Book Review. Advances in Well-Being

Applied Research in Quality of Life -     

社区老年人的生活质量与心理健康:SEM研究

在Lawton理论框架以及先前研究基础上,进一步对上海社区老年人生活质量与心理健康进行研究。采用结构方程建模的方法对老年人健康生活质量(QHL)、客观生活环境质量(QOE)与心理健康(PWB)的理论构念及其相互关系的理论模型予以实证研究。结果表明,该模型与社区老人测评数据(N=262)的拟合度良好,证明QHL对PWB具有显著正面影响,QOE与QHL显著相关且直接或间接地正面影响PWB。研究表明良好身体健康状况、行为调适能力以及家庭一社区养老环境对促进老人心理健康具有重要意义。     

Review of the Book Child Street Life. An Inside View of Hazards and Expectations of Street Children in Peru (SpringerBriefs in Well-Being and Quality of Life Research)

Applied Research in Quality of Life -     

厚重翔实、特色鲜明的专著--黄希庭主译的《人格手册:理论与研究》(第二版)

评述了最近由黄希庭教授主译的《人格手册：理论与研究》(第二版),该专著具有以下三个特点：结构合理,资料新颖;题材广泛,内容丰富;厚重翔实,观点公允。它的出版为国内的人格心理学研究提供了崭新的材料和全新的视角,有助于促进中国人格心理学研究的深入开展。     

Book Review of Handbook of Group Counseling and Psychotherapy

Book reviewed in this article: Handbook of Group Counseling and Psychotherapy by Janice L. DeLucia‐Waack, Deborah A. Gerrity, Cynthia R. Kalodner, & Maria T. Riva (Eds.), 2004     

What Matters for Well-Being: Individual Perceptions of Quality of Life Before and After Important Life Events

In recent decades, what matters for individual quality of life (QoL) has increasingly been the focus of empirical social science research. However, individuals are rarely asked directly what is important for their quality of life as part of large-scale surveys. The present analysis studies perceptions of what matters for QoL in a large-scale longitudinal dataset—the British Household Panel Survey—which includes an open-ended question on QoL in three waves spanning ten years. We find that concepts of QoL change over the life course and differ between men and women. We hypothesize that changes in perceptions of QoL are related to important life events, such as the birth of a first child and retirement. These life events constitute ’turning points’ after which individuals often shift their priorities of what matters for their QoL. We further explore whether such shifts in priorities are stable or disappear more than five years after the life event.     

Cultural Participation and Individual Quality of Life: A Review of Research Findings

Objectives

To examine the research evidence for the contribution of cultural participation to individual quality of life; to discuss the utility of different types of QOL conceptualisation and measurement for cultural policy making.

Materials and Methods

A literature review of English language publications over the decade from 1995.

Results

There are few extant QOL studies, and very little empirical evidence to support the claims made by policymakers about culture and individual QOL.

Conclusions

The article suggests that a multi-dimensional, rather than a global, conceptualisation of QOL is best suited to the cultural policymaking context. Securing findings generalisable across all cultural forms, project types and all individuals or populations is not an achievable goal. Methodologies need to be developed and tested to understand how and why cultural participation affects individual QOL domains and these need to take into account differences in types of cultural participation, the quality of the experience, and between individuals in different social circumstances and in different life stages.     

Book Review of Suicide Across the Life Span: Implications for Counselors

Book reviewed in this article: Suicide Across the Life Span: Implications for Counselors by David Capuzzi (Ed.), 2004     

Strengths Use as a Predictor of Well-Being and Health-Related Quality of Life

There is a growing body of research devoted to the examination of character strengths as conceptualized by Values-In-Action (VIA) strengths classification system. However, there remains a dearth of research examining generic strengths use and its relationship with well-being, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and VIA character strengths. In this crosssectional study, 135 undergraduate university students completed measures of strengths use, subjective well-being (SWB), self-esteem, self-efficacy, and HRQOL, and endorsed five top VIA strengths. Results revealed strengths use is a unique predictor of SWB, but not HRQOL. The VIA strengths of hope and zest were significant positive predictors of life satisfaction. The most commonly-endorsed VIA strengths were: love, humor, kindness, social intelligence, and open-mindedness. The least-endorsed VIA strengths were: leadership, perseverance, wisdom, spirituality, and self-control. Overall, results suggest an important link between generic strengths use and specific VIA strengths and their impact on SWB.     

Book Review: Managing Mental Health in the Community: Chaos and Containment

Abstract

The British Association of Counselling first introduced a Code of Ethics and Practice for Counsellors in 1984. It has subse-quendy been revised three times. The codes have to be sufficiently broad to be accepted by the membership of BAC, who come from a wide range of theoretical backgrounds. Inevitably this means that the codes do not satisfy everyone nor do they resolve all ethical dilemmas. This paper focuses on sections of the codes which are unsatisfactory, or inadequate for psychodynamic counsellors. It also looks at the influence of psychodynamic counsellors in changes to the clauses on sexual exploitation. Finally the absence of any mention of dual and multiple relationships is discussed.     

A Human Well-Being Perspective to the Measurement of Quality of Life: Findings From the City of Delhi

This study employs Amartya Sen’s Capability Approach to assess the quality of life of people in Delhi. Despite recording the highest per capita income in the country, Delhi remains a city-state of many inequalities causing huge disparities in the living conditions of the rich and the poor. Here I assess peoples’ perception of these disparities using five sets of well-being dimensions; psychological distress, social interactions and leisure activities, sheltering conditions, health status, and economic status & working conditions. Using a stratified random sample of 330 households (1,267 individuals aged atleast 18 years) and plurality of well-being dimensions, survey responses are quantified using fuzzy set theory, an approach designed to handle inexact and fuzzy outcomes. The results show that around 31 % of Delhi’s population is deprived of social interactions and leisure activities, over 25 % of people have very poor health status and around 14 % have very poor economic and working conditions. Education, in particular, is found to play an important role in improving the well-being of individuals. Higher levels of education are associated with higher levels of well-being achievement. The findings from this analysis should make a strong case for supplementing economic indicators with other indicators of well-being.     

Methods for Assessing Quality of Life and Well-Being in Frail Older People

The appropriateness, reliability and convergence of differing methods and associated instruments for the assessment of quality of life and well-being in frail older people was examined in 60 ( S 65 years of age) nursing home residents. The feasibility of measuring quality of life and well-being via a variety of instruments was explored through observation (an adaptation of Dementia Care Mapping), structured interview (Schedule for the Evaluation of Individual Quality of Life - Direct Weighting), and proxy questionnaire (Pleasant Events Schedule - Alzheimer Disease; Apparent Emotion Rating Scale). The observational assessment and Pleasant Events Schedule demonstrated good reliability. Significant associations were found between well-being as assessed by observation, and active social interaction and engagement in recreation as assessed by observation, quality of life as assessed by structured interview, and enjoyment of activities as assessed by proxy questionnaire. These findings indicate the importance of social activity in later life, and the potential of different approaches for the appropriate assessment of key aspects of quality of life in frail older people.