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The purpose of this study was to examine the impact and mechanisms of combat exposure on military personnel's psychological adaptation. Using data from the Military Health and Well-Being Project (MHWBP), which targeted US military personnel with combat experience, the authors analyzed the mediating effect of moral injury on the relationship between combat exposure and well-being, as well as the moderating effect of meaning pursuit using a moderated mediation model. The data of 1495 military personnel were analyzed, and significant correlations were found among the variables. The mediating effect of moral injury was found to be significant using the Process Macro. Furthermore, the moderating effect of meaning pursuit on the mediating process of moral injury was also significant, indicating that individuals with higher levels of meaning pursuit experienced a relatively lower mediating effect of moral injury. Based on these results, the implications, limitations, and future research directions concerning the mechanisms through which combat exposure affects military personnel's well-being were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Occupational well-being is inherent to physicians' professional performance and is indispensable for a cost-effective, robust healthcare system and excellent patient outcomes. Increasing numbers of physicians with symptoms of burnout, depression, and other health issues are demonstrating the need to foster and maintain physicians' well-being. Assessing physicians' well-being, occupational demands, and resources can help create more supportive and health-promoting working environments. The WellNext Scan (WNS) is a 46-item questionnaire developed to assess (i) physicians' well-being and (ii) relevant factors related to physicians' clinical working environment. We collected data to investigate the validity and reliability of the WNS using a non-randomized, multicenter, cross-sectional survey of 467 physicians (staff, residents, doctors not in training, and fellows) from 17 departments in academic and non-academic teaching medical centers in the Netherlands. Exploratory factor analysis detected three composite scales of well-being (energy and work enjoyment, meaning, and patient-related disengagement) and five explanatory factors (supportive team culture, efficiency of practice, job control and team-based well-being practices, resilience, and self-kindness). Pearson's correlations, item-total and inter-scale correlations, and Cronbach's alphas demonstrated good construct validity and internal consistency reliability of the scales (α: 0.67–0.90; item-total correlations: 0.33–0.84; inter-scale correlations: 0.19–0.62). Overall, the WNS appears to yield reliable and valid data and is now available as a supportive tool for meaningful team-based conversations aimed at improving physician well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to determine the most significant indicators of positive well-being and understand differences in sources of well-being across different life situations, age groups, genders, and income levels, utilizing a novel measure of positive well-being, the Well-being Balance and Lived Experiences (WBAL) Assessment, which evaluates the frequency of various positive experiences and feelings across a range of activation and arousal levels that have previously been demonstrated to affect subjective well-being and human flourishing. Methods: A sample of 496 evaluable subjects aged 20-69 and census-balanced for gender were recruited from a U.S. population panel. Differences in well-being and sources of well-being were analyzed across subgroups via MANOVA analysis followed by post-hoc ANOVA and Tukey's HSD analyses using Cohen's d to determine size and direction of effects between categorical subgroups. Results: Life situations, including relationship, parenting and employment status, were shown to have a more significant effect on overall well-being than the demographic variables of age, gender and household income. Reported well-being improved significantly with life situations, including companionate relationships (d =0.38, p <0.001) and parenting (d =0.35, p <0.001), that provide greater opportunities for more frequent social connection (d 's=0.25, p <0.01 to 0.62, p <0.001) and purposeful contribution to others' well-being (d 's=0.34 to 0.71, p <0.001), associated with increased feelings of significance (d 's=0.40 to 0.45, p <0.001) and efficacy (d 's=0.37 to 0.44, p <0.001). An age-related positivity effect was observed, with older adults reporting more frequent positive feelings than younger age groups (d =0.31, p <0.01). Measures of mindset positivity, variety of positive experiences and feelings, and frequency and range of positive feelings across arousal levels each corresponded closely with overall well-being. Conclusion: Life situations, including relationship, parenting and employment status, had a more broad and significant effect on wellbeing than age, gender or income. Across life situations, purposeful contribution and social connection, with associated feelings of efficacy and significance were key drivers of differences in well-being. Mindset positivity and variety of positive experiences and feelings correspond closely with overall well-being. Findings from this study can help guide the design and implementation of intervention programs to improve well-being for individuals and targeted subgroups, demonstrating the utility of the WBAL Assessment to evaluate discrete modifiable sources of positive well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study's purpose was to determine if COVID-related stress predicted suicide risk among college students and if this risk was attenuated by higher levels of social and psychological resources. Participants: The sample included 65,142 college students who participated in the National College Health Assessment survey in Spring 2021. Methods: SPSS PROCESS was used to test the association between COVID-related stress and suicide risk while controlling for demographic covariates and to determine the potential stress-buffering roles of social connectedness, resiliency, and psychological well-being. Results: Higher levels of COVID-related stress predicted increased suicide risk yet this risk was attenuated when social connectedness, resiliency, and psychological flourishing were greater. Conclusions: Findings indicate that efforts to increase social connectedness, resiliency, and psychological flourishing could help reduce the risk of college students' suicidality under conditions of high COVID-related stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Self-compassion involves being caring and kind to oneself rather than self-judging during setbacks or in the face of shortcomings. Reflective writing through journaling is a simple intervention strategy that may promote self-compassion. However, the majority of reflective writing studies have examined relatively transient changes in self-compassion after a single writing induction. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and participants' perceptions of using a 91-day self-compassion journal. Method: This study used a 2 (condition: journal versus waitlist control) by 4 (time: baseline, Day 21, 56, 91) within-between randomized control design with mixed methods. The four time points aligned with the three sub-sections of the journal. Online self-report questionnaires were used to measure self-compassion (i.e., self-kindness, mindfulness, over-identification, self-judgement, common humanity, and isolation) and psychological well-being (i.e., autonomy, personal growth, self-acceptance). Changes in self-compassion and perceptions of the journal were also explored using open-ended questions. Results: This study included 66 participants (72.3% White; 97% women; mean age = 28.00, SD = 7.72). There were significant group-by-time interactions for overall self-compassion (p < 0.001) and well-being (p = 0.015) in favor of the self-compassion journal group. Most participants in the journal group expressed positive feedback about the journal and noted its beneficial impact on their self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness. Conclusions: The findings suggest a 91-day journal may improve self-compassion and well-being. Journaling may be one low-cost and accessible way to promote self-compassion. Future studies should examine whether improvements in self-compassion persist after completing the journal. Preregistration: This study was not preregistered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumer well-being involves not only the pursuit of pleasure, but also the pursuit of meaning. However, little is known about how people perceive the costs and benefits of meaning- versus pleasure-oriented experiences. We find that compared to pleasure-oriented experiences, people expect meaning-oriented experiences to be more satisfying after meeting a minimum time investment (i.e., the perceived minimum amount of time needed to derive benefits from consumption; study 1). As a consequence, people choose to prolong their exposure to meaningful (vs. pleasurable) experiences following interruptions (study 2). We discuss the implications of minimum time investments for firms' relationships with consumers and marketing communication design (web appendix). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A proof-of-concept study was conducted to explore the acceptability and potential benefits of a blended positive psychotherapy intervention for clients with residual depressive symptoms. A single-arm pilot study was conducted in 2022 and 2023 with 24 Dutch adults experiencing residual depressive symptoms after treatment. Clients who had recently received an evidence-based treatment for depressive disorder were approached to participate in this study through opportunity sampling. The intervention consisted of nine sessions with a therapist and a six-week self-guided digital positive psychology intervention. Acceptability was examined using semi-structured interviews (n = 15). Participants filled out questionnaires pre- (n = 21), mid- (n = 14) and post-intervention (n = 8). Potential benefits were assessed in terms of changes in mental well-being (MHC-SF), depression (PHQ-9) and personal recovery (QPR). Quantitative data and qualitative data were analysed using linear mixed-effects models and framework analysis, respectively. The analyses were primarily based on Sekhon's theoretical framework of acceptability. Linear mixed-effects analyses showed changes over time in most mental health indicators, including mental well-being (Hedge's g = 1.58), depression (g = 1.43) and personal recovery (g = 1.96). Most of the interviewed participants considered blended positive psychotherapy a valuable adjunctive treatment; it connected well with their wish to become more positive in their daily life without ignoring difficult experiences. For some participants, shifting towards a positive treatment approach was difficult, resulting in early dropout. This study's findings suggest that blended positive psychotherapy is acceptable to most people with residual depressive symptoms after treatment. Its impact is yet to be established in larger samples of studies involving more robust designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the formal declaration of the end of the global health emergency related to COVID-19, the disease continues to pose significant challenges worldwide. This study addresses the gap in existing literature regarding the impact of COVID-19 anxiety on university students during the peak of the pandemic. Specifically, it examined how COVID-19 anxiety influenced the meaning in life, life orientation, and academic motivation; variables that are known predictors of student success and their overall well-being. Conducted as a non-experimental quantitative cross-sectional study, data were collected from 557 participants selected through purposive sampling. The research used the Coronavirus Pandemic Anxiety Scale, Academic Motivation Scale, Revised Life Orientation Test, and the Meaning in Life Questionnaire to gather relevant data. Findings reveal that COVID-19 anxiety has a negative influence on academic motivation, presence of meaning, and life orientation. The results also indicate a positive relationship between COVID-19 anxiety and the search for meaning in life. These findings not only enhance the understanding of the pandemic's adverse impacts on university students but also provide a basis for future interventions and strategies by educational stakeholders and policymakers aimed at mitigating these effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To explore the perspectives of people with Parkinson's disease (PD) and exercise providers regarding facilitating factors, barriers, needs, and demands relating to physical exercise for people with PD. Materials and Methods: Focus group discussions or telephone interviews of 30 people with PD (with or without an active sports history) and 13 providers were conducted and analyzed using structuring content analysis. Results: Factors facilitating participation in physical exercise included motivation-enhancing elements (enjoyment, group training environment) and providers with sufficient qualifications in PD-specific training demands. Identified barriers were lack of motivation, physical limitations, poor service accessibility, and inadequate matching of intervention groups based on capability or age. Providers found it difficult to design and conduct group trainings for people with PD with varying physical limitations. Having an active sports history before PD-onset was described as generally beneficial, though a competitive mindset could lead to frustration. People with PD reported needing their physicians to provide better education regarding physical exercise. Conclusion: Enjoyment of physical exercise is a key aspect of maintaining physical activity engagement, which should be considered more in research and clinical practice. Developing qualifications for providers could help to broaden and enhance the dissemination of PD-specific exercise approaches. Physicians should be trained to encourage physical exercise. Implications for rehabilitation: Physicians should highlight the benefits and be knowledgeable regarding the availability of physical exercise interventions for people with PD. Additional physical exercise providers should become qualified to work with people with PD. The joyfulness of physical exercise interventions is a key aspect of maintaining physical activity engagement for people with PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Depression and anxiety are common psychological issues among international medical students in universities, which have serious negative impacts on their learning and life. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of positive emotional writing in alleviating symptoms of anxiety and depression, as well as enhancing subjective well-being among this population. Method: This study was conducted at an international college of a comprehensive university in central China. A total of ninety-two participants who met the inclusion criteria were recruited to participate in a single-blind randomized controlled trial, in which participants were not aware that there was an experimental group and a control group. Participants in control received daily psychological care weekly for 8 weeks (n = 46). Correspondingly, participants in experimental group received the positive emotional writing intervention on the basis of daily psychological care. Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and General Well-being Scale (GWB) were used to evaluate the effect of the intervention. Data from 89 students who completed the entire study (experimental group, n = 44; control group, n = 45) were analyzed. Results: After the intervention, the scores of SDS and SAS in the experimental group significantly decreased, while the subjective well-being score significantly increased. Although the SAS score of the control group after intervention was significantly lower than before, the decrease in SDS and SAS scores, as well as the increase in GWB score, were significantly greater in the experimental group than in the control group. Conclusion: The findings suggest that positive emotional writing can effectively reduce the depression and anxiety of international medical students, and significantly enhance their subjective well-being, providing ideas for management to solve the psychological problems of international medical students. Trial registration number: ChiCTR2400087815. Registered at Chinese Clinical Trial Registry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to identify the conceptualisation of overall well-being used for well-being assessment through a review of the characteristics and key components and/or dimensions of well-being scales as presented in current literature. Scopus and Web of Science were searched, and thematic analysis was conducted inductively to analyse the identified components within scales, as well as the types of well-being these scales measure. 107 peer-reviewed articles from 2003 to 2022 were included, and 69 well-being scales were identified covering nine areas of well-being. Four final themes were identified as the foundational dimensions of overall well-being: hedonic; eudaimonic; physical health; and generic happiness. Notably, these 69 scales are mainly validated and adopted in the Western context. '4 + N' frameworks of overall well-being are recommended for assessing overall well-being. This review provides researchers with a synthesis of what types of well-being have been measured and which measures have been used to assess these types of well-being for which research participants. Non-Western-based well-being research is called for that incorporates a broader range of research participants and cultural contexts in contributing to a more inclusive understanding of well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this study is to examine the psychometric properties of the PERMA-Profiler in a Spanish context. The PERMA-Profiler, developed by Butler & Kern (Int J Wellbeing 6(3):1-48, 2016) to measure Seligman's (Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being, 2011) PERMA model of flourishing, consists of five domains that assess well-being: Positive Emotion (P), Engagement (E), Relationships (R), Meaning (M), and Accomplishment (A). We translated and adapted the PERMA-Profiler, analyzed the instrument's reliability, its validity based on an internal structure through three confirmatory factor analyses, gender and age invariance, and its convergent and discriminant validity. A total of 2525 participants completed all measures. The results of the analyses to confirm the internal consistency are very acceptable in all the domains and in Overall Well-being (PERMA), except for the Engagement domain. The results of three confirmatory factor analyses show that the model of five independent interrelated factors (domains) presents the best fit. The analysis shows the invariance across gender and age groups. The analyses of the convergent validity show that are positively and significantly related to satisfaction with life (SWLS), to the six evaluated dimensions of psychological well-being (PWB), to positive affect (PANAS) and dispositional optimism (LOT-R) and the general physical and mental health status (SF-36). The discriminant validity analyses show that are related negatively and significantly to negative affect (PANAS), the total score of depression (BDI-II) and the Cognitive-Affective and Somatic-Motivational factors. The findings of this study indicate that the PERMA-Profiler is transferable to the Spanish context, and the Spanish version is a reliable and valid measure of well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meaning in life (MIL) plays a critical role in promoting physical and mental health. Given the multidimensional nature of MIL, further research is needed to distinguish between different MIL components. The present study focused on three similar but distinct multidimensional measures (the Multidimensional Existential Meaning Scale, MEMS; the Multidimensional MIL Scale, MMILS; the Quadripartite Existential Meaning Scale, QEMS), aiming to validate the Chinese versions of these measures and to compare their predictive effects on subjective well-being, indicated by positive affect, negative affect, and life satisfaction. Data were collected from two Chinese samples. Sample 1 (N = 393) was used for factor analysis, while Sample 2 (N = 447) was used for the evaluation of measurement invariance, reliability, and predictive relationships of different MIL measures on subjective well-being. Results showed that all three MIL measurements (MEMS, QEMS, and modified MMILS) demonstrated good reliability and validity and positively predicted subjective well-being. Moreover, QEMS showed significant incremental validity in predicting both positive affect and negative affect when controlling for the effects of the other MIL measures. These findings suggest that compared with MEMS and MMILS, QEMS may be a more suitable multidimensional MIL measure in the Chinese context. Further research is needed to examine these findings in other cultural contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The promotion of daily breakfast consumption and the importance of making appropriate breakfast choices have been underscored as significant public health messages. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between breakfast frequency and life satisfaction in large and representative samples of school-going children and adolescents aged 10–17 years from 42 different countries. Methods: This study used information from the 2017/2018 Health Behavior in School-aged Children study, comprising nationally representative samples of children and adolescents aged 10–17 years who were attending school. The total number of participants from the 42 countries included in the study was 155,451 (51.3% girls). The evaluation of breakfast consumption in this study involved a specific question: "How often do you typically have breakfast (more than a glass of milk or fruit juice)?". To measure life satisfaction, a subjective assessment scale was used in the form of a ladder, visually spanning from 0 to 10. On this scale, the topmost point (10) denotes the highest conceivable quality of life, whereas the bottom point (0) represents the worst imaginable quality of life. Results: After adjusting for several covariates, the lowest estimated marginal mean of life satisfaction was identified in those participants who skipped breakfast (mean [M] = 5.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 5.5 to 5.8). Conversely, the highest estimated marginal mean of life satisfaction was observed in those who had breakfast every day (M = 6.5, 95% CI 6.3 to 6.6). Overall, a nearly linear relationship between higher frequency of breakfast and greater life satisfaction in children and adolescents was identified (p-for-trend < 0.001). In addition, the highest estimated marginal mean of life satisfaction score was identified in those participants from Portugal who had breakfast every day (M = 7.7; 95% CI 6.9 to 8.5 points). Conversely, the lowest estimated marginal mean of life satisfaction was observed in those participants from Romania who no breakfast (M = 3.5; 95% CI 2.6 to 4.4 points). Conclusions: There is a nearly linear relationship between higher frequency of breakfast and greater life satisfaction in children and adolescents. Considering the potential health advantages associated with breakfast during this critical age phase, these findings imply the necessity for additional global efforts to promote increased breakfast consumption among children and adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meaning in life has long been a mystery of human existence. In this review, we seek to demystify this construct. Focusing on the subjective experience of meaning in life, we review how it has been measured and briefly describe its correlates. Then we review evidence that meaning in life, for all its mystery, is a rather commonplace experience. We then define the construct and review its constituent facets: comprehension/coherence, purpose, and existential mattering/significance. We review the many experiences that have been shown to enhance meaning in life and close by considering important remaining research questions about this fascinating topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Available statistics show that the population of older adults in Ghana increased from 200,000 in 1960 to two million in 2021, with females comprising 57% of this population. This increase in the size of the older Ghanaian population has research, policy, and practice implications. Qualitative research has rarely explored the psychological health of older Ghanaians by paying attention to the emotions and feelings they experience and the reasons they give for those emotions and feelings. The current study aimed to fill the gap by exploring emotions and feelings that underlay the psychological well-being of older persons in Ghana and the subjective reasons behind their feelings. Twenty-three adults aged 60 years plus (14 male vs 9 female) provided interview data that were analyzed thematically, and psychological well-being perspectives provided a framework to make sense of the data. The findings show that participants' psychological well-being belongs to three subthemes of psychological functioning: high positive functioning; low negative functioning; and high negative functioning. These subthemes translated into three main themes: pride of conquest; being older can be depressing; and, living with regret, respectively. Overall, the findings suggest that participants' psychological well-being is a confluence of flourishing mental health and depression. It is concluded that older Ghanaians experience a mixture of positive and negative emotions and feelings, and, therefore, a blend of good mental health and depression. One reason for positive psychological well-being is that older adults are happy about living longer, and satisfied with what they have accomplished. They are also proud of their continued social contribution, and look forward to health and happiness in retirement. However, fear of death and worries over what the future holds for children, despair over the debilitating effects of sickness, abusive experience, poverty, and the shame of being accused of witchcraft and ostracized, among others are reasons for depression in this population. The research and practice implications of these findings are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, people have preferred interacting on social media instead of physical meetings. Researchers have explored social media text data to predict user personality using AI techniques automatically. To date, no comprehensive analysis offers a unified view of the literature in the area. To help researchers better understand the state-of-the-art, we summarise datasets, feature selection, text mapping, and AI techniques for personality prediction from text data. The standard systematic literature review protocol was followed, and the articles published between 2016 and 2022 were selected for the review. Measuring all the personality traits with a single AI model is quite difficult. The contribution of this systematic literature review shows that the increased efforts in personality prediction will surely help measure the Subjective Well-Being of an individual or a group. We conclude our work by providing an extensive discussion pointing requirement of labelled datasets, multiple personality dimensions, and advanced AI-based technologies to make an optimal system to predict personality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As longevity increases, understanding how a person maintains well-being and builds resilience to adversity becomes increasingly important. The present work (a) composes main cognitive elements into a universal psychological multisystem and (b) explains the factors that contribute to the function of this multisystem within physical space and across time. Drawing on established theories and previous findings, a theoretical reconstruction of a universal architecture serves to identify the principles a person needs to satisfy as a dynamic system that is governed by physical laws. A novel conceptual model generates testable hypotheses regarding how a universal cognitive multisystem, which is aided by a universal embodied emotional system, facilitates endless behavioral patterns in response to the environment. This theoretical framework compliments previous models and proposes that the nomothetic parameters of consistency, flexibility, self/others ratio and speed of meaning can explain inter- and intra-individual differences in psychological stability and resilience. The present work provides a comprehensive theory and methodological guidelines for the systematic assessment of well-being. This new approach to investigating well-being may open a new research direction and inform preventive and therapeutic interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides an overview of the current views on psychedelics and explores their connection to well-being based on scientific research and anecdotal evidence. The article begins by examining the historical context of psychedelics. It then delves into the subsequent prohibition and resurgence of scientific interest in psychedelics, highlighting key studies that have shaped our understanding of their effects. The discussion then shifts to contemporary research on psychedelics, particularly focusing on their therapeutic potential in treating mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. Studies utilizing psychedelics have shown promising results in facilitating transformative experiences and catalyzing lasting psychological benefits. Moreover, the article examines the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the effects of psychedelics, shedding light on how they modulate brain activity and alter perception. In addition to clinical applications, the article explores the growing interest in the potential of psychedelics to enhance well-being in healthy individuals. Anecdotal reports and preliminary research suggest that these substances may induce positive changes in personality traits, attitudes, and behaviors, leading to increased life satisfaction and a greater sense of connectedness with oneself, others, and the natural world. Lastly, the article discusses the public perception of psychedelic substances, the challenges, and the future directions in psychedelic research, including the need for rigorous clinical trials, the development of safe and responsible guidelines for their use, and the exploration of novel therapeutic approaches that integrate psychedelic experiences into psychotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose and test a new conceptual model in which overall justice is an antecedent to personal flourishing. Flourishing, in turn, partially mediates the relationship of overall justice to job performance and organizational citizenship behaviors directed toward individuals (OCB-I). These hypotheses are confirmed. However, high materialism weakens the relationship between overall justice and flourishing. Consequently, the mediated effects of justice on performance and OCB-I are moderated by materialism. In short, materialism sets limits on overall justice as an antecedent of flourishing and effective work behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the public health recommendations for supporting mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, many strategies had an impact on biological rhythms, like sleep hygiene, physical exercise and healthy eating habits. Considering the known relationship between circadian organization and mental health, our aim was to test the association between behavioral regularity and mental health, and its interaction with chronotype, in a large sample surveyed in Brazil. We collected longitudinal data using online questionnaires that assessed sociodemographic characteristics, behavioral routines, mental health (PHQ-9, GAD-7, WHO-5 scales), and chronotype estimation based on midpoint of sleep on free days – MSF (μMCTQ), in a sample of 1390 participants (81% females). We computed a Routine Regularity Score (RRS) that reflects regularity across four behaviors: sleep, eating, working, exercising. There was a strong negative association between RRS and the severity of anxiety and depressive symptoms (GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores), which was weaker among participants with late MSF, and a strong positive association with well-being (WHO-5 scores). RRS was a mediator of the MSF-mental health association and a predictor of mental health states. This study provides empirical evidence that maintaining behavioral routines during times of hardship may serve as tools to alleviate the negative impact on mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: We aimed to identify the factors contributing to subjective well‐being in community‐dwelling older adults in rural Japan. This study explored the relationship among physical and mental health, socioeconomic status, and activity levels with regard to the subjective well‐being of older adults. Methods: In the Frail Elderly in the Sasayama‐Tamba Area study, a cohort investigation of independent older adults in a rural Japanese community, 541 of 844 participants completed a 2‐year follow‐up survey. Subjective well‐being was assessed as a binary based on three factors – "happiness," "satisfaction with life" and "meaning in life" – using a subset of the World Health Organization's Quality of Life questionnaire. The improvement group transitioned from not having subjective well‐being during the baseline survey to having subjective well‐being during the follow‐up survey. Furthermore, we used multivariable log‐Poisson regression models to calculate the prevalence ratios of subjective well‐being. Results: The cross‐sectional study showed that sleep satisfaction, health services access satisfaction and having a higher‐level functional capacity were positively associated with having "happiness" and "satisfaction with life." Furthermore, being aged ≥80 years and having financial leeway were positively associated with having "meaning in life." The longitudinal study showed that having a higher‐level functional capacity was positively associated with improving "happiness" and "satisfaction with life." Being female was positively associated with improving "happiness" and "meaning in life," and health services access satisfaction and alcohol drinking were positively associated with improving "satisfaction with life" and "meaning in life," respectively. Conclusions: These findings offer promising avenues for enhancing the subjective well‐being of older adults. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 311–319. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: PERMA model of well-being proposed by Seligman (2011) includes hedonic and eudaimonic components to assess well-being: Positive Emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning and Accomplishment. Butler and Kern (2016) have proposed a measuring instrument based on this model which has not yet been validated in the Spanish older adult population. The aim of this study is to explore the psychometric properties of the PERMA-Profiler in a sample of Spanish older adults. Method: 330 elderly people (Mage = 70.21; SDage = 4.75; 61.5% men) participated at baseline, of whom, 142 were measured at the second wave after 6 months. Results: The five factor structure obtained in the original scale and in other validation studies was replicated. The instrument offered good rates of internal consistency and test-retest reliability as well as good concurrent, predictive and criterion validity. Conclusions: PERMA-Profiler instrument has good psychometric properties to evaluate well-being Spanish older adults. The main limitations of the study are the use of self-reports, the absence of institutionalized participants, the relatively modest sample size or not including a measure of hedonic well-being to explore the scale concurrent validity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving mental wellbeing is often targeted with behavioral interventions, while mindset interventions might be more appealing as they require less time and effort. In addition to recent experimental studies demonstrating that attributional beliefs can be changed to improve emotional wellbeing and performance, the current study examines whether a positive change in people's beliefs about stress and life philosophy enhances emotional, social and psychological wellbeing using brief educational interventions. Two parallel double-blind randomized controlled trials were conducted. Study 1 (N = 106; 62.3% female, mean age 36.0) compared an educational video about the benefits of a stress-is-enhancing mindset versus an active control video. In Study 2 (N = 136; 57.4% female, mean age 35.7), educational texts about the benefits of a stress-is-enhancing mindset and holding a life-is-long-and-easy mindset were compared to an active control text. Results of multilevel growth curve modeling showed that a stress mindset could be significantly changed using an educational video or text, while the change in the philosophies of life mindset did not significantly differ between conditions. Furthermore, none of the manipulations were able to sustain the positive change in mindset which might explain why there was no significant increase in mental wellbeing compared to control. To have a lasting effect on people's mental wellbeing, a change in mindset might need to be embodied in everyday life. Future research should investigate simple versus intensive interventions with longer follow-up time to examine whether and how a mindset can be sustainably changed to promote flourishing mental health in the general population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boredom signals a lack of meaning. Gratitude promotes feelings of meaning in life. We proposed accordingly that gratitude, by engendering meaning, shields against boredom. Specifically, we hypothesized that gratitude prevents boredom by increasing perceptions of meaning in life. We tested this hypothesis in five studies (N = 954). Study 1 revealed that grateful people are less prone to boredom. Studies 2a and 2b demonstrated that grateful people are less prone to boredom, and this relationship is statistically mediated by elevated meaning in life. Study 3 found that dispositional gratitude also predicted less state boredom in response to a behavioural task, via heightened perceptions of meaning in life. In Study 4, experimentally induced gratitude reduced boredom through increased perceptions of meaning in life. The findings demonstrate gratitude's role in effectively reducing and preventing boredom by boosting the feeling that life is meaningful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the extent to which individuals engage in and enjoy cognitive abilities, commonly known as need for cognition (NFC), has been suggested to promote adaptive behaviors associated with well-being, there has not been a systematic examination of the strength of the relationship between NFC and well-being. This meta-analysis sought to examine the association between NFC and well-being. Based on 108 effect sizes extracted from 52 samples (50 records), a small to medium positive relationship (r =.20, 95% CI [.16,.23], p <.001) between NFC and well-being was observed. Sub-group analyses revealed that NFC was associated with different aspects of well-being, including life satisfaction, positive affect, negative affect, purpose in life, self-acceptance, personal growth, environmental mastery, positive relations with others, autonomy, depression, anxiety and stress (|r|s = [.07,.45]). Exploratory moderation analyses showed that age moderated the relationship between NFC and well-being, whereby the positive relationship was stronger in younger samples. The gender proportion of the sample also moderated the relationship between NFC and well-being for certain specific measures of well-being, whereby the positive relationship between NFC and well-being was stronger among females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the relationships between positive/negative spirituality and meaning in life at two religious sites in Japan. Participants reported greater sadness and less meaning in life at Koyasan Okunoin, a temple with graves surrounded by nature, than at Nachi Kumano Taisha, a shrine with a waterfall. However, greater feelings of happiness protected meaning in life in the presence of sadness at Koyasan. Additionally, participants who felt a sense of awe reported greater meaning in life through self-liberation, regardless of the sites. The results provide new insights into meaning in life from the two sides of spirituality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study considered the college adults’ ways reports of trait hope and expressions of fact-based elaboration in reflections about family- and friend-based perseverance—as individual differences relevant to life challenges and ongoing pursuit toward goals—were associated with multiple reports of psychosocial adjustment. These reports were collected against the backdrop of college closures and disruptions related to the COVID-19 pandemic—a time of major stress and uncertainty in daily life for college adults. Two-hundred thirty-three adults (M age = 19.35 years; 36.9% female) were recruited from a large, central US university to complete computerized tasks and measures in the spring of 2020, after in-person activities at the university had been closed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Expressions of elaboration were not directly associated with reports of well-being, mental health problems, or hope. Reports of hope were associated with greater well-being and fewer mental health problems. Interaction effects were supported for depressive and anxious symptoms. Students who were less hopeful and expressed more factual elaboration in life stories endorsed more mental health problems than peers. These findings point to additional nuances when considering the importance of narrative identity for psychosocial functioning and reinforce the importance of considering personality across multiple domains or levels (i.e., character, narrative identity). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have reported that adolescents were at higher risk for mental health disorders during and after the COVID-19 pandemic due to the characteristics of their developmental period and to the impact of social and mobility restrictions on their daily routines. In response to these reports, we designed, implemented, and evaluated the impact of a brief positive psychological intervention in a high school setting to increase adolescents' psychological well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. A pre-post experimental study was conducted to compare the levels of anxiety, academic motivation, and performance changes in an experimental and control group. A final sample of 148 students from two Spanish high schools of the Catalan region participated in the study (Mage = 12.45; 48% female). Results showed that participants in the experimental group reported a reduction in anxiety and an increase in global motivation levels compared to the control group. Regression analyses also revealed that the intervention was a significant predictor of reduced anxiety, increased motivation, and fewer failed subjects, while high anxiety predicted decreased performance and reduced motivation. These findings suggest that brief positive psychological interventions implemented in high school classrooms could be a cost-effective and systemic preventive measure for increasing adolescents' psychological well-being and strengthening their general mental health both during and after periods of pandemic restrictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African American women have been protected against death by suicide, and it is important to determine factors that protect against suicide in this population. Racial identity, which shapes African Americans' self-concept, may cultivate facets of well-being among African American women. We investigated the relations among racial identity profiles and well-being, namely reasons for living, existential well-being, and suicide resilience, among 198 African American women with a recent suicide attempt. Using latent profile analysis, we found that racial identity profiles characterized by higher racial group identification and more positive feelings about being African American were associated with greater reasons for living, existential well-being, and suicide resilience. Ideas for culturally responsive interventions are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For too long, organizational science has implicitly or explicitly endorsed job performance as the ultimate criterion (or the bottom line for organizational performance). We propose that a broader vision of well-being—or optimal functioning—should be the ultimate criterion. This conceptualization does not preclude performance but rather encompasses performance while including many other important aspects excluded from a narrow and limiting performance perspective. We present and build on historical and current perspectives that point toward the centrality of well-being (e.g., Psychology of Working, Critical Studies, Humanitarian Work Psychology, Occupational Health Psychology, and Positive Organizational Scholarship). The complexification of the ultimate criterion for well-being includes multiple perspectives, domains, and levels that have synergies and tensions. We believe this complexity adds increased rigor and realism that advances both our science and practice. A focus on well-being is also aligned with the broader field of psychology and societal concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quiet ego interprets the self and others by balancing concerns for their welfare and cultivating their growth (Bauer and Wayment, in: Wayment, Bauer (eds) Transcending self-interest: psychological explorations of the quiet ego, American Psychological Association Books, Washington, DC, 2008). A growing body of research shows that the Quiet Ego Scale (QES; Wayment et al. in J Happiness Stud 16:999–1033, 2015a, Front Psychol 6:1–11, 2015b) relates to numerous measures of human flourishing. The present three studies of college students and adults situate the quiet ego within a framework of value orientation and actualization that organizes constructs of human flourishing in terms of motives (including moral motives), well-being (as hedonic satisfaction and eudaimonic meaningfulness, including moral fulfillment), and wisdom (Bauer in The transformative self: personal growth, narrative identity, and the good life, Oxford University Press, New York, 2021). Results from samples of college students and adults suggest that the QES corresponds to: (1) mainly humanistic and eudaimonic (including moral) motives; (2) hedonic and especially eudaimonic well-being (including moral fulfillment); and (3) motives, well-being, and wisdom independently. The discussion considers the quiet ego in terms of Epicurean ataraxia and Buddhist upekkha, a model of a good life that, like the quiet ego, emphasizes equanimity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cross-sectional, longitudinal, and experimental research demonstrates that subjective well-being (e.g., positive emotions, life satisfaction) relates to, precedes, and leads to employee success on numerous work-related outcomes. We extend these findings by considering how organizations might improve worker well-being. Accordingly, we propose the Worker Well-Being Continuous Improvement Framework with three phases: (1) an initial phase with a pretest assessment of worker well-being; (2) a test phase, where a specific positive change to improve worker well-being is implemented; and (3) a concluding phase that administers a posttest assessment to examine the effectiveness of the change. We also discuss three important considerations to address when implementing the framework: (1) measuring employee well-being, (2) building thriving work cultures, and (3) deploying positive activity interventions. Consequently, organizations can rapidly test evidence-based practices to select the most relevant and effective positive changes for their employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Engaging in meaningful activities contributes to health and well-being. Therefore, it is important to measure this with reliable and valid evaluation tools. The Engagement in Meaningful Activities Survey (EMAS-VL) has been cross-culturally validated in Flemish and the psychometric properties determined. Method: The adaptation process followed the guidelines 'Translation and Adaptation of Instruments' and 'Cross-Cultural Adaptation of Self Report'. A forward and backward translation was performed. Three authors of the original EMAS were in close contact. Pretesting and cognitive interviews were performed on a sample of 10 chronically ill individuals. Psychometric analysis of survey data, collected during the COVID-19 lockdown (N = 1938 Belgian adults, Flemish speaking), was performed. Internal consistency, factorial validity and construct validity were examined. Results: The adaptation process involved an accurate analysis of the items of the EMAS by the expert panel and EMAS authors. The EMAS-VL showed high reliability (Cronbach's α = 0.91). Exploratory factor analysis discerned an interpretable two-factorial structure of the EMAS-VL. As hypothesized, moderate associations were found between GHQ-12 (r = −0.57) and CD-RISC (r = 0.50) so the EMAS-VL possesses satisfactory construct validity as well. Conclusion: EMAS-VL is shown to be a reliable and valid instrument for evaluating meaning in activities in Flanders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The classic psychedelic psilocybin, found in some mushroom species, has received renewed interest in clinical research, showing potential mental health benefits in preliminary trials. Naturalistic use of psilocybin outside of research settings has increased in recent years, though data on the public health impact of such use remain limited. Methods: This prospective, longitudinal study comprised six sequential automated web-based surveys that collected data from adults planning to take psilocybin outside clinical research: at time of consent, 2  weeks before, the day before, 1–3  days after, 2–4  weeks after, and 2–3  months after psilocybin use. Results: A sample of 2,833 respondents completed all baseline assessments approximately 2  weeks before psilocybin use, 1,182 completed the 2–4  week post-use survey, and 657 completed the final follow-up survey 2–3  months after psilocybin use. Participants were primarily college-educated White men residing in the United States with a prior history of psychedelic use; mean age  =  40  years. Participants primarily used dried psilocybin mushrooms (mean dose  =  3.1 grams) for “self-exploration” purposes. Prospective longitudinal data collected before and after a planned psilocybin experience on average showed persisting reductions in anxiety, depression, and alcohol misuse, increased cognitive flexibility, emotion regulation, spiritual wellbeing, and extraversion, and reduced neuroticism and burnout after psilocybin use. However, a minority of participants (11% at 2–4  weeks and 7% at 2–3  months) reported persisting negative effects after psilocybin use (e.g., mood fluctuations, depressive symptoms). Discussion: Results from this study, the largest prospective survey of naturalistic psilocybin use to date, support the potential for psilocybin to produce lasting improvements in mental health symptoms and general wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The structure of well-being has been debated for millennia. Dominant conceptualisations, such as the hedonic and eudaimonic models, emphasise different constituents of the well-being construct. Some previous studies have suggested that the underlying structure of well-being may consist of one or a few general well-being factors. We conducted three studies to advance knowledge on the structure of well-being comprising more than 21,500 individuals, including a genetically informative twin sample. Methods: In Study 1, we used hierarchical exploratory factor analysis to identify well-being factors in a population-based sample of Norwegian adults. In Study 2, we used confirmatory factor analysis to examine the model fit of the identified factor model in an independent sample. In Study 3, we used biometric models to examine genetic and environmental influences on general well-being factors. Results: We identified six well-being factors which all loaded on a single higher-order factor. This higher-order factor may represent a general "happiness factor", i.e. an h-factor, akin to the p-factor in psychopathology research. The identified factor model had excellent fit in an independent sample. All well-being factors showed moderate genetic and substantial non-shared environmental influence, with heritability estimates ranging from 26% to 40%. Heritability was highest for the higher-order general happiness factor. Conclusion: Our findings yield novel insights into the structure of well-being and genetic and environmental influences on general well-being factors, with implications for well-being and mental health research, including genetically informative studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Japanese construct of ikigai reflects a sense of having 'purpose in life' or a 'reason for living and has been associated with a variety of positive health outcomes. However, to date little research into ikigai exists within Western populations. This study explored the predictive power of ikigai for measures of well-being, depression, and anxiety in an adult Western population. Ninety-four participants (70% female) responded to an online survey. After accounting for the covariates of sex, age, employment status, and student status, multiple hierarchical regression indicated that ikigai positively predicted well-being and negatively predicted depression. While on its own, ikigai negatively predicted anxiety; this was not the case after accounting for the aforementioned covariates. The findings support the importance for investigating ikigai in the West and the need for further exploration of ikigai as a potential means of bringing about benefit in mental well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Safety precautions and activity restrictions were common in the early, pre-vaccine phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. We hypothesized that higher levels of participation in potentially risky social and other activities would be associated with greater life satisfaction and perceived meaning in life. At the same time, prosocial COVID-preventive activities such as mask wearing should enhance life satisfaction. Method: We assessed the impact of COVID-preventive behaviors on psychological well-being in October 2020. A nationally representative sample of U.S. adults (n = 831) completed a demographic questionnaire, a COVID-related behaviors questionnaire, a Cantril's Ladder item, and the Multidimensional Existential Meaning Scale. Two hierarchical linear models were used to examine the potential impact of COVID-preventive behaviors on life satisfaction and meaning in life while accounting for the influence of demographic factors. Results: The study revealed significant positive relationships between COVID-preventive behaviors and subjective well-being. Wearing a mask was significantly associated with higher life satisfaction, while maintaining social distancing of six feet and avoiding large groups were significantly associated with higher perceived meaning in life. Social activities including dining at restaurants and visiting friends and family were also significantly associated with higher life satisfaction and meaning in life, respectively. Conclusion: The study's findings support the conclusion that disease prevention measures such as social distancing and mask wearing do not reduce, and may enhance, subjective well-being during a pandemic. Utilizing the unique context of the COVID-19 pandemic to examine relationships between behavior and subjective well-being, the study also indicates that shallow or medium-depth social activities are likely to be more central to life satisfaction, whereas narrower, deeper social interactions with friends and family are more important to perceived meaning in life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review aimed to assess the use of positive psychology interventions (PPIs), such as using positive mantras, expressive writing, or gratitude diaries, to improve the health behaviours, psychological wellbeing and/or physical health of police staff. The review was registered on PROSPERO before 16 electronic databases were searched for published articles between January 1999 and February 2022. Included studies offered PPIs to improve the physical health (body mass index, blood pressure), psychological well-being (stress, anxiety, mood, emotion, depression, self-efficacy), or health behaviours (physical activity, sitting times, dietary habits, alcohol, or tobacco use) of police staff. The mixed methods appraisal tool (MMAT) was used to assess the risk of bias of included papers. The initial search yielded 4560 results; with 3385 papers remaining after duplicates were removed. Of these, 15 studies were included in the final review. Intervention types included mindfulness-based resilience training (n = 11), physical or wellness practice classes (n = 1), role-play and scenario-based interventions (n = 2) and expressive writing (n = 1). Mindfulness-based interventions improved many psychological wellbeing facets such as anxiety, depression, negative affect and quality of life. Limited improvements were observed for some health behaviours such as alcohol consumption and in self-reported general health. Expressive writing and role-play-based interventions were effective in reducing stress and anxiety, however, improvement in depression scores were inconsistent across studies. Positive psychology interventions are promising to support the health and wellbeing of police staff. Future research should investigate their mechanisms of action to support future innovation in support for police wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existential nihilism is a worldview characterized by the belief that the totality of existence is meaningless and any attempt to change or rectify this, with the goal of establishing meaning, is futile. Despite the rich but often ambiguous philosophical and cultural history of existential nihilism, its impact on mental health and society remains largely unknown due to a gap in the scientific measurement literature. To address this gap, an 8-item scale measuring the proposed construct was rigorously developed and tested in accordance with psychometric theory and scale development guidelines. Two identical studies were conducted with an undergraduate sample (N = 329) and a community sample (N = 307) to evaluate the scale's item quality, reliability, internal structure, convergent validity, concurrent validity, discriminant validity, and incremental validity. Evaluation of the Existential Nihilism Scale (ENS) provided evidence of strong psychometric properties. This new measure promises to contribute to future research examining the impact of existential nihilism on mental health, wellbeing, and social outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated the association between positive emotion expression in children's writing at age 11, as indicated by objective raters, and age 50 self-reported well-being outcomes—positive emotions, optimism, life satisfaction, meaning in life, social well-being, and physical health. Using a representative sample (N = 436) from the United Kingdom who participated in the National Child Development Study (NCDS), we found that positive emotion expression at age 11 was related to greater optimism, life satisfaction, meaning in life, and social well-being, but not positive emotions or physical health, at age 50 after controlling for socioeconomic status (SES) in adulthood. The associations between positive emotion expression in childhood and well-being in adulthood remained significant when accounting for age 11 academic ability and SES. By using an observational measure of positive emotion during childhood and accounting for relationships among well-being outcomes in adulthood, our findings offer important insights regarding the long-term correlates of children's positive emotions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the Cognitive and Social WELL-being (CoSoWELL) project that consists of two components. One is a large corpus of narratives written by over 1000 North American older adults (55+ years old) in five test sessions before and during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The other component is a rich collection of socio-demographic data collected through a survey from the same participants. This paper introduces the first release of the corpus consisting of 1.3 million tokens and the survey data (CoSoWELL version 1.0). It also presents a series of analyses validating design decisions for creating the corpus of narratives written about personal life events that took place in the distant past, recent past (yesterday) and future, along with control narratives. We report results of computational topic modeling and linguistic analyses of the narratives in the corpus, which track the time-locked impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the content of autobiographical memories before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The main findings demonstrate a high validity of our analytical approach to unique narrative data and point to both the locus of topical shifts (narratives about recent past and future) and their detailed timeline. We make the CoSoWELL corpus and survey data available to researchers and discuss implications of our findings in the framework of research on aging and autobiographical memories under stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Spiritual health, along with mental, physical, and emotional health, is one of the four dimensions of health, which can increase the level of adaptation of teachers to life events. The present study investigates the mediating role of meaning in life in relationships of responsibility and spiritual health with prospective personalities of competent teachers. Methods: This study used a structural equation model method, and the statistical population consisted of all competent teachers in Ahvaz City, Iran, in 2023. A total of 264 participants were selected via multi-stage cluster sampling. Prospective personality, responsibility, spiritual health, and meaning in life questionnaires were used to collect the data. The data were analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics, the Pearson correlation coefficient, and structural equation modeling. Results: Spiritual health had positive, significant relationships with prospective personality and meaning in life in competent teachers (P<0.01). Responsibility was significantly related to prospective personality and meaning in life (P<0.01). Furthermore, the relationship between meaning in life and perspective personality in teachers was significant (P<0.001). The indirect paths to perspective personality were found to become significant through meaning in life (P<0.01). Conclusion: The proposed model had a good fit and is a major step toward identifying factors affecting prospective personality in teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gender roles operate as a social schema through which people learn how they must behave and make decisions; that is, socially, what women and men are expected to do is pre-established. This gender socialization is such a deep-rooted process that people may not aware of how they have been socialized, which is thus often is difficult to analyze in people's discussions of their own decision-making. On this basis, this research examines whether endorsing gender roles could be related to women's decisions (regret), as well as the possible consequences for their well-being. Moreover, we analyzed the content of the most important decisions that people make throughout their lives. Therefore, this research aimed to understand the meaning of gender and how its internalization seems to be related to sex differences in decision-making and well-being. In a sample of the Spanish general population (N = 203; Mage = 41.70, SD = 10.93; range from 20 to 65 years old), results showed that women (vs. men) had a greater internalization of gender roles (i.e., femininity), which was associated with higher fear of negative evaluation. This, in turn, was associated with experienced regret in decision-making, which finally seemed to lead to lower well-being. Analysis of the content of decisions showed that women's decisions were based mainly on work and family domains, whereas men's decisions were based on work to a greater extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The feeling of well-being differs across cultural contexts and can be understood from the perspective of personal value priorities. This study uses a multilevel model with a sample of 324,204 people from 31 European countries and shows that the values conformity, tradition, benevolence, self-direction, and hedonism exert a positive average influence, whereas universalism and power exert a negative average influence on subjective well-being. Comparing similar value-outcome relationships in multiple countries simultaneously reveals that the geographical boundaries of a country strongly influence the kind of role values play, with very different and sometimes opposing effects across countries. The study also considers how subjective well-being is related to the fit of personal value priorities with the prevailing values in the environment. While value incongruency is negatively related to well-being in Cyprus, Germany, Spain, Greece, Lithuania, and Ukraine, it has a positive effect in other countries in the eastern and northern parts of Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The Public Health Agency of Canada monitors the psychological and social well-being of Canadian youth using the Children's Intrinsic Needs Satisfaction Scale (CINSS). Validation analyses of the CINSS have been conducted, but not in the 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth (CHSCY), a more recent and representative national survey with a different sampling frame, collection method and other measured outcomes. This study tested the validity of the CINSS in the 2019 CHSCY. Data and methods Data were collected in all provinces and territories from February 11 to August 2, 2019. The CINSS was administered to respondents aged 12 to 17 years and was designed to assess relatedness, autonomy and competence at home, at school and with friends. Descriptive statistics for CINSS items and subscales were obtained. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to test how well a correlated traits correlated uniqueness (CTCU) model fit the CINSS data. Associations with mental health and other psychosocial variables were examined. Results In general, items within the CINSS were correlated in expected ways, and support was found for a CTCU model in the CFA. While response distributions on the CINSS items were skewed, the CINSS subscales had acceptable internal consistency and were associated with self-rated mental health, happiness, life satisfaction, perceived stress, bullying victimization and behaviour problems in line with expectations. Interpretation This study supports the validity of the CINSS. Inclusion of the CINSS in future youth health surveys would allow for continued public health surveillance of the psychological and social well-being of youth in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on understanding benefit finding, the process of deriving growth from adversity, and its relationship to well-being amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants (n = 701) completed online surveys at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after a shelter-in-place mandate was announced in California, USA. Identifying as female or of Asian descent, having a supportive social network, and reporting more distress were associated with higher levels of general benefit finding at all data collection points, while other demographics were not. Benefit finding exhibited small but statistically significant associations with two measures of well-being. Understanding the extent to which various groups of people experience benefit finding during ongoing adversity and how such benefit finding is associated with well-being may help to promote mental health during a collective trauma like the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study explores the well-being dimensional components of event tourists and their identification processes in validating the well-being occurrence mechanism of event tourism and the correlation between the well-being of event tourists and the frequency and length of event tourism.Methods: This study adopted a sequential mixed-methods design that followed a pragmatic paradigm through a photo interview with event tourists and festival travel organizers (N=16). The qualitative research method provided evidence to explore the framework of content and dimensional identification of event tourists' well-being according to Seligman's PERMA model. The quantitative research phase (N=475) focused on identifying and validating the PERMA model in the event tourist well-being dimension through descriptive statistical analysis and validated factor analysis, followed by a one-way analysis of covariance to explore the effects of the frequency and endurance of FSE tourism.Results: The results show quantitative differences in the well-being dimensions and framework presentation of the PERMA model (Positive emotion, Engagement, Relationship, Meaning, and Achievement). R (relationship) and A (achievement) are identified and validated as dimensions of well-being outcomes for event tourists, while single-day or short trips of 2– 3 days were most significant for event tourists' perceived well-being.Conclusion: This study provides an empirical argument, thus providing an empirical argument for uncovering the deeper influencing and exhibiting factors of the PERMA theoretical framework and a research paradigm for PERMA theory in more tourism behaviors and psychology. Second, this study provides an in-depth explanation of the five dimensions of well-being in the PERMA model. The findings show the salience of the relationship and achievement in FSE tourism well-being, providing theoretical insight into existing studies integrating positive psychology models for in-depth tourism well-being research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flourishing or complete mental health is an important goal of Psychology. The current study aims to examine the influence of conscientiousness on the flourishing level of higher education students in India. The study also tries to explore the role of emotional intelligence as a mediator in this relationship. Data were collected by means of purposive and snow-ball sampling techniques using cross-sectional survey design. A total of 331 university students enrolled in under-graduate, post-graduate, and research programs at various educational institutions in India were included as respondents. A set of standardized scales namely The Big Five Inventory (BFI) developed by John et al. (Handbook of personality: theory and research, 2008), Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (Wong and Law Leadersh Q 13:243–274, 2002), and Flourishing Scale by Diener et al. (Soc Indic Res 97(2):143–156, 2009) were administrated to obtain responses on variables under study. Structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis reveals that conscientiousness significantly predicts flourishing of students in positive direction. Moreover, emotional intelligence fully mediates this relationship. Findings highlight the importance of conscientiousness and emotional intelligence in promoting complete mental health of students. Implications of the study for students, educational institutions, and researchers have been discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Core self-evaluations (CSE) is conceptualized as a higher-order personality construct underpinned by locus of control, self-esteem, self-efficacy, and neuroticism. Studies have shown that CSE predicts a variety of well-being outcomes. Yet, little is known on how CSE relates to well-being in different settings. This study addresses extant research gaps through examining the moderating role of relational mobility on the relationship between CSE and psychological well-being (PWB) among undergraduate students in the U.S. and the Philippines. Results showed that both CSE and relational mobility were positively associated with PWB in both contexts. However, the association between relational mobility and psychological well-being was stronger in the Philippines than in the United States. Across the Filipino and U.S. samples, relational mobility moderated the associations of CSE with PWB such that for those who had higher perceptions of relational mobility, CSE may be linked to higher PWB. The theoretical and practical implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]