Increase In Subjective Well-being Research Articles

Does wealth equate to happiness? an 11-year panel data analysis exploring socio-economic indicators and social media metrics.

The Easterlin paradox questions the link between economic growth and national well-being, emphasizing the necessity to explore the impact of economic elasticity, income inequality, and their temporal and spatial heterogeneity on subjective happiness. Despite the importance of these factors, few studies have examined them together, thus ongoing debates about the impact of economics on well-being persist. To fill this gap, our analysis utilizes 11 years of panel data from 31 provinces in China, integrating macroeconomic indicators and social media content to reassess the Easterlin paradox. We use GDP per capita and the Gini coefficient as proxies for economic growth and income inequality, respectively, to study their effects on the subjective well-being expressed by citizens on social media in mainland China. Our approach combines machine learning and fixed effects models to evaluate these relationships. Key findings include: (1) In temporal relationships, a 46.70% increase in GDP per capita implies a 0.38 increase in subjective well-being, while a 0.09 increase in the Gini coefficient means a 1.47 decrease in subjective well-being. (2) In spatial relationships, for every 46.70% increase in GDP per capita, subjective well-being rises by 0.51; however, this relationship is buffered by unfair distribution, and GDP per capita no longer significantly affects subjective well-being when the Gini index exceeds 0.609. This study makes a synthetic contribution to the debate on the Easterlin paradox, indicating that economic growth can enhance well-being if income inequality is kept below a certain level. Although these results are theoretically enlightening for the relationship between economics and national well-being globally, this study's sample comes from mainland China. Due to differences in cultural, economic, and political factors, further research is suggested to explore these dynamics globally.

International migration and shifts in subjective well-being: A longitudinal study using German panel data

Abstract In many economically advanced countries, a relevant proportion of the population migrates across national boundaries every year. For these individuals, migrating abroad brings benefits (e.g. monetary returns) but also potential pitfalls, as migration is accompanied by profound changes in everyday life. However, there are mainly cross-sectional studies of individuals’ migration experiences that analyse the effects of migration on these individuals’ quality of life. This study fills this gap by examining shifts in the subjective well-being (SWB) of internationally mobile German citizens from a longitudinal perspective using data from the German Emigration and Remigration Panel Study and fixed effects panel regressions. To observe SWB over the course of actual migration events, we drew on a sample of repeat migrants: Germans who returned to Germany shortly before the panel and emigrated again during the panel. Consistent with methodologically comparable studies on internal migration, the analyses show a happiness dip before migration and an increase in SWB with the migration event. The increase is consistent, tends to be more pronounced than that observed in internal migration studies, and to some extent persists after the first few years of migration. Moreover, the results suggest that the increase in SWB systematically depends on the influence that individuals can exert on their migration decisions. Individuals without a partner show the highest increases in SWB, followed by so-called leading partners, partners of couples with a mutual migration decision, and trailing partners.

자기성장 독서 프로그램이 대학생의 행복에 미치는 영향

The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of a reading program utilizing self-growth books on the well-being and emotions of college students. The participants in the study were college students from a university located in Seoul. Participants who were absent from the program more than three times were excluded, and the data of 59 participants in the experimental group and 26 participants in the control group were analyzed. The experimental group consisted of students who voluntarily participated in a long-term program of six weeks or more, while the control group consisted of students who only wanted to participate in surveys. To facilitate the program, a pre-workshop on reading therapy was conducted with nine graduate students majoring in counseling psychology, who were then organized into a total of eight groups and operated as leaders. The program consisted of sessions lasting 90 minutes each, conducted once a week for a total of six sessions. Subjective well-being scales, the Korean version of positive and negative affect schedule, were used to measure changes in the experimental and control groups. The results of the study showed a significant increase in subjective well-being in the experimental group, with sub-factors of life expectations and life satisfaction also significantly increasing. In terms of emotions, positive affect significantly increased, while there was no significant change in negative affect. In contrast, the control group showed no significant changes in any variables. This study partially confirms that a self-growth reading program has a positive effect on the happiness of college students. As college students are key players in future society, it is expected that the happiness of college students will contribute to the formation of a healthy and happy society. This research is meaningful in providing some ways to diversify and activate self-growth programs in the future to enhance the happiness of college students.

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

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

Visitors' Subjective Well Being: The Effect of the Motivational Sharing Travel Photos Through Instagram

Social media is a place where users can exchange information with fellow users, one of the information obtained is about tourism. In today's digital era, social media such as Instagram has become a popular platform for users to share their travel moments. By using social media one can find out a lot of information and reviews from visitors who have experience in tourism travel, so that they have considerations and decisions in visiting tourism places. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of motivation to share photos on Instagram on visitors' experiences of subjective well-being in the tourism object of Air Manis Beach, Padang City. The study used a quantitative with a causal associative approach. The data was obtained by distributing questionnaires online through Instagram users who have shared photos of their experiences visiting the tourism object of Air Manis Beach, Padang City. So that as many as 184 people were obtained, with a Likert scale. The data analysis technique used the Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling. The results found that recognition and status, enjoyment, and disclosure influenced visitors' experiences of subjective well-being in the tourism object of Air Manis Beach, Padang City. Meanwhile, tourism information did not affect visitors' experiences of subjective well-being in the tourism object of Air Manis Beach, Padang City. This study concluded that when people share motivational and inspiring travel photos via Instagram, they can feel an increase in subjective well-being.

Aspiration-attainment gaps predict adolescents' subjective well-being after transition to vocational education and training in Germany.

An occupational aspiration-attainment gap (AAG) is defined as a discrepancy between the socioeconomic status (SES) of the aspired occupation and the one attained. We investigated how experiencing an occupational AAG after transition to vocational education and training (VET) affects three domains of subjective well-being (SWB) among adolescents in Germany (general life, job, and income satisfaction). Using longitudinal data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP), we could track respondents' SWB during the transition to and during VET. Results from latent growth curve models revealed that both under- and overachievement of aspirations (i.e., negative and positive AAGs) reduced initial levels of SWB after VET entry-especially work-related satisfaction (i.e., income and job satisfaction). Individuals with an AAG (both negative and positive) tended to experience a slightly larger increase in SWB during VET than those who met their aspirations. Overall, our results suggest that the decisive factor for adolescents' SWB is not the SES of the VET position they attain, but rather whether that position is the exact type of position to which they aspired.

CAN FORGIVENESS MARITAL ENHANCEMENT PROGRAMME (FMEP) REDUCE MARITAL CONFLICT AND AUGMENT SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING OF MARRIED COUPLES?

This study examines the effect of the Forgiveness Marital Enhancement Programme (FMEP) on couples with Marital Conflict (MC) in their intimate dyadic relationships via an experimental design. It was hypothesized that conscious, intentional daily awareness and expression of forgiveness would produce a significant decrease in marital conflict and an increase in Subjective Well-being (SWB). Seventy-six participants were randomly assigned to either experimental or control groups. The experimental group alone was asked to complete a 50-day FMEP. All participants answered the Heartland Forgiveness Scale (2005), Marital Conflict Scale (1985) and Subjective Well-Being Inventory (SUBI, 1994) before and after the FMEP, and at a follow-up test after two months. Differences between control and interventional groups were analysed via independent samples t-tests and changes across testing phases within groups were evaluated via Repeated Measures of ANOVA. Between-group and within-group analyses indicated that participation in the FMEP resulted in a reduction in Marital Conflict and enhancement in Subjective Well-being of married couples. KEYWORDS: Forgiveness, Marital Conflict, Subjective Well-being, Forgiveness Marital Enhancement Programme (FMEP), Intimate/dyadic Relationships

Abstract P254: Mental Well-Being of Caregivers With Overweight and Obesity is Associated With Cognitive Stimulation Provided to Children in the Home

Introduction: Parents with poor mental health are less likely to engage in cognitively enriching parenting behaviors, such as reading and playing with their children. This, in turn, is associated with increased risk of obesity in the child and poor treatment outcomes for children enrolled in behavioral weight management. Parents and caregivers with obesity also have worse mental health and lower life satisfaction than their non-obese counterparts. Among parents with overweight and obesity who have a child with overweight/obesity, the relationship between parent mental health and cognitive enrichment provided in the home is unknown. Hypothesis: We hypothesize that higher depressive symptoms and lower subjective well-being scores among parents will be associated with less cognitive enrichment provided to children. Further, we hypothesize that these relationships will be moderated by the sex of the parent. Methods: This study was a secondary analysis of baseline data from 452 parent-child dyads with overweight/obesity enrolled in a family-based behavioral treatment study for obesity. Depression symptoms and subjective well-being were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 scale and the MacArthur Scale of Subjective Social Status, respectively. Cognitive stimulation was measured with the Cognitive Stimulation subscale of the Environmental Enrichment scale. Univariable relationships were assessed using Pearson correlations. Multivariable linear regression models were used to control for study site, parent characteristics (age, BMI, sex, race/ethnicity, education), child characteristics (age, and sex), and family characteristics (health insurance status and household income). Results: Higher depression symptom score was correlated with lower cognitive stimulation (ρ = -0.165, p < 0.001), whereas higher subjective well-being was associated with higher cognitive stimulation (ρ = 0.377, p < 0.001). These relationships were maintained even after controlling for covariates in the multivariable models, with each one-unit increase in depression symptoms associated with a 0.16 unit decrease in cognitive stimulation (95% CI -0.27 to -0.06, p = 0.003) and each one-unit increase in subjective well-being associated with a 0.04 unit increase in cognitive stimulation (95% CI 0.01, 0.07, p = 0.01). Parent sex did not moderate these effects. Conclusions: Mental well-being of parents and caregivers with overweight/obesity is associated with the degree of cognitive enrichment provided to the child in the home, though the effect sizes after controlling for covariates were modest. Thus, interventions targeting parental wellbeing offer a potential avenue to improve their child’s cognitive wellbeing and response to obesity treatment.

IMPLEMENTATION OF INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF RAILWAY TRANSPORT HUBS: EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS

The key tool for economic growth and overcoming restrictions is the implementation of major infrastructure projects in the field of railway transport. Infrastructure projects aimed at organising passenger and freight rail traffic form a wide range of social effects, such as saving travel time, improving transportation safety, reducing emissions of harmful substances and noise levels, increasing physical activity, improving social integration and organising a barrier-free environment, agglomeration effects and an increase in subjective well-being.At the same time, such projects are very capital-intensive and often cannot be implemented in full due to limited funding. Especially this factor plays a significant role in the current conditions of sanctions pressure. The combination of these factors leads to the need for comprehensive risk management when deciding on the implementation of an infrastructure project for the development of railway junctions.Thus, the purpose of this study is to identify risks in the implementation of infrastructure projects, assess the identified risks and formulate recommendations for their reduction.

О различном вкладе личностных характеристик в компоненты субъективного благополучия

Background. Due to global changes and growing socio-cultural uncertainty, it is important to determine which personal traits allow a person to maintain a high level of subjective well-being in modern conditions of living. Objective. The article aims to determine the contribution of personal traits (perfectionism, coping strategies and tolerance for ambiguity) to the components of subjective well-being (life satisfaction and subjective happiness). Sample. The study involved 142 respondents (123 females, 19 males), students of Moscow universities (mean age = 19,32, SD = 0,644). Methods. Respondents were offered to complete 6 questionnaires: «Three-factor perfectionism questionnaire», «Proactive coping abbreviated questionnaire», «Diagnostic technique of stress coping» of D. Amirkhan, «Scales of tolerance and intolerance to ambiguity in modification of S. Badner’s questionnaire», «Subjective happiness scale» of S. Lyubomirsky, «The satisfaction with life scale » by E. Diener. Statistical processing of the data was performed using statistics system, IBM SPSS Statistics 23 macros PROCESS, using regression and moderator analyses. Results. Regression analysis revealed the positive contribution of proactive coping and the negative contribution of the perfectionism component "negative selectivity and fixation on one’s own imperfection" both to individual components of subjective well-being and to its integral indicator. The proactive coping strategy "seeking social support" contributes to the cognitive component of subjective well-being and its integral indicator, while not affecting the emotional component. Moderator model shows an increase in subjective well-being when using a proactive coping strategy, regardless of the level of the perfectionism component "negative selectivity and fixation on one’s own imperfection". Conclusion. Such personal traits as proactive coping strategies (proactive coping, seeking social support) and the perfectionism component of "negative selectivity..." contribute to the level of subjective well-being. Proactive coping also levels the connection between perfectionism and subjective well-being.

Income Improves Subjective Well-Being: Evidence from South Africa

This paper estimates the causal impact of income on life satisfaction for a broad sample of individuals in a developing country. Using a large and representative panel survey of South African residents, we find that receipt of the Older Person’s Grant—a means-tested cash transfer that is given to residents age 60 and older regardless of labor force status—increases several household-level measures of economic well-being, resulting in a large and significant increase in subjective well-being. Specifically, the average 20% increase in per capita household income due to this grant increases life satisfaction by approximately 0.2 points, a large effect that extends to all members of the household. The discontinuity in the eligibility of the Older Person’s Grant provides a reliable causal estimate of the effect of income on life satisfaction that is larger than ordinary least squares estimates.

Openness Personality as a Mediator of the Influence Social Support Toward Subjective Well-Being

Subjective well-being was originally considered to be an individual benchmark in achieving satisfaction in a stable life. However, there are several factors that affect the decrease and increase in subjective well-being, such as social support and personality. This study aims to determine the effect of personality openness as a mediator of the relationship between social support and subjective well-being. This type of research is ex-post facto. The research location was at SMAN 1 Pacitan Regency with a total sample of 237 students. The sample collection technique uses simple random sampling. The data collection technique uses a scale consisting of a personality openness scale, a social support scale, and a subjective welfare scale. The instrument validation technique uses the previous measuring instrument validity and reliability based on the Cronbach Alpha coefficient. Data analysis used multiple regression with a significance level of 0.05. The results showed that there was a significant positive influence on personality openness as a mediator of the relationship between social support and subjective well-being. The mediation model in this study is known as perfect mediation because the value on path c', namely the variable social support with subjective well-being and then included the openness personality variable, found insignificant results. The percentage of the contribution of the social support variable to the subjective welfare variable which was initially 22.7% became 49.2% after including openness personality as a mediator

CHANGES IN SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING DURING RETIREMENT TRANSITION: A 10-YEAR COHORT STUDY OF AGING ADULTS IN CHINA

Abstract The literature on retirement adjustment remains inconclusive whether retirement transition is a stressor or a relief. This study examined the effects of retirement on subjective well-being of Chinese ageing adults in various phases of retirement. Drawing on a representative sample of “baby boomers” born in 1945-1965 (N = 3,328) from the China Family Panel Studies (2010-2018), the author examined the within-individual changes in subjective well-being, measured by life satisfaction and confidence in the future, using time-distributed fixed-effects regression technique. After adjusting for a wealth of potential confounders such as financial standing and health, the data reveal that the two outcomes of interest started increasing at two years before retiring. In addition, the improvements persisted in four or more postretirement years. Urban adults experienced greater well-being boost than rural residents during the immediate pre- and post-retirement period, but not in two or more postretirement years. Furthermore, the subjective well-being of urban females and rural males increased upon retirement and fluctuated significantly, whereas rural females and urban males experienced a stable increase in subjective well-being since the first preretirement year. Results suggest that the transition into retirement generally represents a relief for urban ageing adults in China, but the well-being improvements are stratified by residency and gender. Therefore, retirement policies should ensure subjective well-being of disadvantaged pre-retirees and attend to the needs of retired urban women and rural men.

Openness Personality as a Mediator of the Influence Social Support Toward Subjective Well-Being

Subjective well-being was originally considered to be an individual benchmark in achieving satisfaction in a stable life. However, there are several factors that affect the decrease and increase in subjective well-being, such as social support and personality. This study aims to determine the effect of personality openness as a mediator of the relationship between social support and subjective well-being. This type of research is ex-post facto. The research location was at SMAN 1 Pacitan Regency with a total sample of 237 students. The sample collection technique uses simple random sampling. The data collection technique uses a scale consisting of a personality openness scale, a social support scale, and a subjective welfare scale. The instrument validation technique uses the previous measuring instrument validity and reliability based on the Cronbach Alpha coefficient. Data analysis used multiple regression with a significance level of 0.05. The results showed that there was a significant positive influence on personality openness as a mediator of the relationship between social support and subjective well-being. The mediation model in this study is known as perfect mediation because the value on path c', namely the variable social support with subjective well-being and then included the openness personality variable, found insignificant results. The percentage of the contribution of the social support variable to the subjective welfare variable which was initially 22.7% became 49.2% after including openness personality as a mediator

Mobile media education as a tool to reduce problematic smartphone use: Results of a randomised impact evaluation

In recent years a public debate has been growing around mobile media and young people, as research has found adverse relationships between the intensive use of smartphones and well-being in this age group. However, there is still a lack of structured interventions targeting teachers and schools on the issue. This paper shows the results of a pre-registered cluster randomised controlled trial evaluating the impact of a media education intervention focusing on screen time management and the conscious use of mobile devices. The impact of a teacher training course is assessed on their 10th grade students (789 treated, 2572 controls), looking at their smartphone use, digital skills, and subjective well-being. Post-intervention differences, controlling for baseline measures at wave 1, show a moderate but significant decrease in smartphone pervasiveness and problematic use among treated students, with girls displaying greater beneficial effects than boys on withdrawal symptoms. Girls also show an increase in subjective well-being. No effect is found on the level of digital skills measured with an ad-hoc test. These results highlight that media education interventions focused on screen time management and content-related digital skills can be effectively incorporated into daily teaching and are relevant for students’ well-being. The paper also offers practical indications to develop effective media education interventions in a constant connectivity environment.

Dynamics of subjective student wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND: Because the COVID-19 pandemic has continued for a long time, it has become necessary to explore the dynamics of mental health phenomena during this period.
 AIM: To identify the dynamics of the emotional component of the subjective wellbeing of the personality of students in the psychological and pedagogical areas at various stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
 MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study involved 911 students in the psychological and pedagogical areas at the University of Tyumen, Kurgan State University, and Ural Federal University. The research method used was the scale of subjective wellbeing by Perrudet-Badoux as adapted by M.V. Sokolova. Measurements were taken in April 2020, May 2021, October 2021, and January 2022.
 RESULTS: In April 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic, the university students had the lowest indicators of the emotional component of the subjective wellbeing of the individual. A year later, in May 2021, there was an increase in subjective wellbeing, which, however, was not statistically significant. The trend of improvement in subjective wellbeing continued for six months to October 2021, when it became significantly higher than when the pandemic began. At the fourth measurement in January 2022, subjective wellbeing had stabilized, indicating that the students had adapted to the conditions of the pandemic.
 CONCLUSION: The emotional component of the subjective wellbeing of the personality of students was subject to dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the two years of the pandemic, university students have adapted to the stressful situation of the pandemic as reflected by the improvement and stabilization of the emotional component of subjective wellbeing.

Effect of the "Art Coloring" Online Coloring Game on Subjective Well-Being Increase and Anxiety Reduction During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Development and Evaluation.

BackgroundCOVID-19 has spread worldwide and generated tremendous stress on human beings. Unfortunately, it is often hard for distressed individuals to access mental health services under conditions of restricted movement or even lockdown.ObjectiveThe study first aims to develop an online digital intervention package based on a commercially released coloring game. The second aim is to test the effectiveness of difference intervention packages for players to increase subjective well-being (SWB) and reduce anxiety during the pandemic.MethodsAn evidence-based coloring intervention package was developed and uploaded to an online coloring game covering almost 1.5 million players worldwide in January 2021. Players worldwide participated to color either 4 rounds of images characterized by awe, pink, nature, and blue or 4 rounds of irrelevant images. Participants' SWB and anxiety and the perceived effectiveness of the game in reducing anxiety (subjective effectiveness [SE]) were assessed 1 week before the intervention (T1), after the participants completed pictures in each round (T2-T5), and after the intervention (T6). Independent 2-tailed t tests were conducted to examine the general intervention (GI) effect and the intervention effect of each round. Univariate analysis was used to examine whether these outcome variables were influenced by the number of rounds completed.ResultsIn total, 1390 players worldwide responded and completed at least 1 assessment. Overall, the GI group showed a statistical significantly greater increase in SWB than the general control (GC) group (N=164, t162=3.59, Cohen d=0.59, 95% CI 0.36-1.24, P<.001). Compared to the control group, the best effectiveness of the intervention group was seen in the awe round, in which the increase in SWB was significant (N=171, t169=2.51, Cohen d=0.39, 95% CI 0.10-0.82, P=.01), and players who colored all 4 pictures had nearly significant improvements in SWB (N=171, F4,170=2.34, partial ŋ2=0.053, P=.06) and a significant decrease in anxiety (N=171, F4,170=3.39, partial ŋ2=0.075, P=.01).ConclusionsThese data indicate the effectiveness of online psychological interventions, such as coloring games, for mental health in the specific period. They also show the feasibility of applying existing commercial games embedded with scientific psychological interventions that can fill the gap in mental crises and services for a wider group of people during the pandemic. The results would inspire innovations to prevent the psychological problems caused by public emergencies and encourage more games, especially the most popular ones, to take more positive action for the common crises of humankind.

Relationship Between Family Socioeconomic Status and Learning Burnout of College Students: The Mediating Role of Subjective Well-Being and the Moderating Role of Resilience.

ObjectiveLearning burnout affects the positive development of college students. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between family socioeconomic status (FSES) and learning burnout, as well as the mediation effect of subjective well-being and the moderation effect of resilience in this relation.MethodsA total of 550 Chinese college students from Yunnan completed a questionnaire measuring the research variables in this study.Results(1) After controlling for participants’ gender and age, FSES negatively, and significantly predicted learning burnout; (2) subjective well-being partially mediated the relationship between FSES and learning burnout; and (3) the direct effect of FSES on learning burnout and the mediation effect of subjective well-being was moderated by resilience. The level of learning burnout of individuals with low resilience increased significantly with the decrease of FSES, and the level of learning burnout of individuals with high resilience decreased significantly with the increase in subjective well-being.ConclusionThe present findings support the moderated mediation model underlying the relationship between FSES and learning burnout. This also has significant implications for formulating prevention and intervention measures on learning burnout among college students.LimitationsFirst of all, this study used the cross-sectional study design, which cannot make a causal inference. In addition, the sample in this study is university students from Kunming, which may affect the popularity of the results.

Elevating Subjective Well-Being Through Physical Exercises: An Intervention Study.

Background: Physical activity is associated with higher levels of subjective well-being. However, little research has been conducted in naturalistic conditions with a longitudinal design. In the current study, we aimed to examine whether regular activity initiation can impact happiness, life satisfaction, and self-esteem 4 weeks later.Methods: The sample (N = 217, 124 women) was divided into three groups based on level of physical activity (active people, beginners, and inactive people). The participants completed measures of happiness, satisfaction with life, self-esteem, and a survey on physical activity. Ninety-five of participants who completed the same set of measures sent by email after 4 weeks were included in the analyses.Results: The study showed a strong relationship between subjective well-being and physical activity. Active people showed higher levels of happiness and self-esteem compared to beginners and inactive people and a higher level of life satisfaction than inactive people. Furthermore, after 4 weeks of exercising, beginners revealed greater life satisfaction and happiness compared to the baseline.Conclusion: These findings confirm that regular physical activity leads to higher levels of well-being. It seems that even a short engagement in physical activity (4 weeks) may contribute to an increase in subjective well-being.

Arts-based interventions for people living with dementia: Measuring 'in the moment' wellbeing with the Canterbury Wellbeing Scales.

Background: There is growing acknowledgement for the need to move beyond exclusive biomedical understandings of dementia and also focus on how to improve the lives and wellbeing of people living with dementia. A mounting body of research advocates for the benefits of arts-based interventions for this population. The purpose of this study was to explore the links between multiple components of arts-based interventions and subjective wellbeing in order to help assess if these activities might contribute to meaningful community-based dementia care initiatives. Methods: Using previously collected data across different intervention sites, a within- and between- participants design was used that assessed wellbeing through the Canterbury Wellbeing Scales (CWS) in people with mild-to-moderate dementias (N = 201) who participated in various community arts-based interventions (ABI). Data were analysed using non-parametric statistical analyses and bootstrapped moderation models. Results: Increases in subjective wellbeing were associated with all forms of ABI. Co-creative sessions significantly strengthened the relationship between number of sessions attended and overall wellbeing as well as optimism. No significant moderating effect was observed between number of sessions attended and carer presence. Conclusions: In the largest study of its kind to date to assess wellbeing using arts activities in a community-based dementia sample, findings support the use and acceptability of the CWS as a measurement tool for people with early-to-middle stages of dementia and suggest that the CWS can reliably measure wellbeing in this population. In addition, the positive effect of arts-based interactions on specific aspects of wellbeing were found, which provide a better understanding of the conditions under which these effects can be prolonged and sustained. Further research is needed to better understand the environmental, social, and psychological mechanisms through which these improvements operate.