If, Why, and When Subjective Well-Being Influences Health, and Future Needed Research.
01 Jul 2017-Applied Psychology: Health and Well-being (John Wiley & Sons, Ltd)-Vol. 9, Iss: 2, pp 133-167
TL;DR: It is concluded that SWB can sometimes influence health, and a key open question is when it does and does not do so-in terms of populations likely to be affected, types of SWB that are most influential, and types of health and illnesses that is most likely to been affected.
Abstract: We review evidence on whether subjective well-being (SWB) can influence health, why it might do so, and what we know about the conditions where this is more or less likely to occur. This review also explores how various methodological approaches inform the study of the connections between subjective well-being and health and longevity outcomes. Our review of this growing literature indicates areas where data are substantial and where much more research is needed. We conclude that SWB can sometimes influence health, and review a number of reasons why it does so. A key open question is when it does and does not do so-in terms of populations likely to be affected, types of SWB that are most influential (including which might be harmful), and types of health and illnesses that are most likely to be affected. We also describe additional types of research that are now much needed in this burgeoning area of interest, for example, cross-cultural studies, animal research, and experimental interventions designed to raise long-term SWB and assess the effects on physical health. This research area is characterised both by potentially extremely important findings, and also by pivotal research issues and questions.
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TL;DR: Findings from psychology and economics on subjective well-being across cultures are synthesized and identified to identify outstanding questions, priorities for future research and pathways to policy implementation.
Abstract: The empirical science of subjective well-being, popularly referred to as happiness or satisfaction, has grown enormously in the past decade. In this Review, we selectively highlight and summarize key researched areas that continue to develop. We describe the validity of measures and their potential biases, as well as the scientific methods used in this field. We describe some of the predictors of subjective well-being such as temperament, income and supportive social relationships. Higher subjective well-being has been associated with good health and longevity, better social relationships, work performance and creativity. At the community and societal levels, cultures differ not only in their levels of well-being but also to some extent in the types of subjective well-being they most value. Furthermore, there are both universal and unique predictors of subjective well-being in various societies. National accounts of subjective well-being to help inform policy decisions at the community and societal levels are now being considered and adopted. Finally we discuss the unknowns in the science and needed future research.
560 citations
24 May 2018
TL;DR: This review provides an overview of many major areas of research, including the measurement of subjective well-being, the demographic and personality-based predictors of SWB, and process-oriented accounts of individual differences in SWB.
Abstract: Subjective well-being (SWB) is an extremely active area of research with about 170,000 articles and books published on the topic in the past 15 years. Methodological and theoretical advances have been notable in this period of time, with the increasing use of longitudinal and experimental designs allowing for a greater understanding of the predictors and outcomes that relate to SWB, along with the process that underlie these associations. In addition, theories about these processes have become more intricate, as findings reveal that many associations with SWB depend on people’s culture and values and the context in which they live. This review provides an overview of many major areas of research, including the measurement of SWB, the demographic and personality-based predictors of SWB, and process-oriented accounts of individual differences in SWB. In addition, because a major new focus in recent years has been the development of national accounts of subjective well-being, we also review attempts to use SWB measures to guide policy decisions.
396 citations
TL;DR: The interplay between health behaviours and mental health is discussed, and the possible changes in these areas resulting from anti-pandemic measures are discussed.
Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about profound changes to social behaviour. While calls to identify mental health effects that may stem from these changes should be heeded, there is also a need to examine potential changes with respect to health behaviours. Media reports have signalled dramatic shifts in sleep, substance use, physical activity and diet, which may have subsequent downstream mental health consequences. We briefly discuss the interplay between health behaviours and mental health, and the possible changes in these areas resulting from anti-pandemic measures. We also highlight a call for greater research efforts to address the short and long-term consequences of changes to health behaviours.
226 citations
Cites background from "If, Why, and When Subjective Well-B..."
...Evidence from a growing number of studies strongly suggests that SWB is not only a causal factor in better physical health (Diener et al., 2017) but that SWB is itself an independent predictor of health behaviours (Kushlev et al., 2020)....
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...Evidence from a growing number of studies strongly suggests that SWB is not only a causal factor in better physical health (Diener et al., 2017) but that SWB is itself an independent predictor of health behaviours (Kushlev et al....
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TL;DR: A review of the evidence indicates that anxiety, depression, and distress increased in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, while suicide rates, life satisfaction, and loneliness remained largely stable throughout the first year of the pandemic.
Abstract: COVID-19 has infected millions of people and upended the lives of most humans on the planet. Researchers from across the psychological sciences have sought to document and investigate the impact of COVID-19 in myriad ways, causing an explosion of research that is broad in scope, varied in methods, and challenging to consolidate. Because policy and practice aimed at helping people live healthier and happier lives requires insight from robust patterns of evidence, this article provides a rapid and thorough summary of high-quality studies available through early 2021 examining the mental-health consequences of living through the COVID-19 pandemic. Our review of the evidence indicates that anxiety, depression, and distress increased in the early months of the pandemic. Meanwhile, suicide rates, life satisfaction, and loneliness remained largely stable throughout the first year of the pandemic. In response to these insights, we present seven recommendations (one urgent, two short-term, and four ongoing) to support mental health during the pandemic and beyond.
187 citations
TL;DR: This work uses data from 2006 and 2012 from the European Social Survey to analyze well-being for 21 countries, involving approximately 40,000 individuals for each year, and concludes that both the composite score and individual dimensions from this approach constitute valuable levels of analyses for exploring appropriate policies to protect and improve well- being.
Abstract: Recent trends on measurement of well-being have elevated the scientific standards and rigor associated with approaches for national and international comparisons of well-being One major theme in this has been the shift toward multidimensional approaches over reliance on traditional metrics such as single measures (eg happiness, life satisfaction) or economic proxies (eg GDP) To produce a cohesive, multidimensional measure of well-being useful for providing meaningful insights for policy, we use data from 2006 and 2012 from the European Social Survey (ESS) to analyze well-being for 21 countries, involving approximately 40,000 individuals for each year We refer collectively to the items used in the survey as multidimensional psychological well-being (MPWB) The ten dimensions assessed are used to compute a single value standardized to the population, which supports broad assessment and comparison It also increases the possibility of exploring individual dimensions of well-being useful for targeting interventions Insights demonstrate what may be masked when limiting to single dimensions, which can create a failure to identify levers for policy interventions We conclude that both the composite score and individual dimensions from this approach constitute valuable levels of analyses for exploring appropriate policies to protect and improve well-being
153 citations
Cites background from "If, Why, and When Subjective Well-B..."
...With increasing support for the idea of these being a more central focus of primary outcomes within economic policies, such approaches are exceptionally useful [13]....
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...longevity [13] as well as better individual performance at...
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