Autistic people's minority status makes them more vulnerable to minority stressors, such as stigmatization and victimization, which are linked to greater stress and lower life satisfaction. The Psychological Mediation Framework (PMF) proposes that cognitive, affective, and social-psychological processes help explain the relationships between these stressors and adverse outcomes. This cross-sectional study tested the PMF in autistic adults by examining how two of its key processes, internalized stigma and loneliness, are associated with stress and life satisfaction. Using self-report survey data from 831 autistic participants enrolled in the Netherlands Autism Register (NAR), aged 18-87 years (Mage = 47.5; SD = 12.5; 408 women, 309 men, and 114 gender-diverse individuals), multiple regression analyses showed that internalized autism-related stigma, emotional loneliness, and social loneliness were each positively associated with stress and negatively associated with life satisfaction. Mediation analyses indicated that both types of loneliness partially mediated the relationship between internalized autism-related stigma and these outcomes. Supporting the PMF, the findings suggest that autism-related stigmas may become internalized and be associated with loneliness, which is linked to greater stress and lower life satisfaction. Future studies should build upon the PMF and explore strategies to mitigate underlying minority stressors.Lay AbstractUnderstanding stress and life satisfaction in autistic adults with the psychological mediation frameworkWhy was this study done?Autistic adults often experience higher levels of stress and lower life satisfaction than non-autistic adults. Recently, research has suggested that these experiences are linked to them being part of a minority group-autistic people. Minorities often experience extra stress from experiences like stigma, sometimes called minority stressors. A theoretical model, the Psychological Mediation Framework (PMF), describes how minority stressors are linked to differences in people's thoughts, emotions, and feelings. This study examined whether the PMF can also help explain the stress and life satisfaction of autistic adults. We did this by testing whether two important parts of the PMF, internalized autism-related stigma (negative beliefs about being autistic) and loneliness, were linked to their stress and life satisfaction (how content people feel with their lives overall).What did we do?We analyzed data from 831 autistic adults who filled out a survey. In our statistical models (mathematical analyses that test how variables are related), we took into account other factors that are more commonly used to examine which factors were statistically associated with stress and life satisfaction in autistic adults, such as the level of characteristics related to autism and education level. By doing this, we increased the chance that any relationships we found could be attributed to minority stressors.What did we find?Autistic adults who experienced more internalized autism-related stigma, emotional loneliness (feeling disconnected from close relationships), and social loneliness (lacking a broader social network) reported higher stress levels and lower life satisfaction. We also found that autistic adults with more internalized stigma felt lonelier, and this loneliness was linked to higher stress and lower life satisfaction.What do the findings mean?The results suggest that autistic adults may internalize autism-related stigmas, which are linked to greater loneliness, higher stress, and lower life satisfaction. As these findings align with the PMF, we believe future studies should continue using this model. Also, we recommend that researchers should study ways to reduce minority stressors and improve the mental health of autistic adults.

Amidst the abrupt school closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, adolescents faced unexpected challenges. Drawing on data collected 1 week before, during, and 1 year after the first COVID-19 school closure in Belgium, this study investigated (1) changes in life satisfaction, (2) whether parent-child relationship quality served as a protective factor during school closures over and beyond COVID-19-related concerns; and (3) differences among early adolescents (N = 124, Mage = 12.86, 40.3% girls, 0.8% nonbinary) from different ethnic and SES backgrounds. Results revealed a general decline in life satisfaction during school closure, independent of ethnicity and SES, with only partial recovery when schools reopened. Beyond general negative consequences of parental conflict, parental warmth had a stronger protective effect for youth from ethnic minority and lower SES backgrounds, and the harmful impact of COVID-19-related concerns was more pronounced among youth from ethnic majority backgrounds. The findings highlight how school closures reduced adolescents' life satisfaction, and point toward critical underlying mechanisms among adolescents from different ethnic and SES backgrounds.

It is known that patients receiving HD treatment experience many symptoms alone or in combination, negatively affecting their life satisfaction and happiness levels. This study was conducted to determine the effect of symptom severity on life satisfaction and happiness in patients receiving chronic hemodialysis treatment. A descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted between April and May 2023 with 239 patients receiving treatment in four hemodialysis centers in a province in northeastern Turkey. The data were collected by face-to-face interview technique using the "Descriptive Information Form," "Dialysis Symptom Index (DSI)," "Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS)," and "Happiness Scale (HS)." A statistically significant difference was found between gender, exercise status, and the presence of secondarydisease and HS and DSI (p < 0.05). At the same time, a significant difference was found between marital status and the SWLS and HS and between income level and smoking status and the SWLS (p < 0.05). There was a significant relationship between DSI and SWLS and HS, and DSI had a predictive effect on life satisfaction and happiness scale ( , ). Symptom severity was below moderate, life satisfaction was reasonable, and happiness level was above average in patients receiving chronic hemodialysis treatment. A comprehensive assessment of multiple symptoms and effective symptom management is recommended in patients receiving hemodialysis.

Posttraumatic cognitive attributions, belongingness, and life satisfaction in mother-daughter dyads.

Longitudinal muscle strength trajectories, incident depressive symptoms, and life satisfaction in Chinese middle-aged and older adults.

Leisure for whom? Socioeconomic disparities in the well-being benefits of third places

The aim of this study was to assess the longitudinal association between transitioning to adult caregiving, grandparent childcare and mental health outcomes (depressive symptoms, life satisfaction and cognitive functioning) and physical health outcomes (pain interference) in South Africa from 2015 to 2022. We used information from three waves of the 'Health and Aging in Africa: A Longitudinal Study of an INDEPTH Community in South Africa (HAALSI)'. To evaluate within-person changes over time, symmetric and asymmetric linear fixed-effects (FE) regressions were employed and also stratified by sex. Adjusted FE regression analysis found a positive association between the change in grandchild care and beginning to provide grandchild care and depressive symptoms in the total sample and among women. Onset of adult caregiving, change in grandchild care and beginning to provide grandchild care were negatively associated with life satisfaction and positively associated with pain interference, while ceased grandchild care was positively associated with life satisfaction and negatively associated with pain interference. Onset of adult caregiving was negatively associated with cognitive functioning, and change in grandchild care and beginning to provide grandchild care were positively associated with cognitive functioning. Transitions into caregiving-both for grandchildren and adults-are associated with poorer well-being, including higher depressive symptoms (especially among women), lower life satisfaction and greater pain interference, supporting a role-strain perspective. However, initiating or changing grandchild care is linked to better cognitive functioning, suggesting potential stimulation benefits. In contrast, ceasing grandchild care is associated with improved life satisfaction and reduced pain.

The pursuit of meaning in life is a critical determinant of psychological well-being, yet its relationship with work-related psychological processes remains underexplored among educators in regional Philippine contexts. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT), this study examined the mediating role of work engagement in the relationship between psychological need satisfaction (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) and meaning in life. A cross-sectional correlational research design was employed, involving 198 college teachers from higher education institutions in Central Luzon, Philippines. Data were collected using the Basic Psychological Needs Scale (BPNS), the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), and the 9-item Filipino-validated Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ). Descriptive results indicated moderate to high levels across all three constructs. Pearson correlation analysis revealed significant positive associations among need satisfaction, work engagement, and meaning in life (p &lt; .001). Mediation analysis using a bootstrapping approach confirmed that work engagement partially mediated the relationship between psychological need satisfaction and meaning in life (Indirect Effect = 0.209, p &lt; .001). While work engagement serves as a crucial motivational bridge, need satisfaction also maintained a significant direct effect on meaning in life (Direct Effect = 0.312, p = .003). These findings suggest that fostering need-supportive academic environments is essential for enhancing both faculty engagement and existential well-being.

Dual filial piety and prosocial behaviour among Chinese adolescents: The roles of self-esteem and life satisfaction.

Effects of pistachio consumption on cognition, cardiometabolic risk factors, and life satisfaction in older adults: Protocol for a remote-based randomized controlled trial.

Boosting mental health literacy in Chinese universities: A randomized controlled trial of intervention efficacy.

Social disparities in associations between informal caregiving intensity and mental health: Evidence from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.

Promotion of creative thinking and students' well-being are now seen as important indicators of human capital; however, role of creativity skills and self-beliefs in academic success remains unclear. This study analyzes the relationship between creativity-related factors and student achievement in Spain using PISA 2022 data from 30,800 fifteen-year-old students across 966 schools. Two-level cross-sectional multilevel modeling provided manner to examine both student and school levels of predictors of outcomes — mathematics achievement, life satisfaction, and stress resistance. Analysis indicated that creative thinking had positive relationship (p < .001) with mathematics achievement at student level (β = 3.95) and school level (β = 2.55). On the other hand, different factors explained well-being outcomes; all life satisfaction and stress resistance were positively predicted by creative self-efficacy (β = 0.17 and β = 0.10, p <.001). This study highlights unique roles of creative performance (related to academics) and creative confidence (related to well-being).

Healthy ageing is a major public health challenge in rapidly ageing societies, where longer life expectancy does not always translate into sustained well-being. This study examines health trajectories among Chinese middle-aged and older adults, focusing on social participation and the mediating role of life satisfaction. Using four waves (2011-2018) of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, we applied latent growth curve modelling to assess overall change and individual heterogeneity and latent growth mixture modelling to identify five trajectory categories across six dimensions: environment, vitality, cognitive function, sensory and physical abilities, daily activities and psychological well-being. The five classes were high initial stable, high initial declining, moderate initial increasing, moderate initial declining and low initial increasing. Multinomial logistic regression showed that greater social participation was associated with a lower likelihood of less favourable trajectories; relative to high initial stable, the low initial increasing group exhibited a significantly reduced risk. Cultural and recreational activities showed the strongest protective association, whereas volunteer service had no significant impact. Life satisfaction partially mediated the association between social participation and trajectory membership. These results suggest that expanding meaningful social participation and improving life satisfaction are important pathways for promoting healthy ageing among Chinese middle-aged and older adults.

As social norms and relationship dynamics evolve, it is important to examine how transitions from singlehood to partnership, cohabitation, and marriage relate to well-being. Using data from two large panel studies in the UK and Germany (1984-2019), we identified N = 27,459 individuals who reported being single and living alone at least once. Analyses focused on a subset (N = 1103; Mage = 38.35, SDage = 13.87; 43.8% women) who later entered a relationship and moved in with a partner. Life satisfaction increased over the short to medium term after cohabitation across most socio-demographic groups. The increase peaked in the year of moving in (Δ ≈ 0.48 SD) and remained above pre-transition levels for the 2 subsequent years analyzed. Those who had found a partner one year before had already achieved significantly higher life satisfaction, while cohabitation showed no additional effect. Marriage showed a short-lived additional effect in the early 1990s, but not more recently. Lower-income individuals experienced a stronger post-peak decline. Findings suggest that well-being increases are more closely aligned with relationship formation than with cohabitation or marriage. Among participants already in a relationship, increases in well-being were observed prior to cohabitation, suggesting anticipatory effects.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is often associated with autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysregulation and reduced heart rate variability (HRV), potentially affecting cognition. This study tested whether HRV biofeedback (HRV-B) improved resting HRV and stress recovery in individuals with TBI compared to sham control. We also examined whether HRV changes related to physical symptoms, emotional well-being, cognitive performance, and adherence. Fifty-eight participants with TBI enrolled; 49 completed the study (HRV-B: 25, mean age 27.1; sham: 24, mean age 26.6). Participants attended five weekly sessions. Assessments included cognitive, emotional, and physical outcomes. HRV metrics (HF, LF, LF/HF, SDNN, RMSSD) were collected via electrocardiogram. The HRV-B group showed a higher LF/HF ratio at rest (F(1, 43) = 9.38, p = 0.004) and during stress recovery (F(1, 172) = 4.27, p = 0.040) than sham. A group-by-session interaction (F(1, 172) = 4.18, p = 0.04) indicated an LF/HF increase over time for HRV-B. Condition effects for HF (log), RMSSD, and SDNN at rest favored sham but disappeared after adjusting for pre-assessment values. LF (log) showed no significant effects. Both groups improved in Fluid Cognition and Total Composite scores, with no between-group differences. Anxiety and depression decreased over sessions, with greater depression improvement in HRV-B. No group effects emerged for stress or life satisfaction. HRV-B increased LF/HF ratio at rest and during stressor recovery, possibly reflecting baroreflex engagement. However, other HRV condition effects attenuated after adjusting for baseline values. Cognitive and emotional gains were observed in both groups.

This study presents the development of a supplementary questionnaire assessing lifestyle behaviors, psychological well-being, and contextual factors, designed to complement the World Mental Health International College Student (WMH-ICS) survey, within the Italian Health Mode On project. A preliminary questionnaire, based on a literature review and composed of brief standardized measures across 15 sections, was drafted. Its validation was conducted through a two-round electronic Delphi process involving 17 experts from Italian universities and research institutes. In the first round, the experts rated the relevance of each section and domain and suggested item revisions or additions. Feedback was synthesized and presented in the second round, during which the experts re-rated their agreement with all proposed modifications. All sections proposed in the preliminary version were retained. Experts provided 115 item-modification proposals and 10 suggestions for new sections or domains; 35 modifications (30.4%) and 3 additions (30%) were accepted. The final instrument comprises 18 sections and 64 items covering anthropometry, socio-economic status, housing, commuting, physical activity, diet, sleep, nicotine product use, social media, gaming, gambling, loneliness, hopelessness, life satisfaction, academic stress, student services, discrimination, and general well-being. A rapid e-Delphi process produced a concise, expert-validated supplement expanding the WMH-ICS survey's capacity to inform health promotion and prevention interventions.

Social support is positively associated with quality of life (QoL) in autistic people, yet almost all evidence is cross-sectional and focused on younger adults. We examined 2-year longitudinal survey data from 209 autistic adults aged ⩾40 years living in the United States, all recruited via the Research Match service of Simons Powering Autism Research for Knowledge. Participants self-reported their general QoL, autism-specific QoL, and social support (subjective support, instrumental support, and social interaction). Cross-lagged panel models tested bidirectional associations. Mean scores increased from Time 1 to Time 2 for the general QoL and autism-specific QoL, while social support was mostly stable. Higher baseline general QoL predicted greater subjective support later, whereas baseline subjective support did not predict later general QoL. A reciprocal relationship emerged between autism-specific QoL and subjective support. Unexpectedly, baseline instrumental support predicted lower subsequent general QoL. Among autistic adults in mid-to-later life, QoL appears to drive subsequent social support more strongly than support drives QoL, with the clearest reciprocity observed for autism-specific QoL and subjective support. Future multiwave studies with more diverse samples are needed to chart long-term trajectories and determine how tailored support can optimize aging outcomes in individuals with autism.Lay AbstractWe know little about how autistic people's perceived social support and quality of life (QoL) influence each other as they age. We surveyed 209 40+-year-old autistic adults living in the United States at two timepoints 2 years apart. They answered questions about their general QoL, QoL specific to their autistic experiences, and three types of social support (subjective support, instrumental support, and social interaction). The first survey was in late 2019/early 2020, and the second was 2 years later - late 2021/early 2022. We found that, on average, middle-aged and older autistic adults reported better QoL after 2 years, while the amount of practical help and the number of social interactions did not change. People who started out with better QoL reported more subjective support later. Reporting better autism-specific QoL at the beginning led to more emotional and practical support later and vice versa - feeling well-supported emotionally initially led to better autism-specific QoL later. Surprisingly, getting more initial practical support was linked to lower overall QoL 2 years later. Our results suggest that helping autistic adults feel comfortable with their identity, manage sensory needs, and navigate services may not only improve their QoL but also strengthen the emotional and practical support they receive from others. Practical help is still important, but it should match the person's goals and preferences, so that it boosts, rather than harms, life satisfaction. Programs that check in regularly about changing needs, especially around significant life events like retirement or health changes, could make a real difference as autistic adults grow older.

Enabling older people to live comfortably in their own neighbourhoods for longer, known as ageing-in-place, has become a policy priority to reduce pressures on health and social care systems amid global population ageing. However, research on place and health remains predominantly deficit-focused, emphasising illness and decline (e.g. frailty, depression, and anxiety). This review adopts a positive psychology perspective and a life-course framework to synthesise evidence on how neighbourhood environments support flourishing in later life, a multidimensional state encompassing happiness, life satisfaction, and meaning in life. Searches were conducted across nine databases. Content analysis was used to synthesise findings, guided by an adapted version of Wahl, Iwarsson and Oswald's person-environment framework of ageing well. Risk of bias was assessed using the NHLBI Quality Assessment Tool. From 3375 records, 52 studies met the inclusion criteria. Consistent positive associations were identified between neighbourhood physical characteristics (e.g. green space, littering) and social characteristics (e.g. ageism, social cohesion) and older adults' flourishing. Findings on the functional characteristics (e.g. service accessibility and transport) varied by service type and measurement approach. Compositional characteristics (e.g. age mix, socioeconomic status) significantly moderated person-environment interactions but remain underexplored. The evidence base overall is limited by reliance on cross-sectional data. Emerging evidence suggests that neighbourhood effects differ across young-old (50-64), old-old (65-79) and oldest-old (80 +) groups, highlighting the need for more life-course research to disentangle cumulative and temporal dynamics in person-environment interactions in later life. Neighbourhoods play a crucial role in supporting older adults' flourishing, but evidence on causal pathways and life-course dynamics remains limited. The proposed integrative framework enhances conceptual clarity and provides a foundation for longitudinal research to guide place-based interventions for positive ageing.

Determinants and pathways of smoking cessation among 147,691 adults living with disability.