Living alone and living together: their significance for well-being

Differential rates of demographic change between the developed and developing nations contribute to disparate living arrangements and contrasting cultural understandings of living together and alone. Among some cohorts in the developed world, who can afford it, living alone is seen as a lifestyle choice and representative of independence, thus not compromising of wellbeing. In some contexts living arrangements have minimal impact on wellbeing. However, in parts of the developing world, and among other cohorts in developed countries, living alone represents despair, abandonment and loneliness leading to diminished wellbeing. Overriding this cultural difference is the unambiguous population level data from across the world showing that intimate partnerships, particularly marriage, provide a protective shield against low personal wellbeing scores. The jury is still out on whether this protective effect necessarily involves cohabitation. The current rise in living- apart-together relationships and the possible future trend of living together virtually, through second life and other digital media, raises further questions about the nexus between living arrangements and wellbeing.

Brief reminiscence activities improve state well-being and self-concept in young adults: a randomised controlled experiment

Reminiscence-based psychotherapies have been demonstrated to have robust effects on a range of therapeutic outcomes. However, little research has been conducted on the immediate effects of guided activities they are composed of, or how these might differ dependent on the type of reminiscence. The current study utilised a controlled experimental design, whereby 321 young adults (mean age = 25.5 years, SD = 3.0) were randomised to one of four conditions of online reminiscence activity: problem-solving (successful coping experiences), identity (self-defining events contributing to a meaningful and continuous personal identity), bitterness revival (negative or adverse events), or a control condition (any memory from their past). Participants recalled autobiographical memories congruent with the condition, and answered questions to facilitate reflection on the memories. The results indicated that problem-solving and identity reminiscence activities caused significant improvements in self-esteem, meaning in life, self-efficacy and affect, whereas no effects were found in the bitterness revival and control conditions. Problem-solving reminiscence also caused a small effect in increasing perceptions of a life narrative/s. Differences between the conditions did not appear to be explained by the positive-valence of memories. These results provide evidence for the specific effects of adaptive types of problem-solving and identity reminiscence in young adults.

Change in well-being amongst participants in a four-month pedometer-based workplace health program

BACKGROUND: There is increasing uptake of workplace physical activity programs to prevent chronic disease. While they are frequently evaluated for improvement in biomedical risk factors there has been little evaluation of additional benefits for psychosocial health. We aimed to evaluate whether participation in a four-month, team-based, pedometer-based workplace health program known to improve biomedical risk factors is associated with an improvement in well-being, immediately after the program and eight-months after program completion.

METHODS: At baseline (2008), 762 adults (aged 40 ± 10 SD years, 42% male) employed in primarily sedentary occupations and voluntarily enrolled in a physical activity program were recruited from ten Australian worksites. Data was collected at baseline, at the completion of the four-month program and eight-months after program completion. The outcome was the WHO-Five Well-being Index (WHO-5), a self-administered five-item scale that can be dichotomised as 'poor' (less than 52%) or 'positive' (more than or equal to 52%) well-being.

RESULTS: At baseline, 75% of participants had positive well-being (mean: 60 ± 19 SD WHO-5 units). On average, well-being improved immediately after the health program (+3.5 units, p < 0.001) and was sustained eight-months later (+3.4 units from baseline, p < 0.001). In the 25% with poor well-being at baseline, 49.5% moved into the positive well-being category immediately after program completion, sustained eight-months later (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: Clinically relevant immediate and sustained improvements in well-being were observed after participation in the health program. These results suggest that participation in workplace programs, such as the one evaluated here, also has the potential to improve well-being.

The influence of instructor support, family support and psychological capital on the well-being of postgraduate students: a moderated mediation model

The influence of instructor support, family support and psychological capital (PsyCap) on the subjective well-being of postgraduate business students, including whether PsyCap mediates the proposed support – well-being relationship were examined in this study. It was further investigated whether family support moderates this proposed mediated relationship. Direct positive relationships between instructor support and well-being, and between PsyCap and well-being were found. It was also found that PsyCap mediates the instructor support – well-being relationship. Finally, it was found that family support moderates this mediated relationship in such a way that the relationship is stronger among students with lower levels of family support.

Dimensions of religious/spiritual well-being in relation to personality and stress coping: initial results from Bosnian young adults

The aim of this study was to examine possible relationships between religious/spiritual well-being (RSWB), the Big Five personality factors, and stress coping strategies among Bosnian young adults. Therefore, a first Bosnian translation of the Multidimensional Inventory of Religious/Spiritual Well-being was applied on a sample of 290 (181 females) Bosnian undergraduate students. RSWB dimensions such as hope, forgiveness, or general religiosity were found to be substantially related with more favorable personality dimensions as well as with more adequate stress coping. As a conclusion RSWB dimensions were confirmed as being an important resource for mental health for this sample of Bosnian adolescents.

Height, weight and well-being for rural, urban and migrant workers in China

In general, the happiness literature has paid little attention to the relationship between physical appearance and well-being. In this paper, we examine the link between weight, height and well-being for three distinct samples in China given that attractiveness effects likely vary greatly across sociocultural contexts. As China has recently undergone rapid economic transformation in the urban areas, this empirical exercise is particularly interesting because it can highlight how changing social norms have affected the relationship between physical appearance and subjective well-being. For the rural and migrant samples, we find that for both men and women, big and tall individuals have higher levels of well-being. This is consistent with the notion that the strong are better off when more labor intensive work is the norm. For the urban sample and for urban males in particular, no well-being penalty is found for being obese, unlike previous results based on Western samples. It is very likely that the unique Chinese cultural practice of network building banquets and feasting is behind this finding.

The applicability of self-regulation theories in sport: Goal adjustment capacities, stress appraisals, coping, and well-being among athletes

We examined a model, informed by self-regulation theories from the health psychology literature, which included goal adjustment capacities, appraisals of challenge and threat, coping, and well-being. Two-hundred and twelve athletes from the United Kingdom (n 147)= or Australia (n = 65), who played team (n = 135) or individual sports (n = 77), and competed at international (n = 7), national (n = 11), county (n = 67), club (n = 84), or beginner (n = 43) levels participated in this study. Participants completed measures of goal adjustment capacities and stress appraisals two days before competing. Athletes also completed coping and well-being questionnaires within three hours of their competition ending.The way an athlete responded to an unattainable goal was associated with his or her well-being in the period leading up to and including the competition. Goal reengagement positively predicted well-being, whereas goal disengagement negatively predicted well-being. Further, goal reengagement was positively associated with challenge appraisals, which in turn was linked to task-oriented coping, and task-oriented coping positively associated with well-being.When highly-valued goals become unattainable, consultants and coaches could encourage athletes to generate alternative approaches to achieve the same goal or help them develop a completely new goal in order to promote well-being among athletes.

The validation of a Spanish version of the multidimensional inventory of religious/spiritual well-being in mexican college students

After the Multidimensional Inventory for Religious/Spiritual Well-Being (MI-RSWB) was validated as a reliable instrument for the Western European context it is primarily intended in this study to translate the measure into Spanish and adapt it for the Mexican culture. Furthermore we investigate whether spirituality/religiosity has a similar impact on indicators of personality and subjective well-being in Mexico as it does in samples drawn from Western European cultures. 190 students (99 females) from public and private universities in Guadalajara, all Mexican citizens, were involved in this study. We found strong evidential support for the six factor solution of the Original MI-RSWB in this Mexican population. By mirroring previous research the measure showed a highly satisfying internal consistency (α =.91 for the total score and.75 or higher for all six sub dimensions). Furthermore the total RSWB score was observed to be related with Eysenck's personality dimensions Extraversion (r =.24, p <.01), and Psychoticism (r = -.28, p <.001), although not with Neuroticism. There was also a positive correlation with Sense of Coherence (r =.31, p <.001). In conclusion, the dimensionality of RSWB and its associations with personality and subjective well-being was well supported in this first application within a Mexican cultural context.

Associations of objectively measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and sedentary behavior with quality of life and psychological well-being in prostate cancer survivors

PURPOSE: Although evidence is building on the positive effects of physical activity for prostate cancer survivors, less is known about the possible independent effects of sedentary behavior on quality of life and psychological well-being in this population. We determined the extent to which objectively measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary behavior were independently associated with quality of life, anxiety, and depressive symptoms in prostate cancer survivors.

METHODS: An exploratory cross-sectional analysis was undertaken on baseline data from a multicenter, cluster randomized controlled trial on the efficacy of a clinician referral and 12-week exercise program for men who had completed active treatment for prostate cancer. Multiple regression analyses were performed using data from 98 prostate cancer survivors who wore hip-mounted accelerometers (time spent sedentary defined as <100 counts per minute [CPM]; MVPA defined as >1,951 CPM) and completed self-report instruments on their quality of life, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Results were compared with minimal clinically important differences for the quality of life scales.

RESULTS: Independent of sedentary behavior, increases in MVPA of between 15 and 33 min/day were associated with clinically important (but not statistically significant) improvements in three quality of life scales (insomnia, diarrhea, and financial difficulties). Independent of MVPA, decreases in sedentary behavior of 119 and 107 min/day were associated with clinically important (but not statistically significant) improvements in physical functioning and role functioning, respectively.

CONCLUSION: Within our exploratory study, modest increases in MVPA and more substantive decreases in sedentary behavior were independently associated with clinically important improvements in several quality of life scales. Further research, including prospective studies, is required to understand sedentary behavior across larger and more representative samples (in terms of their physical, psychological, and social functioning and their engagement in physical activity) of prostate cancer survivors.

Maternal mental well-being during pregnancy and glucocorticoid receptor gene promoter methylation in the neonate

Maternal mental health during pregnancy has been linked to health outcomes in progeny. Mounting evidence implicates fetal “programming” in this process, possibly via epigenetic disruption. Maternal mental health has been associated with glucocorticoid receptor methylation (nuclear receptor subfamily 3, group C, member 1 [NR3C1]) in the neonate; however, most studies have been small (n < 100) and have failed to control for multiple testing in the statistical analysis. The Barwon Infant Study is a population-derived birth cohort with antenatal recruitment. Maternal depression and anxiety were assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and psychological distress using the Perceived Stress Scale. NR3C1 cord blood methylation levels were determined using Sequenom MassArray for 481 participants. Maternal psychological distress and anxiety were associated with a small increase in neonate NR3C1 methylation at specific CpG sites, thus replicating some previous findings. However, associations were only nominally significant and did not remain after correction for the number of CpG sites and exposures investigated. As the largest study to explore the relationship between maternal well-being and offspring NR3C1 cord blood methylation, our results highlight the need for caution when interpreting previous findings in this area. Future studies must ensure they are adequately powered to detect the likely small effect sizes while controlling for multiple testing.

Factors affecting maritime pilots' health and well-being : a systematic review

Background: Maritime pilotage is a demanding occupation where pilots are required to perform complex procedures in sometimes unfamiliar working environments. These psychological stressors, in addition tothe physical demands associated with the role (e.g., reduced sleep, boarding, and departing vessels), may over time have a damaging effect on pilots’ physical and mental health. Therefore the aim of this paper was to systematically review the existing literature on maritime pilots’ health and well-being.Materials and methods: The databases academic search complete, MEDLINE and MEDLINE complete, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, PubMed, and ScienceDirect were searched from the earliest available record until 1 May 2015. From an initial pool of 167 manuscripts retrieved, only 18 were peer-reviewed original research and discussed topics associated with maritime pilots’ health and well-being.Results: In total, 29 factors associated with maritime pilot health and well-being were identified. These were loosely categorised into physical (n = 14), psychosocial (n = 8), and workplace issues (n = 7). The most commonly investigated factors were blood pressure or heart rate, sleep or fatigue, smoking and alcohol consumption, perceived stress, and shift duration or cycle. Conclusions: Findings from the review suggest that the prevention of cardiovascular diseases and associated cardio-metabolic risk factors seems to be of paramount importance, with ample evidence indicating that modern-day pilots present as being overweight or obese. What remains unknown is whether these physical factors are associated with variations in psychosocial functioning. Therefore, it is recommended that future pilotage investigations adopt a multidisciplinary approach to better quantify the impact of maritimepilotage on long-term health and well-being.

Social media bodies : revealing the entanglement of sexual well-being, mental health, and social media in education

While media and youth research reveal the intersectionality of young people’s sexual well-being, mental health, and social media practices, little attention has been paid to how this entanglement is addressed in education. Pedagogy that is not informed by a nuanced and interconnected understanding of young people’s everyday experiences of sexual well-being, mental health, and social media is likely to be ineffective and inadequate. I describe a workshop activity with young people experiencing mental ill health that uses bodies as a metaphor for social media, allowing participants to reveal and discuss their experiences, attitudes, and values through dressing up and illustrating “social media bodies.” I outline three themes that arose from the workshops: revealing and destabilising affordances, the spatial and temporal affordances of social media, and young people’s affective relationships through and with social media, and advocate for an intersectional approach to sexuality education, one that is necessarily complex and ambivalent.

The relationship between divorce and the psychological well‐being of children with ADHD: differences in age, gender, and subtype

It is generally accepted that Attention‐Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) results from a dysfunction of the central nervous system, which has led to a commonly held belief that environmental factors play little role in the behavioural problems of children identified as having ADHD. Therefore, the two studies reported in this article investigated the relationship between parental divorce and the psychological well‐being of children with ADHD. Subjects, aged 6 to 18 years, were diagnosed with either the inattentive or combined subtype of the disorder. Firstly, differences in children's behaviour between divorced and non‐divorced families were examined, and subtype, age, and gender differences were evaluated in terms of symptom severity and comorbid conditions. Secondly, parents' perceptions of the impact of their children's behaviour on marital status and family/parental functioning were examined. Parental divorce was associated with greater symptom severity, more externalizing/ internalizing behaviours, and poorer social functioning, but less with academic underachievement. Further, parental divorce was related to adjustment differences in ADHD subtypes, age, and gender. However, the correlation between behaviour problems of children with ADHD and marital/family dysfunction was weak. It may be concluded that parental divorce was associated with the psychological well‐being in children with ADHD, and there is some suggestion that ADHD should be viewed as a bio‐psychosocial disorder.

Towards better multidimensional well-being measurement

This results of this thesis conclude that despite the improvements in poverty reduction made by Vietnam in the last 20 years, the northwest provinces and the ethnic minority groups living in this region have a significantly lower standard-of-living than anywhere else in Vietnam.