Decline In Subjective Well-being Research Articles

Economic Crises, Subjective Well-Being, and Vote Switching: The Case of Brazil’s 2018 Presidential Election

This paper examines the influence of the 2015 economic crisis on subjective well-being (SWB) and the withdrawal of support for the incumbent party during the 2018 presidential election in Brazil. Using Gallup World Poll data and a post-election national survey conducted by the Center for Studies on Public Opinion, we find that the economic crisis influenced through different channels both SWB and vote switching. Worsening personal economic circumstances explain the decline in SWB in the aftermath of the crisis, while deteriorating perceptions about the economy explain the vote switching during the presidential election in 2018. Leadership disapproval played a role in both, but to different degrees. One possible explanation for the limited effect of personal economic circumstances on voting behavior in Brazil is that those who were most severely affected by the economic downturn, specifically the poorest individuals in the country, did not see voting for Bolsonaro as a feasible or desirable choice.

Longitudinal changes in children's and adolescents' mental health and well-being and associated protective factors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened children's and adolescents' risk of experiencing long-term mental health problems and a decline in subjective well-being. To better understand the longitudinal impact of COVID-19, this study explored the role of demographic variables and the potential moderating effects of social support and daily routines as resilience factors. A nationally representative, longitudinal cohort of 5,217 Israeli children and adolescents aged 10-15 at baseline completed measures of mental health symptoms, life satisfaction, positive and negative emotions, gratitude, social support, and daily routines. Data were collected in school at four measurement points: September 2019 (before the outbreak of COVID-19; N = 5,127), May 2020 (after the first lockdown; N = 4,698), May 2021 (after the third wave lockdown; N = 4,813), and May 2022 (after the fourth and fifth waves of the pandemic; N = 4,897). The data were analyzed using multilevel mixed models. Significant increases in depression, anxiety, and panic along with decreases in psychological well-being were found as a function of time. These effects were moderated by age and gender. Participants with high social support and structured daily routines reported smaller increases in mental health symptoms than students with low social support or irregular daily routines. There is a critical need for clinical and educational interventions for young people during this period to promote the resilience factors that can moderate well-being and counter the decline in mental health. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Is happiness possible in a degrowth society?

Degrowth, i.e., a planned reduction in environmental impacts and economic scale, is increasingly discussed as a viable option for achieving sustainability. Yet, opponents counter that degrowth entails declines in economic standards, which will, in turn, reduce individual happiness and collective wellbeing. Our study explores the existing theoretical debate empirically, examining the case of Japan. There long-term decline in economic standards has not led to long-term decline in subjective wellbeing, thus bolstering the case for degrowth.

Physical activity and subjective well-being in old age in Indonesia

Old age is characterized by many problems including physical health, psychological health, and overall well-being problems. Most studies indicate a decline in subjective well-being in the geriatric population. Although many studies have investigated the relationship between physical activity and subjective well-being in old age, few have been conducted among the aging Indonesian population. This study was aimed at investigating the association between physical activity and measures of subjective well-being among older adults in Indonesia using data from a community survey. After restricting the sample to individuals aged 60 and older, a sample of 1,813 old individuals was yielded. Two models of multiple regression were estimated. In the first model, subjective well-being was predicted by physical activity. The second model added to the first model a wide range of confounding variables in order to check whether the relationship between physical activity and subjective well-being was still significant after adjusting for covariates. The main findings revealed that staying physically active was associated with high levels of life satisfaction but not with happiness beyond the contribution of gender, education, marital status, religiosity, personality, and self-rated health. Physical activity yields well-being benefits in old age and these findings are relevant for policymakers, health professionals in the geriatric field, and public health professionals.

Social Activities and Subjective Well-Being of OlderAdults in Ghana

There is growing evidence that participating in social activities by older adults improves their health, subjective wellbeing, and ultimately prolong their lifespan. However, in Ghana, there is a dearth of studies on the social activities of older adults and the relationship between social activities and subjective wellbeing. This study describes the social activities engaged in by older Ghanaian adults and explores the relationship between social activities and subjective wellbeing. Data for the study was obtained from the World Health Organization’s study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE) wave 1. This report is based on 3970 adults aged 50 years and above who had complete data on all the variables measured. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between social activities and subjective wellbeing. The data shows that majority of older Ghanaian adults do engage in social activities. However, being female, not married, and poor health was negatively associated with participation in social activities. In addition, there was a consistent decline in subjective wellbeing with age across all measured aspects of subjective wellbeing—life satisfaction, subjective wellbeing and happiness. The data shows a strong association between social activities and subjective wellbeing. Furthermore, engaging in family and friends’ and community related activities was positively associated with subjective wellbeing. However, engaging in religious activities was not positively correlated with subjective wellbeing. It is recommended that policies that encourage older Ghanaian adults, especially the poor and women, to engage more in social activities should be enacted.

Developmental Stage of Onset, Poly-Victimization, and Persistence of Childhood Victimization: Impact on Adult Well-Being in a Rural Community-Based Study.

The current study examines the persistence of victimization and poly-victimization (i.e., count of multiple types of victimization) across various stages of development (ages 0-5, 6-12, and 13-18) and the related impact on adult well-being. Participants were 2,098 adults from the Appalachian region of three Southern states. Eighty-two percent of participants reported at least one type of victimization during childhood. Among adult victims, 22.6% reported one victimization in one developmental stage (i.e., one stage, but no poly-victimization), 45.8% reported one victimization in more than one stage (i.e., persistent victimization, but no poly-victimization), 20.5% reported multiple types of victimization in one stage (i.e., poly-victimization), and 11.2% reported multiple types of victimization at more than one stage (i.e., persistent poly-victimization). Results indicated a linear decline in subjective well-being, mental health, and number of healthy days as victimization becomes more persistent across childhood and more diverse in types (i.e., poly-victimization). Study findings provide support for models of victimization that take both developmental trajectories and poly-victimization into account.

Transport poverty and subjective wellbeing

Using 12 waves of longitudinal data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey, we examine the relationship between transport poverty and subjective wellbeing. To measure transport poverty, we use indicators that reflect transport affordability and accessibility. Our preferred two-stage least squares (2SLS) estimates, which instrument for transport poverty using NYSE Arca Oil Stock Prices and OPEC oil supply (in millions of barrels), suggest that a standard deviation increase in transport poverty is associated with a decline in subjective wellbeing between 0.318 and 0.544 standard deviations. This general finding is robust to alternative ways of measuring transport poverty, alternative estimation approaches, alternative approaches to addressing endogeneity of transport poverty, and holds irrespective of whether subjective wellbeing is measured using the single-item overall life satisfaction scale or composite scales such as the Mental Health Inventory (MHI-5) scale or the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10).

Parents’ subjective well-being after their first child and declining fertility expectations

Recent studies have suggested a decline in subjective well-being after the birth of a first child. Yet parents' subjective well-being is, in general, linked positively to wanting and to having additional children.

Birth Planning and Women's and Men's Health in Malawi.

Despite the frequency with which it occurs, we know little about unintended fertility in sub-Saharan Africa and even less about its implications for the health of the women and men who experience it. We use longitudinal data from southern Malawi to explore how young adults report on the planning of their births and to identify changes in their self-rated health and subjective well-being associated with having more- or less-planned births. Our data feature a comprehensive scale of pregnancy planning, the London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy (LMUP), that extends beyond the conventional focus on timing-based pregnancy intentions to incorporate information about contraception, desires, intentions, partner discussion, and preconception preparations. Women and men have similar bimodal distributions on the LMUP, with the majority of births clearly unplanned or planned but a sizeable minority that falls in the middle. Change score models demonstrate that, for women, an unplanned birth is associated with a decline in self-rated health. In contrast, men whose births were ambivalently-planned experience a decline in subjective well-being. Our findings highlight the value of considering the full spectrum of birth planning and demonstrate the health consequences of unplanned fertility for both women and men in this sub-Saharan context.

Effect of Radiological Countermeasures on Subjective Well-Being and Radiation Anxiety after the 2011 Disaster: The Fukushima Health Management Survey.

After the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident in 2011, concerns about radiation exposure and decline in subjective well-being have been reported. To tackle these problems, various countermeasures in relation to radiation have been implemented. In this study, we comprehensively evaluated the effects of radiological countermeasures on subjective well-being (e.g., satisfaction with life (SWL) and emotional well-being) and radiation anxiety, through a questionnaire survey targeting Fukushima residents (N = 1023). Propensity scores matching was applied to evaluate significant effects of radiological countermeasures on subjective well-being and radiation anxiety. Among the radiological countermeasures, thyroid examination, whole body counter, and air dose monitoring showed the highest proportions of participation, utilization, and useful evaluation, suggesting a high degree of public attention focused on these countermeasures. The basic survey was associated with significant increases in SWL and self-rated health (SH). Thyroid examination was significantly associated with not only a reduction in radiation anxiety but also an increase of emotional stress, suggesting the importance of careful design of system and detailed communication. Food inspection was associated with deterioration in SH. Those who utilized explanatory meetings showed increases in sadness, worry, and radiation anxiety, indicating that additional attention is required of the experts and authorities involved in explanatory meetings.

Transforming lives: the impact of compulsory schooling on hope and happiness

This is the first article examining the causal impact of mandatory extended primary schooling on happiness (sense of well-being) of young adults. We rely on a law change that raised compulsory schooling from 5 to 8 years in Turkey to address the endogeneity of education to happiness. Our study shows that, for females, earning at least a middle school diploma increases the likelihood of being happy and the probability of being satisfied with various life domains. Descriptive tests suggest that being hopeful about one’s own future well-being partly explains the relationship between women’s schooling and happiness. For males, although relatively imprecisely estimated, we find evidence that earning at least a middle school degree results in a decline in subjective well-being. Supplemental analysis develops evidence consistent with the view that an imbalance between aspirations and attainments, flowing from extended primary schooling, may be the reason behind this counterintuitive finding among men.

Psychological effects of (non)employment: A cross-national comparison of the United States and Japan.

The involuntary loss of employment has been shown to deteriorate subjective well-being. Adopting a cross-cultural perspective on Jahoda's (1982) deprivation model this study examines several latent and manifest benefits of work that were expected to mediate the effects of employment status on well-being. It was hypothesized that in more collectivistic societies the decline in subjective well-being would be a consequence of a diminished sense of collective purpose for the non-employed, whereas in individualistic societies the crucial factors would be a loss of social status and financial benefits. The findings from two representative national surveys conducted in the United States (N = 1,093) and Japan (N = 647) provided partial support for these hypotheses. Cultural differences moderated the effects of employment status on the benefits of work. As a consequence, different processes mediated the decline in well-being for the non-employed in the two countries. These results are embedded within the wider discourse on culture and its effect on unemployment.

The Subjective Wellbeing of ‘At-Risk’ Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Australian Adolescents

Quantitative comparisons of subjective wellbeing (SWB) between samples of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian adolescents are scarce. This paper contributes to this literature by studying adolescents ‘at-risk’ of disengaging, or who have already disengaged, from school, their families or society. A three-group cross-sectional comparative design was employed, comparing Indigenous (N = 3,187) and non-Indigenous (N = 14,522) ‘at-risk’ adolescents with a mainstream sample of Victorian high-school students (N = 1,105). Age and gender differences in SWB within the three groups were also explored. All participants completed the Personal Wellbeing Index—School Children (PWI-SC), which measures SWB. Mean SWB was significantly higher in the mainstream sample than in both the Indigenous and non-Indigenous ‘at-risk’ groups. However, within the at-risk adolescents, the Indigenous sample scored higher than the non-Indigenous. In the mainstream sample, male and female SWB did not significantly differ, whereas males scored higher than females in both at-risk groups—with males scoring higher on all seven PWI-SC domains. Finally, in all three samples, a decline in SWB from early to mid-adolescence was observed. This suggests that mid-adolescence is a challenging time for all young people as they approach adulthood. The implications of this research for educational and government policy concerning youths in Australia is discussed. For example, the importance of obtaining normative data that will assist in the identification of young people who are most at-risk for experiencing low personal wellbeing and who are in the greatest need of support.

The Great Recession and the bulimia of US consumers: deep causes and possible ways out

This paper focuses on the apparent bulimia of US consumers and its role in the recent crisis. We seek to show how various characteristics of American society and the US economy are related to this phenomenon. We illustrate some structural features of the US economy and public policies that may have created a difference, in terms of patterns of consumption and market participation, between the USA and continental Europe. We then present some explanations of US hyperconsumerism put forward by psychologists and sociologists, thus relating this phenomenon to the decline in subjective well-being and social capital documented in the USA. We also discuss how the negative endogenous growth paradigm may help to account for it. Finally, we review the debate on the US policy agenda by underlining some weaknesses in the two politically more realistic options and by outlining a third policy strategy, which is possibly preferable for people’s long-term well-being.

‘Paradoxical’ decline? Another look at the relative reduction in female happiness

In a provocative paper, Stevenson and Wolfers (2009) provide evidence that women over the last several decades experienced an absolute and relative decline in happiness. The current paper draws upon novel data from the DDB Needham Life Style Survey to take another look at the evolution of women’s subjective well-being. In contrast to Stevenson and Wolfers, I find that men and women between 1985 and 2005 experienced similar decreases in life satisfaction. Furthermore, both sexes witnessed comparable slippages in self-confidence, growing regrets about the past, and declines in virtually every measure of self-reported physical and mental health. The data also show that men’s well-being in recent years has begun to fall more rapidly than that for women. In the final section of the paper, I present some initial evidence that the steady erosion in social and civic engagement, interpersonal trust, and financial security could be partially responsible for the widespread decline in subjective well-being over the past few decades.

Using Monte Carlo analysis to investigate the relationship between overconsumption and uncertain access to one's personal utility function

The failure of income and subjective well-being to correlate strongly beyond subsistence levels has been well documented. This is an important observation from an environmental perspective because it suggests that some excess consumption could be curbed without leading to a decline in subjective well-being. At the same time, there is evidence that access to one's internal utility function is imperfect, indicating that choices may approximate utility maximization but that the correspondence is unlikely to be exact. Here I use a Monte Carlo model to incorporate findings from hedonic psychology to investigate the question of how imperfect access to one's utility may lead to negatively affective overconsumption through asymmetries in how people are able to budget their time. According to the model, consumer debt leads to a compounding of this issue. Although it cannot return well-being to the ideal level, some hedonic costs of this overconsumption can be partially mitigated through required vacation in excess of what individuals would chose themselves in a fully functioning market, perhaps along the line of the European model.

The Role of Religion for Hospice Patients and Relatively Healthy Older Adults

As older adults approach the end of life, they frequently experience death anxiety and a decline in subjective well-being that are not always alleviated by increased religious participation. One possible explanation is the differential influences of intrinsic and extrinsic religiosity. The present study examined the effects of religious orientation and spiritual activities on subjective well-being and death attitudes among 103 relatively healthy older adults and 19 hospice patients (aged 61 and older). The results of path analyses showed that a sense of purpose in life rather than religiosity had a direct positive effect on subjective well-being and a direct negative effect on death fear after controlling for physical health and demographic characteristics. Intrinsic religiosity had an indirect positive effect on subjective well-being and a strong direct positive effect on approach acceptance of death. Extrinsic religiosity, however, was positively related to death anxiety and, for hospice patients, negatively related to approach acceptance of death.

Is age-related stability of subjective well-being a paradox? Cross-sectional and longitudinal evidence from the Berlin Aging Study.

Subjective well-being is thought to remain relatively stable into old age despite health-related losses. Age and functional health constraints were examined as predictors of individual differences and intraindividual change in subjective well-being, as indicated by positive and negative affect, using cross-sectional (N = 516) and longitudinal (N = 203) samples from the Berlin Aging Study (age range 70-103 years). In cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses, age and functional health constraints were negatively related to positive affect but unrelated to negative affect. Cross-sectionally, controlling for functional health constraints reversed the direction of the relationship between age and positive affect and produced a negative association between age and negative affect. Findings suggest two qualifications to the average stability of overall subjective well-being: Only some dimensions of subjective well-being remain stable, while others decline; age per se is not a cause of decline in subjective well-being but health constraints are.

Is age-related stability of subjective well-being a paradox? Cross-sectional and longitudinal evidence from the Berlin Aging Study.

Subjective well-being is thought to remain relatively stable into old age despite health-related losses. Age and functional health constraints were examined as predictors of individual differences and intraindividual change in subjective well-being, as indicated by positive and negative affect, using cross-sectional (N = 516) and longitudinal (N = 203) samples from the Berlin Aging Study (age range 70-103 years). In cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses, age and functional health constraints were negatively related to positive affect but unrelated to negative affect. Cross-sectionally, controlling for functional health constraints reversed the direction of the relationship between age and positive affect and produced a negative association between age and negative affect. Findings suggest two qualifications to the average stability of overall subjective well-being : Only some dimensions of subjective well-being remain stable, while others decline; age per se is not a cause of decline in subjective well-being but health constraints are.