Affective Components Of Subjective Well-being Research Articles

Social support predicted subsequent subjective well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: a prospective study

BackgroundSubjective well-being (SWB) is associated with social support in cross-sectional studies. However, it remains unclear whether and how social support predicts SWB longitudinally, especially during the COVID-19 contingency.MethodsBy adopting a prospective design, the current work addressed this research question in a sample of 594 participants from the U.K. The data were collected via the online platform, Prolific, at two time points (June, 2020 and August, 2021) with a 14-month interval. Descriptive analysis and a moderated mediation model were conducted to test the proposed hypotheses.ResultsBaseline social support was a significant predictor of subjective well-being (SWB) 14 months later, even after controlling for baseline SWB and other covariates such as personality traits. Additionally, affect balance (i.e., the affective component of SWB) fully mediated the link between baseline social support and subsequent life satisfaction (i.e., the cognitive component of SWB). Moreover, household income moderated this relationship, indicating a stronger mediation for individuals with lower monthly household income.ConclusionThe present work sheds light on the underlying mechanism and boundary condition of the association between social support and different components of SWB during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Material Conditions and Their Relationship with Affective Components of Subjective Well-being in Children

Material Conditions and Their Relationship with Affective Components of Subjective Well-being in Children

The Prospective Relationships between Dispositional Optimism and Subjective and Psychological Well-being in Children and Adolescents

AbstractOptimism is a construct considered fundamental for human functioning and well-being; however, few studies link optimism to subjective and psychological well-being during childhood and adolescence. Therefore, the objective of this study is to demonstrate the prospective relationships between dispositional optimism, and subjective well-being (SWB) and psychological well-being (PWB) through a prospective study with 479 children aged 10.74 years old (SD = 0.72) and 503 adolescents aged 13.41 years old (SD = 1.09). Two cross-lagged models were calculated, one for each group, which responded the questionnaires in two waves one year apart from each other. The results of the first cross-lagged model with children show positive and prospective relationships between optimism (Time 1) and the cognitive and affective components of SWB (Time 2) and the indicator of PWB (Time 2). Equivalent results are observed in the cross-lagged model conducted with the adolescent sample. Finally, multi-group analysis was performed to evaluate the existence of gender-based invariance. The findings indicated variations between the models, notably, a more pronounced influence of optimism on psychological well-being was discerned among girls, encompassing both childhood and adolescence. The results were discussed, emphasizing the relevance of developing optimism as a dispositional trait at early ages.

A multivariate twin study of the genetic association between present moment attention and subjective wellbeing

Considerable evidence supports the role of present-moment attention, a central feature of mindfulness, in subjective wellbeing maintenance and enhancement. Yet it is not clear why such a relation exists. This study examined the genetic and environmental contributions of present-moment attention to subjective wellbeing. Consistent with the “generalist genes hypothesis” and prior evidence, we hypothesized that presence and subjective wellbeing would show a substantial genetic correlation and smaller environmental correlation. Using a large epidemiological sample of healthy 16-year-old twins in the United Kingdom (N = 1136 monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs), genetic overlap was found between presence and the cognitive component of subjective wellbeing (life satisfaction), and to a lesser extent, the affective component of subjective wellbeing (operationalized as happiness). The non-shared environmental overlap between these constructs was substantial. This study provides the first evidence known to us showing that present-centered attention, a primary component of mindfulness, has both genetic and environmental overlap with subjective wellbeing. The findings have implications for understanding mechanisms by which presence is associated with positive emotions and life satisfaction, and suggest, pending additional research, that mindfulness-based interventions to enhance wellbeing may be best suited to those with a genetic propensity toward mindful presence.

The indirect effect of travel mode use on subjective well-being through out-of-home activities

AbstractThe issue of the effects of travel on subjective well-being (SWB) has recently attracted increasing interest in transport studies. A common finding is that travel affects SWB indirectly through out-of-home activities. However, little is known about how to operationalize this relationship. In this study, we proposed a conceptual model and estimated structural equation models relating travel mode use and activities with multiple SWB dimensions, including affective components (positive affect and negative affect) and cognitive components (belongingness, achievement, and confidence in coping). We used data from a national mobility project in Japan (N = 13,000) to estimate the postulated models. We found that while public transport use enhanced the cognitive components of SWB, it also had a negative effect on the affective components of SWB. Car use affected SWB in a more complex pattern; it promoted SWB by enabling leisure activities but also reduced SWB dimensions of belongingness and achievement through shopping activities. Active travel modes did not have a clear effect on SWB; for example, walking to school was associated with increased belongingness, whereas walking for shopping negatively influenced belongingness. Other contributing factors, such as COVID-19 worry, car access, and the ‘going-out’ problem-solving style, were also found to influence multiple dimensions of SWB. Overall, our study showed how the effects of activities on multiple dimensions of SWB varied with different travel modes, thereby revealing the indirect effect of travel mode use on SWB via activities. Suggestions for shaping transport policies towards SWB are also discussed.

How important is subjective well-being for patients? A qualitative interview study of people with psoriasis

PurposeThis qualitative study aimed to investigate the importance of subjective well-being (SWB) as an outcome of psoriasis treatment from patient’s perspective. We focused on the affective component of SWB as assessed with the Daily Experience Sampling Questionnaire (DESQ), a validated daily diary.MethodsSemi-structured qualitative telephone interviews were conducted with in-patients of a dermatological rehabilitation clinic, after participants had completed the DESQ for up to seven days to get familiar with the concept of SWB. Patients were asked to reflect on the importance of SWB as treatment goal and on its relative importance as compared with other treatment outcomes. We also addressed whether SWB could be an indirect measure of benefit in that it reflects other important outcomes. Transcripts were analyzed using content analysis.ResultsEleven patients participated (24–63 years, mean 53 years, 8 male, 3 female). Participants uniformly confirmed that changes in SWB reflected treatment benefit. All but one considered SWB to be a central aspect of treatment benefit—either as the most important treatment goal or as an indirect benefit indicator. In particular, participants described positive associations of SWB with other outcomes, such as symptoms. They reported that both the disease and the medical treatment had an impact on their SWB, which was reflected in the DESQ.ConclusionOur findings suggest that SWB is a relevant indicator of treatment benefit for patients with psoriasis. Therefore, SWB measures, such as the DESQ, could be used to operationalize patient-relevant benefit of psoriasis treatment, complementing outcome measures currently used.

Quiet ego, perceived social support, and subjective well-being in mothers having children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder

BackgroundThis research aimed to examine the relationship of quiet ego and perceived social support with the subjective well-being of mothers having children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and to find out the predictors of subjective well-being among these mothers. Where multiple resource factors beneficial for the well-being of these mothers are studied worldwide, this study investigates and highlights importance of the scarcely studied concept of quiet ego in a precisely defined study sample. MethodCorrelational research design was used and mothers (N = 70; Mage = 36.20, SD = 5.70) were selected using purposive sampling strategy from different special schools and centres of Lahore, Pakistan. The questionnaires used in the study were, Quiet Ego Scale (Wayment et al., 2015), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (Zimet et al., 1988), Satisfaction with Life Scale (Diener et al., 1985) and Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (Diener et al., 2009) ResultsResults showed a significant positive relationship of quiet ego, and all the aspects of social support, with subjective well-being. After controlling for the effect of control variables, social support from the significant other emerged as significant unique predictor of both cognitive and affective components of subjective well-being while friends’ support significantly predicted affect balance only ConclusionsThe importance of internal and external protective factors highlighted in this study can be employed by professionals as a part of their counselling or therapeutic interventions while dealing with such mothers, as well as for the awareness of their families and society, at large.

THE AFFECT BALANCE SCALE (ABS): PSYCHOMETRIC PROPERTIES IN ARGENTINA

The Affect Balance Scale (ABS) was developed to assess the affective component of subjective well-being. This study aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of ABS in a non-probabilistic sample composed of 2241 individuals in the general population in Argentina, ages ranging from 18 to 89 years (M = 37.53; SD = 14.80). The results suggest acceptable psychometric properties within the sample. Excellent adjustment to the data of the two-dimensional model is observed through confirmatory factor analysis. Results of the factorial invariance analysis of gender conducted indicate that both groups are equivalent in terms of the factor structure under investigation. Internal consistency was also found to be adequate. As a result, the study contributed to assessing positive and negative affect in Spanish speaking populations.

Sleep, Well-Being and Academic Performance: A Study in a Singapore Residential College.

We examined the relationship between sleep and the affective components of subjective well-being as well as psychological well-being, and between sleep and academic performance, of full-time undergraduate students in a residential college at the National University of Singapore. The aspects of sleep considered were self-reported sleep duration, sleep efficiency, frequency of sleep disturbances, daytime dysfunction, sleep latency and overall sleep quality, as measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Academic performance was measured using self-reported cumulative average point scores, typically known as grade point average in other institutions. Psychological well-being and the affective components of subjective well-being were assessed using the Flourishing Scale and the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience, respectively. With the exception of sleep latency, our univariate analysis revealed significant associations between the abovementioned facets of sleep, and the affective components of subjective well-being. The analysis also revealed significant associations between the above sleep variables and psychological well-being, except sleep latency and frequency of sleep disturbances. Only daytime dysfunction was found to be significantly correlated with academic performance in our univariate analysis. In addition, our multivariate analysis shows that psychological well-being, affect balance and academic performance each has a direct effect on overall sleep quality. The relationship between overall sleep quality and psychological well-being is U-shaped, while that between overall sleep quality and affect balance is linear and moderated by psychological well-being. The relationship between overall sleep quality and academic performance is either U-shaped or an inverted-U, depending on the level of psychological well-being, which moderates the relationship. These nonlinear relationships indicate that individuals with the highest levels of psychological well-being are not the best sleepers (in terms of overall sleep quality), neither are the highest academic achievers necessarily the best sleepers.

Covid-19 in Slovakia: Economic, social and psychological factors of subjective well-being and depressive symptoms during a pandemic

Objectives and hypotheses. It was expected that income and its rate of deterioration as an economic factor, insufficient opportunities to talk to others and subjective feelings of isolation as social variables, and worries about income impairment, worries related to Covid-19, low tolerance of uncertainty, rumination, and catastrophizing as psychological variables, will reduce the frequency of positive experiencing, increase the frequency of negative experiencing and the number of depressive symptoms. On the other hand, personal belief in a just world and a positive reappraisal were expected to positively affect the research variables. Sample and settings. The online data collection was carried out at the end of April 2020 at the peak of the number of people affected by the disease in Slovakia. It was a stratified selection of N = 1108 persons, taking into account the proportional representation of persons from the territory of the whole republic. Statistical analysis. Variable relationships were tested using PLS-SEM (Partial Least Squares – SEM). This procedure was preferred for three reasons: the exploratory nature of complex models, the predictive orientation of models, and the measurement of multiple variables with one-item questioning. Results. Three predictors out of 16 tested had a positive relationship to the frequency of positive experiencing as an affective component of subjective well-being – subjectively assessed health, personal belief in a just world, and a positive reappraisal; rumination was in a negative relationship. Six predictors were related to the frequency of negative experiencing as an affective component of subjective well-being and to symptoms of depression – in addition to the four mentioned above, it was age and worries about income impairment: with higher age, the frequency of negative experiencing and the number of depressive symptoms decreased, and a positive relation had also variables: subjective assessment of health, personal belief in a just world and a positive reappraisal. Worries about income impairment and rumination had a relationship to the frequency of negative experiencing and depressive symptoms. Study limitations. Cross sectional research did not provide information on changes in the affective component of subjective well-being and depressive symptoms of the Slovak population as a result of the pandemic, as the obtained data could not be compared with the results of the same participants from the period before the pandemic. Although this research can be considered representative in several aspects, the validity of the findings is limited by the fact that no specific groups were included in the sample – e.g. the most vulnerable groups were medical staff and the elderly over 70 years of age. Also, those who were ill or suspected of having Covid-19 were excluded from the analysis. Finally, data collection via the Internet presupposes a certain standard of living of respondents.

Irrational happiness beliefs and subjective well-being of undergraduate students: A longitudinal study

Identifying factors that influence well-being are fruitful for improving the knowledge held about the correlates and predictors of well-being in both practice and theory. This research for the first time aimed to investigate whether irrational happiness beliefs, a newly presented construct, contribute to the affective components of subjective well-being over time. The sample included 103 undergraduate students (88 females and 15 males) whose ages varied from 18 to 29 years (M = 19.39 ±1.62). Participants completed measures of irrational happiness beliefs, positive affect, and negative affect both at Time 1 and Time 2 over three months apart. The findings showed that irrational happiness beliefs were significantly negatively related to positive affect only at Time 1. However, the research failed to provide evidence regarding the value of irrational happiness beliefs in predicting positive and negative affect over time. The results suggest that the impact of irrational happiness beliefs upon well-being may occur momentarily not over time. Implications and limitations of the findings are discussed and directions for future studies are provided.

The effects of the COVID-19 crisis on the subjective well-being of the Israeli population-monitored phase by phase.

The paper examined the effect of the pandemic outbreak of COVID-19 on the cognitive and affective components of subjective well-being (SWB) over time in Israel. Just before the first verified patient, we ran a survey of the general population that included questions concerning both components of SWB, self-rated health, income satisfaction, and other socio-demographic aspects. The same survey among different respondents from the same population during the lockdown period when no exit strategy had been conveyed, and for the third time when the exit strategy was publicized and began to be implemented. The findings show that the cognitive component of SWB, as measured by Cantril’s Ladder, remained stable over the long term. The average respondent reported unchanged life evaluation even when the individual’s negative feelings rose by 52%, and positive feelings fell by 16%. We show evidence for a structural change in the weighting of feelings and self-rated health in life satisfaction function.

Are emotionally intelligent people happier? A meta‐analysis of the relationship between emotional intelligence and subjective well‐being using Chinese samples

To assess an overall correlation between emotional intelligence (EI) and subjective well‐being (SWB) within Chinese culture, accounting for possible moderating factors, we conducted a meta‐analysis of 119 correlations obtained from 62 studies with a total sample size of 29,922. The results uncovered a moderately positive correlation, r = .32, 95% CI [0.29, 0.36], p < .001, between EI and SWB. The strength of the correlation was moderated by EI stream, SWB component, participant’s age, and participant’s employment status. Specifically, this association was stronger when EI was measured as self‐report mixed EI, r = .49, and self‐report ability EI, r = .32, than when it was measured as performance‐based ability EI, r = .08. In addition, EI was more strongly associated with the cognitive components of SWB, r = .32, than with the affective component of SWB, r = .29, and the EI–SWB association was stronger in adults, r = .33, than in adolescents, r = .25. Furthermore, EI was more closely related to SWB in working adults, r = .43, compared to students, r = .29, and EI was almost equally associated with SWB across males and females, β = −.08, p = .55. The results, as well as their theoretical and practical implications, are discussed in detail with reference to relevant cross‐cultural theories and comparative empirical findings.

Subjective Well-Being, Emotional Intelligence, and Mood of Parents: A Model of Relationships. Impact of Giftedness

The well-being of parents could be either a protective or risk factor for themselves or their children. Our objective is to analyse the affective components of subjective well-being (SWB), emotional intelligence (EI), and parental mood. Parents of gifted children may be a vulnerable group because they face exceptional challenges in raising their children, sometimes with neither educational nor social support. We assess whether parents’ EI predicts their SWB and whether positive and negative mood mediate this relationship in two different groups of parents (with or without gifted children). The sample comprised 280 parents. To test the hypotheses, descriptive analysis and structural equation modelling (SEM) were conducted. In both groups of parents, EI predicted SWB, and mood played a mediating role. Parents of gifted children had poorer SWB due to a higher number of negative experiences. Additionally, these parents tended to express more anger. Thus, parents of gifted children are an at-risk group. Our work highlights the need for teachers and social agents to consider families to facilitate the inclusion of gifted students and improve their health and that of their parents.

How does emotional intelligence predict happiness, optimism, and pessimism in adolescence? Investigating the relationship from the bifactor model

Emotional intelligence (EI) plays a key role in the adjustment of adolescents during this transitional life period. The accumulated evidences suggest that EI is associated with happiness, considered the affective component of subjective well-being and optimism and pessimism, considered cognitive mechanisms to expect either a brighter or darker future. In spite of the relevance of the relationship between EI, happiness, optimism, and pessimism, the majority of the research falls behind findings with adult samples, accumulating little knowledge in the context of adolescence. Furthermore, the measurement of EI has been recently challenged by the introduction of the bifactor model into the study of EI. The goal of the current study was to explore the association of EI with happiness, optimism, and pessimism in adolescence by introducing the bifactor EI model. The participants were 493 Spanish high-school students ranging from 14 to 18 years old (52.7% females) who completed self-report questionnaires. The results demonstrated that the bifactor EI model with an e-factor (general EI factor) and three emotional dimensions (emotional attention, emotional clarity, and emotional regulation) also represented the best well-fitted structure in adolescence. Most remarkably, results suggested that general EI and emotional regulation predicted positively happiness and optimism, while emotional attention predicted positively pessimism and negatively happiness. These results highlight the importance of the measurement of EI in the study of associated outcomes that are considered relevant during the period of adolescence. Hence, the specific role of the EI dimensions are important when explaining the relationship of EI with happiness, optimism, and pessimism.

The Efficacy of a Peer-Led Versus Nurse-Led Self-Management on the Subjective Well-Being of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background: Subjective well-being (SWB) can be a buffer against mental health problems. Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) tend to experience low levels of subjective well-being. Objectives: The two objectives were (1) to examine whether peer-led and nurse-led self-management training can improve SWB of patients with MS and (2) to compare the effect of these two interventions on SWB of patients with MS. Methods: In this trial, 81 patients were randomly assigned to either nurse-led (n = 41) or peer-led (n = 40) groups. Both groups participated in six weekly-based 1.5‐hr self-management sessions. The cognitive and affective components of SWB were evaluated using the Satisfaction with Life Scale and the Scale for Positive and Negative Experience, respectively. Results: Life satisfaction increased in both groups over time (P < 0.001), although it was not significantly different between the two groups (P > 0.05). Positive and negative experiences increased in both groups over time (P < 0.05), but the increase in positive experience in the peer-led group was significantly larger than those in the nurse-led group (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Peer-led and nurse-led self-management training, are feasible tools to enhance the cognitive component of SWB, i.e., life satisfaction. Considering the affective component of SWB, positive experience in the peer-led group improved better than in the nurse-led group over time. Therefore, if healthcare providers improve the SWB of patients with relapsing-remitting MS, the self-management intervention led by peers is preferred than nurse-led self-management training.

Subjective Well-Being and Psychosocial Adjustment: Examining the Effects of an Intervention Based on the Sport Education Model on Children

The current study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention based on the Sport Education model, compared to an intervention based on the traditional model of Direct Instruction in children. The intervention was carried out during school hours for 18 sessions of 50-min each. The sample was made up of 146 children aged 10–12 years (M = 10.78 years; SD = 1.07 years). Participants were randomly assigned to the experimental group (n = 87) and a control group (n = 59). A quasi-experimental design with repeated pretest and posttest evaluations with the control group was implemented. The Positive and Negative Affect Scale for children and adolescents (PANASN) was used to assess the affective component of subjective well-being. The Child and Adolescent Behavior Assessment System (BASC) was used to assess psychosocial adjustment. The results showed significant improvements in the affective component of subjective well-being and a reduction in anxiety in favor of the experimental group. Our current results show the methodological and practical efficacy of a Sport Education intervention.

Vrednosti i subjektivna dobrobit u kontekstu tranzicije - podaci iz Srbije

This research explores two main objectives: 1st is to examine whether the Schwartz's value theory (Schwartz et al., 2012) can be applied to the Serbian sample, and 2nd is to examine the intensity and the direction of the relation of those values with cognitive and affective components of subjective well-being in the specific socio-political context, which Serbia as a country in transition represents. The sample includes 412 adults, with the average age of M = 34.42 (SD = 6.305). The following self-description measures are used: the Portraits Values Questionnaire (PVQ-RR, Schwartz et al., 2012), The Satisfaction with Life Scale (Diener, Emmons, Larsen & Griffin, 1985), and Serbian Inventory of Affect based on the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule-X (SIAB-PANAS, Novović & Mihić, 2008). Gathered results demonstrate that the values established by the revised Schwartz's model are adequately organized in our sample. Obtained relations between those values and the subjective well-being components can be regarded as expected and in accordance with the healthy values perspective referring to the relation of values and SWB. Finally, the implications of the obtained results are discussed.

Past, present, and future life satisfaction: The role of age, positive and negative mood

Life satisfaction (LS) is one of the key elements of subjective wellbeing (SWB). The Temporal Satisfaction with Life Scale (TSWLS; Pavot et al. 1998) measures LS including its temporal aspects, and provides scores for past, present, and future LS. The aim of this study was to replicate the three-factor structure found in previous studies in a Spanish-speaking general population, to analyze potential differences in temporal LS on different age groups and gender, and to explore the relationships between past, present, and future LS and the affective components of SWB (positive and negative mood). The sample consisted on 491 participants with an age range of 18 to 80 years old (M = 32.07, SD = 14.59). Confirmatory factor analysis, bivariate Pearson’s correlations, and multiple regression analyses were conducted. Results confirmed the three-factor structure of the scale and its good psychometric properties. All participants showed higher levels of present LS than past LS, and older respondents presented higher levels of present LS than future LS. No gender differences were found, but younger respondents scored higher on future LS than older ones. Significant correlations were found between mood and temporal LS, and happiness emerged as a predictor of present LS, whereas positive affect was a predictor of past and future LS. Negative mood played a minor role as a predictor of temporal LS. These findings shed light on the patterns of past, present, and future LS in different age groups, and contribute to the knowledge about how mood and temporal LS are related.

Personal Sense of Uniqueness Mediates the Relationship Between Compassion for Others and Subjective Well-Being

Research has found that both compassion for others (CfO) and personal sense of uniqueness (PSU) are positively associated with subjective well-being (SWB). We conducted two studies, one with an emerging adult sample (N = 470), and the other with another emerging adult sample (N = 300) and a middle-aged adult sample (N = 169), investigating whether PSU mediated the relationship between CfO and SWB. In addition to utilizing different age groups for each study, the Satisfaction with Life Scale and the Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule were used as a measure of SWB for Study 1 and 2, respectively. The proposed mediation model was supported within both studies: PSU was a significant mediator of the relationship between CfO and both components of SWB in emerging adults and the affective component of SWB in middle-aged adults. The implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are highlighted.