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This research aimed to objectively evaluate the optimal state of desk work (flow state) through physiological measurements and use the data to support workers' mental health and well-being. We suppose that the flow state evaluation in real-time can contribute to a concentrated work environment, improved work efficiency, and stabilize worker's minds. This study reports on the development of the mental task modeled on daily work for the physiological measurement experiment. In the first phase of the research, a field survey was conducted with 55 desk workers to understand the details of their jobs and develop suitable mental tasks. Further, the relationship between daily work content and subjective stress was clarified. In the second phase, based on the results of the field survey, a task inducing the flow state was developed for practical use. Through empirical experiments with 35 participants (22 adults and 13 students), the developed task was evaluated for its usefulness and possible issues by examining the relationships among subjective assessment, task performance, degree of flow state, and individual characteristics. The study results showed that the proposed mental task developed in this study constitutes practical work that can be used for concentrated and goal-directed efforts. The task also demonstrated the property of inducing a flow state. Further, the results suggest that it is necessary to adjust the task difficulty level and implement effective feedback methods to induce the flow state more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Childhood holds immense significance in shaping the physical, mental, and emotional growth of children. Orphaned children face heightened susceptibility to encountering various physical and mental health challenges, thereby depriving them of the opportunity to experience optimal well-being throughout their childhood and beyond. Pakistan is home to an estimated 4.6 million orphaned children, with the majority being under the age of 17. The objective of the study was to assess the mental and physical health of children living in orphanages of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted on a sample of 110 children aged 7 to 18 years, living in orphanages of Rawalpindi and Islamabad to assess their physical and mental health. Anthropometric measurements were taken and the presence or absence of anxiety was determined by using the “Revised Children Manifest Anxiety Scale” (RCMAS) questionnaire. Results: 50% of the study population was underweight based on their BMI, while 46.36% had normal weight and 1.82% were overweight or obese. Out of the 33 male participants, 20 were found to be underweight. The results of the RCMAS scoring revealed that 20.9% of the children had anxiety, with a higher prevalence among females as compared to males. Conclusion: Prevalence of underweight was found to be higher among male orphans. Female orphans were more likely to experience anxiety and depression as compared to males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored whether flow is related to eudaimonic well-being. It involved 233 college students (M = 157, F = 76). The tests used were the questionnaire for eudaimonic well-being (Waterman, Schwartz, Zamboanga, Ravert, Williams, Agocha, Kim, & Donnellan, 2010) and the flow state scale (Jackson & Marsh, 1996). A clear positive relationship was established between eudaimonic well-being and flow (r = 0.41, p< 0.01). The regression analysis showed that flow explained 17% of the variance in eudaimonic well-being. In conclusion, flow plays a significant role in the eudaimonic well-being of college students [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flow is thought to occur when both task difficulty and individual ability are high. Flow experiences are highly rewarding and are associated with well-being. Importantly, media use can be a source of flow. Communication scholars have a long history of theoretical inquiry into how flow biases media selection, how different media content results in flow, and how flow influences media processing and effects. However, the neurobiological basis of flow during media use is not well understood, limiting our explanatory capacity to specify how media contribute to flow or well-being. Here, we show that flow is associated with a flexible and modular brain-network topology, which may offer an explanation for why flow is simultaneously perceived as high-control and effortless, even when the task difficulty is high. Our study tests core predictions derived from synchronization theory, and our results provide qualified support for the theory while also suggesting important theoretical updates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flow is a mental state of thorough absorption and concentration in an activity, in which intrinsic motivation and enjoyment are maximized, and the individual achieves optimal performance. This study investigated how daily flow experiences during parents' interactions with their children contribute to parental well-being. The Day Reconstruction Method was completed by 832 employed Israeli parents of children aged 2 to 12, who reconstructed their experiences on three different working days over three weeks, and rated their levels of flow, as well as positive and negative affect for each experience. Participants also completed measures of subjective well-being and parental satisfaction and efficacy. The results indicated that parents' flow experiences during interactions with their children were positively related to parents' positive affect, self-efficacy and satisfaction, and greater subjective well-being. The findings underscore the importance for parental well-being of daily optimal experiences with their children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on psychological flow is well established, although criticisms remain regarding conceptual and measurement issues associated with the construct. This scoping review maps flow-related research across scientific disciplines, examining the conceptualization, measurement instruments, and outcomes of flow between 2012 and 2019. Across 236 sources that met the review criteria, 108 different flow-related constructs were measured by 141 instruments, and 84 possible antecedents were identified. Despite the varied approaches, a common set of overarching antecedent constructs included "optimal challenge" and "high motivation," and recurring characteristics of the flow experience itself included "absorption," "effort-less control," and "intrinsic reward." Applied studies—albeit inconsistent in approach and largely correlational in nature—predominantly linked flow to "positive development" (i.e., well-being and health), "high functioning," and "further engagement." We contextualize the findings of the review relative to important work on flow that has recently emerged (following the review period)—in doing so, we hope this review offers a contemporary framework that can be used for the study of flow across scientific disciplines. Public Significance Statement: This review scopes flow research across all scientific disciplines and identifies key commonalities and differences in how researchers have conceptualized the psychological state of flow—an optimal experience often referred to as being "in the zone." It addresses inconsistencies and concerns of practical application that characterize some contemporary flow-related models and studies. This review also provides a framework––derived from the findings of the review––for the study of flow antecedents and experiential dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The survey was conducted in a bid to explore the positive meta-emotion, mindfulness and the positive influence of metacognition on well-being among emerging adults. Positive metacognitions and meta-emotions (PMCE) can be termed as having resilient and adaptive metacognitive principles concerning emotional and cognitive procedures when confronted with a puzzling condition. A questionnaire on Positive Metacognitions and Positive Meta-Emotions Questionnaire (PMCEQ-18, Beer & Moneta 2010) was utilized for the current study. Mindfulness entails the awareness that involves consciously appearing for one's moment-to-moment knowledge and experience. Mindfulness scale developed by Singh, Junnarkar, and Kaur (2016) was used for the present study. Well-being refers to a state of optimal experience and functioning. Well-being scale developed by Singh, Junnarkar, and Kaur (2016) was used for the present study. The sample consisted of 202 female participants, sampling technique used was convenient and snowball sampling. Results indicated that both PMCE (p=.000) and mindfulness (p=.007) have significant influence on well-being. Further it was seen that PMCE and mindfulness do not have a significant interaction effect (p=0.899) on well-being. The findings have broad implications for designing intervention programs for teaching the meta-level cognitive skills like PMCE and mindfulness to the emerging adult population. Further, it builds in scope for future research for better understanding the constructs mindfulness and adaptive metacognitions and its relation theoretically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flow states represent a form of optimal experience and contribute to higher levels of psychological well-being and enhanced performance. Research has documented certain personality factors that influence people's likelihood of experiencing flow. However, the association between demographic variables and flow proneness in various activities has been less thoroughly explored and existing findings are often inconsistent across studies. This research sought to explore the demographic correlates of flow proneness across different types of activities. We examined flow proneness' relationship with age, gender, socioeconomic status, and educational attainment. Using a largely representative sample of 4000 adults in the UK, participants completed three different measures of flow proneness and reported the activities where they most often experienced flow. Results demonstrated that, despite trends such as higher levels of education being linked to greater flow proneness, especially in work/study activities, the demographic factors had a minimal role in explaining either flow proneness or the activity sites of flow. Regression models containing all four demographic variables explained up to a maximum of 8 % of variation in flow scores. Promisingly, the study implies that the rewards of flow are not reserved only for certain demographic groups but rather should be available across society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Past research has repeatedly identified relations between optimal experience-or flow-and well-being across the lifespan. In the attempt to identify the conditions favoring this experience, some studies took into account personality traits. While most of them operationalized flow in terms of intensity, we presently focused on perceived occurrence versus absence of flow. Specifically, we investigated the relations between flow occurrence, hedonic and eudaimonic well-being, activities associated with flow, and personality in adolescence. A group of 408 Italian teenagers (mean age = 17.31; SD = 1.13) were administered Flow Questionnaire, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, Psychological Well-being Scales, and the Big Five Questionnaire. Participants reporting optimal experience in their lives were compared with those not reporting it. Results showed that adolescents experiencing flow reported higher satisfaction with life, hedonic balance, and psychological well-being than their counterparts. Findings from logistic regression analyses further showed that openness to experience was the sole personality factor predicting flow occurrence, and that no personality factors were predictive of type of activities adolescents associated with flow. Findings point to the promotion of optimal experience among adolescents through the support of curiosity and openness to new experiences in engaging opportunities for action. They further call for the development of an integrated model taking into account both individual predispositions and social and cultural factors in well-being promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]