Components Of Psychological Well-being Research Articles

Relations Between Narrative Coherence, Identity, and Psychological Well-Being in Emerging Adulthood.

The hypothesis that the ability to construct a coherent account of personal experience is reflective, or predictive, of psychological adjustment cuts across numerous domains of psychological science. It has been argued that coherent accounts of identity are especially adaptive. We tested these hypotheses by examining relations between narrative coherence of personally significant autobiographical memories and three psychological well-being components (i.e., purpose and meaning, positive self-view, positive relationships). We also examined the potential moderation of the relations between coherence and well-being by assessing the identity content of each narrative. We collected two autobiographical narratives of personally significant events from 103 undergraduate students and coded them for coherence and identity content. Two additional narratives about generic/recurring events were also collected and coded for coherence. We confirmed the prediction that constructing coherent autobiographical narratives is related to psychological well-being. Further, we found that this relation was moderated by the narratives' relevance to identity and that this moderation held after controlling for narrative ability more generally (i.e., coherence of generic/recurring events). These data lend strong support to the coherent narrative identity hypothesis and the prediction that unique events are a critical feature of identity construction in emerging adulthood.

An Examination of the Possible Benefits for Well-Being Arising from the Social Interactions that Occur while Dog Walking

Although researchers have established that companion animals act as social catalysts by promoting interaction between people, they have not examined the possible beneficial effects for well-being arising from the social interactions that occur while dog walking. The present study examined the relations between dog walkers’ social interactions and two components of psychological well-being. A sample of 987 Canadian dog walkers (18-84 years old) completed an online survey. Results of hierarchical regression analyses revealed that dog walkers who conversed with the people they encountered while dog walking were less lonely, but not less stressed, than those who did not converse with the people they encountered. Findings from closed- and open-ended questions provided insight into the positive benefits dog walkers received from their social interactions while dog walking. This study provides preliminary evidence that the social interactions that occur through dog walking are related to aspects of psychological well-being.

Üniversite Öğrencilerinin Psikolojik İyi Olma Düzeylerinin Kişilik Özellikleri ve Öz-Anlayış Açısından İncelenmesi

AbstractThe purpose of this study is to investigate the correlation between psychological well-being, personal traits and self-compassion levels, and to find out whether personal traits and self-compassion level significantly predict psychological well-being. The study sample is composed of 232 (36.5%) students from Education Faculty of Selcuk University, 195 (30.7%) students from Cumhuriyet University, 209 (32.9%) students from Ahi Evran University. There were totally 636 randomly selected students in the study group, 405 of them (%67.5) being females and 231 of them (32.5%) being males. The data were collected using Psychological Well-being Scale, Adjective Based Personality Scale, Self-compassion Scale and personal information form. To analyze the data, Pearson conduct moment correlations, and stepwise regression analysis technique were used. It was seen that there was a significant positive correlation between all subscales of psychological well-being and self-compassion. There was a negative correlation between psychological well-being and neuroticism and a positive correlation between psychological well-being and other personality traits, whereas no significant correlation was found between autonomy and agreeableness. Personal traits and self-compassion significantly predict all subscales of psychological well-being. It was found that the most significant predictor of positive relations with others as a subscale of psychological well-being is extroversion; that the most prominent predictor of autonomy, environmental mastery, and purpose in life and self-acceptance subscales is self-compassion, and that the variable which predicts the subscale of personal growth best is openness to experience as personal traits.Key WordsFive-factor Personality Theory, Personal Traits, Psychological Well-being, Self-compassion.In recent years, psychologists have focused on positive sides of people rather than their problems. The purpose of positive psychology is to initiate a change that concentrates on equipping people with positive qualities rather than struggling to change bad aspects of life. One of the concepts of this approach is psychological well-being (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000). Ryff (1995) suggests that well-being should be defined with respect to positive properties. Psychological well-being means more than being free from stress, and not having other psychological problems. It encompasses positive self-perception, positive relations with others, environmental mastery, autonomy, purpose in life and emotions inclined towards a healthy development (Ryff, 1995). In order to account for well-being, two different perspectives are seen in the literature. The first is the concept of hedonism, and the other is psychological functionality (eudaimonic) (Keyes, Shmotkin, & Ryff, 2002; Ryan & Deci, 2000). The hedonist perspective defines well-being as satisfaction and happiness. The main criterion for the conceptualization of the hedonist perspective is a person's evaluating his/her life according to a set of values and standards that he/she determine. The perspective of psychological functionality defines well-being based on self-realization and full functionality (Waterman, 1993). Schmutte and Ryff (1997) argue that though typical measurements that stress positive affect, negative affect and life satisfaction as three components of psychological well-being are effective in measuring well-being, they are conceptually not appropriate for psychological health development. According to Ryff (1989a), structures that underlie well-being basically has a more complicated structure than that commonly seen in the literature. Ryff (1989a) also states that psychological well-being is a multidimensional structure rather than a mere combination of positive and negative affect and life satisfaction.The positive psychological function has six different dimensions. These dimensions include positive assessment of an individual's life and personal history (self-acceptance), the feeling of continuous growth and development as an individual (personal growth), the individual's belief that life is meaningful and purposeful (purpose in life), establishing quality relations with other individuals (positive relations with others), the ability of the individual to direct his/her life and the world around him/her (environmental mastery), making individual decisions (autonomy) (Ryff & Keyes, 1995) Positive Relations with Others: Ryff (1989a) defined positive relations as strong emotions of empathy and love established with others in a clear and reliable way. …

Positive components of mental health provide significant protection against likelihood of falling in older women over a 13-year period

In late life, falls are associated with disability, increased health service utilization and mortality. Physical and psychological risk factors of falls include falls history, grip strength, sedative use, stroke, cognitive impairment, and mental ill-health. Less understood is the role of positive psychological well-being components. This study investigated the protective effect of vitality on the likelihood of falls in comparison to mental and physical health. Female participants were drawn from the Dynamic Analyses to Optimise Ageing (DYNOPTA) harmonization project. Participants (n = 11,340) were aged 55-95 years (Mean = 73.68; SD = 4.31) at baseline and observed on up to four occasions for up to 13 years (Mean = 5.30; SD = 2.53). A series of random intercept logistic regression models consistently identified vitality's protective effects on falls as a stronger effect in the reduction of the likelihood of falls than the effect of mental health. Vitality is a significant predictor of falls likelihood even after adjusting for physical health, although the size of effect is substantially explained by its covariance with mental and physical heath. Vitality has significant protective effects on the likelihood of falls. In comparison with mental health, vitality reported much stronger protective effects on the likelihood to fall in comparison with the risk associated with poor mental health in a large sample of older female adults. Both physical health and mental health account for much of the variance in vitality, but vitality still reports a protective effect on the likelihood of falls.

The role of working memory capacity in autobiographical retrieval: Individual differences in strategic search

Remembering previous experiences from one's personal past is a principal component of psychological well-being, personality, sense of self, decision making, and planning for the future. In the current study the ability to search for autobiographical information in memory was examined by having college students recall their Facebook friends. Individual differences in working memory capacity manifested itself in the search of autobiographical memory by way of the total number of friends remembered, the number of clusters of friends, size of clusters, and the speed with which participants could output their friends' names. Although working memory capacity was related to the ability to search autobiographical memory, participants did not differ in the manner in which they approached the search and used contextual cues to help query their memories. These results corroborate recent theorising, which suggests that working memory is a necessary component of self-generating contextual cues to strategically search memory for autobiographical information.

Subjective Well-Being Mediates the Effects of Resilience and Mastery on Depression and Anxiety in a Large Community Sample of Young and Middle-Aged Adults

The tripartite model of depression and anxiety hypothesizes that positive and negative affect is related to depression and anxiety. However, the specific role of cognitive or psychological well-being constructs like resilience and mastery within a tripartite context and throughout adulthood is unclear. Data was drawn from two longitudinal population-based cohorts, aged 20-24 and 40-44 based in Canberra, Australia (N = 3989). We sought to determine the interrelatedness of two affective measures of subjective well-being, positive and negative affect, with two cognitive measures of psychological well-being, resilience and mastery. We then tested their independent effects on depression and anxiety, and hypothesized, following the tripartite model, that subjective well-being would mediate the effects of the psychological well-being variables on mental health and that the psychological well-being variables would be more strongly related to positive subjective well-being. Principal axis factoring delineated four affective and cognitive dimensions of well-being comprising positive and negative affect, resilience and mastery. Structural equation models identified the psychological well-being variables as significantly related to subjective well-being, which fully mediated the effects of resilience and partially mediated the effect of mastery on depression and anxiety. These findings were consistent throughout both young and middle adulthood. Psychological well-being components are significant predictors of subjective well-being affect states that increase vulnerability to depression and anxiety.

Psychological Well-Being, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, and Long-Term Survival

Psychological well-being is associated with mortality/survival. Although cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is one of the strongest predictors of mortality, studies examining the relationship between well-being and survival seldom account for the possible effects of CRF. This study examined the independent associations of psychological well-being components (low level of negative emotion and high level of positive emotion) and CRF, as well as their combined effects, with survival. Participants (N=4888) were examined in 1988-1997 and followed up for a median period of ∼15 years (212 deaths, 4.3%). CRF was assessed by a maximal exercise test on a treadmill. Low-level negative emotion was defined as the minimum score of the negative emotion subscale of the CES-D scale and high-level positive emotion as the maximum score of the positive emotion subscale. Results are presented as hazard ratios (95% CIs). Data were analyzed in 2009. After adjustment for a set of established risk factors, men and women with low levels of negative emotion had lower risk of death than those with higher levels of negative emotion, 0.66 (95% CI=0.50, 0.87). The association persisted after additional adjustment for CRF and positive emotion. High level of positive emotion was not associated with survival. A high level of CRF independently predicted lower risk of death, 0.54 (95% CI=0.37, 0.79), compared to a low level of CRF. The risk of death in participants with both a low level of negative emotion and a high level of CRF was 0.37 (95% CI=0.22, 0.63), compared to their peers with higher levels of negative emotion/low levels of CRF. Low levels of negative emotion and high levels of CRF are independent predictors of long-term survival in men and women. A strong combined effect was observed, as individuals with both a low level of negative emotion and a high level of CRF had a 63% lower risk of premature death than those with higher levels of negative emotion and a low level of CRF.

The Mediator Roles of Life Satisfaction and Self-Esteem between the Affective Components of Psychological Well-Being and the Cognitive Symptoms of Problematic Internet Use

The factors associated with cognitions about problematic Internet use have been empirically tested in various studies. The aim of the present study was to examine the mediator roles of both life satisfaction and self-esteem between affective components of subjective well-being and cognitions about problematic Internet use. For this purpose, the model that was conceptualized by Davis (Comput Human Behav 17:187–195, 2001), Caplan (Comput Human Behav 18:553–575 2002), and Lent et al. (J Vocat Behav 74:190–198 2009) was modified and used as the theoretical framework for this study. The impacts of life satisfaction and self-esteem on the association between affective components of psychological well-being (positive and negative) and cognitions about problematic Internet use were tested by using structural equation modeling (SEM) in a sample of 480 Turkish university students. The results reveal that by playing a mediator role, self-esteem impacted positive/negative affect and life satisfaction and, hence, indirectly influenced cognitions about problematic Internet use. Examining the roles of self-esteem and subjective well-being will provide a new starting point for further studies.

Maternal psychological well‐being and salivary cortisol in late pregnancy and early post‐partum

AbstractMaternal cortisol plays an important role in foetal development and is often used to measure stress. In addition to stress, prenatal and post‐partum women experience a mix of positive and negative emotions. However, few studies have examined the relationship between cortisol and maternal psychological health or how these relationships change from the prenatal to the post‐partum periods. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between maternal cortisol and stress, happiness, and depression components of psychological well‐being, in late pregnancy and early post‐partum. The study used a repeated measure design with 41 women; 21 women completed all data collections. As expected, maternal salivary cortisol increased from awakening to 30 minutes after awakening during pregnancy. Levels of salivary cortisol were lower at post‐partum. Stress, happiness and depression were significantly correlated at both prenatal and post‐partum measurements. Prenatal cortisol awakening response was correlated with happiness. Maternal psychological well‐being and cortisol did not differ by parity, race or employment. Maternal cortisol could potentially serve as a biochemical marker of maternal psychological well‐being. Interventions to decrease maternal stress may promote maternal psychological well‐being. Longitudinal studies with larger sample and diverse ethnicities may increase our understanding of the role of cortisol in foetal and maternal health. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Does Perceived Emotional Intelligence and Optimism/pessimism Predict Psychological Well-being?

In this study we examined the associations between perceived emotional intelligence, dispositional optimism/pessimism and psychological well-being. In addition to correlational analyses, we examined a model by structural equation modeling (SEM). The study of psychological well-being in the field of positive psychology from the paradigmatic approach to happiness developed by Ryff and Singer (Psychother Psychosomat 65(1):14–23, 1998) is very important and essential, due in part to the lack of studies analyzing the predictors of Ryff’s PWB model by contemplating emotional and cognitive factors. In this framework, our study examines the possible role of optimism and PEI as possible predictors of the psychological well-being dimensions proposed by Ryff, with a specific pattern of relationships as a model. Our results show positive relationships between clarity and emotional regulation and the psychological well-being components. With regard to dispositional optimism versus pessimism, positive relationships were found between optimism and psychological well-being dimensions and negative relationships between pessimism and dimensions of psychological well-being. Our model also includes some relationships, not initially raised, between the dimensions of perceived emotional intelligence and some dimensions of psychological well-being. Our results suggest relationships between emotional attention and purpose in life as well as with personal growth dimensions of psychological well-being. Implications and limitations are discussed.

Need Satisfaction, Well-Being, and Perceived Return-to-Sport Outcomes Among Injured Athletes

The purpose of this investigation was to examine whether components of psychological well-being (i.e., positive affect, negative affect, self-esteem, and vitality) mediated the relationship between self-determination theory (SDT) basic needs (competence, autonomy and relatedness) and perceived return-to-sport outcomes. Competitive athletes (n = 204) from Australia, Canada, and the United States completed an injury need satisfaction scale, psychological well-being inventories, and a measure of perceived return-to-sport outcomes. Mediation analysis (Baron & Kenny, 1986) revealed that positive affect partially mediated the relationship between competence and autonomy need satisfaction and a renewed perspective on sport, while negative affect, self-esteem, and vitality fully mediated the relationship between relatedness need satisfaction and return concerns. Interpretation of the findings suggests the importance of components of well-being in mediating relatedness need satisfaction on “return concerns” in a sport injury context. Prospective longitudinal designs using an SDT framework are discussed to further research in this area.

Culture and Personality on Psychology Well-being Research

The present study examined the interplay of personality and cultural factors in the prediction of the affective (e.g., emotional stability) and the cognitive (e.g., life satisfaction) components of psychological wellbeing (PWB).This study predicted that the influence of personality on life satisfaction is mediated by emotional stability (Study 1) and the relationship between emotional stability and life satisfaction is moderated by culture (study 2). As a consequence, they predicted that the influence of personality on life satisfaction is mediated by different cultures. College student participants from three cultures [Korea, China, Chosun (Chinese of Korean extraction)] completed measures of autonomy, self-esteem, emotional stability, and life satisfaction. As predicted, autonomy, selfesteem, emotional stability in all cultures, and emotional stability were stronger predictors on life satisfaction in democratic than the ones in socialistic cultures. The influence of autonomy and self-esteem on life satisfaction was largely mediated by individuals’ emotional stability. The results suggest that the influence of personality on the emotional component of PWB is pancultural, whereas the influence of personality on the cognitive component of PWB is moderated by different cultures. Results also suggest greater internalization of horizontal (personality) than vertical (regional) practices. Finally, implications and limitations of this study as well as suggestions for future studies are discussed.

The relationship between emotional intelligence and psychological wellbeing

PurposeTheory suggests that highly emotionally intelligent individuals are likely to experience psychological wellbeing at a higher level than individuals who are low in emotional intelligence. This study aims to examine the relationship between emotional intelligence and four aspects of psychological wellbeing (self‐acceptance, life satisfaction, somatic complaints and self‐esteem).Design/methodology/approachData were collected from employees through two different structured surveys administered at two points in time.FindingsThe results of four hierarchical regression models provide, in general, support for the positive association between emotional intelligence and psychological wellbeing components – self‐esteem, life satisfaction, and self‐acceptance. Only marginal significant support was found for the negative relationship between emotional intelligence and somatic complaints.Originality/valueThe present study contributes to a growing body of literature seeking to determine the role of emotional intelligence in explaining individuals' wellbeing at work. In addition, the study indicates that employees who experience a psychological state of wellbeing may function better than employees who experience emotional deficit.

Preadolescent leaders: critical reflections from a well-being perspective

Very little information is available on the impact of leadership practices, in South African primary schools, on the development of preadolescent learners. Leadership in primary schools focuses mainly on the roles, tasks, features, identification and development of leadership. Leadership practices, as currently applied in most primary schools in South Africa, challenge preadolescent development, with serious consequences. Our purpose in this study was to reflect critically on the appropriateness of existing leadership models for the preadolescent from a well-being perspective. A qualitative research method, which follows an inductive, exploratory approach, was selected because this method acknowledges the complexity of the phenomenon. Data were collected by means of focus groups and written assignments. The six components of psychological well-being, namely: self-acceptance, personal growth, purpose in life, positive relations with others, environmental mastery, and autonomy are used in discussion of the findings. The findings confirmed that the current social phenomenon of preadolescent leadership contributes to negative evaluations of the self and personal experiences, early identity foreclosure, disrupted peer group interactions, distorted relationships with adults, and a limited environment for the development of self-determination.

Sport psychological skills training and psychological well-being

The impact of psychological skills training (PST) package programs on life, health, well-being in general and South African youth in particular has been relatively neglected. For example, prior to this research the impact of PST on the core health component of psychological well-being had not been evaluated, nor had the conceptual and/or empirical relationship between psychological skills and psychological well-being been investigated. While PST is often conducted individually due to its personal and specific nature, group training should not be overlooked especially in South Africa where community interventions are an important part of health promotion. With the above considerations in mind a triangulated design involving individual, group and community interventions, as well as elite and expert case studies was utilized to evaluate the effectiveness of a PST program and to investigate the relationship between psychological skills and psychological well-being. Results based on quantitative and qualitative outcome and process measurements indicated general improvement in psychological skills, psychological well-being and sporting performance. Psychological skills and psychological well-being were found to be interrelated concepts, with overlapping components. Recommendations for ongoing and future research at individual, group and community level are made.

Predictors of Well‐Being Among Nontraditional Female Students With Children

Many nontraditional female students experience psychological distress related to balancing family and academic roles, whereas others benefit from managing multiple roles. This study of 209 nontraditional female undergraduate students with children investigated factors that influence their psychological well‐being. Results indicated that secure attachment, parent and student self‐efficacy, and social support contributed to the prediction of psychological distress (38%), self‐esteem (54%), and life satisfaction (35%). Recommendations are made to enhance counseling services for nontraditional female students.

Dispositional Forgiveness of Self, Others, and Situations

Six studies regarding forgiveness are presented. The Heartland Forgiveness Scale (HFS), a self-report measure of dispositional forgiveness (with subscales to assess forgiveness of self, others, and situations) was developed and demonstrated good psychometric properties. Forgiveness correlated positively with cognitive flexibility, positive affect, and distraction; it correlated negatively with rumination, vengeance, and hostility. Forgiveness predicted four components of psychological well-being (anger, anxiety, depression, and satisfaction with life); forgiveness of situations accounted for unique variance in these components of psychological well-being. Forgiveness and hostility demonstrated equivalent, inverse associations with relationship duration, and forgiveness accounted for unique variance in relationship satisfaction, even when controlling for trust. Forgiveness level correlated positively with decreased negativity in statements written about transgressions in the present versus the past tense.

Psychological Well - Being and Physical Self-Esteem in Sport and Exercise

The value of various forms of physical activity, exercise and sport for the promotion of mental health has been emphasised in recent research and intervention programmes. This research investigated the relationship between sports involving diverse types of regular exercise, namely hockey and health club activities (team and individual sports involving relatively more aerobic and resistance exercise respectively), and various components of psychological well-being and physical self-perception. Comparisons between 60 university hockey players, 27 health club members and 111 non-exercising students revealed that both hockey players and health club members were generally more psychologically well and had more positive physical self-perception than non-exercising students. Hockey players had significantly higher means than health club members on positive relations with others, sports competence and sport importance. While health club members' means were clearly higher than hockey players on environmental maste...

Treatment regimen, sexual attractiveness concerns and psychological adjustment among African American breast cancer patients.

Among a sample of African American women recently diagnosed with breast cancer, we assessed the consequences of different treatment regimens on sexual attractiveness concerns, and the impact of sexual attractiveness concerns on current and subsequent psychological adjustment. The sample included 91 African American women with breast cancer; 90% had Stage I or II disease, 48% had chemotherapy, 47% had a lumpectomy, and 53% received a mastectomy. Feelings of sexual attractiveness and psychological adjustment were assessed an average of 3 months following surgery and again 4 months post-baseline. Regression analyses revealed that chemotherapy was associated with greater concerns about sexual attractiveness among lumpectomy patients (p<0.05), but not among mastectomy patients (p>0.20). The interaction also suggested that chemotherapy equalized the impact of types of surgery, as there was no difference on sexual attractiveness between surgery groups among women who had received chemotherapy (p>0.20). However, among women who had not received chemotherapy, mastectomy patients reported greater sexual attractiveness concerns (p<0.01). Finally, regression analyses revealed that feelings of sexual attractiveness were an important component of psychological well-being, both cross-sectionally (p<0.001) and longitudinally (p<0.001). Assessment of the combined impact of different treatment regimens on feelings of sexual attractiveness is particularly important given the current consensus that all breast cancer patients should receive chemotherapy, regardless of nodal status. Further, concerns about sexual attractiveness should be considered for inclusion as one component of psychosocial support programs for African American women with breast cancer, as our results suggested that they played a significant role in psychological adjustment.

Appraisal and coping in adults with cleft lip: associations with well-being and social anxiety.

The appraisal patterns and coping strategies of adults born with a cleft lip or cleft lip and palate were assessed in relation to measures of psychological well-being and social anxiety. A sample of 51 adults was recruited via the Cleft Lip and Palate Association. Data were collated using a questionnaire incorporating open questions and standardized measures. The focus was upon appraisal of the cleft, perceptions of consequences--both positive and negative--on personal and social dimensions, together with measurements of sense of coherence, psychological well-being, satisfaction with life and coping responses utilized in stressful situations. There was wide variability in the participants' reports of negative affect as a component of psychological well-being, suggesting that there may be small numbers of individuals with quite extreme responses. Seventy-five per cent reported difficulties which they attributed to their cleft. Perceiving positive gains as a result of the cleft and having a positive appraisal of facial appearance was associated with well-being. Patterns in coping strategies were also associated with emotional adjustment. Personal appraisals of both having a cleft and facial appearance may be more important in determining emotional well-being than the current medical emphasis on the aesthetics of surgical outcomes.