GENDER ROLES AND DIMENSIONS OF FAMILY FUNCTIONING AS PREDICTORS OF SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING IN MEN AND WOMEN

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Subjective well-being (a positive attitude towards life and positive affectivity) as an important indicator of mental health attracts a lot of attention in the field of positive psychology. For the sake of improving mental health, research was mainly focused on identifying factors related to it. So far, findings indicate there is a need for a better understanding of the characteristics of both individual and family environments. To that end, the aim of this study was to examine gender differences and what contributes to the subjective well-being of men and women. The study examined gender roles, masculinity and femininity, aspects of family functioning, education and the number of children. The sample included 1417 respondents who are married or in a relationship (586 men, 802 women), and the following questionnaires were used: a shorter versions of the Subjective Well-Being Scale, the Masculinity and Femininity Scale and the Family Functioning Scale, as part of the larger PORPOS2 battery. The results showed that masculinity and femininity, and adequate communication in the family are important indicators of a positive attitude towards the life of both genders. Masculinity and satisfaction with communication play a significant role when it comes to the positive affectivity in both men and women. The level of cohesiveness also plays an important role in the subjective well-being of men, and the number of children is a negative predictor of both dimensions of subjective well-being in women. Based on these results, we can conclude that a better understanding of the subjective well-being of men and women requires a more focused approach, which can be important in both research and psychotherapeutic work.