Personal Wellbeing Index Research Articles

Changes with Age in Subjective Well-Being Through the Adolescent Years: Differences by Gender

A one-year follow up study was conducted on a sample of 940 Spanish adolescents aged mostly from 10 to 15 in order to explore the extent to which their subjective well-being (SWB) changes from one year to the next, and whether these changes are the same for both genders regardless of the instrument used to measure SWB. Participants responded to the same four SWB scales twice, with an interval of a year in between. A decrease in the levels of SWB is identified from the years 11–12 onwards, the decrease in girls being more marked. Multiple-item, domain-based scales (Brief Multidimensional Student’s Life Satisfaction Scale and Personal Well-Being Index) are more sensitive than single-item scales (Overall Life Satisfaction and Happiness Taking into Account Overall Life) in detecting this decrease. Implications for the study of SWB are discussed from a developmental perspective.

Mental health, well-being, and poverty: A study in urban and rural communities in Northeastern Brazil

ABSTRACTThis article analyzes the relations between mental health and well-being in urban and rural contexts marked by poverty. The analysis takes as its basis a quantitative research conducted with 417 adult inhabitants of two communities, one rural and the other urban, in Northeastern Brazil. The data were constructed using questionnaires composed of sociodemographic data, the Personal Wellbeing Index and Self Report Questionnaire (SRQ-20) scales. We found significant differences between the inhabitants of the rural and urban communities regarding well-being and the prevalence of common mental disorders (CMD), with a higher average well-being score in the rural context; the urban sample had a higher average regarding the prevalence of CMD. The variable income significantly influenced the SRQ-20 average scores; the same was not observed with well-being scores. Besides, it was observed that there is a negative correlation with well-being and CMD.

A randomised control trial of an Internet-based cognitive behaviour treatment for mood disorder in adults with chronic spinal cord injury.

Prospective parallel waitlist randomised controlled trial. Evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of an Internet-based psychological intervention treating comorbid mood disorder in adults with spinal cord injury (SCI). Improved mood and satisfaction with life were primary outcomes. Victoria, Australia. Electronic Personal Administration of Cognitive Therapy (ePACT). Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-Short Form (DASS21), Personal Well-being Index, Helplessness subscale of the Spinal Cord Lesion Emotional Well-being Scale v1 Australia, at each time point.Participant qualifying criteria:Adults (18-70 years), chronic SCI, attend SCI review clinic at Austin or Caulfield Hospital and score above normative threshold of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-Short Form (DASS21). Forty-eight participants completed Time 2 post intervention (n=23) or time equivalent for waitlist control group (n=25) telephone interviews. The measures were repeated a third time (Time 3) for a small subgroup (n=12) at 6 months post intervention within the study implementation time frame. Univariate within group analyses revealed significant improvement in mood in the intervention group at Time 2: (lower depression (effect size (ES)=0.4), anxiety (ES=0.4) and stress (ES=0.3)) and higher satisfaction with life (ES=0.2). Waitlist control group improved in depression only (ES=0.3) by Time 2. Multilevel variance components analyses, although not as positive, were still encouraging. Improvement in mood symptoms was maintained in the small group reinterviewed at Time 3. Although Internet-based interventions for mental health issues in SCI not a solution for all, our results indicate that they are a potentially valuable addition to the currently available options.

The role of taekwondo training on the subjective wellbeing of adolescents in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

<p>The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of taekwondo (TKD) training on the subjective well-being (SWB) of adolescents (12-18 years old) in Addis Ababa city. A cross-sectional survey method was used; self-administered questionnaire was the main data collection tool. A total number of 162 adolescents (108 TKD adolescents from four randomly selected TKD clubs and 54 non-TKD adolescents from a randomly selected public high school), participated in the study. The study sought to determine TKD adolescents’ level of SWB as measured by the Personal Wellbeing Index – School Children (PWI-SC). Besides, adolescents in different groups (TKD adolescents in three groups according to rank/belt level and TKD adolescents and non-TKD adolescents) were compared based on their score of PWI-SC. Results of the study showed that: (1) TKD adolescents had high level (mean points) of SWB as measured by the PWI-SC, i.e., 81.95 (95%CI: 79.70 to 84.20); (2) there was no significant difference in SWB among the three groups of TKD adolescents (lower, middle and high level belts) (F<sub>(2, 81)</sub> = 1.58, <em>p</em> > .05.); and (3) when compared with non-TKD adolescents, TKD adolescents were found to have a significantly higher mean points of SWB, (<em>t</em> = 4.25<sub>(77.97)</sub>, <em>p</em> < 0.001; <em>d </em>= 0.79). Overall, the results of this study indicated the training of TKD can have a positive contribution to adolescents’ well-being.</p>

Psychometric Properties of the Spanish Version of the Personal Wellbeing Index-School Children (PWI-SC) in Chilean School Children

Child and adolescent measures of the quality of life or subjective well-being are scarce in Latin American countries. Chile is no exception to this situation that represents a gap in the literature for South American countries research. Thus, the aim was to analyze the psychometric properties of the Personal Well-being Index for School Children (PWI-SC) of Cummins et al. Social Indicators Research, 64(2), 159–190, (2003) in a sample of Chilean school children. We use a sample of 1096 pupils between 10 and 12 years old (M = 11.03; SD = 0.89) and residents of three major Chilean cities. Results of Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis provided evidence for only one single factor solution. Moreover, an acceptable level of internal reliability was observed (α = 0.77). The discussion of results considers other internationals applications of PWI-SC.

APSAD 2015 Conference, 8-11 November 2015, Perth, Western Australia.

Design and Methods: Participants were 757 PWID enrolled in the Melbourne Injecting Drug User Cohort Study. We used gender-stratified linear models with fixed effects for each participant to examine correlates of change in individual scores on the Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI) over time. Further linear regression of adjusted PWI scores was used to measure correlations between demographic variables.

Validation of the Personal Wellbeing Index for People with End Stage Kidney Disease

The quality of life of people with end stage kidney disease (ESKD) has traditionally been measured using instruments that emphasise objective health status. The present study validates an alternative measure, the Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI), which measures subjective wellbeing. An Australian ESKD sample (N = 172, Mean age = 64.04, SD = 14.82) completed the PWI as well as health-specific quality of life measures. The PWI was subject to confirmatory factor analysis, and a series of regressions and between-group comparisons were performed to reveal that it is a psychometrically appropriate measure for this sample. The PWI and health-specific measures each yield different and complementary results. Thus, the PWI is proposed as a complement to existing health-related quality of life tools, in order to broaden understanding of the patient’s subjective experience. The resulting profile is argued to better inform targeted interventions to improve the quality of life of people with ESKD.

Relación entre soporte social, la satisfacción de vida y bienestar subjetivo en adolescentes brasileros

This study explores the subjective well-being, overall life satisfaction and perceived social support of Brazilian adolescents by analysing different models that explain the relationships among these three constructs. The sample is comprised of 1,588 adolescents (aged 12–16, 65.5% female), who answered the Personal Well-Being Index (PWI), a measure of Perceived Social Support of Family and Friends, and also an Overall Life Satisfaction single-item scale (OLS). MANOVA and ANOVA were used to assess the differences between groups, with respect to gender, it is observed that girls present lower means than boys for the OLS. Considering age, there was a significant decrease in the mean of the PWI with age. Boys present lower means of friends’ social support. Structural Equation Modelling was used to test theoretical frameworks on data. After analysing different models, the best fit model is presented using the PWI as a mediating factor between social support and satisfaction with life. The perception of social support from family and friends results to be a significant dimension of well-being among Brazilian adolescents. The importance of social support for the subjective well-being is explained by identifying how it contributes to the overall life satisfaction of adolescents.

Validation of the Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI) in vulnerable users of health care services in Santiago, Chile

Personal well-being calculates quality of life in terms of the necessary conditions required to live well. To validate the Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI) in a representative sample of vulnerable users of the public health system in Santiago, Chile. A probabilistic and multistage sample consisting of 400 individuals aged 44 ± 18 years (61% females) belonging to the lower income group of the National Health Fund (FONASA), residents of Gran Santiago was surveyed. Internal consistency and correlation between items and scale were examined. Structure was analyzed through confirmatory factor analysis. The seven-item PWI is a good indicator of subjective well-being in the population under study, considering internal consistency, factor loadings, relation with overall life satisfaction and goodness of fit. The indicators mostly associated with personal well-being are the socioeconomic level followed by relationships with the community, health conditions and achievements. The 7-item version of the PWI is suitable for application in vulnerable health service users.

Integration in the Vocational World: How Does It Affect Quality of Life and Subjective Well-Being of Young Adults with ASD.

This study aimed to assess whether the perception of quality of life (QOL) and subjective well-being (SWB) of young adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is affected by participation in a comprehensive program. Participants included 25 young adults with ASD who participated in the “Roim Rachok Program” (RRP), where they were trained to become aerial photography interpreters. Following the training period, they served in a designated army unit where they practiced their newly acquired profession. The participants filled out two questionnaires, (a) Quality of Life (QOL-Q) and (b) Personal Well-being Index (PWI), at three points of the intervention: (a) before the course, (b) at the end of the course, and (c) six months after integrating in the designated army unit. Wilcoxon signed ranks tests were used to assess the differences between the reported QOL and SWB at the three points of time. The results suggest that there were no significant differences at the end of the course, compared to its beginning. However, there were significantly improved perception of QOL and SWB during the period between the end of the course and six months after starting work. The results of this study highlight the importance of tailored vocational programs that are adapted to the unique needs and strengths of individuals with ASD.

Subjective Well-Being of Gifted American College Students

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Personal Well-being Index for Adults (PWI-A), a measure of subjective well-being. The study used data from 533 high-ability American college students: honors students and participants in an early college entrance program. In earlier studies using the PWI-A, the instrument appeared to show differences in disaggregated aspects of well-being for these gifted college students. Unfortunately, the careful psychometric examination of the instrument done in this study showed that the PWI-A, as it currently is constituted, did not perform as hoped for assessing changes in the disaggregated aspects of well-being among groups of gifted college students. The single-factor structure of PWI-A showed support for convergent validity, but error correlations indicated lack of support for discriminant validity. The current analysis of the PWI-A scores showed good internal consistency, but the instrument lacked measurement invariance across honors and early entrance students. Four of the seven items exhibited differential item functioning across the two groups. The lack of full measurement invariance indicated room for refinement of the instrument as applied to measuring the well-being of high-ability college students. The results of the current study suggest that to measure accurately the disaggregated well-being of gifted and talented young people, a new, revised, or expanded instrument is necessary. More and diverse items per subscale in a new or revised instrument would allow a more accurate assessment of the specific aspects of the well-being of gifted and talented individuals.

PSYCHOMETRIC PROPERTIES OF THE THREE PATHWAYS TO WELL-BEING SCALE IN A LARGE SAMPLE OF ARGENTINEAN ADOLESCENTS.

The Authentic Happiness Theory considers that well-being can be reached by three main pathways: a pleasant life, an engaged life, or a meaningful life. This study investigates the psychometric properties of the Three Pathways to Well-being scale in Argentinean adolescents and compares that to prior results for Argentinean adults. A sample of 255 Argentinean adolescent students (110 boys, 145 girls) aged between 13 and 18 years (M age = 15.5, SD = 1.6) was used in this study. The participants completed the Spanish versions of the Three Pathways to Well-being scale, the Meaning in Life Questionnaire, the Satisfaction With Life Scale, and the Personal Wellbeing Index. Confirmatory factor analyses verified the three-factor structure of the test, accounting for 46% of the variance. The internal consistencies were α = .76 for the pleasant life, α = .80 for the engaged life, and α = .70 for the meaningful life. Concurrent validity was examined with the Satisfaction With Life Scale, the Personal Wellbeing Index, and the Meaning in Life Questionnaire, and the engaged life was the pathway most strongly associated with the positive related measures.

Perception of Well-Being Within Adults With Intellectual or Developmental Disability and Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract Date Presented 4/16/2015 An accessible and adapted computerized version of the Personal Wellbeing Index—Intellectual Disability (PWI–ID), which is a known subjective well-being (SWB) measure, was developed and validated for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Both the assessment tool and research data are presented for this population and their caregivers.

Examination of the Subjective Well‐Being of Australian Internet Child Exploitation Investigators

ObjectiveInternet child exploitation investigation is an area of policing associated with high levels of work stress, potentially contributing to the development of mental and other health‐related problems. This study extends prior research suggesting that child abuse investigation officers have normal levels of life satisfaction using a well‐validated and more robust measure of subjective well‐being.MethodThe Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI) was self‐completed by a representative sub‐sample of Australian police officers (N = 139) who work in a confronting and challenging area of child abuse investigation (Internet child exploitation). Their data were compared to a comparative sample of 102 non‐Internet child exploitation police officers and participants of the first 28 surveys of the Australian Unity Wellbeing Index (N = 55,697).ResultsConsistent with previous research, mean subjective well‐being for Internet child exploitation officers was above the Australian adult normative range and comparable to the control group of non‐child abuse police investigators. Analysis of domain‐based satisfaction judgments comprising the PWI revealed that satisfaction with “Relationships” and “Achieving in Life” contributed more variance to the prediction of life satisfaction than in the comparative mainstream Australian sample.ConclusionAustralian police officers who work in Internet child exploitation investigation have a higher‐than‐normal level of subjective well‐being. These results attest to the resilience of these investigators in their ability to withstand the confronting nature of their work and handling potentially significant sources of negative workplace stress. The results also highlight the importance role that organisational and informal social support plays in facilitating this resilience.

A Cross-Cultural Evaluation of the Personal Wellbeing Index – School Children in Samples of Australian and Portuguese Adolescents

The practice of comparing nations on subjective wellbeing (SWB) is becoming commonplace, with many countries ranked by economists and social scientists alike according to average levels of SWB based on survey responses. Such large, multi-national population surveys have the potential to generate insights into the causes and correlates of SWB within different cultural groups, as well as inform policy regarding how to improve the wellbeing of citizens. At the heart of these large-scale research endeavors are SWB measures that function equivalently between the various participating cultural groups. For this reason, it is concerning that their remains a paucity of research that supports measurement equivalence for many SWB instruments commonly employed. Thus, it remains unclear whether variations in SWB across cultures reflect true differences, or whether these differences reflect measurement biases (e.g., response bias inherent within a particular cultural group). The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric equivalence of the Personal Wellbeing Index–School Children (PWI-SC) in convenience samples of Australian and Portuguese adolescents using multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis. Participants comprising the Australian sample were 1104 Victorian high-school students aged between 12 and 19 years (M = 14.42, SD = 1.63). Participants comprising the Portuguese sample were 573 high-school students living in Portugal aged between 12 and 18 years (M = 14.32, SD = 1.72). The results demonstrated strict factorial invariance between both versions of the PWI-SC, suggesting that this scale measures the same underlying construct in both samples. Moreover, these findings provide preliminary support for quantitative comparisons between Australian and Portuguese adolescents on the SWB variable as valid.

Perceived profitability and well-being in Australian dryland farmers and irrigators.

To describe the relationship between self-reported farm profitability and farmer well-being, and to explore potential implications for farmer assistance policy. Cross-sectional analysis of farmers from Regional Wellbeing Survey data (wave 1, 2013) and comparison between groups. Participants were 1172 dryland farmers (35% women) and 707 irrigators (24% women). The Personal Wellbeing Index and the Kessler 10-item measure of general psychological distress. There is a consistent and significant relationship between higher profitability, greater well-being and less distress among dryland farmers and irrigators. The relationship between farm profitability and the well-being of Australian dryland farmers and irrigators has the potential to inform farmer assistance policy. Assistance programs can be more effective if they explicitly incorporate a profitability assessment into their targeting and eligibility requirements and a well-being component into program design and delivery. Rural Australia. Not applicable.

Subjective Well-Being Amongst a Sample of South African Children: A Descriptive Study

In the current socio-political framework in South Africa children have been afforded the highest priority within government, affirming their legal status of right holders. Not only has the rights and needs of children been entrenched in the development strategies of the government, but children themselves have been guaranteed socio-economic rights and protection from abuse, exploitation, and neglect. Subsequently, knowledge and information on the well-being of children have become important pursuits. More specifically, current trends in international literature point to the critical importance of subjective perceptions of well-being in developing measuring and monitoring initiatives. The aim of the study was to determine the subjective well-being of children in the Western Cape region of South Africa. A cross-sectional survey design was employed with the use of stratified random sampling to select a sample of 1004 twelve year old children attending primary schools within the Western Cape Metropole. Descriptive statistics were used to present the findings across the different domains of well-being. The study forms part of the International Survey of Children’s Well-Being (Phase 1: Deep Pilot) and follows a cross-sectional survey design. The survey included a number of internationally validated scales. This paper reports on some of the findings of the Student Life Satisfaction Scale, the Personal Well-Being Index-School Children, and the single-item scale on Overall Life Satisfaction. The findings show that the composite scores for the three scales show a general trend towards high levels of subjective well-being; however, these scores are incongruent to objective indicators of well-being which point to a range of adverse childhood realities. Another key finding was the significant difference in the composite mean scores on the Student Life Satisfaction Scale of children from low and middle-income communities. Finally a significant difference was found between mean composite scores on the Student Life Satisfaction Scale (65.60) and the Personal Well-Being Index- School Children (81.90). The findings raise important considerations for the conceptualisation and measurement of child well-being in South Africa.

The Psychometric Equivalence of the Personal Wellbeing Index for Normally Functioning and Homeostatically Defeated Australian Adults

Understanding subjective wellbeing (SWB) at the population level has major implications for governments and policy makers concerned with enhancing the life quality of citizens. The Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI) is a measure of SWB with theoretical and empirical credentials. Homeostasis theory offers an explanation for the nature of SWB data, including the distribution of scores, maintenance and change over time. According to this theory, under normal conditions, the dominant constituent of SWB is Homeostatically Protected Mood (HPMood), which is held within a genetically determined range of values around a set-point. However, in extreme circumstances (e.g., financial hardship, chronic illness), HPMood may dissociate from SWB, as cognitive/emotional reactions to the cause of homeostatic challenge assume control over SWB. This study investigates two groups as people scoring in the positive range for SWB and people who are likely to be experiencing homeostatic defeat/challenge. We test whether the reduced influence of HPMood on SWB due to homeostatic defeat has implications for the validity of SWB measurement. Participants were 45,192 adults (52 % female), with a mean age of 48.88 years (SD = 17.35 years), who participated in the first 23 surveys of the Australian Unity Wellbeing Index over the years 2001–2010. Multiple regression analysis, multiple group confirmatory factor analysis, and Rasch modelling techniques were used to evaluate the psychometric performance of the PWI across the two groups. Results show that while the PWI functioned as intended for the normal group, SWB in the challenged group was lower across all PWI domains, more variable, and the domain scores lacked the strength of inter-correlation observed in the normal, comparison group. These changes are consistent with predictions based on homeostasis theory and one major implication of the findings is that SWB measures may not function equivalently across the entire spectrum of possible domain satisfaction scores.

Methodological overview of the study of well-being through the Australian National Church Life Survey

All papers in this special edition of Mental Health, Religion & Culture utilise data sets from the 2011 round of the Australian National Church Life Survey (NCLS). This paper presents a methodological overview of the NCLS, including data collection methods, survey instruments and demographic descriptions of church attender and leader data sets. The data sets have good national coverage and denominational diversity, although Pentecostals are under-represented. The data sets may be further affected by self-selection by participating churches; however, the content of the surveys is unlikely to have triggered self-selection biases at the level of individuals. The paper also provides details concerning the measurement of quality of life in the present collection, concentrating on the Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI) which is featured in four of the five empirical papers. Mean PWI scores for churchgoers and leaders were similar to the Australian populace at large, although there was greater variability among churchgoers. The domain of spirituality/religion makes a significant contribution to well-being in these Australian Christian sub-populations.

Subjective well-being and psychological type among Australian clergy

A sample of 677 ordained clergy in Australia participated in the 2011 National Church Life Survey completing the Leaders Survey 2 questionnaire that included the Francis Psychological Type Scales (FPTS), an operationalisation of psychological type theory and the Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI), an operationalisation of subjective well-being. The data demonstrate good reliability for the FPTS and the PWI among this sample. The ordained clergy in Australia report a preference for introversion (56%), sensing (59%), feeling (54%), and judging (81%). Exploration of the relationship between psychological type and well-being demonstrates that extraverts and judging types are significantly more likely to record higher levels of well-being. The implications of these findings are discussed.