Well-being Trajectories Research Articles

Study Protocol of a Distance Learning Intervention to Support Social Emotional Learning and Identity Development for Adolescents Using Interactive Mobile Technology.

Background: The maturational period from age 10 to 14—often referred to as very young adolescents (VYAs)—represents a dynamic period of learning and neurobehavioral development as individuals transition from childhood to adolescence. This developmental period presents a window of opportunity for strategic investment to improve trajectories of health, education and well-being among young people. More specifically, neurodevelopmental changes during pubertal maturation influence neural circuitry involved in processing emotions, risks, rewards and social relationships. Technology can be leveraged to create social emotional learning experiences for VYAs and provide opportunities for flexible, distance learning in low-income countries. The aim of this study protocol is to detail how insights from developmental science can be used to inform the intervention design, implementation and evaluation of a distance learning, social emotional learning intervention for VYAs.Methods: This study will be delivered to 500 VYAs in Temeke District, Dar es salaam. Study participants will watch culturally-relevant, animated videos on social emotional mindsets and skills and content will be paired with experiential learning activities over a period of 10 weeks. A nested smart-phone based study will practice learning social emotional skills and mindsets through engagement with multi-media material via the WhatsApp messenger application. Surveys and in-depth interviews will be administered to adolescents, their parents/caregivers and teachers before and after the intervention to evaluate the effect of the intervention on study outcomes.Discussion: This study is among the first to provide results on how to effectively design a distance-learning intervention to promote social emotional learning and identity development within a low-resource context. The findings will provide substantial evidence to inform new intervention approaches that are effective in low-resource contexts and strategies to reach scale among similar programs invested in leveraging technology to support adolescent health and development.Clinical Trial registration: Study registered with ClinicalTrials.gov. Identifier number NCT0445807.

Sequential analysis as a method for studying life courses: The Case of caregivers’ well-being trajectories, Tiznit Morocco

Being a caregiver offers a sense of usefulness and satisfaction. Similarly, this caregiving function hurts all areas of the caregiver's life. In this vein, we believe that approaching this topic based on the sequential approach is of great importance. Indeed, we will first present the life-course approach as a method for analysing longitudinal quantitative data while highlighting the different stages of sequence analysis as an appropriate analysis method. We will then discuss the importance of studying the life trajectories of caregivers as units of research in the life course approach. The empirical demonstration of this paper originates from doctoral research in sociology on the life course of informal caregivers in the province of Tiznit in Morocco. Through this demonstration, we have crossed quantitative and qualitative analyses of life courses. This work will also show the relevance of sequence analysis and its adaptation to the life course approach of caregivers.

Mental Wellbeing and Psychological Distress in the UK During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparison Across Time

Background: Studies conducted shortly after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated decreased mental health and wellbeing within the UK. However, it is still unclear whether the continued crisis has produced a further reduction in population wellbeing.Methods: This study assessed the trajectory of wellbeing and psychological distress in a UK population by comparing data from the first (March 2020-July 2020) and second (December 2020-March 2021) UK lockdowns. Wellbeing (indexed via the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale) and psychological distress (indexed via the K10) were measured in two surveys in large online convenience samples from Wales, UK. The first survey (n = 12,989) took place 11-16 weeks into the first UK lockdown (9th June to 13th July 2020) and the second survey (n = 10,428) took place 4-11 weeks into the second UK lockdown (18th January to 7th March 2021).Outcomes: Levels of wellbeing were lower in the second survey (2021) compared to the first survey (2020), which were already low compared to pre-pandemic data (2019). Clinically significant levels of psychological distress were found in 40.4% of participants in the second survey, representing a 9.8% increase in prevalence from the first survey. Poorer mental health was found in women, younger adults, and those from deprived areas. The greatest reduction in mental health was found in the youngest age group (16-24 years old), where significant levels of psychological distress were found in 66.3% of individuals, compared to 16.4% in the oldest age group (75+ years old).Interpretation: The COVID-19 pandemic and the measures taken to curb its spread continue to negatively impact the wellbeing of the UK population.Funding: None.Declaration of Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.Ethics Approval Statement: The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee at the College of Health and Human Sciences, Swansea University.

Micro- and Macro-Level Time Associations: How Daily Life Settles Into Longer-Term Profiles

Over a decade ago, Ram and Gerstorf (2009) proposed a descriptive framework to unite the study of intraindividual variability, operating at the micro-level timescale (e.g., minutes, days), and intraindividual change, operating at the macro-level time scale (e.g., years, decades). Since this proposal, several aging theories have incorporated a micro-level time component in their conceptualizations of longer-term aging processes. Furthermore, technological advancements have eased difficulties associated with data-collection at micro-level timescales, leading to an upsurgence of empirical investigations of dynamic characteristics and dynamic processes. This session presents theoretical, quantitative, and qualitative research aimed at better understanding the associations between micro- and macro-level time. More specifically, 1) Nelson et al. present their novel theoretical framework linking micro-level time emotion regulatory processes to intraindividual trajectories of cognitive functioning, 2) Joiner and colleagues present a quantitative study assessing the association between daily emotion-dynamics and yearly trajectories of depressive symptomatology, 3) Bergeman et al. present a quantitative study of daily risk and resilience in relation to trajectories of health and well-being, and 4) Bouklas and colleagues present a qualitative study linking individuals’ daily routines and behaviors to their general life outlooks. The quantitative and qualitative studies are based on available data from the The Notre Dame Study of Health & Well-Being, a 10-year, nested-longitudinal study that incorporates yearly questionnaires, five 56-day measurement bursts, and interview data. Discussant Stacey Scott will synthesize the presentations with Ram and Gerstorf’s framework and encourage researchers to integrate shorter- and longer-term timescales into their theoretical and empirical work on aging.

BMI, Weight Discrimination, and the Trajectory of Distress and Well-Being Across the Coronavirus Pandemic.

The purpose of this study was to examine the trajectory of psychological distress and well-being across the coronavirus pandemic by BMI category and weight discrimination. Participants (N = 1,590) were assessed three times: early February 2020 before the coronavirus crisis in the United States and again in mid-March and late April 2020. Participants reported their weight, height, and weight discrimination in February. Depressed affect, loneliness, purpose in life, life satisfaction, and perceived support were assessed in all surveys; anxiety and stress were assessed in the March/April surveys. Prior to the pandemic, reporting weight discrimination or being in the underweight or obesity 2 to 3 categories was associated with more distress and lower well-being. Weight discrimination, not BMI, was associated with a twofold increased risk of incident depression from before to during the pandemic. Weight discrimination was associated with declines in purpose in life and life satisfaction across the pandemic. BMI categories were unrelated to changes in distress/well-being across the pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, BMI and weight discrimination were vulnerabilities for greater distress and lower well-being. Weight discrimination, but not BMI, increased risk for incident depression and declines in well-being during the coronavirus pandemic.

Cross-race and cross-ethnic friendships and psychological well-being trajectories among Asian American adolescents: Variations by school context.

Asian American adolescents' cross-race friendships are poorly understood, partially due to the model minority stereotype. Using data from 915 Asian American adolescents from the National Longitudinal Study for Adolescent to Adult Health, the present study examined the influence of cross-race friendships (based on peer nomination data) on Asian American adolescents' psychological well-being trajectories, as well as the moderating role of school context (numeric marginalization, school prejudice). Results showed that cross-race friendships promoted Asian American adolescents' psychological well-being, particularly in early adolescence and in schools where adolescents lacked critical mass of same-race peers or where prejudice was widespread. Similar findings were observed for cross-race friendships with the majority group, and more evident effects emerged for cross-ethnic friendships. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Mental health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: longitudinal analyses of adults in the UK COVID-19 Mental Health & Wellbeing study.

The effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the population's mental health and well-being are likely to be profound and long lasting. To investigate the trajectory of mental health and well-being during the first 6 weeks of lockdown in adults in the UK. A quota survey design and a sampling frame that permitted recruitment of a national sample was employed. Findings for waves 1 (31 March to 9 April 2020), 2 (10 April to 27 April 2020) and 3 (28 April to 11 May 2020) are reported here. A range of mental health factors was assessed: pre-existing mental health problems, suicide attempts and self-harm, suicidal ideation, depression, anxiety, defeat, entrapment, mental well-being and loneliness. A total of 3077 adults in the UK completed the survey at wave 1. Suicidal ideation increased over time. Symptoms of anxiety, and levels of defeat and entrapment decreased across waves whereas levels of depressive symptoms did not change significantly. Positive well-being also increased. Levels of loneliness did not change significantly over waves. Subgroup analyses showed that women, young people (18-29 years), those from more socially disadvantaged backgrounds and those with pre-existing mental health problems have worse mental health outcomes during the pandemic across most factors. The mental health and well-being of the UK adult population appears to have been affected in the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. The increasing rates of suicidal thoughts across waves, especially among young adults, are concerning.

The Impact of Physical Distancing Policies During the COVID-19 Pandemic on Health and Well-Being Among Australian Adolescents

PurposePhysical distancing policies in the state of New South Wales (Australia) were implemented on March 23, 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigated changes in physical activity, dietary behaviors, and well-being during the early period of this policy. MethodsA cohort of young people aged 13–19 years from Sydney (N = 582) were prospectively followed for 22 weeks (November 18, 2019, to April 19, 2020). Daily, weekly, and monthly trajectories of diet, physical activity, sedentary behavior, well-being, and psychological distress were collected via smartphone, using a series of ecological momentary assessments and smartphone sensors. Differences in health and well-being outcomes were compared pre- and post-implementation of physical distancing guidelines. ResultsAfter the implementation of physical distancing measures in NSW, there were significant decreases in physical activity (odds ratio [OR] = .53, 95% confidence interval [CI] = .34–.83), increases in social media and Internet use (OR = 1.86, 95% CI = 1.15–3.00), and increased screen time based on participants' smartphone screen state. Physical distancing measures were also associated with being alone in the previous hour (OR = 2.09, 95% CI: 1.33–3.28), decreases in happiness (OR = .38, 95% CI = .18–.82), and fast food consumption (OR = .46, 95% CI = .29–.73). ConclusionsPhysical distancing and social restrictions had a contemporaneous impact on health and well-being outcomes associated with chronic disease among young people. As the pandemic evolves, it will be important to consider how to mitigate against any longer term health impacts of physical distancing restrictions.

Process evaluation of the receipt of an exercise intervention for fatigued employees: the role of exposure and exercise experiences

ABSTRACT Work-related fatigue among employees is related to negative consequences. Therefore, it is valuable to evaluate interventions that potentially reduce fatigue and increase health and well-being among these employees. The present study investigated whether variations in the receipt of an exercise intervention for fatigued employees were related to intervention effectiveness. We investigated (a) whether exposure to the exercise intervention was related to differences in employees’ health and well-being trajectories throughout the intervention, (b) the amount of exposure that is minimally required before health and well-being effects become visible, and (c) whether exercise experiences (pleasure, psychological detachment, and effort) were related to differences in health and well-being trajectories throughout the intervention. Fatigued employees were randomly allocated to a 6-week exercise intervention (n = 49) or a wait list (n = 47). Participants were measured before, 5 times during, and at the end of the intervention concerning health and well-being indicators (all participants) and exercise experiences (only exercisers). Latent growth curve modelling showed that sufficient exposure and optimal exercise experiences contribute to the success of an exercise intervention for fatigued employees. Furthermore, it was shown that health and well-being effects of exercise are visible early in time.

Supplemental Material for Trajectories of Sexual Well-Being Among Couples in the Transition to Parenthood

Supplemental Material for Trajectories of Sexual Well-Being Among Couples in the Transition to Parenthood

Wellbeing trajectories around life events in Australia

Wellbeing trajectories around key life events are calculated using HILDA data for Australia. Employing a panel quantile approach, a pan-distributional analysis of these major events identifies distinctive adjustment patterns across the subjective wellbeing distribution and differing orders of magnitudes. For all life aspects analysed, immediate impacts tend to be more acute at the lower end of the wellbeing distribution. The implication of this is that if we are concerned with measuring changes in wellbeing, the point at which we measure these changes is important. Given the increasing importance of wellbeing to broader measures of economic prosperity, these findings touch upon a number of important policy areas. A focus upon social ostracization and a reduction in the persistence of long-term unemployment are all suggested as ways of alleviating the detrimental impact of this important policy variable.

Modelling household well-being and poverty trajectories: An application to coastal Bangladesh.

Resource-based livelihoods are uncertain and potentially unstable due to variability over time, including seasonal variation: this instability threatens marginalised populations who may fall into poverty. However, empirical understanding of trajectories of household well-being and poverty is limited. Here, we present a new household-level model of poverty dynamics based on agents and coping strategies–the Household Economy And Poverty trajectory (HEAP) model. HEAP is based on established economic and social insights into poverty dynamics, with a demonstration of the model calibrated with a qualitative and quantitative household survey in coastal Bangladesh. Economic activity in Bangladesh is highly dependent on natural resources; poverty is widespread; and there is high variability in ecosystem services at multiple temporal scales. The results show that long-term decreases in poverty are predicated more on the stability of, and returns from, livelihoods rather than their diversification. Access to natural resources and ecosystem service benefits are positively correlated with stable income and multidimensional well-being. Households that remain in poverty are those who experience high seasonality of income and are involved in small scale enterprises. Hence, seasonal variability in income places significant limits on natural resources providing routes out of poverty. Further, projected economic trends to 2030 lead to an increase in well-being and a reduction in poverty for most simulated household types.

A critical scoping review about the impact of music in the lives of young adults who use drugs.

Music is among the most frequently used medium to promote young adults' well-being. To that aim, the efficiency of music is explained by its capacity to modulate emotions through its effect on the brain's reward pathways. Hence, music could help individuals suffering from dysregulations in these pathways, whose experience of positive emotions is often inhibited. Such dysregulations are particularly present in individuals with problematic psychoactive substance (PAS) use, who are overrepresented in the context of homelessness. While few of them initiate treatment, they successfully rely on their own resources to promote their well-being, including music, though its impact in this context remains under-studied. This scoping review describes the impact of music on the well-being, PAS use and addictive trajectory of young housed and homeless individuals with problematic PAS use. Eleven French and English databases were screened for peer-reviewed articles using concepts and keywords related to music, PAS and well-being. From the 3697 results, 39 were reviewed. Results were organised according to the observed impact of music and analysed critically. Literature shows that PAS users value the impact of music in meeting emotional, psychological and social needs, especially when they experience homelessness. Yet, research has been highly limited to the harmful consequences of music, limiting our knowledge of its potential benefits. To deepen our understanding about the impact of music, future research should endorse a broader perspective and consider the personal and contextual experiences accompanying the involvement in music, factors that were traditionally overlooked.

Teaching and Engaging International Students

[ ]it is timely to reflect on how we view and conceptualize the way we engage and work with international students Conceptualize Student Connection Through Formal and Informal Curriculum Dis/connection has been argued to play "an important role in shaping international students' wellbeing, performance and life trajectories" (Tran & Gomes, 2017, p 1) [ ]it is important to frame international student connectedness not only within the context of formal teaching and learning on campus, but also in a broader setting, taking into account the dynamic, diverse, and fluid features of transnational mobility [ ]effective teaching of and engagement with international students is based on understanding not only their academic needs but also other aspects that are interlinked with their academic performance, including pastoral care needs, mental health, employment, accommodation, finance, life plans, and aspirations [ ]a sense of belonging to the content of teaching and learning and the pedagogy used by teachers is essential to international students' engagement with the classroom community

The Well-Being Trajectories of Entrepreneurs

Scholars and entrepreneurs alike lament the lack of understanding of entrepreneurial well-being despite mounting evidence that their well- being can have a profound effect on entrepreneurs and their ventures. This study explores how patterns of entrepreneurial well-being determine the trajectories of entrepreneurial well-being and entrepreneurship outcomes through a multiple case study design of entrepreneurs. Utilizing a well-being and job crafting theoretical framework, our findings reveal that there are two different trajectories as entrepreneurs move through the process of balancing their entrepreneurial journeys with their well-being. First, the integrating well-being, which describes entrepreneurial well-being trajectories emphasizing consistency and stability in well-being; and secondly, the delaying well-being trajectory which describes entrepreneurial well-being trajectories that move through rises and falls in well-being in relation to entrepreneurial activities. Our findings reveal several overarching dimensions that lead to these divergent trajectories: well-being mindsets, social resources, crafting work, and well-being outcomes. In the paper, we discuss the theoretical and practical significance of the results concerning entrepreneurial well-being trajectories.

Digital Phenotyping to Quantify Psychosocial Well-Being Trajectories After Spinal Cord Injury.

The aim of the study was to explore feasibility of smartphone-based digital phenotyping methods to examine depression and its relation to psychosocial well-being indicators after spinal cord injury. Smartphone research platform obtained smartphone sensor and survey data among community-living adult wheelchair users with spinal cord injury. Weekly measurements for 4 mos included Patient Health Questionnaire 8, Spinal Cord Injury-Quality of Life Satisfaction with and ability to participate in social roles and activities, global positioning system-derived community mobility metrics, health conditions, and physical activity. Forty-three individuals were enrolled. Study retention was higher among individuals offered financial incentives (78%) compared with participants enrolled before incentives (50%). Participants who dropped out more commonly had nontraumatic or acute spinal cord injury, were older, and had less satisfaction and lower participation in social roles and activities. Among 15 individuals with complete data, half had 1 wk or more of mild depression. Those with depression had frequent health issues, less satisfaction, and lower participation in social roles and activities. Those without depression experienced increased social engagement over time. Average community mobility was similar across depression groups. Relationships were typically in-phase but also varied by individual. Smartphone-based digital phenotyping of psychosocial well-being after spinal cord injury is feasible but not without attrition challenges. Individual differences in depression patterns highlight clinical utility of scaling these methods.

Effects of teachers' emotion regulation, burnout, and life satisfaction on student well-being

Theoretical perspectives suggest the importance of teachers' emotion regulation skills, occupational health (e.g., burnout), and well-being (e.g., life satisfaction) for students, yet few studies have empirically tested these associations. The current study tested whether teachers' cognitive reappraisal, expressive suppression, occupational burnout, and life satisfaction in the fall were related to the level, and trajectory across the school year, of three indicators of student well-being: student-reported positive outlook, student-reported emotional distress, and peer-reported prosocial behavior. Multilevel growth modeling was employed to examine data from 15 elementary teachers and their 320 students. Teachers' emotion regulation skills and life satisfaction were associated with students' well-being: when teachers used cognitive reappraisal, students reported low emotional distress; when teachers used expressive suppression, students reported a less positive outlook and peers reported few prosocial behaviors; teachers' life satisfaction was associated with high levels of prosocial behavior. Effects on the trajectory of student well-being were not significant.

Dehydration predicts longitudinal decline in cognitive functioning and well-being among older adults.

Adequate hydration is essential for health, with even mild forms of dehydration often having negative effects on cognition and well-being. Despite evidence of higher risk for dehydration among older adults, links between dehydration and cognitive or well-being outcomes have not been established in old age. In this study, we used longitudinal data from the Berlin Aging Study II (age range 60-89) to investigate whether trajectories of cognitive functioning (digit symbol, N = 1,111) and well-being (Diener satisfaction with life, N = 1,066; Socio-Economic Panel Study life satisfaction, N = 1,067; and Lawton morale, N = 1,067) are associated with objective dehydration (osmolarity; 33% dehydrated). Our results revealed that higher dehydration was associated with steeper decline in cognitive functioning and well-being over time, and lower well-being among those with higher body mass index. These associations were independent of sociodemographic and physical health characteristics. Our findings highlight the importance of adequate hydration for preserved cognition and well-being across old age. We discuss potential mechanisms and consider practical implications arising from our results. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Proximal and distal predictors of self-regulatory change in children aged 4 to 7\u2009years

BackgroundGrowth in early self-regulation skills has been linked to positive health, wellbeing, and achievement trajectories across the lifespan. While individual studies have documented specific influences on self-regulation competencies in early childhood, few have modelled a comprehensive range of predictors of self-regulation change across health, development, and environment simultaneously. This study aimed to examine the concurrent associations among a range of proximal and distal influences on change in children’s self-regulation skills over 2 years from age 4–5 years.MethodsData from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (N = 4983) were used in a structural equation model, predicting a multi-source composite measure of self-regulation at each of 4–5 years and 6–7 years. By controlling for earlier self-regulation and covariates, the model examined the relative contributions of a comprehensive range of variables to self-regulation change including health, development, educational, home environment, time-use, and neighbourhood characteristics.ResultsThe significant predictors of children’s self-regulation growth across 4 to 7 years were fewer behavioural sleep problems, higher gross motor and pre-academic skills, lower levels of maternal and paternal angry parenting, and lower levels of financial hardship. There were also marginal effects for high-quality home learning environments and child-educator relationships.ConclusionFindings suggest that if we are to successfully foster children’s self-regulation skills, interventionists would do well to operate not only on children’s current capacities but also key aspects of their surrounding context.

Subjective poverty, deprivation, and the subjective well-being of children and young people: A multilevel growth curve analysis in Taiwan

Subjective well-being is of increasing interest to researchers. However, the trend in child subjective well-being and the association between poverty and child subjective well-being is not well understood. This study examined the growth trajectories of the subjective well-being of children and young people from low-income families. Using panel survey data from the Taiwan Database of Children and Youth in Poverty, a multilevel growth curve model was used to examine how children and young people rate their subjective well-being, including life satisfaction and school satisfaction, and the effect of poverty dimensions, including subjective poverty and deprivation, on subjective well-being. The findings indicated that two subjective well-being outcomes varied over time. Specifically, subjective well-being declined with age but had different growth trajectory patterns. Furthermore, poverty dimensions had negative effects on subjective well-being. The level of self-rated school satisfaction and satisfaction with life decreased with an increasing level of deprivation. However, only life satisfaction was found to be negatively associated with subjective poverty. This study contributes to the understanding of child subjective well-being from a child-centered perspective. Some implications, limitations, and suggestions for future research are discussed.