Changes In Subjective Well-being Research Articles

How the wellbeing function varies with age: the importance of income, health and social relations over the lifecycle

AbstractPrevious literature has identified income, health status and social relationships as the most important predictors of subjective wellbeing (SWB). In addition, the literature has identified a non‐linear relationship between age and SWB, with a dip in SWB in midlife. Explanations of the non‐linear age–SWB relationship include the notion of unmet aspirations and the idea that people's emotional response to the drivers of SWB changes with age. Against this background, we use representative longitudinal data for Germany (1992–2019) with about 570,000 observations for more than 88,000 individuals aged 16–105 years to investigate if and how the association between SWB and its main predictors changes over the lifecycle. Using fixed effects estimation to control for cohort effects and unobserved personal characteristics, we find that the marginal effects of income and social relationships vary with age in a wave‐like fashion, while the positive marginal effect of good health status increases monotonically and progressively with age. Our results are similar for alternative measures of SWB (life satisfaction and living in misery), and for men and women separately. The age‐related changes in the importance of income and social relationships for SWB found in this paper help to explain the relationship between age and SWB found in previous literature.

Is the association between long-term care and subjective well-being socio-economically stratified? Evidence from Europe

ABSTRACT Informal and formal care receipt can affect the overall subjective well-being of care recipients. While much attention has been devoted to the mechanisms by which care use relates to subsequent well-being, no previous research has examined socio-economic stratification in this association. This question is important given that the proportion of disabled older adults relying exclusively on informal caregivers is expected to rise, especially among lower socio-economic status (SES) groups. This study examines SES gradients in the associations of informal and formal care use with subjective well-being, and across four care contexts (Northern, Western, Southern and Eastern Europe) using data on functionally impaired Europeans aged 50 + from the Survey of Health, Ageing & Retirement in Europe (n = 6,012). We investigate how wealth and education moderate the associations between take-up of informal and formal care and changes in subjective well-being (i.e. quality of life and depressive symptoms). We also investigate whether this relationship differs by care context. We find little evidence of SES differences in the association between the onset of care and subjective well-being regardless of the care context. We interpret our findings in light of previous theory and derive implications for future research on the relationship between care receipt and well-being.

Differences in Subjective and Psychological Well-Being of Romanian Adolescents over a Four-Year Period and its Relationship with Free Time

The aim of this study is to explore changes in subjective well-being (life satisfaction and positive affect), as well as psychological well-being among Romanian adolescents over a 4-year period using data from the Children’s Worlds project (Waves 2 and 3). Participants were 12-year-olds (N = 1,504 in 2015; N = 1,145 in 2019). The findings indicated a decline in positive affect and psychological prosperity with the passage of time, while life satisfaction remained constant. To investigate factors influencing the decline, we examined the relationships between well-being and the amount of time adolescents spent in their free time (leisure and duties), as well as their satisfaction with their free time. Leisure activities predicted both well-being measures over time. Duties predicted subjective well-being at both waves but only predicted psychological well-being in Wave 3. Satisfaction with free time predicted both well-being approaches only in Wave 3. The findings suggest that factors related to free time do not contribute to declines in well-being, as they show positive associations with subjective and psychological well-being. The declines likely stem from other unexplored variables, underscoring the need for additional research on contributors to the well-being of Romanian adolescents, particularly following disruptions like the COVID-19 pandemic.

An Analysis of the Correlation between the Asymmetry of Different EEG-Sensor Locations in Diverse Frequency Bands and Short-Term Subjective Well-Being Changes.

We focus on finding a correlation between the asymmetries of electroencephalography (EEG) signals and subjective well-being (SWB) when changed on short time scales via environmental conditions. Most research in this field focuses on frontal alpha asymmetry. We systematically examine different sensor locations and filter the sensor data into the delta band, the theta band, the alpha band, the beta band, and the gamma band, or leave the EEG signal unfiltered. We confirm that frontal alpha asymmetry is correlated to SWB. However, asymmetries between other sensors and/or filtering the data to other bands also shows a linear correlation to SWB values. Asymmetries of anterior brain regions show statistically significant results not only in the alpha band but also in the delta band and theta band, or when the data is not filtered into a specific band. Asymmetries of posterior regions show a trend to be correlated to SWB when EEG activity is higher on the opposite hemisphere and filtered into different frequency bands. Thus, our results let us conclude that focusing just on frontal sensors and the alpha band might not reveal the whole picture of brain regions and frequency bands involved in SWB.

Epidemics, pandemics and fertility change: responses to Zika and COVID-19 in Singapore

ABSTRACT Using longitudinal surveys on married Singaporean women of childbearing ages, we compared self-reported changes to fertility plans among 407 and 345 respondents after the 2016–2017 Zika and 2020 COVID-19 outbreaks, respectively. Zika associated with intentions to delay but not reduce childbearing, while COVID-19 was associated with both. Some women reported accelerating and increasing childbearing during COVID-19, with more intending to bring forward births as the pandemic persisted. Education was more predictive of changes in fertility plans during the pandemic compared to the Zika epidemic, and women who delayed childbearing due to Zika were more likely to further adjust timing of childbearing during COVID-19. We considered three possible explanations for changes to fertility plans: fear of infection, change in subjective wellbeing, and income loss, and find stronger effects of perceptions of the virus on downward revisions of fertility plans after the Zika epidemic but a larger role for stress and income loss during the pandemic, reflecting the latter’s wider economic and social impacts.

Examining interindividual differences in unemployment-related changes in subjective well-being: The role of psychological well-being and re-employment expectations

This study examined whether the six trait-like dimensions of psychological well-being (e.g., autonomy and environmental mastery) moderate the effects of unemployment on various facets of subjective well-being (i.e., life satisfaction, satisfaction with life domains, and experienced mood). Further, re-employment expectations during unemployment were investigated as a moderator in this context. The study is based on monthly panel data ( Nobservations > 23,000) of two samples of initially employed German jobseekers, who either registered as jobseekers due to (i) mass layoffs or plant closures ( N = 552) or (ii) other reasons ( N = 988). The results indicate substantial interindividual differences in unemployment-related changes across all examined subjective well-being facets. However, dimensions of psychological well-being did generally not moderate these changes. Only in one unemployment context, environmental mastery was positively related to unemployment-related mood changes. Good re-employment expectations were related to increases in several well-being facets (e.g., leisure satisfaction) compared to being employed, whereas poor re-employment expectations were associated with particularly detrimental effects of unemployment in terms of life satisfaction. Overall, the study provides further evidence that (perceived) contextual features of unemployment seem to be particularly relevant for how individuals experience unemployment, whereas internal (coping) resources only seem to play a negligible role.

Randomized Controlled Trial of Bifrontal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Craving in Alcohol Use Disorder

Background: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a potential neuromodulation option for the management of cravings in patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD). This study aims to assess the efficacy and safety of tDCS in the management of craving for alcohol and to measure the change in subjective well-being in patients with AUD following tDCS intervention. Methods: Patients with AUD aged between 18 and 60 years were randomly assigned to active tDCS intervention and sham tDCS intervention groups, each consisting of 17 patients. Over the course of a week, five tDCS sessions were given, with the anode positioned on the scalp over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortices (DLPFC) area, the cathode over the left DLPFC area, and a 2 mA current. After every session, a tDCS side effects checklist was used. Follow-up assessments were conducted at week 1, week 4, and week 8 of the recruitment using the alcohol urge questionnaire (AUQ) and the World Health Organization (WHO) (five) Well-Being Index (WHO-5). Results: A significantly greater reduction in AUQ scores was present in the active tDCS intervention group compared to the sham tDCS intervention at week 1 and week 4, but the difference was not significant at the end of 8 weeks. A significant improvement in WHO-5 scores was found in both groups; however, the difference between the groups was not significant at follow-ups. The side effects observed were mild to moderate in intensity, were short-lived, and did not require any active management. Conclusions: The tDCS may be useful in the acute reduction of craving in AUD. It is a safe and well-tolerated intervention modality.

Gambaran Lifestyle Behavior, Strategi Koping dan Subjective Well-being Remaja Selama Pandemi Covid-19 di Kota Banda Aceh

Introduction: Adaptation to new situations caused by the Covid-19 pandemic limits adolescents' spaces in performing daily routines. This limitation also impacts their subjective well-being. Subjective well-being relates to lifestyle behavior and coping strategies. Therefore it is essential to assess in defining appropriate nursing interventions for adolescents. This study aimed to describe lifestyle behavior, coping strategies, and subjective well-being during the Covid-19 pandemic in Banda Aceh City. Methods: This study employed a descriptive exploratory design with a cross-sectional approach, involving 168 adolescents selected by snowball sampling. Data was collected by using a self-report questionnaire distributed by google form.Results: The study findings show that most of the adolescents tried to obey the regulations during the Covid-19 pandemic (63.1%); few of the respondents planned their daily routines (19.0%); were involved in different activities (10.7%), and only a few who do physical activity regularly (21.4%). Adolescents often shared their feelings (31.5%) and reviewed their relationships with their families (38.7-42.3%). In terms of social and school interactions, adolescents maintained contact with their friends and teachers (35.1-43.5%). The adolescents maintained school obligations at home (49.4%), and this period did not affect their educational path (50.0%). In addition, most adolescents reported slight changes in subjective well-being (41.1%) and mild anxiety (38.1%). Discussion/Suggestion: This study highlights several conditions that need consideration from relevant stakeholders, including community health nurses or school health nurses, in designing interventions to prevent poor lifestyle behaviors and improve adolescents' adaptive coping and subjective well-being. Consequently, nurses should collaborate with families, school boards, public health centers, district health offices, and other government sectors in implementing health promotion programs for adolescents during the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly in improving lifestyle behaviors, adaptive coping, and subjective well-being.

Eksplorasi Kesejahteraan Psikologis pada Pasien Brachial Plexus Injury (BPI)

Abstract Background : Brachial plexus injury is an injury to the C1-T1 nerve that most commonly occurs in men of reproductive age. This injury can cause motor and mental disability because it requires more than one surgery with a long recovery time. However, existing rehabilitative services focus more on restoring motor skills or functional abilities and less on evaluating psychological conditions, coping and quality of life. Objectives:The purpose of this study is to determine how the condition of psychological well-being and how BPI patients manage or maintain their psychological well-being. Methods:The method used is qualitative with a phenomenological approach. The number of participants was 6 patients from Soeharso Orthopedic Hospital, Surakarta who were selected through purposive sampling technique. Data was collected by in-depth interviews, then analyzed by content analysis. Results:The results showed that all BPI respondents experienced changes in the dimensions of psychological well-being. Conclusions:The dimensions that have experienced the most changes are self-acceptance, positive relations with others, purpose in life and environmental mastery. In addition, respondents also felt a change in subjective well-being. Adaptive strategies and emotional focused coping are most often used by respondents to maintain psychological well-being and adapt to life changes. By exploring this aspect, it can be taken into consideration in determining intervention that supports patient's independence. Keywords: Psychological well-being, Quality of life, Brachialis Plexus Injury

The evolution of the subjective well-being of the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic period: the case of Belgium

The consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic period on a nation’s well-being remain inadequately understood, especially over time. Therefore, this research aims to map the changes in the subjective well-being (SWB) of the general Belgian adult population during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyses of variances (ANOVA) were performed to evaluate the changes in SWB during the pandemic at five different time points during the period from February 2020 until December 2022 using repeated cross-sectional representative samples of the Belgian population. The differences over time in subjective well-being were investigated in terms of life evaluation, positive affect, and negative affect. The changes in autonomy, competence, relatedness, loneliness and peace of mind were also explored as explanatory variables. Moderation analyses were performed to investigate the differential changes in well-being for different age groups. Our results show the subjective well-being of the Belgian population decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, notably during the second lockdown and the fifth wave. Furthermore, younger individuals are significantly more susceptible to negative changes in well-being during the pandemic period. Finally, our results show that peace of mind is an important predictor of all SWB components during the pandemic. Based on these results several policy recommendations are formulated.

A model to forecast the two-year variation of subjective wellbeing in the elderly population

BackgroundThe ageing global population presents significant public health challenges, especially in relation to the subjective wellbeing of the elderly. In this study, our aim was to investigate the potential for developing a model to forecast the two-year variation of the perceived wellbeing of individuals aged over 50. We also aimed to identify the variables that predict changes in subjective wellbeing, as measured by the CASP-12 scale, over a two-year period.MethodsData from the European SHARE project were used, specifically the demographic, health, social and financial variables of 9422 subjects. The subjective wellbeing was measured through the CASP-12 scale. The study outcome was defined as binary, i.e., worsening/not worsening of the variation of CASP-12 in 2 years. Logistic regression, logistic regression with LASSO regularisation, and random forest were considered candidate models. Performance was assessed in terms of accuracy in correctly predicting the outcome, Area Under the Curve (AUC), and F1 score.ResultsThe best-performing model was the random forest, achieving an accuracy of 65%, AUC = 0.659, and F1 = 0.710. All models proved to be able to generalise both across subjects and over time. The most predictive variables were the CASP-12 score at baseline, the presence of depression and financial difficulties.ConclusionsWhile we identify the random forest model as the more suitable, given the similarity of performance, the models based on logistic regression or on logistic regression with LASSO regularisation are also possible options.

A liberalizing effect of happiness? The impact of improvements and deteriorations in different dimensions of subjective well-being on concerns about immigration

Abstract High levels of concerns about immigration pose a threat to the successful integration of immigrants and may even destabilize heterogeneous societies. This study assesses the mechanisms underlying the association between subjective well-being and concerns about immigration. The analyses rely on the German Socio-Economic Panel Study (1999-2017), a long-running data set that follows individuals over time with a total of 60,319 respondents and 329,556 person-year observations. Individuals who are on average more satisfied with their income, housing situation, and life overall are less concerned about consequences stemming from immigration. The impact of changes in subjective well-being reaches beyond the influence of objective well-being; moreover, if the same individuals become less satisfied with any one of these life dimensions, their concerns about immigration increase. In turn, an increase in satisfaction is followed by a decline of immigration-based concerns. These results imply that political measures that strengthen resilience and foster coping mechanisms are critical to reducing concerns about immigration, cultivating societal integration.

Sparking Virtuous Cycles: A Longitudinal Study of Subjective Well-Being and Grit During Early Adolescence.

In cross-sectional research, subjective well-being and grit are found to be positively correlated. Their mutually reinforcing effects are particularly relevant for youth entering early adolescence because, during this developmental period, both well-being and grit have been shown to predict consequential outcomes later in life. However, their mutual relation has not yet been investigated in early adolescence. This study, therefore, examined the possibility of a virtuous cycle linking subjective well-being and grit during early adolescence. Self-report questionnaires of grit and subjective well-being were completed by N = 5291 children in China (47.6% girls; initial Mage = 9.69, SDage = 0.59) on six occasions over 3 academic years. In random-intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPMs), within-person changes in grit predicted within-person changes in subjective well-being 6 months later, and vice versa. Notably, analyses revealed an asymmetry in this cycle: paths from subjective well-being to grit were stronger and more reliable than the converse. Likewise, facet-level analyses showed that the predictive power of the perseverance component (of grit) and the affective component (of subjective well-being), respectively, was greater than the passion and cognitive components, respectively. These findings highlight the potential of boosting happiness for catalyzing positive youth development and, in addition, foreground the utility of studying these composite constructs at the facet level.

Relationships between sport and exercise participation and subjective well-being among adults with physical disabilities: Is participation quality more important than participation quantity?

Sport and exercise participation are associated with small, albeit positive changes in subjective well-being (SWB). Recent theorizing has emphasized the importance of distinguishing between performance aspects (i.e., frequency, intensity, time engaged) and the experiential aspects of sport and exercise participation among people with disabilities. This study assessed the relative contributions of time spent participating in sport and exercise (a performance measure) versus measures of participation experiences, in explaining variance in SWB. Participants were 535 adults with physical disabilities, recruited through a nation-wide survey, who participated in sport (n = 271; 62% male; 44 ± 14 years) or exercise (n = 264; 42% male; 57 ± 14 years). They completed measures of minutes/week of sport or exercise participation, experiential aspects of participation, and SWB (overall life satisfaction, satisfaction with physical, psychological and social life-domains, and positive/negative affect). Hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed minutes/week of sport did not explain significant variance in any SWB measure, but sport participation experiences explained significant variance (9.2%–20.9%) in all SWB measures (p < 0.05). Similarly, minutes/week of exercise explained significant variance only in physical life-domain satisfaction (ΔR2 = 2.6%, p = 0.026), but exercise participation experiences explained significant variance (4.8%–10.7%) in all SWB measures (p < 0.05). Experiences of belonging and mastery were particularly strong, consistent predictors across SWB outcomes. These results suggest participation experiences better explain relationships between sport and exercise participation and SWB than time spent performing sport and exercise. Findings have implications for designing future studies to test the effects of sport and exercise on SWB, and developing theories and interventions to explain and maximize the use of sport and exercise to improve SWB in adults with disabilities.

Working life as a double-edged sword: Opposing changes in subjective well-being surrounding the transition to work and retirement.

The work role is crucial for one's identity and subjective well-being. From a role enhancement perspective, subjective well-being might increase after the transition to work and decrease after retirement. From a role strain perspective, the opposite might be true. Thus, entering and leaving working life might have benefits and costs, leading to improvements in some but impairments in other well-being indicators. To test these assumptions, we examined short- and long-term changes in life satisfaction, happiness, sadness, anxiety, and anger in the 5 years before and 5 years after the transition to work and retirement, respectively. Between 2007 and 2019, each facet of subjective well-being was repeatedly assessed in 2,720 (expectant) career starters and 2,007 (expectant) retirees from the German Socio-Economic-Panel Study. Multilevel analyses adjusted for time-dependent confounders indicated that young adults were more satisfied with their lives in (but not beyond) the first year of working life compared to before, which is in line with set-point theory. In the first 5 years of working life, career starters became happier but also angrier, supporting both the role enhancement and the role strain perspective. Older adults became less satisfied, less happy, sadder, and more anxious in the 5 years before retirement. However, in and after the first year of retirement, they were more satisfied, happier, less anxious, and less angry than before, supporting the role strain perspective. Our findings show that working life is a double-edged sword that influences individual well-being indicators in partially opposing ways. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Supplemental Material for Working Life as a Double-Edged Sword: Opposing Changes in Subjective Well-Being Surrounding the Transition to Work and Retirement

Supplemental Material for Working Life as a Double-Edged Sword: Opposing Changes in Subjective Well-Being Surrounding the Transition to Work and Retirement

Factors related to subjective well-being among community-dwelling older adults living alone: A stratified analysis by sex and marital status from the JAGES.

Previous cross-sectional studies suggest that negative health outcomes such as mortality, social isolation, loneliness, and depression among older adults living alone vary by sex and marital status, with men often worse off than women and unmarried people worse off than married people. However, limited evidence exists from longitudinal studies regarding whether positive health outcomes such as subjective well-being (SWB) also vary by sex and marital status. The focus by sex and marital status on the positive health outcomes and diverse profiles of older adults living alone is important for public health in the near future. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify changes in SWB over time and its associated factors by sex and marital status among older adults living alone in the community using a longitudinal study in a representative population. This was a longitudinal study using data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study. This study is the first to reveal differences in SWB and related factors over 3 years among older adults living alone in the community (n = 8,579) who were stratified by sex and marital status (married men, non-married men, married women, and non-married women). Women moved to higher levels of SWB than did men, and married individuals moved to higher levels of SWB than did unmarried individuals. Independent functioning factors and interpersonal factors were significantly associated with SWB for married men and married women, but for unmarried women, the association by interpersonal factors was more pronounced, and for unmarried men, only limited emotional support and health promotion activities were significant among the interpersonal factors. This study revealed that among older adults living alone, changes in SWB over time and the independent functioning factors and interpersonal factors associated with this change varied by sex and marital status among older people living alone. These findings are useful for policy-making and guiding intervention activities to promote SWB in a society in which the environment for older adults living alone is changing dramatically.

Analysis of the Correlation between Frontal Alpha Asymmetry of Electroencephalography and Short-Term Subjective Well-Being Changes.

Subjective well-being (SWB) describes how well people experience and evaluate their current condition. Previous studies with electroencephalography (EEG) have shown that SWB can be related to frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA). While those studies only considered a single SWB score for each experimental session, our goal is to investigate such a correlation for individuals with a possibly different SWB every 60 or 30 s. Therefore, we conducted two experiments with 30 participants each. We used different temperature and humidity settings and asked the participants to periodically rate their SWB. We computed the FAA from EEG over different time intervals and associated the given SWB, leading to pairs of (FAA, SWB) values. After correcting the imbalance in the data with the Synthetic Minority Over-sampling Technique (SMOTE), we performed a linear regression and found a positive linear correlation between FAA and SWB. We also studied the best time interval sizes for determining FAA around each SWB score. We found that using an interval of 10 s before recording the SWB score yields the best results.

Mind Force Retreat: Improving the Subjective Well-being of Military Veterans Through Alternative Mental Health Therapies

This study focuses on the subjective well-being (SWB) of a sample of military veterans before and after their engagement with a nonclinical, alternative mental health therapies residential retreat in the United Kingdom. The study findings have relevance for trauma-exposed individuals globally. Military veterans will actively avoid seeking traditional mental health treatments due to factors such as stigma and life-long labels, as well as a reluctance to engage in talk therapies. This is despite the widespread occurrence of diagnosed and undiagnosed chronic mental health conditions such as posttraumatic stress disorder following periods of service. Moving beyond trauma-informed practice and embracing a healing-centered approach involving holistic therapies delivered during a retreat-type format has a positive impact on the SWB of service users. Positive changes in SWB were recorded using the Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale and the lived experiences of the participants. A shared military identity contributes immeasurably to a veteran-centered approach to holistic therapy, healing, and recovery.

Perceived Control, Control Strategies, and Subjective Well-being in the Elderly: A Longitudinal Study of Health Behavior.

Objectives: We analyzed the directional effect of perceived control and control strategies on subjective well-being in middle-aged and elderly people with historical data, and to provide data support for the intervention of well-being in the later years of the elderly group, so as to help them age successfully.Methods: Using data from the CLHLS between 2005 and 2014, we collected demographic and social data of the same elderly population over the decade. We also gathered information on changes in well-being, perceived control, and the use of control strategies. To analyze the longitudinal relationship between subjective well-being and perceived control, including the impact of control strategies on subjective well-being, we used a multilevel growth model with MPLUS. Results: We found that subjective well-being and perceived control were not affected by time. However, changes in perceived control in older adults could predict their level of subjective well-being. Those with higher initial levels of perceived control experienced greater increases in subjective well-being. Additionally, the use of control strategies had a significant influence on changes in subjective well-being, explaining 70.5% of the variance. Conclusion: Combined use of multiple control strategies is a feasible way to improve subjective well-being in later life.