Multi-level health indicators as predictors of students’ subjective well-being experience

Abstract

The subjective well-being as an integral experience of health state is a multidimensional phenomenon. The intrapersonal, social and environmental levels of subjective well-being were distinguished. The aim of the study was to determine predictors of subjective well-being of students. 850 students of different courses of St Petersburg and Novosibirsk universities took part in the study. The screening techniques MHC-SF (C.Keyes) and test of resilience (D.Leont’ev and E.Rasskazova), Scale of subjective well-being (C.Ryff), Measuring of prosocial tendencies (G.Carlo and B.A.Randall, adaptation of N.Kukhtova), Measuring of attitude to significant life situations (E.Korjova, A.Berdnikova), Scale of depression PHQ-9 and Scale of anxiety GAD-7 (Patient Health Questionnaire) were used. The results showed that students with a high level of subjective well-being rated all levels of health significantly higher than students with a low level of subjective well-being. The greatest influence on the subjective wellbeing is exerted by intrapersonal (endopsychic) predictors — resilience (β=0.322; p=0.000) and the presence of a goal in life (β=0.176; p=0.000). To a lesser extent, exopsychic predictors have an impact — attitude to a significant life situation and prosocial orientation, as well as self-assessment of mental health and presence of depression. The greatest contribution to the subjective well-being of intrapersonal characteristics confirms the leading role of personality in regulating the relationship between human and world. The data obtained make it possible to build a hierarchy of significant health resources for working out different health-saving programs.