A range of kindness activities boost happiness

This experiment investigates the effects of a seven-day kindness activities intervention on changes in subjective happiness. The study was designed to test whether performing different types of kindness activities had differential effects on happiness. Our recent systematic review and meta-analysis of the psychological effects of kindness (Curry, et al. 2018) revealed that performing acts of kindness boosts happiness and well-being. However, we noted in that review that rarely had researchers specifically compared the effects of kindness to different recipients, such as to friends or to strangers. Thus in a single factorial design (n=683) we compare acts of kindness to strong social ties, weak social ties, novel acts of self kindness, and observing acts of kindness, against a no acts control group. The results indicate that performing kindness activities for seven days increases happiness. In addition, we report a positive correlation between the number of kind acts and increases in happiness. Neither effect differed across the experimental the groups, suggesting that kindness to strong ties, to weak ties, and to self, as well as observing acts of kindness, have equally positive effects on happiness.     

The effects of social belonging and kindness on stress and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: A longitudinal experiment

Because the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has introduced significant stressors to people's lives, more research on self-directed strategies to cope with pandemic-related stress is needed. In the current longitudinal experiment (N = 614), we investigated the emotional benefits of two self-directed strategies—belonging affirmation and recalling kindness—during the Delta (October 2021) and Omicron (February 2022) waves of the pandemic. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three activity conditions (belonging affirmation, recalling kindness, or control), which they performed weekly for 4 weeks. Contrary to our pre-registered hypothesis, belonging affirmation and recalling kindness did not promote greater well-being overall; however, belonging affirmation led to well-being improvements indirectly via increases in positive emotions. Furthermore, the benefits of belonging affirmation were moderated by pandemic wave. That is, during the Omicron wave, but not the Delta wave, belonging affirmation led to improved life satisfaction, positive emotions, and connectedness, decreased loneliness and negative emotions, and marginally reduced perceived stress and anxiety. These results provide preliminary evidence for the well-being benefits of belonging affirmation and suggest the importance of evaluating coping strategies throughout different stages of a long-term stressor.     

Posttraumatic Stress,Posttraumatic Growth,and Satisfaction With Life in Military Veterans

Objective: Military veterans are more likely than civilians to experience trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Research suggests, however, that some people who experience trauma, including veterans, report posttraumatic growth (PTG), or positive personal changes following adversity. In this study, we tested a comprehensive model of PTG, PTSD, and satisfaction with life in a veteran population, exploring the roles of challenges to core beliefs, types of rumination, sex, and time since event. Method: Data were collected via Amazon’s Mechanical Turk, an online crowdsourcing website, from veterans (N = 197) who had experienced a stressful event within the last 3 years (M = 16.66 months, SD = 12.27 months). Structural equation modeling was used to test an integrated conceptual model of PTG, PTSD, and satisfaction with life. Results: Results showed that challenge to core beliefs was directly associated with both deliberate and intrusive rumination. Deliberate rumination was positively related to PTG; intrusive rumination was positively related to symptoms of PTSD. PTG and PTSD, in turn, mediated the relationship between rumination styles and satisfaction with life; PTG was related to higher satisfaction with life; and PTSD was negatively related to satisfaction with life. Results failed to show differences on any model variables as a function of time since event or sex. Conclusion: Results indicate that the intentional facilitation of PTG may be a complementary and alternative option to the reduction of PTSD symptoms for improving satisfaction with life. Findings suggest that efforts to facilitate PTG should be focused on strategies for promoting deliberate rumination.     

Impact of social support on health status and life satisfaction in people with a spinal cord injury

Abstract

Purpose: Assessment of the impact of received social support on functional health status and life satisfaction in people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Design: Respondents were 176 people with SCI between 18 and 65 years of age and living in the community. Mean time after injury was 3.6 years. Problem-oriented and emotion-oriented support, received from family members, friends and relatives, and professionals were assessed with the Sources of Social Support Inventory. Health status was assessed with the Sickness Impact Profile 68 and life satisfaction with the Life Satisfaction Questionnaire. Structural equation modelling with LISREL V8 was used to study relationships of different types and sources of social support with health status and life satisfaction.Results: Emotion-oriented support led to better psychological functioning and to greater life satisfaction. In addition, emotion-oriented support from the family led to greater satisfaction with relationships and emotion-oriented support from friends and acquaintances led to less satisfaction with social life. Problem-oriented support was not clearly related to health status and life satisfaction; there was only a negative relation between problem-oriented support and satisfaction with social life. Support, problem-oriented or emotion-oriented, from health-care professionals showed no relationships with health status or life satisfaction.Conclusions: Emotion-oriented support from family members and friends was most important for people with SCI. Greater problem-oriented support appears to be related to poorer life satisfaction.     

Self-acceptance,resilience, coping and satisfaction of life in people who stutter

PurposeThe purpose of the present study was to evaluate self-acceptance and satisfaction with life with people who stutter and the influence of coping and resilience on the two factors.MethodForty-seven people who stutter (PWS) and 47 people who do not stutter (PWNS) participated in an online survey. Participants completed a survey assessing 6 main areas: (a) background information, (b) satisfaction with life, (c) coping, (d) avoidance, (e) self-acceptance, and resilience.ResultsAvoidant coping and maladaptive coping moderated the association between stuttering and self- acceptance but not satisfaction with life. Resilience was found to moderate the association between stuttering and self-acceptance as well as satisfaction with life.ConclusionStuttering was associated with lower self-acceptance at higher levels of avoidant coping and maladaptive coping. PWS who have lower levels of resilience were more likely to have a lower satisfaction with life indicating that higher levels of resilience could serve as a protective factor for having a greater satisfaction with life. Further, stuttering was associated with lower self-acceptance at lower levels of resilient attitude. Resilience and coping appear to protect against having diminished self-acceptance and satisfaction with life for PWS.     

Perspectives temporelles et satisfaction de vie chez les personnes âgées : test de l’effet médiateur du sentiment d’auto-efficacité

IntroductionOne of the major life goals is to pursue and to boost happiness (e.g., life satisfaction). Thus, exploring how people proceed to maintain an optimal level of happiness throughout their life course, and exploring which are the specific personal and social processes that contribute to this feeling of well-being within various stages of life, remain central topics for contemporary psychological science.ObjectiveThe objective of this cross-sectional research was to study the relationships between time perspective as defined by Zimbardo and Boyd (1999) and life satisfaction among a sample of aged people (n = 188). We hypothesized that these relationships were mediated by the generalized self-efficacy.MethodTo do this, a path model using a Bootstrap procedure was tested. Age, sex, self-perceived health and depressive mood were entered into the model as control variables.ResultsOur findings showed that: only present hedonistic has a positive indirect effect on life satisfaction through self-efficacy; the past negative seems to have a negative effect both directly and indirectly on life satisfaction; the present fatalistic exerts exclusively a direct negative effect on life satisfaction; and neither the past positive nor the future exert any effect on life satisfaction.ConclusionThe results emphasize the adaptive as well as maladaptive roles of different dimensions of time perspective in older people. These roles were discussed in light of some theoretical models, such as functions of reminiscence model and the socioemotional selectivity model.     

Understanding Evil Acts

Evil acts strike us, by their very nature, as not only horrifying and reprehensible, but also as deeply puzzling. No doubt for reasons like this, evil has often been seen as mysterious, demonic and beyond our human powers of understanding. The question I examine in this paper is whether or not we can (or would want to) overcome this puzzlement in the face of evil acts. I shall argue that we ought want to (in all cases) and can (in at least most cases) come to understand why people perpetrate evil acts. This is an appealing conclusion as it allows us to take practical steps to both minimise future occurrences of evil and come to terms with its past abominations.

Lifetime Acts of Violence Assessment (LAVA) predictors of laboratory aggression

While self-report data warrants interpretive caution in applied settings, these indices serve an important role in exploratory research. The Lifetime Assessment of Violent Acts (LAVA) inventory is a brief, reliable, face-valid questionnaire for estimating the frequency, triggers, and consequences (including injuries to others) of prior acts of aggression. The LAVA also identifies the situational contexts in which prior violence was triggered and provides a basis for risk classifications based on past reactive, intimate partner, alcohol-related, and/or weapon-related violence. Scores on the LAVA indices have been linked to a range of developmental and maladjustment indicators. Associations were found between lab-provoked (Taylor Aggression Paradigm) responding and both dimensional and risk classification scores in this sample (N = 92) of college men. Participants “competed” with a fictional opponent using electric shock as a retaliatory measure for perceived provocation. The total LAVA dimensional score predicted mean shock intensity ( d = .87), baseline responding ( d = 0.90), and past sexual aggression ( d = 1.01). Shock intensities in response to high provocation were predicted ( M d = 0.57) by all but one LAVA index. Participants who reported inflicting one or more injuries on another showed more intense escalations of aggression ( d = 0.46) in response to provocation than normative counterparts. Prior injuries to another ( RR = 2.71), reactive acts of aggression ( RR = 3.73), or intimate-partner violence ( RR = 4.19) elevated the risk of one or more prior acts of self-reported sexual aggression. The limitations and potential value of self-report data were discussed in regard to aggression research.     

Life skills development in physical education: A self-determination theory-based investigation across the school term

ObjectivesGrounded in self-determination theory (SDT), the main aim of this study was to examine the longitudinal associations between teacher autonomy support, students’ basic psychological need satisfaction and life skills development in physical education (PE).DesignThis study employed a two-wave longitudinal research design.MethodStudents (N = 266, Mage = 12.94 years, SD = 0.70) completed measures assessing perceived autonomy-supportive teaching, need satisfaction (autonomy, competence, and relatedness), and life skills development in PE (teamwork, goal setting, social skills, problem solving and decision making, emotional skills, leadership, time management, and interpersonal communication). Data collections took place during week 6 (timepoint 1; T1) and week 15 (timepoint 2; T2) of the autumn school term.ResultsCross-lagged panel analyses showed that T1 teacher autonomy support did not significantly predict students’ three basic psychological needs, total need satisfaction or life skills development at T2. Students’ T1 total need satisfaction positively predicted their development of all eight life skills at T2. Additionally, students’ T1 autonomy satisfaction positively predicted their teamwork, social skills, emotional skills, leadership, and interpersonal communication skills at T2, T1 competence satisfaction positively predicted students’ teamwork skills at T2, and students’ T1 relatedness satisfaction positively predicted their social skills at T2.ConclusionsProviding partial support for SDT, the findings highlighted that satisfaction of students’ three basic psychological needs had some positive effects on students’ life skills development in PE. As such, a climate that satisfies students’ basic psychological needs should help to develop their life skills in PE.     

Self-Affirmation Reduces Biased Processing of Health-Risk Information

An experiment tested whether a positive experience (the endorsement and recall of one's past acts of kindness) would reduce biased processing of self-relevant health-risk information. Women college students (N = 66) who reported high or low levels of daily caffeine use were exposed to both risk-confirming and risk-disconfirming information about the link between caffeine consumption and fibrocystic breast disease (FBD). Participants were randomly assigned to complete an affirmation of their kindness via questionnaire or to a no-affirmation condition. Results indicated that the affirmation manipulation made frequent caffeine drinkers more open, less biased processors of risk-related information. Relative to frequent caffeine drinkers who did not affirm their kindness, frequent caffeine drinkers in the affirmation condition oriented more quickly to the risk-confirming information, rated the risk-confirming information as more convincing than the risk-disconfirming information, and recalled less risk-disconfirming information at a 1-week follow-up. They also reported greater perceived personal control over reducing their level of caffeine consumption. Although frequent caffeine drinkers in the affirmation condition initially reported lower intentions to reduce their caffeine consumption, there was no evidence that they were less likely to decrease their caffeine consumption at the follow-up. The possibility that positive beliefs and experiences function as self-regulatory resources among people confronting threats to health and well-being is discussed.     

Prioritizing Patterns and Life Satisfaction among Ultra-Orthodox Jews: The Moderating Role of the Sense of Community

Abstract

Recent research suggests that individuals differ in the extent to which they seek activities that promote hedonic or eudaimonic well-being. Prioritizing positivity describes a strategy of pursuing happiness by seeking pleasurable activities or circumstances that can lead to naturally occurring positive emotions, while prioritizing meaning describes a strategy of cultivating well-being by purposefully seeking activities that are conducive to experiencing meaning in life. While these notions have been examined among the general population, little is known about how these prioritizing patterns are linked with well-being in closed religious groups, who often promote the benefit of the collective group in lieu of the individual’s personal choices and interests. Based on a sample of 407 Ultra-Orthodox Jewish individuals (mean age?=?33.58, SD?=?8.89), 55.5% of which were women, the results demonstrated that prioritizing meaning and sense of community were positively associated with life satisfaction. Moreover, a significant interaction of sense of community?×?prioritizing positivity was found, indicating a positive connection between prioritizing positivity and life satisfaction for individuals with a high sense of community, but a negative connection for those with a low sense of community. Our findings suggest that even in extremely close-knit community-oriented societies, a strong sense of belonging to a community enables individuals to prioritize more hedonic aspects of their lives in order to promote their life satisfaction.     

Psychometric evaluation of the satisfaction with life scale in Togo: A three-step approach

IntroductionThe Satisfaction with life scale (SWLS) developed by Diener, Emmons, Larsen, and Griffin (1985) is considered the most widely used psychometric scale for assessing life satisfaction. Despite plethora of cross-cultural research that provided evidences of its robustness, none was conducted in French-speaking sub-Saharan countries such as Togo.ObjectiveAccordingly, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the validity of the SWLS extensively among Togolese college students (n = 460) in a three-step approach from 2012 to 2014.Method and resultsFirstly, social representations of well-being were explored qualitatively. Then, the original version of the SWLS was administered. Based on the results we gathered, a scale item was altered. Psychometric properties of the revised version of the SWLS were examined, revealing adequate construct validity, reliability, temporal stability, measurement invariance across gender, convergent validity with a single measure of life satisfaction, and discriminant validity with various life domain satisfactions.ConclusionLimitations and implications in life satisfaction measurement are also discussed with regards to the Togolese cultural context.     

The contribution of role satisfaction,meaning in life and work–home conflict to explaining well-being among working grandparents

Background and objectives: The study aimed to examine the relationship of satisfaction with occupied roles as well as the sense of meaning in life and experience of work–home conflict to well-being among working grandparents in Israel.

Design and methods: The research sample consisted of 316 employed grandparents aged 50–80 (153 grandfathers and 163 grandmothers), who were employed in various types of organizations. Data were collected using structured questionnaires. Structural equation modeling was used for data analysis.

Results: The research findings indicate that the sense of meaning in life mediated the relationship between role satisfaction and the two types of work–home conflict. A significant relationship was found between “work interferes with family” conflict and negative affect. Higher personal resources were associated with higher meaning in life. Gender was not related to the experience of work–home conflict or to any of the outcome variables.

Conclusions: The centrality of meaning in life in the model that explains the experience of work–home conflict and its outcomes among working grandparents, derives from its mediating role in the relationship between the experience of role satisfaction and both types of role conflict, as well as from its direct impact on positive and negative affect.     

Differentiation of Self Predicts Life Satisfaction through Marital Adjustment

Abstract

Previous studies have documented the link between differentiation of self and life satisfaction. However, the underlying mechanisms explaining these associations are yet to be tested at the dyadic level. This study examined the mediating role of marital adjustment in the association between differentiation of self and life satisfaction among 113 Turkish heterosexual married couples (N?=?226). Analyses using the Common Fate Model demonstrated that differentiation of self was associated with higher levels of marital adjustment and life satisfaction, such that marital adjustment was positively associated with life satisfaction, and in turn, marital adjustment fully mediated this association. Implications are discussed for clinicians and cross-cultural researchers who seek to promote greater life satisfaction by targeting both differentiation and marital adjustment.     

Latent classes of posttraumatic stress and growth

Background and Objectives: Potentially traumatic events may lead to different patterns of posttraumatic stress symptoms and posttraumatic growth. The objective of the present study was to identify subgroups with different patterns of posttraumatic reactions, and to determine whether these subgroups differed in terms of personal and social resources and indicators of adjustment. Design: This study used survey data collected 10 months after the 2011 Oslo bombing attack to investigate patterns of reactions among ministerial employees (N = 1970). Methods: We applied latent class analyses with covariates to extract subgroups of individuals. Results: Three classes of individual reactions were extracted, and these were similar among those who were and those who were not physically proximate to the bombing attack: “High stress/high growth” (27% and 11%, respectively), “Low stress/high growth” (74% and 42%, respectively), and “Low stress/low growth” (only among the not physically proximate: 47%). The classes differed in terms of gender, neuroticism, and social support as well as life satisfaction and daily functioning. Conclusions: Heterogeneous patterns of posttraumatic reactions were found. Physical proximity is not necessary to experience posttraumatic stress or growth after political violence. Among individuals with low stress, posttraumatic growth may not encompass higher life satisfaction or functioning.     

Filial Piety: Buddhists' Way in East Asia

ABSTRACT

This article introduces the Buddhist way of practicing filial piety–repaying mothers' kindness–along with a Buddhist sutra, the Sutra about the Deep Kindness of Parents and the Difficulty of Repaying it. This sutra has been widely recited, upheld, and is endeared by East Asian people for centuries. The sutra became a vehicle that helped Buddhism assimilate with the indigenous cultural tradition of China. It contains discourses about the ten types of the kindness of a mother bestows on her child, difficulties of repaying kindness, the grave consequences of being unfilial toward parents, and how to repay kindness. The historical background of Buddhists' assimilation with the Chinese cultural system, emphasis given to the mother's kindness, and certain differences and similarities between Confucians and Buddhists in the practice of filial piety are discussed.     

Greater strengths of character and recovery from illness

How are character strengths related to recovery? A retrospective web-based study of 2087 adults found small but reliable associations between a history of physical illness and the character strengths of appreciation of beauty, bravery, curiosity, fairness, forgiveness, gratitude, humor, kindness, love of learning, and spirituality. A history of psychological disorder and the character strengths of appreciation of beauty, creativity, curiosity, gratitude, and love of learning were also associated. A history of problems was linked to decreased life satisfaction, but only among those who had not recovered. In the case of physical illness, less of a toll on life satisfaction was found among those with the character strengths of bravery, kindness, and humor, and in the case of psychological disorder, less of a toll on life satisfaction was found among those with the character strengths of appreciation of beauty and love of learning. We suggest that recovery from illness and disorder may benefit character.

'Tis an ill wind that blows no good.

English proverb

Influence of Religiosity and Alcohol Use on Personal Well-Being

ABSTRACT

A study of some correlates of life satisfaction among residents of two retirement communities. One community represents retired secular professionals, and the other is made up of retired religious professionals. Based on 156 interviews, data were examined dealing with life satisfaction, religiosity, social interaction extent of alcohol use, death anxiety, and perceived health. A comparison between the two communities shows that residents or the religious community score higher on measures of life satisfaction, social activity, and religiosity, lower on death anxiety, and alcohol consumption. Another statistical analysis shows that religiosity plays a direct role in feelings of personal well-being.     

Stress,achievement, marriage and social support: Effects on the psychological well-being of physicians entering midlife/mid-career

Abstract

The major aim of this study was to examine the relative contribution of stress, professional achievement, personality, quality of marriage and family life, social support satisfaction, work satisfaction, average hours worked and family responsibilities to the psychological well-being (life satisfaction and psychological symptoms) of medical practitioners entering mid-life/mid-career. Fifty-nine female and 57 male physicians completed interviews, questionnaires, and daily stress records. The results confirm the central role that stress plays in the well-being of physicians. Pearson correlations and hierarchical multiple regressions showed other major variables examined did not explain additional variance in psychological symptoms, but did in some instances (professional achievement, quality of marriage, social support satisfaction for work issues) contribute to life satisfaction. A path model indicating a direct and independent effect of professional achievement on life satisfaction and a specific causal sequence of stress, quality of marriage and social support satisfaction for work issues is suggested.