionnaire. Participants were asked to complete the measure of resilience, mental health, and general well-being. The method of randomly cluster sampling was used to select nurses as participants. A survey of 365 nurses was conducted to test the hypothesized model. This study showed that resilience, mental health, and general well-being correlated with each other. General well-being was an effective predictor of resilience and mental health, whereas it both can moderate and mediate the relationship. Strategies to increase nurses' general well-being could enhance their resilience and reduce mental health problems. It is important to improve the mental health of nurses and maintain the professional values that ensure career sustainability. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

The influence of physical self-perception of female college students participating in Pilates classes on perceived health state and psychological wellbeing

PubMed Central

Roh, Su Yeon

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of physical self-perception of female college students participating in Pilates on perceived health state and psychological wellbeing. The subjects of this study were 187 female college students participating in Pilates classes in six universities located in Gyeonggi-do. The collected data was analyzed by using SPSS and AMOS 18.0 version. The results are as follows. First, the physical self-perception of female college students participating in Pilates classes affects their perceived health state. Second, the physical self-perception of female college students participating in Pilates classes affects their psychological well-being. Third, the perceived health state of female college students participating in Pilates classes affects their psychological well-being. Fourth, there is a causal relationship among the physical self-perception, perceived health state, and psychological well-being of female college students participating in Pilates classes. In particular, the physical self-perception obtained by the students through their Pilates classes strengthens their psychological well-being through their perceived health state. PMID:29740551

The influence of physical self-perception of female college students participating in Pilates classes on perceived health state and psychological wellbeing.

PubMed

Roh, Su Yeon

2018-04-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of physical self-perception of female college students participating in Pilates on perceived health state and psychological wellbeing. The subjects of this study were 187 female college students participating in Pilates classes in six universities located in Gyeonggi-do. The collected data was analyzed by using SPSS and AMOS 18.0 version. The results are as follows. First, the physical self-perception of female college students participating in Pilates classes affects their perceived health state. Second, the physical self-perception of female college students participating in Pilates classes affects their psychological well-being. Third, the perceived health state of female college students participating in Pilates classes affects their psychological well-being. Fourth, there is a causal relationship among the physical self-perception, perceived health state, and psychological well-being of female college students participating in Pilates classes. In particular, the physical self-perception obtained by the students through their Pilates classes strengthens their psychological well-being through their perceived health state.

Wellbeing in the aftermath of floods.

PubMed

Walker-Springett, Kate; Butler, Catherine; Adger, W Neil

2017-01-01

The interactions between flood events, their aftermath, and recovery leading to health and wellbeing outcomes for individuals are complex, and the pathways and mechanisms through which wellbeing is affected are often hidden and remain under-researched. This study analyses the diverse processes that explain changes in wellbeing for those experiencing flooding. It identifies key pathways to wellbeing outcomes that concern perceptions of lack of agency, dislocation from home, and disrupted futures inducing negative impacts, with offsetting positive effects through community networks and interactions. The mixed method study is based on data from repeated qualitative semi-structured interviews (n=60) and a structured survey (n=1000) with individuals that experienced flooding directly during winter 2013/14 in two UK regions. The results show for the first time the diversity and intersection of pathways to wellbeing outcomes in the aftermath of floods. The findings suggest that enhanced public health planning and interventions could focus on the precise practices and mechanisms that intersect to produce anxiety, stress, and their amelioration at individual and community levels. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Social Stigma and Well-Being in a Sample of Schizophrenia Patients.

PubMed

Magallares, Alejandro; Perez-Garin, Daniel; Molero, Fernando

2016-01-01

The present study analyzes the existing relationship between three variables related to social rejection (perception of overt and subtle discrimination and stigma consciousness) and the psychological and subjective well-being among people with schizophrenia. Likewise, we will analyze the relationship between two possible strategies to cope with stigma (active coping and avoidant coping) and well-being. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of 50 people with schizophrenia recruited from the social care network for people with mental illness in the Community of Madrid. Results show, as expected, the existence of a negative association between the variables related to social rejection and psychological and subjective well-being. It was also found that avoidant coping is negatively related to well-being, while active coping is positively related, although in the latter case relations do not reach significance. In view of the implementation of interventions to improve the well-being of people with schizophrenia, our results suggest implementing strategies to reduce the perception of discrimination (especially subtle or indirect discrimination) and encouraging the use of active strategies to cope with stigma as opposed to avoidant-coping strategies.

Effects of a spirituality training program on the spiritual and psychosocial well-being of hospital middle manager nurses in Korea.

PubMed

Yong, Jinsun; Kim, Juhu; Park, Junyang; Seo, Imsun; Swinton, John

2011-06-01

This study examined the effect of a spirituality training program on the spiritual well-being, spiritual integrity, leadership practice, job satisfaction, and burnout of hospital middle manager nurses in Korea. In an experimental study with a two-group (experimental vs. control) design, participants were enrolled for 5 weeks, with 24 nurses in the spirituality program and 27 in the control group. After the spirituality training program, spiritual well-being, spiritual integrity, and leadership practice improved and burnout was reduced significantly in the experimental group compared with the control group. The program was effective in improving psychosocial and spiritual well-being of middle manager nurses. Thus, this program could be a resource for continuing education and staff development offerings to enhance the well-being of nurses and the spiritual care of patients. Copyright 2011, SLACK Incorporated.

Impact of virtual reality games on psychological well-being and upper limb performance in adults with physical disabilities: A pilot study.

PubMed

Singh, D K A; Rahman, N N A; Seffiyah, R; Chang, S Y; Zainura, A K; Aida, S R; Rajwinder, K H S

2017-04-01

There is limited information regarding the effects of interactive virtual reality (VR) games on psychological and physical well-being among adults with physical disabilities. We aimed to examine the impact of VR games on psychological well-being, upper limb motor function and reaction time in adults with physical disabilities. Fifteen participants completed the intervention using Wii VR games in this pilot study. Depressive, Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS) and Capabilities of Upper Extremity (CUE) questionnaires were used to measure psychological well-being and upper limb motor function respectively. Upper limb reaction time was measured using reaction time test. Results showed that there was a significant difference (p<0.05) in DASS questionnaire and average reaction time score after intervention. There is a potential for using interactive VR games as an exercise tool to improve psychological wellbeing and upper limb reaction time among adults with disabilities.

Psychometric properties of the Thai Spiritual Well-Being Scale.

PubMed

Chaiviboontham, Suchira; Phinitkhajorndech, Noppawan; Hanucharurnkul, Somchit; Noipiang, Thaniya

2016-04-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the modified Thai Spiritual Well-Being Scale in patients with advanced cancer. This cross-sectional study was employed to investigate psychometric properties. Some 196 participants from three tertiary hospitals in Bangkok and suburban Thailand were asked to complete a Personal Information Questionnaire (PIQ), The Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS), and the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS). Validity was determined by known-group, concurrent, and constructs validity. Reliability was estimated using internal consistency by Cronbach's α coefficients. Three factors were extracted: so-called existential well-being, religious well-being, and peacefulness accounted for 71.44% of total variance. The Cronbach's α coefficients for total SWB, EWB, RWB, and peacefulness were 0.96, 0.94, and 0.93, respectively. These findings indicate that the Thai SWBS is a valid and reliable instrument, and it presented one more factor than the original version.

Predicting employees' well-being using work-family conflict and job strain models.

PubMed

Karimi, Leila; Karimi, Hamidreza; Nouri, Aboulghassem

2011-04-01

The present study examined the effects of two models of work–family conflict (WFC) and job-strain on the job-related and context-free well-being of employees. The participants of the study consisted of Iranian employees from a variety of organizations. The effects of three dimensions of the job-strain model and six forms of WFC on affective well-being were assessed. The results of hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that the number of working hours, strain-based work interfering with family life (WIF) along with job characteristic variables (i.e. supervisory support, job demands and job control) all make a significant contribution to the prediction of job-related well-being. On the other hand, strain-based WIF and family interfering with work (FIW) significantly predicted context-free well-being. Implications are drawn and recommendations made regarding future research and interventions in the workplace.

Parenthood and Well-Being: The Moderating Role of Leisure and Paid Work.

PubMed

Roeters, Anne; Mandemakers, Jornt J; Voorpostel, Marieke

This study contributes to our knowledge on the association between parenthood and psychological well-being by examining whether pre-parenthood lifestyles (leisure and paid work) moderate the transition to parenthood. We expected that people with less active lifestyles would find it easier to adapt to the demands of parenthood. Using eleven waves of the Swiss Household Panel ( N  = 1332 men and 1272 women; 1999-2008, 2010), fixed effects models are estimated for men and women separately. Results show that-on average-parenthood was not associated with well-being for men, whereas it increased well-being for women. As expected, the well-being premium/cost to parenthood was contingent upon individuals' lifestyle before the transition to parenthood. For men, parenthood reduced well-being, but only if they frequently participated in leisure before the birth of the child. For women, motherhood had a beneficial effect on well-being but this effect was weaker for women who combined leisure with working long hours before motherhood.

Anxiety and Spiritual Well-Being in Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Fabbris, Jéssika Leão; Mesquita, Ana Cláudia; Caldeira, Sílvia; Carvalho, Ana Maria Pimenta; Carvalho, Emilia Campos de

2016-06-20

To analyze the relation between anxiety and spiritual well-being in undergraduate nursing students. Cross sectional, correlational, and survey design. A total of 169 students from a Brazilian Nursing School completed three instruments: demographic data, Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). The mean score of SWBS was high, and the mean score of BAI was low. When experiencing anxiety, there was lower probability of experiencing high spiritual well-being. For those students considering religiosity very important, the score of SWBS was high. Students scoring lower in SWBS had more probability of experiencing moderate/high anxiety. Higher scores of SWBS and importance given to religiosity were related to lower scores of BAI. Also, the performance and score of spiritual well-being were related to anxiety scores. Further research is worthy to identify and validate which educational aspects could promote spiritual well-being and reduce anxiety as well as research to analyze the relation between spiritual well-being score and learning outcomes. © The Author(s) 2016.

Functions of reminiscence and the psychological well-being of young-old and older adults over time.

PubMed

O'Rourke, Norm; Cappeliez, Philippe; Claxton, Amy

2011-03-01

Existing cross-sectional research demonstrates an association between reminiscence functions and well-being in later life. The results of this study replicate and extend previous findings in separate participant samples above and below 70 years of age. Findings suggest a link between reminiscence functions and psychological well-being, and indirectly between reminiscence and well-being 16 months thereafter. Invariance analyses reveal few differences in association between reminiscence and well-being when young-old (n = 196) and older adults (n = 215) are compared. These findings suggest a direct positive association between self-positive reminiscence functions (identity, death preparation, and problem-solving) and a direct negative association between self-negative functions (boredom reduction, bitterness revival, and intimacy maintenance) and psychological well-being (life satisfaction, depressive, and anxiety symptoms). In contrast, prosocial reminiscence functions (conversation, teach/inform others) appear to have an indirect association with well-being (i.e., via self-positive and self-negative functions). These findings are discussed relative to evolving theory and research linking cognition and health.

Cultural perspectives on aging and well-being: a comparison of Japan and the United States.

PubMed

Karasawa, Mayumi; Curhan, Katherine B; Markus, Hazel Rose; Kitayama, Shinobu S; Love, Gayle Dienberg; Radler, Barry T; Ryff, Carol D

2011-01-01

This study investigated age differences in multiple aspects of psychological well-being among midlife and older adults in Japan (N = 482) and the United States (N = 3,032) to test the hypothesis that older Japanese adults would rate aspects of their well-being (personal growth, purpose in life, positive relations with others) more highly that older U.S. adults. Partial support was found: older adults in Japan showed higher scores on personal growth compared to midlife adults, whereas the opposite age pattern was found in the United States. However, purpose in life showed lower scores for older adults in both cultural contexts. Interpersonal well-being, as hypothesized, was rated significantly higher, relative to the overall well-being, among Japanese compared to U.S. respondents, but only among younger adults. Women in both cultures showed higher interpersonal well-being, but also greater negative affect compared with men. Suggestions for future inquiries to advance understanding of aging and well-being in distinct cultural contexts are detailed.

Cannabis, motivation, and life satisfaction in an internet sample

PubMed Central

Barnwell, Sara Smucker; Earleywine, Mitch; Wilcox, Rand

2006-01-01

Although little evidence supports cannabis-induced amotivational syndrome, sources continue to assert that the drug saps motivation [1], which may guide current prohibitions. Few studies report low motivation in chronic users; another reveals that they have higher subjective wellbeing. To assess differences in motivation and subjective wellbeing, we used a large sample (N = 487) and strict definitions of cannabis use (7 days/week) and abstinence (never). Standard statistical techniques showed no differences. Robust statistical methods controlling for heteroscedasticity, non-normality and extreme values found no differences in motivation but a small difference in subjective wellbeing. Medical users of cannabis reporting health problems tended to account for a significant portion of subjective wellbeing differences, suggesting that illness decreased wellbeing. All p-values were above p = .05. Thus, daily use of cannabis does not impair motivation. Its impact on subjective wellbeing is small and may actually reflect lower wellbeing due to medical symptoms rather than actual consumption of the plant. PMID:16722561

Chinese Migrant Adolescents' Perceived Discrimination and Psychological Well-Being: The Moderating Roles of Group Identity and the Type of School.

PubMed

Liu, Xia; Zhao, Jingxin

2016-01-01

Perceived discrimination can be harmful to migrant adolescents in China. However, little is known about the processes through which discrimination may be linked to decreased well-being in Chinese migrant adolescents. This study examined the relationship between perceived discrimination and three indices of psychological well-being (self-esteem, life satisfaction, collective self-esteem) in 798 Chinese migrant adolescents (49.4% from public schools). Group identity affirmation and belonging (GIAB) was examined as a protective factor that was expected to alleviate the negative effects of perceived discrimination on well-being, and the type of school was investigated as a potential moderator of the associations of interest. The results indicate that perceived discrimination was negatively linked to the three indices of psychological well-being and that the negative effects of perceived discrimination on psychological well-being were particularly salient for migrant adolescents attending public schools. Additionally, GIAB emerged as a protective buffer against perceived discrimination's negative effects on collective well-being.

Chinese Migrant Adolescents’ Perceived Discrimination and Psychological Well-Being: The Moderating Roles of Group Identity and the Type of School

PubMed Central

Liu, Xia; Zhao, Jingxin

2016-01-01

Perceived discrimination can be harmful to migrant adolescents in China. However, little is known about the processes through which discrimination may be linked to decreased well-being in Chinese migrant adolescents. This study examined the relationship between perceived discrimination and three indices of psychological well-being (self-esteem, life satisfaction, collective self-esteem) in 798 Chinese migrant adolescents (49.4% from public schools). Group identity affirmation and belonging (GIAB) was examined as a protective factor that was expected to alleviate the negative effects of perceived discrimination on well-being, and the type of school was investigated as a potential moderator of the associations of interest. The results indicate that perceived discrimination was negatively linked to the three indices of psychological well-being and that the negative effects of perceived discrimination on psychological well-being were particularly salient for migrant adolescents attending public schools. Additionally, GIAB emerged as a protective buffer against perceived discrimination’s negative effects on collective well-being. PMID:26731529

The Facebook Paradox: Effects of Facebooking on Individuals’ Social Relationships and Psychological Well-Being

PubMed Central

Hu, Xiaomeng; Kim, Andrew; Siwek, Nicholas; Wilder, David

2017-01-01

Research suggests that Facebooking can be both beneficial and detrimental for users’ psychological well-being. The current study attempts to reconcile these seemingly mixed and inconsistent findings by unpacking the specific effects of Facebooking on users’ online–offline social relationship satisfaction and psychological well-being. Using structural equation modeling, pathways were examined between Facebook intensity, online–offline social relationship satisfaction, perceived social support, social interaction anxiety, and psychological well-being. Personality differences on each of those paths were also assessed. Employing a sample of 342 American university students, results indicated that intensive Facebooking was positively associated with users’ psychological well-being through online social relationship satisfaction, and simultaneously negatively linked to users’ psychological well-being through offline social relationship satisfaction. Multiple group analyses revealed that the linkage between perceived social support and psychological well-being was stronger for introverts than for extraverts. Our findings indicate that the benefits or detriments of Facebooking are contingent upon both personality characteristics and online–offline social contexts. PMID:28197114

Cultural Perspectives on Aging and Well-Being: A Comparison of Japan and the U.S.

PubMed Central

Karasawa, Mayumi; Curhan, Katherine B.; Markus, Hazel Rose; Kitayama, Shinobu S.; Love, Gayle Dienberg; Radler, Barry T.; Ryff, Carol D.

2011-01-01

This study investigated age differences in multiple aspects of psychological well-being among midlife and older adults in Japan (N = 482) and the U.S. (N = 3,032) to test the hypothesis that older Japanese adults would rate aspects of their well-being (personal growth, purpose in life, positive relations with others) more highly that older U.S. adults. Partial support was found: older adults in Japan showed higher scores on personal growth compared to midlife adults, whereas the opposite age pattern was found in the U.S. However, purpose in life showed lower scores for older adults in both cultural contexts. Interpersonal well-being, as hypothesized, was rated significantly higher, relative to the overall well-being, among Japanese compared to U.S. respondents, but only among younger adults. Women in both cultures showed higher interpersonal well-being, but also greater negative affect compared with men. Suggestions for future inquiries to advance understanding of aging and well-being in distinct cultural contexts are detailed. PMID:21922800

Beyond Money: Progress on an Economy of Well-Being.

PubMed

Diener, Ed; Seligman, Martin E P

2018-03-01

In our 2004 "Beyond Money" article, we argued that national accounts of psychological and subjective well-being should complement the economic indicators that frequently guide policy decisions. We claimed that economic indicators fail to reflect important aspects of quality of life that well-being indicators capture. Since the time of our article, progress has been made, and scores of nations have used some forms of well-being measures. The National Academy of Sciences of the United States and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development both issued reports on accounts of well-being. Researchers have pointed to policies that are supported by the findings, such as environmental and economic policies. The emergence of "big data" has opened major new pathways for measuring well-being in inexpensive, unobtrusive, and nonreactive fashion. Psychological researchers now need to create superordinate combinations of subjective and objective measures of well-being to study the impact of the policies they advocate. The accounts can serve as a lever for convincing policymakers to enact policies that increase human flourishing.

Goal clarity as an instrument for improved organizational wellbeing in the Church of Sweden.

PubMed

Hansson, Ann-Sophie; Anderzén, Ingrid

2009-01-01

Lack of goal clarity is known to have negative effects on organizational as well as individual wellbeing. This study assesses effects of goal clarity on organizational wellbeing in the Church of Sweden. Data was based on questionnaires from a random sample of 501 parishes and 1002 individuals from the upper parish management. The response rate was 62%. The results showed significantly more positive experiences of effects of goal clarity on organizational wellbeing for those having former experience with of this type of work and among those representing larger parishes. Older employees reported a higher degree of engagement in the work while younger employees expressed a higher degree of influence. The results suggest that work with goal clarity has a positive impact on organizational wellbeing, which in turn is expected to have positive effects on employee wellbeing. Further research is required to examine the relationships between goal clarity work and organizational as well as individual wellbeing.

Friendship networks and psychological well-being from late adolescence to young adulthood: a gender-specific structural equation modeling approach.

PubMed

Miething, Alexander; Almquist, Ylva B; Östberg, Viveca; Rostila, Mikael; Edling, Christofer; Rydgren, Jens

2016-07-11

The importance of supportive social relationships for psychological well-being has been previously recognized, but the direction of associations between both dimensions and how they evolve when adolescents enter adulthood have scarcely been addressed. The present study aims to examine the gender-specific associations between self-reported friendship network quality and psychological well-being of young people during the transition from late adolescence to young adulthood by taking into account the direction of association. A random sample of Swedes born in 1990 were surveyed at age 19 and again at age 23 regarding their own health and their relationships with a maximum of five self-nominated friends. The response rate was 55.3 % at baseline and 43.7 % at follow-up, resulting in 772 cases eligible for analysis. Gender-specific structural equation modeling was conducted to explore the associations between network quality and well-being. The measurement part included a latent measure of well-being, whereas the structural part accounted for autocorrelation for network quality and for well-being over time and further examined the cross-lagged associations. The results show that network quality increased while well-being decreased from age 19 to age 23. Females reported worse well-being at both time points, whereas no gender differences were found for network quality. Network quality at age 19 predicted network quality at age 23, and well-being at age 19 predicted well-being at age 23. The results further show positive correlations between network quality and well-being for males and females alike. The strength of the correlations diminished over time but remained significant at age 23. Simultaneously testing social causation and social selection in a series of competing models indicates that while there were no cross-lagged associations among males, there was a weak reverse association between well-being at age 19 and network quality at age 23 among females. The study contributes to the understanding of the direction of associations between friendship networks and psychological well-being from late adolescence to young adulthood by showing that while these dimensions are closely intertwined among males and females alike, females' social relationships seem to be more vulnerable to changes in health status.

Ethical leadership, professional caregivers' well-being, and patients' perceptions of quality of care in oncology.

PubMed

Gillet, Nicolas; Fouquereau, Evelyne; Coillot, Hélène; Bonnetain, Franck; Dupont, Sophie; Moret, Leïla; Anota, Amélie; Colombat, Philippe

2018-04-01

Although quality of care and caregivers' well-being are important issues in their own right, relatively few studies have examined both, especially in oncology. The present research thus investigated the relationship between job-related well-being and patients' perceptions of quality of care. More specifically, we examined the indirect effects of ethical leadership on patients' perceived quality of care through caregivers' well-being. A cross-sectional design was used. Professional caregivers (i.e., doctors, nurses, assistant nurses, and other members of the medical staff; n = 296) completed a self-report questionnaire to assess perceptions of ethical leadership and well-being, while patients (n = 333) competed a self-report questionnaire to assess their perceptions of quality of care. The study was conducted in 12 different oncology units located in France. Results revealed that ethical leadership was positively associated with professional caregivers' psychological well-being that in turn was positively associated with patients' perceptions of quality of care. Professional caregivers' well-being is a psychological mechanism through which ethical leadership relates to patients' perceptions of quality of care. Interventions to promote perceptions of ethical leadership behaviors and caregivers' mental health may thus be encouraged to ultimately enhance the quality of care in the oncology setting. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Psychometric properties of the Danish student well-being questionnaire assessed in >250,000 student responders.

PubMed

Niclasen, Janni; Keilow, Maria; Obel, Carsten

2018-05-01

Well-being is considered a prerequisite for learning. The Danish Ministry of Education initiated the development of a new 40-item student well-being questionnaire in 2014 to monitor well-being among all Danish public school students on a yearly basis. The aim of this study was to investigate the basic psychometric properties of this questionnaire. We used the data from the 2015 Danish student well-being survey for 268,357 students in grades 4-9 (about 85% of the study population). Descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analyses, confirmatory factor analyses and Cronbach's α reliability measures were used in the analyses. The factor analyses did not unambiguously support one particular factor structure. However, based on the basic descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analyses, confirmatory factor analyses, the semantics of the individual items and Cronbach's α, we propose a four-factor structure including 27 of the 40 items originally proposed. The four scales measure school connectedness, learning self-efficacy, learning environment and classroom management. Two bullying items and two psychosomatic items should be considered separately, leaving 31 items in the questionnaire. The proposed four-factor structure addresses central aspects of well-being, which, if used constructively, may support public schools' work to increase levels of student well-being.

Cumulative trauma and midlife well-being in American women who served in Vietnam: effects of combat exposure and postdeployment social support.

PubMed

Park, Crystal L; Wachen, Jennifer Schuster; Kaiser, Anica Pless; Mager Stellman, Jeanne

2015-01-01

Research increasingly demonstrates that trauma exposure can have cumulative effects, yet much remains to be learned about effects of cumulative trauma, particularly regarding longer term adjustment. One such trauma, combat exposure, is insufficiently understood, especially for women, who are increasingly engaged in professional combat activities. The study comprised a cross-sectional survey assessing multiple aspects of current well-being in women approximately 25 years after their service in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Participants were 1374 women (78% military and 22% nonmilitary; mean age = 59.7). This study investigated the relations between three separate categories of trauma exposure (childhood, adulthood, and combat) and well-being and examined whether perceived social support at return from Vietnam moderated the association between combat exposure and well-being. While both childhood and adulthood trauma exposure related to midlife well-being, combat exposure still uniquely predicted outcomes. Further, postdeployment perceived social support moderated the association of combat and well-being: recollected higher perceived social support at homecoming buffered participants from the links between combat exposure and well-being. These results may have important implications for interventions to reduce the impact of traumatic experiences, particularly in light of the increasing exposure of women to direct combat events.

Continuity and Change in Relationships with Neighbors: Implications for Psychological Well-being in Middle and Later Life

PubMed Central

Reyes, Laurent

2015-01-01

Objectives. There is growing enthusiasm for community initiatives that aim to strengthen neighbor relationships to promote well-being in later life. Nevertheless, few studies have examined the extent to which relationships with neighbors are associated with better psychological well-being among midlife and older adults. Methods. We used data from 1,071 noninstitutionalized, English-speaking adults, aged 40–70 years, who participated in both waves of the 1995–2005 National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States. Lagged dependent regression models were estimated to examine associations between changes in two dimensions of neighbor relationships (contact and perceived support) and psychological well-being. Results. Few associations were found between relationships with neighbors and negative or positive affect. In contrast, having continuously low levels of contact with neighbors, or losing contact with neighbors over the 10-year study period, was associated with declining levels of eudaimonic well-being. Associations between contact and this aspect of well-being were explained, in part, by less perceived support from neighbors. Discussion. Results suggest that continuity and change in relationships with neighbors is especially important for more developmental aspects of psychological well-being. Implications for future research on the meaning of neighbor relationships and aging in community are discussed. PMID:25106785

Technology addiction's contribution to mental wellbeing: The positive effect of online social capital.

PubMed

Magsamen-Conrad, Kate; Billotte-Verhoff, China; Greene, Kathryn

2014-11-01

This research examines the effect of online social capital and Internet use on the normally negative effects of technology addiction, especially for individuals prone to self-concealment. Self-concealment is a personality trait that describes individuals who are more likely to withhold personal and private information, inhibiting catharsis and wellbeing. Addiction, in any context, is also typically associated with negative outcomes. However, we investigate the hypothesis that communication technology addiction may positively affect wellbeing for self-concealing individuals when online interaction is positive, builds relationships, or fosters a sense of community. Within these parameters, increased communication through mediated channels (and even addiction) may reverse the otherwise negative effects of self-concealment on wellbeing. Overall, the proposed model offers qualified support for the continued analysis of mediated communication as a potential source for improving the wellbeing for particular individuals. This study is important because we know that healthy communication in relationships, including disclosure, is important to wellbeing. This study recognizes that not all people are comfortable communicating in face-to-face settings. Our findings offer evidence that the presence of computers in human behaviors (e.g., mediated channels of communication and NCTs) enables some individuals to communicate and fos ter beneficial interpersonal relationships, and improve their wellbeing.

Technology addiction's contribution to mental wellbeing: The positive effect of online social capital

PubMed Central

Magsamen-Conrad, Kate; Billotte-Verhoff, China; Greene, Kathryn

2014-01-01

This research examines the effect of online social capital and Internet use on the normally negative effects of technology addiction, especially for individuals prone to self-concealment. Self-concealment is a personality trait that describes individuals who are more likely to withhold personal and private information, inhibiting catharsis and wellbeing. Addiction, in any context, is also typically associated with negative outcomes. However, we investigate the hypothesis that communication technology addiction may positively affect wellbeing for self-concealing individuals when online interaction is positive, builds relationships, or fosters a sense of community. Within these parameters, increased communication through mediated channels (and even addiction) may reverse the otherwise negative effects of self-concealment on wellbeing. Overall, the proposed model offers qualified support for the continued analysis of mediated communication as a potential source for improving the wellbeing for particular individuals. This study is important because we know that healthy communication in relationships, including disclosure, is important to wellbeing. This study recognizes that not all people are comfortable communicating in face-to-face settings. Our findings offer evidence that the presence of computers in human behaviors (e.g., mediated channels of communication and NCTs) enables some individuals to communicate and fos ter beneficial interpersonal relationships, and improve their wellbeing. PMID:25568591

The Experience of Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Ethnography

PubMed Central

Soundy, Andrew

2014-01-01

There has been little attempt to summarise and synthesise qualitative studies concerning the experience and perception of living with Parkinson's disease. Bringing this information together would provide a background to understand the importance of an individual's social identity on their well-being and hope. Three primary aims were identified (a) understanding the importance of social identity and meaningful activities on individuals' well-being, (b) identifying factors and strategies that influence well-being and hope, and (c) establishing a model that relates to an individual's hope and well-being. Three stages were undertaken including a traditional electronic search, a critical appraisal of articles, and a synthesis of studies. Qualitative articles were included that considered the experience of living with Parkinson's disease. Thirty seven articles were located and included in the review. Five themes were identified and the themes were used to inform development of a new model of hope enablement. The current review furthered understanding of how physical symptoms and the experience of Parkinson's disease affect the individual's well-being and hope. Social identity was established as a key factor that influenced an individual's well-being. Being able to maintain, retain, or develop social identities was essential for the well-being and hope of individuals with Parkinson's disease. Understanding the factors which prevent or can facilitate this is essential. PMID:25525623

Examining relations between locus of control, loneliness, subjective well-being, and preference for online social interaction.

PubMed

Ye, Yinghua; Lin, Lin

2015-02-01

The unprecedented popularity of online communication has raised interests and concerns among the public as well as in scholarly circles. Online communications have pushed people farther away from one another. This study is a further examination of the effects of online communications on well-being, in particular: Locus of control, Loneliness, Subjective well-being, and Preference for online social interaction. Chinese undergraduate students (N = 260; 84 men, 176 women; M age = 20.1 yr., SD = 1.2) were questioned about demographic information and use of social media as well as four previously validated questionnaires related to well-being. Most participants used QQ, a popular social networking program, as the major channel for online social interactions. Locus of control was positively related to Loneliness and Preference for online social interaction, but negatively related to Subjective well-being; Loneliness (positively) and Subjective well-being (negatively) were related to Preference for online social interaction; and Loneliness and Subjective well-being had a full mediating effect between the relationships of Locus of control and Preference for online social interaction. The findings of the study showed that more lonely, unhappy, and externally controlled students were more likely to be engaged in online social interaction. Improving students' locus of control, loneliness, and happiness may help reduce problematic Internet use.

College students' motivations for money and subjective well-being.

PubMed

Robak, Rostyslaw W; Chiffriller, Sheila H; Zappone, Melinda C

2007-02-01

Previous research indicates that, while making money is important to college students, it is negatively correlated with subjective well-being. This study asked 157 undergraduate business and psychology students about the importance of making money, their motives for doing so, and several dimensions of subjective well-being: satisfaction with life, self-actualization, and mood/affect. Making money remains very important to college students. Being motivated to make money was not globally related to subjective well-being, but wanting to make money to help others, to feel secure, and to feel proud of oneself were predictive of happiness or subjective well-being. Motives such as comparing oneself favorably to others, spending impulsively, and overcoming self-doubt were not correlated with subjective well-being. Business students appeared more motivated to make money than other students and also to have more negative affect.

Can Facebook use induce well-being?

PubMed

Liu, Chia-Yi; Yu, Chia-Ping

2013-09-01

Over the past few decades, the widespread phenomenon of Internet abuse has gained attention from the public, academia, and the media. In a departure from this negative viewpoint, however, researchers and educators have devoted considerable effort in attempting to understand the influence of online communication on people's psychological well-being. This study focuses specifically on Facebook, and proposes a research model to examine the relationships among Facebook use, online social support, general social support, and psychological well-being. Our results show that using Facebook helped college students to obtain online social support, and that online social support is an extension of general social support. However, although general social support contributes to well-being, online social support appears to have little direct effect on well-being. The relationship between online social support and well-being is mediated through the factor of general social support.