PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING AS A COMPONENT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH: THEORETICAL APPROACHES AND EMPIRICAL STUDIES IN FOREIGN PSYCHOLOGY

Abstract

In the history of psychology the study of psychological and mental health is always emphasized as a priority. Western authors have concentrated their points of view on the concept of well-being as the central for the whole mental health. Psychological well-being is considered an indicator of health, socio-psychological adaptation and the effectiveness of human functioning. In this article the theoretical and empirical research of some components and determinants of well-being is presented. The relationship between different aspects of life and well-being are described on the basis of the presented research. Such determinants as income level, genetic factors, optimism, good interpersonal relationships, life events, the ability to find a positive sense of events, physical activity and some others have been investigated in the presented studies. The article emphasizes the influence of psychological well-being on the quality of life, mental health and longevity. In addition to the presentation of different approaches to the definition of psychological well-being, the main theoretical approaches to understanding of psychological well-being in terms of both hedonistic and eudemonistic aspects are considered. A review of western sources shows that there are contradictions regarding the definition of the concept of psychological well-being. Different terms are used by different authors and these terms require differentiation. For example, these terms are «well-being», «subjective well-being» and «psychological well-being».