Gender Differences In Subjective Well-being Research Articles

Investigation of Communication Skills and Subjective Well-being Levels in Helping Professional Groups

This study examines the relationship between communication skills and subjective well-being among students in the psychological counseling and guidance and nutrition and dietetics programs. The research, which involved 430 university students as professional candidates, investigates the impact of program, gender, grade, perceived parental behaviours, and residence on both subjective well-being and communication style. The results indicate a significant association between effective communication, well-being, and family influences, highlighting their crucial role in personal and professional development. It is worth noting that gender differences in subjective well-being and communication skills levels were identified, with females exhibiting higher scores. These findings have important implications for the design of psycho-education programs and support measures. The study provides guidance for tailoring interventions to address gender-specific needs and recognizes the influential role of familial factors in cultivating communication and well-being competencies of students in counseling and nutrition-related disciplines.

Investigating Gender Disparities in the Relationships between Psychological Hardiness and Subjective Well-being in Cardiac Patients: The Mediating Role of Resilience

Background: Health psychologists are constructively playing their role to help us know the causes of psychobiological disorders that affect human physical and psychological health Objective: The existing study was designed to investigate the gender differences among cardiac patients in terms of psychological hardiness, subjective well-being, and resilience in cardiac patients. Methods: Gender differences among cardiac patients were investigated using a cross-sectional study approach. The research comprised 75 cardiac patients (43 male and 32 female) ranging in age from 27 + to 65 years. Participants were briefed about the significance of the research, informed consent was obtained, and data were collected using valid, indigenously translated research instruments. Patient anonymity was maintained, and responses were evaluated using SPSS-23 and AMOS-20 statistical tools. Results: Results from the independent sample t-test revealed that male cardiac patients exhibited a significantly higher level of psychological hardiness (t=4.46, p<.05) and resilience (t=7.51, p<.05) compared to their female counterparts. However, the study found no statistically significant gender differences in subjective well-being. (t=.08, p>.05). Moreover, path analysis was conducted through structure equational modelling, unveiled that resilience played a significant role in the connection between psychological hardiness and subjective well-being in the patients (χ2=1.82, p<.05, RMSEA=.07, RMR=.20, CFI=.97, GFI=.98, and TLI=.93). The determined value of chi-square (χ2/pdf) 1.82 is acceptable for model fit indexes parameters. The multiple linear regression analysis findings revealed that resilience and psychological hardiness were significant (p<.05) predictors of subjective well-being in cardiac patients. Conclusion: This research emphasizes the vital role of psychological hardiness in cardiac patients' lives, showcasing its adaptive function. The study's findings will contribute to the existing literature, providing valuable guidance for medical professionals, health/clinical psychologists, and the families of patients. This information aims to enhance rehabilitation strategies and promote improved well-being for individuals with cardiac patients.

Relationship Between Happiness and Extracurricular Activities Among High School Students

Objective: This study aimed to bridge the knowledge gap of the relationship between extracurricular activities and happiness among high school students and the variance of well-being among types of schools and genders. Methods: Using a cross-sectional field survey, data were obtained from 503 high school students of co-educational, boys-only, and girls-only schools. Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale is used for measuring well-being. ANOVA, t-test and correlation study are employed. Results: Among students, 32.0% had low well-being, 66.2% had moderate well-being, and only 1.8% had high well-being. A statistically significant difference in mean happiness scores between the types of schools was observed through ANOVA. Independent t-test shows that subjective well-being among boys was higher than the girls. Conclusions: The findings from this study suggest that extracurricular activities can significantly positively impact subjective well-being. Boys-only school has a significantly higher mean score of well-being than types of school. Additionally, gender differences in subjective well-being require further exploration with additional variables. Research Implications: Such findings contribute to our better understanding of the relationship between well-being and extracurricular activities. Also, it can have implications for policymakers and teachers in developing pedagogy and for family members and other stakeholders in bringing about the holistic development of students. Originality/value: This study addresses the gap in the body of knowledge regarding the significance of extracurricular activities and subjective well-being among high school students in India.

Relationship Between Happiness and Extracurricular Activities Among High School Students

Objective: This study aimed to bridge the knowledge gap of the relationship between extracurricular activities and happiness among high school students and the variance of well-being among types of schools and genders. Methods: Using a cross-sectional field survey, data were obtained from 503 high school students of co-educational, boys-only, and girls-only schools. Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale is used for measuring well-being. ANOVA, t-test and correlation study are employed. Results: Among students, 32.0% had low well-being, 66.2% had moderate well-being, and only 1.8% had high well-being. A statistically significant difference in mean happiness scores between the types of schools was observed through ANOVA. Independent t-test shows that subjective well-being among boys was higher than the girls. Conclusions: The findings from this study suggest that extracurricular activities can significantly positively impact subjective well-being. Boys-only school has a significantly higher mean score of well-being than types of school. Additionally, gender differences in subjective well-being require further exploration with additional variables. Research Implications: Such findings contribute to our better understanding of the relationship between well-being and extracurricular activities. Also, it can have implications for policymakers and teachers in developing pedagogy and for family members and other stakeholders in bringing about the holistic development of students. Originality/value: This study addresses the gap in the body of knowledge regarding the significance of extracurricular activities and subjective well-being among high school students in India.

Relationship between gender and subjective well-being: survey of married couples

Subjective well-being refers to people’s experience and self-reported measures about the quality of their lives, cognitive evaluation of social and economic activities. This evaluation depends on different factors, like income, standards of living, mood, adaptability, expectation on job-to-pay ratio. The importance of gender in this process cannot be underestimated. Based on data obtained by a sociological survey we examined 75 Altai Krai's married couples responses to determine gender differences in subjective well-being, using a multi-step procedure involving methods of frequency and correlation analysis, the method of studying the relationship between categorical variables. Our results reveal several gender differences, which greatly appear in expectations on a job-to-pay ratio.

Understanding women’s well-being in Turkey

The results of empirical studies focusing on gender differences in subjective wellbeing based on either national or comparative international data are inconclusive. In Turkey, where levels of gender inequality are high, women tend to report higher levels of life satisfaction than men. This study investigates the relationship between factors related to women’s empowerment and life satisfaction for both ever-married and never-married women using the 2018 Turkey Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS), which collected data on life satisfaction for the first time in a TDHS series. The results show that in addition to their material resources and living environment, factors related to women’s agency – i.e., education and participation in decisionmaking – are associated with women’s levels of life satisfaction.

Coresidence with kin and subjective well-being in the transition to adulthood: A comparison of the United States, Germany, Japan and China

Although residence patterns during the transition to adulthood are dynamic and have a high influence on subjective well-being, empirical studies are scarce, especially with regard to international comparisons. The way living arrangements during the transition to adulthood are normatively framed in bilinear, neolocal kinship cultures is very different from the way they are framed in patrilineal, patrilocal cultures. Thus, living arrangements such as living alone, living with parents and especially living with in-laws should correspond to varying levels of well-being depending on the culture. Based on panel data (National Longitudinal Survey of Youth – NLSY97, German Panel Analysis of Intimate Relationships and Family Dynamics, Japanese Life Course Panel Survey and China Family Panel Studies), we analyzed the levels of subjective well-being of young adults aged 20–35 in households of varying family composition across cultures and over time. Differences between patrilineal, patrilocal kinship systems in Japan and China and bilineal, neolocal kinship systems in Germany and the United States became evident in lower levels of subjective well-being of young adults in China and Japan than in Germany and the United States, when living alone or in single-parent families. Germany and the United States were similar in their strong gender differences in subjective well-being, with young women showing a much lower level than men, but differed with regard to the variation by coresidence type, which was higher in the United States than in Germany. Gender differences in Japan and China were related to living in extended households, which resulted in very low levels of subjective well-being for young women, whereas the impact was small in China. Despite the differences in kinship systems, institutional regulations, and opportunity structures, living in a nuclear family of procreation was associated with the highest level of subjective well-being for young men and women in all four countries.

The Investigation of Gender Differences in Subjective Wellbeing in Children and Adolescents: The UP&DOWN Study.

Objective: Based on a three-factor model of subjective wellbeing (evaluative, hedonic and eudemonic), the purpose of this study was to analyze gender differences in children and adolescents through three different subjective wellbeing indicators. Method: The sample comprised 1.407 children and adolescents from Cadiz and Madrid (Spain), in the framework of the UP&DOWN study. Life satisfaction was measured with the subjective happiness scale, positive and negative affect were measured with the positive and negative affect schedule, and purpose in life was assessed with the children’s hope scale. Results: Linear regression models indicate the existence of significant gender differences only in adolescents, with higher scores among girls in positive affect (p = 0.016) and negative affect (p < 0.001) but with lower scores in purpose in life (p = 0.024). Conclusions: These results highlight the role of gender as an important factor in explaining differences in subjective wellbeing. Additionally, results indicate that gender differences in subjective wellbeing are observed in adolescents, but not in children, suggesting that the gender gap in subjective wellbeing begins at the age of 12. Mental health practitioners should pay attention to these findings in order to implement screening methods and interventions focused on these needs.

Gender Differences in Subjective Well-Being of Healthy High-School Students

Summary The objective of this study was to analyse the level of subjective well-being (SWB) through five SWB dimensions and compare it between healthy male and healthy female high school students preferring sedentary leisure time activities. The research sample comprised of 90 male high school students (mean age 16.72 ± 1.33) and 126 female high school students (mean age 16.71 ± 1.36) who preferred sedentary types of leisure time activities with self-reported good health status. A standardized The Bern Subjective Well-Being Questionnaire for Adolescents (BFW) was used as a primary research method. We found significantly higher level of positive SWB dimension (U = 4281, p = 0.002, r = 172) and significantly lower level of negative SWB dimension (U = 2835, p = 0.000, r = 424) in the group of male high school students with self-reported good health status in comparison to female high school students. Parents should be involved in the selection of their children's leisure time activities, so it should not have only the sedentary character but also sport leisure time activities, mainly among young girls.

Human Capital Endowments and Gender Differences in Subjective Well-Being in Chile

We study the gender life satisfaction gap by using a non-linear version of the Blinder–Oaxaca decomposition to isolate the effect of human capital inequalities among men and women in Chile, a country with one of the lowest female labor force participation in the world. We test gender bias hypotheses through the way each individual values their own income in relation to their partner’s. We provide evidence the gender life satisfaction gap favoring men can be more than fully explained by the differences in endowments (e.g., income and education). Nonetheless, there are structural disparities in the way men and women value their endowments, especially their income and labor status. Regarding the partner’s income, we found personal income is always more valued than the partners, and that this difference is higher in the case of men. Finally, we find differences in the valuation of being out of the labor force. We interpret these findings as consequence of a high degree of sexism prevailing in Chile, which masks the full effect of material inequalities in people’s lives.

A Meta-Analysis of Gender Differences in Subjective Well-Being: Estimating Effect Sizes and Associations With Gender Inequality

Despite global gender inequalities, findings on gender differences in subjective well-being have been inconsistent. We conducted a meta-analysis on gender differences in subjective well-being to account for the type of subjective-well-being measure, sampling variability, and levels of national gender inequality from which samples are gathered. Based on 281 effect sizes for life satisfaction (N = 1,001,802) and 264 for job satisfaction (N = 341,949), results showed no significant gender differences in both types of subjective well-being. Supplementary meta-analyses found significantly lower job satisfaction, but not life satisfaction, in women for studies that used both life-satisfaction and job-satisfaction measures, and studies that relied on measures that previously demonstrated measurement equivalence. Using the Gender Inequality Index, we found that greater national gender inequality significantly predicts greater gender differences in job satisfaction, but not life satisfaction. We discuss the implications of these findings and the use of subjective well-being as a measure of societal progress.

Children's subjective well-being in relation to gender — What can we learn from dissatisfied children?

Gender differences in subjective well-being (SWB) are a common finding in studies of children, but the nature, causes and effects of these differences remain unclear. This article draws on data from the Children's Worlds study, an international survey of child well-being across countries, to examine the structure of SWB drawing on different life domains, and comparing the effects of these domains on SWB for boys and girls. Structural equation modelling is used to examine differences between 12year old boys and girls who reported low subjective well-being (bottom 25% of the sample). Findings reveal that the structure of SWB is comparable across the genders; girls' SWB was lower than boys'; and different domains of SWB vary in their importance for boys and girls. Specifically, girls' SWB appears to be more driven by relational factors, whilst boys' SWB is more driven by perceived academic achievement.

Gender Differences in Subjective Well-Being and Their Relationships with Gender Equality

Although most surveys of happiness and general life satisfaction find only small differences between men and women, women report slightly higher subjective well-being than men in some countries, and slightly lower subjective well-being in others. The present study investigates the social and cultural conditions that favor higher female relative to male happiness and life satisfaction. Results from more than 90 countries represented in the World Values Survey show that conditions associated with a high level of female relative to male happiness and life satisfaction include a high proportion of Muslims in the country, a low proportion of Catholics, and absence of communist history. Among indicators of gender equality, a low rate of female non-agricultural employment is associated with higher female-versus-male happiness and satisfaction. Differences in the rate of female non-agricultural employment explain part of the effects of communist history and prevailing religion. They may also explain the recent observation of declining female life satisfaction in the United States.

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.

Do Intelligence, Intensity of Felt Emotions and Emotional Regulation Have an Impact on Life Satisfaction? A Quali-quantitative Study on Subjective Wellbeing with Italian Children Aged 8–11

According to the hedonic perspective of Positive Psychology and based on children’s literature, the aim of the present study is twofold: to investigate the factors which could elicit a sense of wellbeing in children; to assess the impact of personal factors (non-verbal intelligence, positive/negative emotions and regulation of positive/negative emotions) on children’s satisfaction in life. The participants were 132 Italian children between the ages of 8 and 11. Content analysis and quantitative analysis were conducted. Analysis of word associations revealed that the term wellbeing was associated with family, school, friendship, sports, the emotion of happiness, enjoyment, company, relaxation and feeling loved and protected. Analysis of specific typical associations revealed that females were more likely to describe wellbeing in socio-emotional terms (love/feeling safe) and boys in terms of play. Furthermore, the regression analyses showed that intensity of felt emotions had an impact on life satisfaction, while capacity to regulate emotions and non-verbal intelligence did not. It also pointed out the gender differences in subjective wellbeing: in boys the intensity of positive emotions triggered satisfaction with self; while in girls, the level of life satisfaction was explained both by high intensity of positive emotions and by low intensity of negative emotions. The results are discussed in order to highlight the importance of measuring and monitoring children’s life satisfaction to foster optimal conditions of life and to prevent maladaptive adjustment.

Gender Differences in Subjective Well-Being In and Out of Management Positions

This study used data from the German Socio-economic Panel to examine gender differences in the extent to which self-reported subjective well-being was associated with occupying a high-level managerial position in the labour market, compared with employment in non-leadership, non-high-level managerial positions, unemployment, and non-labour market participation. Our results indicated that a clear hierarchy exists for men in term of how status within the labour market was associated with subjective life satisfaction. Unemployed men were the least satisfied, followed by men who were not in the labour market, while men in leadership positions reported the highest level of subjective life satisfaction. For women, no statistically significant differences were observed among women in high-level managerial positions, women who worked in non-high-level positions, and women who specialized in household production, with no market work. Only women who were unemployed reported lower levels of life satisfaction, compared with women in other labour-market statuses. Our results lend evidence to the contention that men can “have it all”, but women must still choose between career and family in Germany. We argue that interventions need to address how the non-pecuniary rewards associated with high-level managerial and leadership positions can be increased for women. Such policies would also likely serve to mitigate the “pipeline” problem concerning the number of women who are available to move into high positions in the private sector.

Gender Differences in Subjective Well-Being in and Out of Management Positions

This study used data from the German Socio-economic Panel to examine gender differences in the extent to which self-reported subjective well-being was associated with occupying a high-level managerial position in the labour market, compared with employment in non-leadership, non-high-level managerial positions, unemployment, and non-labour market participation. Our results indicated that a clear hierarchy exists for men in term of how status within the labour market was associated with subjective life satisfaction. Unemployed men were the least satisfied, followed by men who were not in the labour market, while men in leadership positions reported the highest level of subjective life satisfaction. For women, no statistically significant differences were observed among women in high-level managerial positions, women who worked in non-high-level positions, and women who specialized in household production, with no market work. Only women who were unemployed reported lower levels of life satisfaction, compared with women in other labour-market statuses. Our results lend evidence to the contention that men can have it all, but women must still choose between career and family in Germany. We argue that interventions need to address how the non-pecuniary rewards associated with high-level managerial and leadership positions can be increased for women. Such policies would also likely serve to mitigate the pipeline problem concerning the number of women who are available to move into high positions in the private sector.

Gender differences in subjective well-being in Central and Eastern Europe

The literature suggests that the transition process from centrally planned to market economies in Central and Eastern Europe increased the gender gap in poverty. Evidence for women’s higher poverty risk is scarce, given that most analyses use household-level data and assume equal sharing of income within households, an assumption that has been questioned in recent literature. This article uses individual data on subjective well-being to examine the extent of gender differences in welfare in transition countries. OECD countries serve for benchmarking results. Findings show that the gender gap in subjective well-being is more predominant in post-communist than in OECD countries. Relatively little of the gender gap can be attributed to gender differences in socio-economic position in transition countries, but certain attributes, such as higher education and unemployment, impact differently on reported well-being for women and men.

Gender Differences in Subjective Well-Being in and Out of Management Positions

This study used data from the German Socio-economic Panel to examine gender differences in the extent to which self-reported subjective well-being was associated with occupying a high-level managerial position in the labour market,compared with employment in nonleadership, non-high-level managerial positions, unemployment, and non-labour market participation. Our results indicated that a clear hierarchy exists for men in term of how status within the labour market was associated with subjective life satisfaction. Unemployed men were the least satisfied, followed by men who were not in the labour market, while men in leadership positions reported the highest level of subjective life satisfaction. For women, no statistically significant differences were observed among women in high-level managerial positions, women who worked in non-high-level positions, and women who specialized in household production, with no market work. Only women who were unemployed reported lower levels of life satisfaction, compared with women in other labour-market statuses. Our results lend evidence to the contention that men can have it all, but women must still choose between career and family in Germany. We argue that interventions need to address how the non-pecuniary rewards associated with high-level managerial and leadership positions can be increased for women. Such policies would also likely serve to mitigate the pipeline problem concerning the number of women who are available to move into high positions in the private sector.

Gender Differences in Subjective Well-Being: Comparing Societies with Respect to Gender Equality

These analyses explore the relationship between gender inequality and subjective well-being. The hypothesis was tested as to whether societal gender inequality is related to the size of gender differences in subjective well-being in various societies. Results come from comparative data sets (World Values Survey, involving 57 countries; OASIS project, involving Norway, England, Germany, Spain and Israel). The size of gender differences varied with the extent of societal gender inequality and the cultural attitudes regarding gender equality in different countries. Including individual resources like education and income in the analyses reduced the size of gender and country differences. Gender differences in subjective well-being could therefore be related to gender specific access to goal relevant resources.