Higher Levels Of Well-being Research Articles

How Parental Identity and Behaviors Contribute to the Well-being of Parents in an Ultra-Orthodox Society

AbstractThe Ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) sector is religiously conservative, insular, strictly adheres to Judaism, and considers raising children a central value. This study broadens the research on this sector by examining how conservativeness, parental identity, and parenting behaviors predict parental well-being. Parenting behaviors were assessed by the Parenting Pentagon Model (PPM), which includes five constructs that provide a comprehensive picture of parenting: Partnership, Leadership, Love, Independence, and Rules. Participants were 355 Haredi parents (279 mothers, 76 fathers), who completed questionnaires addressing primary study variables. The parents reported being more conservative than open, having a fairly strong parental identity, more optimal behaviors on the PPM, and fairly high levels of well-being. A regression analysis showed that having a child with a disability, conservativeness, parental identity, and the PPM all explained significant variance in parental well-being. A greater understanding of this sector can lend insight into other insular, conservative sectors around the world.

Life expectancy and health care spending in South Asia: An econometric analysis

Affordable health care is often a result of increased government spending on the health sector. Out-of-pocket expenses remain the primary health care funding source in many South Asian nations. Lack of adequate public funding for health services, difficulty in obtaining health insurance, and high out-of-pocket costs can result in indebtedness, reductions in actual consumption, and decreased access to health care services. The study examines life expectancy and health care spending in South Asian countries. The life expectancy of South Asian countries is studied as a health outcome in relation to health care spending, gross national income per capita, and expected years of schooling. This study is based on secondary data from World Bank statistics that covers eight South Asian countries from 2000 to 2021, for a total of 176 pooled time series and cross-sectional observations. The data were analysed using econometric models, including the cross sectional dependency test, panel unit root test, panel co-integration test, vector error correction model, pair-wise Granger causality test, and Wald test statistics. The vector error correction model results indicate that health care spending, anticipated years of schooling, and gross national income per capita have a long-run association with health outcomes. Health care spending, per capita gross national income, and expected years of education have all greatly enhanced life expectancy in South Asian countries. An effective health strategy is necessary to increase people’s healthy life expectancy and well-being. To accomplish this, government may need to promote school enrolment to help people become more health literate and aware of their health outcomes. As a result, persons with more years of schooling have better health, higher levels of well-being, healthier habits, and ultimately, a longer life expectancy. This study will provide an important insight to policymakers in improving health outcomes through targeted and sustained health care spending in South Asia.

Perception of the learning climate and its prediction of wellbeing in psychology students at a Chilean university

Autonomy-supportive environments have been identified as predictors of students’ wellbeing and engagement. This paper aimed to examine the perception of learning climate and its predictive ability in the multidimensional wellbeing of university students. An associative and predictive approach was adopted, carried out through a cross-sectional study that included 295 students from a Chilean university. Participants completed a learning climate questionnaire and the PERMA-Profiler. Results indicated that students reported moderately high levels of wellbeing in general, with the dimensions of positive relationships, engagement, and purpose showing the highest scores. Regarding learning climate, responses indicated a mostly positive perception, with scores above the midpoint on the scale. No significant differences were found in wellbeing or perception of learning climate according to academic year. However, a significant interaction effect between gender and learning climate was found for overall multidimensional wellbeing, F(1, 286) = 4.67, p = 0.032, η2 = 0.016. Men in the high learning climate group showed higher wellbeing than women, while women in the low climate group outperformed men in the same group. Additionally, significant gender differences were observed in the engagement dimension, F(1, 286) = 11.23, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.033, with men in the high learning climate group reporting higher engagement, and women in the low learning climate group showing higher engagement than their male counterparts. Perception of learning climate explained a significant amount of the variance in all dimensions of wellbeing. These findings highlight the importance of promoting learning environments that foster autonomy and teacher support, and suggest that the learning climate may have different impacts on wellbeing depending on gender.

Objective Air Pollution and the Subjective Well-being of Chinese Residents

In this study, we constructed a new database to investigate the complex relationship between hazy weather, heightened air pollution concerns due to elevated PM 2.5 levels, and residents’ well-being in China. Our study concludes that the results of the baseline regression showing that PM2.5 significantly increases the well-being of the population is at odds with common sense, which is attributed to potential endogeneity issues, including reverse causation and omitted variables. For this purpose, first, we used the instrumental variables method to exclude the endogeneity problem and obtained a causal relation between objective air pollution and well-being, that is, objective air pollution significantly and negatively affects residents’ well-being. Second, we also considered the effect of individual differences and verified the mechanistic pathways by which objective air pollution affects well-being through residents’ subjective air pollution. Specifically, we found that in the air quality evaluation process, “pessimistic” residents have a lower level of well-being, and “optimistic” residents have a higher level of well-being. Finally, we verified that the level of household income can weaken the negative impact of objective air pollution on residents’ well-being and has a positive moderating effect. By integrating macro and micro-level data through innovative technology, our research provides policy recommendations for effective pollution management and improved overall well-being in China.

Psychological Distress and Well-Being in Emerging Adult Women: The Role of Positivity and Coping Strategies

Women in emerging adulthood face increased challenges. Positive Life Orientation (PLO) and Coping have proved essential for successfully adapting individuals to developmental challenges affecting mental health. Using a quantitative, cross-sectional methodology, the study aims to (i) analyze the primary sources of stress of emerging adult women and the coping strategies most used; (ii) analyze the levels of well-being and psychological distress; (iii) analyze the role of PLO and coping strategies in predicting well-being and psychological distress. A total of 240 emerging women aged between 18 and 25 years participated in the study. PLO was measured using the Positivity Scale, coping using the Brief Cope, well-being using the Mental Health Continuum Scale, and psychological distress using The Anxiety, Depression, and Stress Scale. Studies constituted the primary stress factor, followed by interpersonal relationships and work. The most used coping strategies were planning, active coping, acceptance, positive reframing, self-distraction, emotional and instrumental support, and venting. Women presented moderate levels of anxiety, mild levels of stress, and mild to moderate levels of depression. All well-being scores were lower than the reference means for the Portuguese population. Results from hierarchical multiple linear regressions show the predictive role of PLO and coping strategies in well-being and psychological distress. PLO is a positive predictor of all dimensions of well-being and a negative predictor of depression. Active coping strategies predict higher levels of well-being and lower levels of psychological distress, mainly depression. In other directions, avoidance strategies predict lower psychological distress and higher well-being levels. Results highlight PLOs and coping strategies’ crucial role in promoting emerging adult flourishing.

Evaluating flourishing: a comparative analysis of four measures using item pool visualization.

The construct of flourishing, which refers to a high level of wellbeing, is a key concept in the field of positive psychology. Nevertheless, despite the proliferation of questionnaires attempting to measure wellbeing and flourishing, there is still an ongoing debate in the scientific community about the definition and assessment of both, which makes the choice of appropriate measures a major challenge. This study addresses this uncertainty through a comparative analysis of four widely used flourishing measures in a German-speaking sample, to enable researchers to make a reasonable choice among the measures available: the PERMA-Profiler, the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form, the Flourishing Scale, and the Wellbeing Conceptual Framework. To enhance the understanding of these four measures, we compared and contrasted the instruments using Item Pool Visualization (IPV), an illustrative approach that generates item pools from the same dataset and displays them as nested radar maps. Our research indicates that all four measures are useful in measuring the concept of flourishing. However, they differ from each other depending on specific interest (from a broader to a narrower view). If the aim is to get a comprehensive overview of flourishing, then the PERMA-Profiler, the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form, and the Flourishing Scale are appropriate options. If the focus is on measuring a more central concept, the Wellbeing Conceptual Framework provides the most specific assessment of flourishing.

Establishing and Maintaining Social Relationships During Significant Life Events: The Role of Age.

We investigate how adults of different ages experience changes in their social relationships during significant life events. Based on different goal priorities, younger adults may benefit more from establishing new social contacts during a significant life event, whereas older adults may benefit more from maintaining existing relationships. To test these hypotheses, we conducted multilevel modeling with a sample of N = 6,688 participants aged 18-90 years who reported at least 1 significant life event in the past 2 years. Both establishing new social relationships and maintaining existing relationships during significant life events were associated with higher levels of well-being. As predicted, these associations were moderated by age. Establishing new social relationships was more strongly associated with mental health and life satisfaction in younger adults, whereas maintaining existing relationships was more strongly associated with subjective well-being, physical health, and loneliness in older adults. These findings provide valuable insights into the role of age in the change and stability of social relationships during significant life events.

Developmental Pathways and Adjustment of Adult Women Who Experienced Early Pubertal Development: A Mixed-Method Approach

Early maturation among girls is a major stressful event that might affect their development and wellbeing during the adolescent years. However, the research literature is inconsistent as to whether the impact of early maturation among girls continues into their adult life. Taking a narrative approach, 45 adult women were interviewed and asked to describe their developmental life history following early maturation. Further, they reported on their wellbeing and body image. Analysis of the interviews yielded three developmental pathways: women for whom early maturation still impacts their daily life; women who were able to cope with the premature puberty and function well, but are still bothered by issues of body image; and women for whom early maturation served as an incentive for personal growth, who reported a high level of wellbeing, and comfort with their body. Findings underscore the importance of considering individual differences and different pathways of development among individuals.

Features of student psychological well-being, self-organisation and motivation

Introduction. The article discusses the main approaches to the study of psychological well-being, gives a general idea of self-organisation and educational motivation as components of the leading educational and professional activity of students.Aim. The present research aimed to examine the levels of psychological well-being and their relationship with the motivation and self-organisation of students’ educational and professional activities.Methodology and research methods. The following methods were employed in the empirical study: Psychological Well-Being Scale developed by C. Ryff (adapted by N. N. Lepeshinsky), Self-Organisation of Activity (SOA) questionnaire by E. Y. Mandrikova, Style of Self-Regulation of Behaviour – SSRB-98 questionnaire by V. I. Morosanova, Motivation to Learn in Higher Education questionnaire by T. I. Ilyina, and Scale of Academic Motivation by T. O. Gordeeva, O. A. Sychev, and E. N. Osin. The Mann-Whitney U-test and the Spearman correlation coefficient (rs) were utilised to analyse the data.Results. Most undergraduate students exhibit an average level of psychological well-being, both on individual scales and in terms of the overall integral indicator. Low and high levels of well-being are characteristic of only a small portion of the sample. More than 90% of respondents demonstrate medium to high levels of self-organisation and self-regulation. Students are characterised by cognitive motivation, as well as motivation for self-development and achievement. External motivation, introjected motivation, and amotivation are minimally expressed among students.Scientific novelty. The study examines the features of motivation and self-organisation in the educational and professional activities of students with varying levels of psychological well-being. It also explores the relationship between psychological well-being and the self-organisation and motivation of students in their educational and professional pursuits.Practical significance. The results of the study offer valuable insights into modern students, which can be utilised to enhance the organisation of university education during the adaptation period and to implement a more individualised approach to student engagement.

FUNDAMENTALS OF THE TOURIST DESTINATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

In the present period, tourism has become one of the priority areas of development of economic and cultural spheres of life in many countries of the world. Actions in this direction are actively taking place in Kazakhstan, considering the identification of the main development factors specified in the strategic and programmatic planning documents. The purpose of the study: to develop methodological approaches and practical recommendations for managing the process of developing tourist destinations with the active participation of the main tourism entities in order to promote them as a tourist destination in tourism. The basis of management of the tourist destination is to bring the tourist product of the region to the market and ensure its competitiveness in order to achieve a high level of well-being and quality of life. At the same time, the organizational and economic relations arising in the process of managing the development of the tourist destination are the mechanisms for realizing the tourist and recreational potential in the regions and promoting the tourist product. The article deals with the evaluation mechanisms of the management system of tourist destinations.

Prevalence of harassment, abuse, and mental health among current and retired senior Swedish cheerleaders

ABSTRACT This study examined the prevalence of non-accidental violence, focusing on experienced harassment and abuse (HA), and mental health among current and retired Swedish competitive cheerleaders. An online survey was distributed to current and retired athletes in the Swedish cheerleading federation. The survey assessed perceived coach–athlete relationship, sport psychological safety, resilience, mental health, and experienced HA within the cheerleading environment. A total of 284 athletes (men = 5; women = 278; gender not disclosed = 1; current athletes = 211; retired athletes = 73) completed the survey. Psychological abuse was the most frequently reported HA form (current athletes = 21.6%; retired athletes = 53.5%), followed by neglect (current athletes = 5.4%; retired athletes: 26.8%) and physical abuse (current athletes = 3.9%; retired athletes = 12.7%). A high-quality coach–athlete relationship was identified as a protective factor for HA. Additionally, 33.1% and 8.9% of participants displayed scores indicating anxiety and depression caseness, while 63.8% reported a high level of wellbeing. Anxiety/depression scores above clinical cut-off were linked to injury episodes and a high level of wellbeing to a mentally healthy environment. Resilience was found to protect mental health overall. The high occurrence of reported psychological abuse and indications of anxiety/depression related to injury episodes suggest a need of attention towards prevention and athlete protection strategies in cheerleading environments.

The Complex Nature of Mental Health Issues in Older Age

My presentation will not deal with dementia, as my co-presenter will fully cover this subject of paramount importance when we talk about mental health in older age. However, there is far more in relation to mental health issues. The absolute and proportional number of individuals who will reach older in the next few decades is staggering, particularly in the Global South. How come someone could reach old age enjoying high levels of well-being and mental health if they have been faced with all sorts of risk factors alongside their life courses? Low educational levels, deprivation, lack of access to social and health services, ill-trained professionals, prejudice…The combination of all of them result in depression, loneliness, and use of drugs (including alcohol). There is also to consider the gender dimension, the plight of immigrants (some of whom are illegal and out of the radar), climatic changes leading to insecurity, and in some countries a staggering number of individuals who age deprived of liberty. Add to that, wars, and horrors; for each death, you will add traumatized family members and close friends suffering the silent pain that those losses represent. Violence is increasingly trivialized and a country does not have to be 'officially’ in a war for such experiences to occur - they have their own internal 'wars’ fueled by political greed, drug trafficking, and militias. For some it has never been so rosy to age, but for the majority of our populations (and not only in the global South) it is tough.

Are social interactions perceived as more meaningful in older adulthood?

Social relationships accompany us throughout adulthood and are among the most important sources of meaning in a person's life. However, little is known about age differences in meaningfulness of social interactions across adulthood. According to socioemotional selectivity theory, as people age, they develop relatively stronger preferences for social relationships that are emotionally meaningful. Consequently, older adults may perceive social interactions in everyday life as more meaningful than younger adults. To test this hypothesis, the present study examined age-related differences in the perceived meaningfulness of daily social interactions using experience sampling data. Three-hundred six participants (56.9% women, 18-88 years) completed a total of 6,407 entries over 3 days. Results of the multilevel analyses showed that age was positively associated with perceived meaningfulness of daily social interactions, controlling for relationship closeness and situation valence. In addition, the perceived meaningfulness of daily social interactions was positively related to subjective well-being both between and within all participants, indicating that meaningful social interactions are beneficial for well-being regardless of age. Thus, perceiving social interactions as meaningful could be one way that older people maintain a high level of well-being in their daily lives. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Sport-based interventions and health in prisons: The impact of Twinning Project on prisoner wellbeing and attitudes.

Social isolation and lack of support networks are key factors contributing to mental health problems among incarcerated people, which, in turn, are associated with an increased risk of reoffending. Enabling prisoners to form positive group relations and social identities is one approach to address the cycle of ill health and incarceration. We examine the impact of a football-based intervention, the Twinning Project, on prisoners' wellbeing and social relations. Longitudinal and correlational analyses of data from N = 164 UK prisoners show how social bonding is linked with significant boosts to psychological need satisfaction, life satisfaction, efficacy beliefs as well as higher levels of wellbeing.

Assessing the interplay: teacher efficacy, compassion fatigue, and educator well-being in Australia

AbstractIn Australia, there is a growing concern about the well-being of teachers with many expressing their intention to leave the profession or indeed have already left. Various reasons have been suggested for this trend, with burnout being identified as one of the factors. This study investigates burnout in Australian teachers as one of the constructs which make up compassion fatigue (CF), a reduced ability to empathise with others. Moreover, it explores secondary traumatic stress (STS), which also contributes to CF and occurs when a person learns about the traumatic experiences of someone under their care. Both constructs may severely impact the ability of teachers to form close relationships with their students. As part of the present study, 1939 Australian teachers were surveyed about their quality of life, well-being, classroom efficacy, and trauma awareness. Findings demonstrate that teachers with higher levels of well-being and with higher perceived classroom efficacy are less prone to burnout, reducing the risk of emotional exhaustion and disengagement often associated with this phenomenon. Conversely, connections were found between lower well-being of teachers and educators' awareness of trauma and their susceptibility to STS. Recommendations are made for further research exploring the barriers and enablers of compassion fatigue as well as positive teacher well-being, in order to develop targeted initiatives to better prepare and protect teachers to work with a cohort of students who are increasingly demonstrating symptoms of trauma and poor well-being.

Well-Being and Dispositional Hope in a Sample of Portuguese Citizens: The Mediating Role of Mental Health.

In our pursuit of a fulfilling and contented life, the study of well-being has emerged as a fundamental field of research. Higher levels of well-being are associated with better mental health outcomes. Individuals with better mental health might possess the personal resources necessary to set and pursue meaningful goals, maintain positive expectations, and overcome adversities. We aim to explore the positive relationship between well-being (hedonic, psychological, and social) and dispositional hope. We suggest that mental health acts as a mediator in this relationship, since improved mental health can create a conducive environment for the development and maintenance of dispositional hope. Data were collected using an e-survey through social media during the last quarter of 2022. The hypothesis of this study was tested using mediation analysis. The sample was composed of 471 participants (85.4% female) with a mean age of 47.72 ± 11.86 years. Participants were mainly workers (88.6%), followed by pensioners (6.8%), university students (2.5%), and unemployed (2.1%). Results revealed that well-being was positively and significantly associated with dispositional hope. Additionally, well-being presented a significant and positive relationship with mental health, which, in turn, also presented a significant and positive relationship with dispositional hope. Finally, using the Hayes process macro for SPSS, we found that mental health mediates the relationship between well-being and dispositional hope. Our findings reinforce the conceptual frameworks that consider well-being and mental health as key contributors to a resilient and optimistic mindset. Interventions that aim to cultivate positive affect, facilitate personal growth, and foster supportive social environments might help improve mental health outcomes.

Workplace Well-Being and Classroom Space: An Exploratory Survey of K–12 Music Teachers

Abstract Kindergarten through 12th-grade (K–12) music teachers spend much of their professional lives occupying physical workspaces like classrooms and offices. Given that teachers occupy these spaces for extended periods of time, the impact of these spaces on teacher well-being should be considered. This exploratory survey study examined the relationships between K–12 music teachers’ workplace well-being and perceptions of the physical classroom spaces. A questionnaire was completed by 484 music teachers who were members of the National Association for Music Education. The questionnaire included the Workplace PERMA Profiler (a measure of workplace well-being) and the Structural, Physical, and Campus Environment Survey (a measure of teachers’ perceptions of their classrooms). Higher levels of well-being were positively correlated with favorable perceptions of classroom space. Scale and aesthetics, the visual environment, and spatial environment elements were the strongest predictors of well-being. Taking statistical and textual data together, specific features including windows, good natural light, quality and controllable lighting, aesthetically pleasant (e.g., decorations and colors) rooms, ample space and storage, comfortable temperatures, good organization, and control over the classroom space had the largest positive impact on well-being among the participating teachers.

Flourishing: Development of a Higher-Level Uses Well-Being Scale and Concept in Positive Psychology

Background: Flourishing is the highest level of well-being in positive psychology. Flourishing individuals have high levels of well-being based on hedonic and eudaimonic well-being perspectives. Flourishing is a developing concept that has yet to be widely studied in positive psychology. Objective: This literature review aims to trace the development of theoretical concepts and scales that can be used to research the flourishing variable further. Methods: This research uses a literature review, which involves searching reputable journals for articles related to the concept and scale of flourishing. Results: The PERMA concept introduced by Seligman is the primary literature that forms the foundation for examining flourishing by combining two theories. This PERMA concept states that flourishing in individuals can be measured by five aspects: positive emotions, engagement, positive relationships, meaningfulness, and individual achievement. Conclusion: Other researchers then developed the PERMA concept as a reference for creating a flourishing scale. Keywords: Flourishing, well-being, theory, scale, literature review

The psychological impact of SARS-COV-2: assessing anxiety and wellbeing within university students in Bangladesh during the pandemic

The main focus of this study was to explore the emotional experiences of Jahangirnagar University students amid the COVID-19 pandemic, shedding light on their well-being and anxiety levels during this unprecedented time. Using a multidimensional approach, our descriptive and exploratory statistics reveal the demographic characteristics of the diverse group of students, including a skewed gender ratio attributed to the pandemic. Notably, living arrangements significantly influence emotional states, as students residing with their families report lower anxiety levels, indicating the potential protective role of familial support during crises. Online class attendance emerges as a pivotal factor impacting emotional well-being, with regular participation associated with higher levels of well-being, while sporadic or non-attendance correlates with heightened anxiety. The study further reveals the impact of part-time job loss during the pandemic on student emotional states, highlighting the economic strain experienced by many students. A substantial proportion of students’ report both moderate to severe anxiety and sufficient well-being, underscoring the complexity of emotional experiences during this tumultuous period. Binary logistic regression identifies gender-based disparities and social support as predictors of well-being and anxiety, while factor analysis illuminates the underlying structures of these constructs. In conclusion, these insights call for prioritizing mental health support and fostering conducive environments within academic institutions, particularly Jahangirnagar University, thereby facilitating student resilience and academic success during uncertain times. Jahangirnagar University J. Biol. Sci. 12(1 & 2): 55-71, 2023 (June & December)

NURSING STUDENTS’ POST COVID-19 PANDEMIC QUALITY OF LIFE BASED ON DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTIC

Introduction: Post Covid-19 pandemic, there was a change in nursing student habits that needed adaptability and it is important to pay attention to their quality of life. The aim of this research is to describe the Quality of Life of Post-Covid-19 Nursing Students Based on Individual Demographic Characteristics. Method: A quantitative descriptive design with a proportional stratified sampling technique to 276 of 892 nursing students was conducted in April 2023. Data were collected using the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire to measure quality of life. This study used descriptive analysis for numerical data displayed in cross tables. Results: it was found that the quality of life of respondents tended to be good in the physical (68.25+11.27), psychological (59.78+13.62), social (68.18+15.78), and environmental (66.42+12.68) Based on the total of quality of life domains, male respondents had a higher average score than female respondents. Based on education level, it was found that respondents who were in professional programs had a higher quality of life score than those in Undergraduate Nursing Study Programs, while for history of exposure, it was found that in total, people who had been exposed had a higher quality of life than those who had not been exposed to COVID-19. Conclusions: The quality of life for nursing students after the Covid-19 pandemic has tended to be the highest level of well-being. It is necessary to identify students’ barriers in maintaining and improving their quality of life, especially in the psychological domain identified as the lowest domain.