Indices Of Happiness Research Articles

Fostering Locomotion Fluency of Five Adolescents with Rett Syndrome through a Microswitch-Based Program: Contingency Awareness and Social Rating

We further extended the use of a microswitch-based program for assessing contingency awareness and promoting locomotion fluency of five adolescents with Rett syndrome. A second goal was to evaluate the effectiveness and the suitability of the rehabilitative intervention on participants’ indices of happiness as outcome measure of their quality of life and on the reduction of their stereotypic behaviors. Finally, a social validation procedure involving 40 parents of children with severe developmental disabilities and 40 caregivers was carried out. The study was conducted according to an ABABCBCB experimental sequence for each participant, with A representing baselines, B indicating the contingent intervention closely linked to the adaptive responding, and C reporting a non-contingent control phase with positive stimulation occurring throughout the session, irrespective of the adaptive behavior. Results showed an improved performance for all the participants during contingent intervention phases. The control phases revealed that all participants acquired the contingency awareness. The indices of happiness increased as sign of an enhanced quality of life. Both groups of raters favorably scored the use of such technology. Clinical, practical, and psychological implications of the findings were discussed.

Translating Idea into Reality? A Q-Methodological Investigation of Chinese Local Officials’ Response to the Initiative of a Happiness Index

This research attempts to provide insights into the extent to which the novel idea of happiness indices has been translated into reality, a topic that arguably remains under-explored in happiness studies. In particular, we focus on local reform participants’ response to the idea of using individuals’ happiness to guide the process of policy-making. Using the official effort to establish a happiness index in Guangdong as a unique case (a southern province in China), we investigated two interrelated questions: (1) to what extent do reform participants identify with the arguments legitimating happiness-inspired reforms? (2) How do they understand the values of the new measurement system? Q methodology was used to reveal local officials’ (N = 22) subjectivity towards a series of tenets and assumptions associated with happiness indices and the actual implementation of this particular idea in their departments. The results suggested two particular patterns within the viewpoints held by the informants: a realist perspective and a progressive optimist perspective. In spite of minor differences, the two perspectives shared much common ground: both recognized the normative values of happiness indices in general, but expressed a great deal of suspicion as to the validity of self-reported happiness. Moreover, they were either neutral or suspicious towards the positive statements about the actual implementation of happiness-inspired reform in the province and its substantive impact.

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS AND HAPPINESS: A CROSS-NATION PATH ANALYSIS.

14Oct 2017 HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS AND HAPPINESS: A CROSS-NATION PATH ANALYSIS. Muchdie. Universitas Muhammadiyah Prof. Dr. HAMKA, Jakarta, Indonesia.

Systematic Review of Vocational Preferences on Behavioral Outcomes of Individuals with Disabilities

Assessing performance of individuals with disabilities in relation to their preferences is a method of determining the social validity of practices. The benefits of using vocational preferences on related behavioral outcomes of individuals with disabilities such as task completion, challenging behavior, and indices of happiness, have been explored through several studies. The purpose of this systematic review was to assess the effects of preference for certain vocational activities on performance outcomes for individuals with disabilities. A comprehensive search resulted in a total of 16 included studies. Studies were analyzed according to (a) participant characteristics (e.g., diagnosis, age), (b) setting, (c) work tasks, (d) service provider, (e) experimental design or observational method, (f) preference assessment method, (g) independent variable, and (h) outcomes. Studies were appraised with quality indicators for single-case research. While outcomes were primarily positive in support of incorporating preferred vocational conditions, quality indicators were generally lacking and there are numerous areas calling for future research.

A microswitch-based program for promoting initial ambulation responses: An evaluation with two girls with multiple disabilities.

We assessed the use of a microswitch-based program for promoting ambulation responses by two children with multiple disabilities. The goals of the study were to: (a) evaluate the importance of the contingency between the target behavior (forward step) and the programmed consequence (preferred stimuli), (b) measure effects of the intervention on indices of happiness, and (c) assess the social validation of the procedure using 20 physiotherapists as external raters. The intervention involved the automatic delivery of preferred stimuli contingent on forward steps. Results showed that both participants improved their performance (forward steps and indices of happiness) during contingent reinforcement phases compared to baseline and noncontingent reinforcement phases. Moreover, physiotherapists rated the intervention as socially valid.

Economic Growth and Happiness: A Cross-Nations Path Analysis Model

This paper directly and indirectly examines the impact of economic growth on happiness, with human development as moderator variable. Cross-nations data on economic growth, human development, and happiness indices were collected from 124 countries and employed in a path analysis model. The results show that economic growth had a direct negative and significant impact on both happiness and human development. Meanwhile, human development had a positive and significant direct impact on happiness. Indirectly, through moderator variable human development, economic growth again had a negative and significant impact on happiness. An implication of this finding was that economic growth is no longer a single important factor of a development indicator. It is then suggested that human development, rather than economic growth, sustainably be promoted in order to make everyone always feels happy

A survey of the perception of well-being among emergency physicians in Taiwan.

Objectives:The objective of this study is to investigate the feelings (well-being) of emergency physicians in Taiwan regarding their job and the relationship between these feelings and the work environment.Materials and Methods:A questionnaire was used to survey emergency physicians across Taiwan from January to June 2014. The questionnaire contents were categorized into five specific factors that could affect well-being, including “emergency quality, emergency safety, support environment, workload, and salary and benefits.” Well-being was rated directly on a scale of 1–10, with 10 indicating the highest level of happiness. Physician retention was also surveyed. The correlations among the five factors, well-being, and physician retention were analyzed. The five factors were quantified as a “happiness index” and compared between religious and nonreligious hospitals and medical centers and regional hospitals.Results:A total of 398 questionnaires were received, and the response rate was 39%. Of these, 42.7% of responders reported high ratings for well-being (scores of 7–10, 1 is the worse, and 10 is the best) and 40.3% felt neutral (scores of 5–6). Only 12.3% doctors did not think they would stay at the same position for the next 3 years. All five factors had moderately significant correlations with each other (γ = 0.195–0.534, P < 0.01). All five factors also significantly correlated with well-being. Emergency safety (γ = 0.121, P < 0.05), salary and benefits (γ = 0.143, P < 0.05), and well-being (γ = 0.189, P < 0.01) were correlated with physician retention. The happiness indices of emergency quality, support environment, and workload were significantly higher in regional hospitals than medical centers.Conclusions:All five indicators had impacts on well-being. The respondents reported heavy workloads, including high stress and even poorly met physiological needs. In addition, the threat of violence, salaries, and well-being correlated with physician retention. Hospital administrators can make efforts to improve the well-being of doctors and physician retention by adjusting environmental factors.

Extending Microswitch-Cluster Programs to Promote Occupation Activities and Reduce Mouthing by six Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Intellectual Disabilities

We extended the use of microswitch-cluster technology to six children with severe to profound developmental disabilities and autism spectrum disorders. The primary aim of the intervention was to improve the adaptive behavior (ie, insert three objects in three different containers within 3 s) and simultaneously decrease the challenging behavior of hand/objects mouthing. The second aim was to assess the effects of the intervention on the indices of happiness. An ABCAC experimental sequence was adopted for each participant. Thus, subsequent to a baseline condition, a first intervention phase was implemented for increasing the adaptive responding irrespective of the challenging behavior, followed by a cluster phase in which positive stimulation was provided contingent on an adaptive response, only if the challenging behavior was absent. A 3 month follow-up occurred. Results showed a performance improvement for all participants involved. Additionally, they all consolidated the adaptive responding during the follow-up. Sixty external raters favorably endorsed the use of such technology. Implications of the findings were discussed.

Familiarizing New Staff for Working with Adults with Severe Disabilities: a Case for Relationship Building.

In human service agencies, situations exist at various times in which consumers are not familiar with the staff who work with them. We evaluated effects of familiar versus unfamiliar staff working with two men with severe disabilities in a vocational program. Results indicated both participants displayed more compliance with familiar staff relative to unfamiliar staff and one exhibited more on-task (one was near ceiling levels with both staff). Subsequently, a familiarization process was conducted with four new staff before working with four men with severe disabilities that involved spending time with a participant in a preferred activity and phasing in to the participant's routine. Each staff worked with one participant after being familiarized and concurrently with another without being familiarized. In all but one case, participant compliance was greater with the familiarized staff. Except when on-task was near ceiling levels, it also was higher with the familiarized staff. Additionally, results offered some support for the existence of a good relationship between familiarized staff and participants in terms of more participant happiness indices than with unfamiliar staff and, to a smaller degree, less unhappiness indices and problem behavior. Implications for practitioners are discussed, including being aware of potential problems when unfamiliar staff work with adults with severe disabilities and considering familiarizing new staff prior to working with individuals. Discussion also addresses how more attention could be directed to relationship development from a practitioner and research perspective.

度量可持续性与生活质量的挑战 ——以一个加拿大小城市为案例的研究

Many set of indicators are currently available to measure sustainability and the quality of life or well-being of the people. However, choice of the set of indicators can widely affect the ranking of a place in terms of the quality of life of the people. For example, Costa Rica ranks 1st in terms of the 2012 Happy Planet Index, but it ranks 69th in terms of the Human Development Index. The goal of this paper is to design a robust mechanism by combining several methodologies to assess the quality of life in a place. We used a small Canadian city, Kamloops, for our case study. This 311 square km city in Interior British Columbia has a population of about 87,000. MoneySense ranked it 44th and 64th best places to live in Canada in 2012 and 2013 respectively. The index that is too sensitive to annual fluctuations of a few indicators could be good for understanding short-run quality of life changes, but might not necessarily reflect the level of well-being and its sustainability in a place. In this paper, we have defined a methodology to select an appropriate set of indicators for Kamloops that would measure the average quality of life and its sustainability. With hundreds of global and regional quality of life and sustainability indicator initiatives, and many available methodologies, it is important for any city to choose the appropriate indicators and evaluation methods. Economists often use estimated monetary values of desired indicators to compute Genuine Progress Indicator, or such other quality of life or composite sustainability indices. Natural scientists, on the other hand, use only a few physical indicators for environmental sustainability assessment. We believe that both monetary and physical indicators are important components of any quality of life index, and therefore, have to be part of a comprehensive sustainability plan. A data aggregation method has been suggested in this paper for computing relatively more composite indices from the large number of quality of life and sustainability indicators. The absence of reliable and adequate data is a serious challenge in measuring the desired indicators. Due to data constraints, a complete assessment of the average quality of life and its sustainability in Kamloops is not possible at this time using our suggested methodology. However, the proposed methodology and the data compiled for this study are steps forward to a complete and systematic accounting of well-being, happiness, income, wealth, and sustainability indices for Kamloops. We have assessed the current Kamloops Sustainability Plan based on our proposed criteria. It is expected that this study will make different stakeholders in the City of Kamloops re-think about their sustainability plans, and will help contribute to make Kamloops a better place to live. The methodology recommended in this paper is general enough to be used for quality of life and sustainability assessment in any place.

Measuring happiness in individuals with profound multiple disabilities

This quantitative study assessed whether presentation of preferred items and activities during multiple periods of the day (and over multiple days) increased indices of happiness (over time/sustained) in individuals with PMD. A multiple baseline design across participants was utilized to measure changes in indices of happiness of the participants. Participants were recruited from an adult day activity program specializing in providing assistance to individuals with disabilities. For Mary, baseline indices of happiness were 26.67% of intervals, increasing 6.76% during intervention to 33.43%. For Caleb, baseline indices of happiness were 20.84% of intervals, increasing 6.34% during intervention to 27.18%. For Mark, baseline indices of happiness were 40.00% of intervals, increasing 12.75% during intervention to 52.75%. Overall interobserver agreement was 82.8%, with interobserver agreement observations occurring during 63.04% of the observations. The results of the investigation demonstrated that presenting preferred items and activities increased the indices of happiness compared to baseline rates of indices of happiness. Results may have been more robust if the participants were assessed for overall responsiveness patterns prior to the initiation of measurement of indices of happiness.

Psychosexual development and quality of life outcomes in females with congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

Background/AimsOutcome information regarding females with classical congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) have generally suggested poor quality of life (QoL), general maladjustment, problems regarding sexuality, and decreased fertility. The aim of this study was to assess QoL, psychosocial adaptation, and psychosexual characteristics, includingchildhood gender role behavior, gender identity, and sexual orientation in females with CAH.MethodsFemale patients with 21-hydroxylase deficiency CAH were evaluated using a questionnaire with items relating to knowledge of their condition and its therapy; consistency of medical, surgical, and psychological care; childhood friends and play behavior; and genital, pubertal, and sexual development. The subjects’ perception of outcome was compared with family support and adolescent and adult QoL perspectives, including social relationships, self and body image, and gender and sexual issues.ResultsChildhood play and gender characteristics, childhood and adult genital perception, and sexual identity and orientation varied as previously reported. However, most patients indicated good family support, understanding of their condition, good quality medical care, positive self-satisfaction, indices of happiness and body image perception, and satisfaction with their sex lives.ConclusionThe data reported here suggest that overall outcome can be very good for females with CAH and that good outcome appears to relate to quality of care and positive social support.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13633-015-0017-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

SOME CONCEPTUAL AND METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES ON HAPPINESS: LESSONS FROM EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY

Despite recent intense interest, happiness studies have been impeded by some conceptual and methodological problems, including viewing happiness (well-being/welfare) as different over different persons, as relative, multi-dimensional, non-cardinally measurable, interpersonally non-comparable and using non-cardinal and interpersonally non-comparable methods of happiness measurement. Using the evolutionary biology of happiness, this paper argues that happiness is absolute, universal, and uni-dimensional and is also cardinally measurable and interpersonally comparable. This is needed to make choices motivated by reward (pleasure) and punishment (pain) consistent with fitness maximization. However, happiness indices obtained by virtually all existing methods of happiness measurement are largely non-cardinal and non-comparable, making the use of averaging in group happiness indices of dubious philosophical validity. A method of measuring happiness to give cardinal and interpersonally comparable indices is discussed. These may contribute towards the more scientific study of happiness that is based on sounder methodological grounds as well as yielding more useful results.

Evaluation of TV commercials using neurophysiological responses.

BackgroundIn recent years, neuroscientific knowledge has been applied to marketing as a novel and efficient means to comprehend the cognitive and behavioral aspects of consumers. A number of studies have attempted to evaluate media contents, especially TV commercials using various neuroimaging techniques such as electroencephalography (EEG). Yet neurophysiological examination of detailed cognitive and affective responses in viewers is still required to provide practical information to marketers. Here, this study develops a method to analyze temporal patterns of EEG data and extract affective and cognitive indices such as happiness, surprise, and attention for TV commercial evaluation.MethodsTwenty participants participated in the study. We developed the neurophysiological indices for TV commercial evaluation using classification model. Specifically, these model-based indices were customized using individual EEG features. We used a video game for developing the index of attention and four video clips for developing indices of happiness and surprise. Statistical processes including one-way analyses of variance (ANOVA) and the cross validation scheme were used to select EEG features for each index. The EEG features were composed of the combinations of spectral power at selected channels from the cross validation for each individual. The Fisher’s linear discriminant classifier (FLDA) was used to estimate each neurophysiological index during viewing four different TV commercials. Post hoc behavioral responses of preference, short-term memory, and recall were measured.ResultsBehavioral results showed significant differences for all preference, short-term memory rates, and recall rates between commercials, leading to a ‘high-ranked’ commercial group and a ‘low-ranked’ group (P < 0.05). Neural estimation of happiness results revealed a significant difference between the high-ranked and the low-ranked commercials in happiness index (P < 0.01). The order of rankings based on happiness and attention matched well with the order of behavioral response rankings. In the elapsed-time analysis of the highest-ranked commercial, we could point to visual and auditory semantic structures of the commercial that induced increases in the happiness index.ConclusionsOur results demonstrated that the neurophysiological indices developed in this study may provide a useful tool for evaluating TV commercials.

The influence of regional deprivation index on personal happiness using multilevel analysis.

OBJECTIVES:The objective of the present study was to identify the factors that influence the happiness index of community residents, by considering personal and regional aspects, and to use as evidence of efforts for improvement of the happiness index.METHODS:The study was conducted based on information from 16,270 participants who met the data requirement among those who participated in the 2011 South Gyeongsang Community Health Survey. Of the factors that can influence the happiness index, socioeconomic characteristics, health behavior, morbidity, and healthcare use, social contact, and participation in social activities were classified as personal factors; for regional factors, data from the 2010 census were used to extrapolate the regional deprivation indices at the submunicipal-level (eup, myeon, and dong) in South Gyeongsang Province. The happiness index for each characteristic was compared to that for others via t-test and ANOVA, and multilevel analysis was performed, using four models: a basic model for identification of only random effects, model 1 for identification of personal factors, model 2 for identification of regional factors, and model 3 for simultaneous consideration of both personal and regional factors.RESULTS:The mean happiness index was 63.2 points (64.6 points in males and 62.0 points in females), while the mean deprivation index was -1.58 points. In the multilevel analysis, the regional-level variance ratio of the basic model was 10.8%, confirming interregional differences. At the personal level, higher happiness indices were seen in groups consisting of males with high educational level, high income, high degree of physical activity, sufficient sleep, active social contact, and participation in social activities; whereas lower happiness indices were seen in people who frequently skipped breakfast, had unmet healthcare needs, and had accompanying diseases, as well as those with higher deprivation index.CONCLUSIONS:The study confirmed that the happiness index of community residents was influenced by not only personal aspects but also various regional characteristics. To increase the happiness index, interests at both personal and regional levels, as well as community emphasis on creating social rapport and engaging in selective efforts, are needed in vulnerable regions with relatively high deprivation index.

Technological aids to support choice strategies by three girls with Rett syndrome.

This study was aimed at extending the use of assistive technology (i.e., photocells, interface and personal computer) to support choice strategies by three girls with Rett syndrome and severe to profound developmental disabilities. A second purpose of the study was to reduce stereotypic behaviors exhibited by the participants involved (i.e., body rocking, hand washing and hand mouthing). Finally, a third goal of the study was to monitor the effects of such program on the participants' indices of happiness. The study was carried out according to a multiple probe design across responses for each participant. Results showed that the three girls increased the adaptive responses and decreased the stereotyped behaviors during intervention phases compared to baseline. Moreover, during intervention phases, the indices of happiness augmented for each girl as well. Clinical, psychological and rehabilitative implications of the findings are discussed.

Technological supports to promote choice opportunities by two children with fragile X syndrome and severe to profound developmental disabilities.

This study was aimed at assessing whether technological supports (i.e. optic sensors such as photocells) were successful enabling two boys with fragile X syndrome and severe to profound developmental disabilities to perform occupation and choice opportunities. A second goal of the study was to reduce stereotyped behaviours (i.e. hand mouthing and eye poking) exhibited by the participants. Finally, the third purpose of the study was to verify the rehabilitative effects of the intervention program on the indices of happiness of the participants. The study has been conducted according to a non-concurrent multiple baseline design across participants followed by intervention and cross over phases, where the associations between behavioural responses and environmental consequences were systematically inverted. Moreover, a maintenance phase was assessed. The results demonstrated that the technology is useful to facilitate employment and opportunities of choice, showing a growth of the indices of happiness and a decrease of stereotyped behaviours, from both participants involved. Clinical, practical and psychological implications of the findings are discussed.

Comparing PECS and VOCA to promote communication opportunities and to reduce stereotyped behaviors by three girls with Rett syndrome

We compared PECS and VOCA intervention strategies to promote communication opportunities for three girls with Rett syndrome and severe to profound developmental disabilities. The first aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of both aforementioned strategies by enhancing request and choices of preferred items by the participants involved to a caregiver. The second goal of the study was to assess the effects of the intervention program by reducing stereotyped behaviors (i.e. body rocking and hand movements). Finally, the third purpose was to carry out the indices of happiness and monitor quality of life concerning the participants exposed to the intervention program. The study was carried out according to an alternating treatments design with a final preference check phase for each participant. Results showed an increasing of independent requested and chosen items as well as of indices of happiness during intervention phases for all participants. Moreover, two of them chose VOCA strategy during preference checks phase, while the third one equally chose both strategies. Furthermore, a decreasing of stereotypies was observed during intervention phases for the three participants. Clinical, educational and psychological implications of the findings are discussed.

A microswitch-cluster program to enhance object manipulation and to reduce hand mouthing by three boys with autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disabilities

We assessed a microswitch-cluster program to enhance object manipulation and to reduce hand mouthing by three boys with autism spectrum disorders and severe to profound intellectual disabilities. A second goal of the study was to monitor the effect of such program on the indices of happiness of the participants. The study has been carried out according to an ABB1AB1 sequence, where A represented baseline phases, B represented intervention phase in which the adaptive response (i.e. object manipulation) was followed by a contingent positive stimulation irrespective of challenge behavior (i.e. hand mouthing), and B1 indicated intervention phases in which an adaptive response was followed by a contingent positive stimulation only if it occurred with the simultaneous absence of the challenge behavior. Otherwise, positive stimulation was interrupted if the challenge behavior was exhibited during its supply. Results showed an increasing of the adaptive responses and a decrease of the challenge behavior during intervention phases. All participants spent less time with the exhibition of challenge behavior, during intervention phases, compared to baseline sessions. Finally, the indices of happiness augmented during intervention phases. Clinical, practical and psychological implications of the findings are discussed.

Sustainable Development as the Imperative of the Twenty-First Century; Towards Alternative Approaches on Measuring and Monitoring

In the words of UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon: “sustainable development is the imperative of the twenty-first century.” At this point in the evolution of civilizations and societies, such statements have become de riguer for statesmen and social scientists alike; however, more often the discourse of “sustainable development” does not translate to concrete deeds. And in the case of Albania, even the discourse of sustainable development is lacking. In fact, the progress in Albania is measured almost exclusively through measures of GDP. However, using solely economic indicators, such as growth in GPD, to measure societal progress have been disputed since at least mid-twentieth century and continued to be disputed because such measures do not take into account “welfare indicators,” such as the happiness and well-being of people within a society (see, e.g., Kennedy, 1968; Cameron, 2010). In this paper, is presented a new methodological approach to measuring sustainable development based on the happiness indices of Marks (2011) and Veenhoven (1991, 1995) and the measurement of the ecological footprint (Rees, 1992) of development projects. It is argued that this approach to measuring progress within societies is superior to merely economic approaches because it takes into account quality of life, environmental sustainability, and economic development. Such an integrative approach to measuring societal progress is particularly vital to sustainable development in countries such as Albania. DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2014.v3n1p105