Two tests of the social cognitive model of well-being in Portuguese college students

A social cognitive model of well-being (Lent & Brown, 2006, 2008) was tested in two studies (one cross-sectional, one longitudinal) with Portuguese college students. Participants in Study 1 (N = 366) completed measures of academic self-efficacy, environmental support, goal progress, academic satisfaction and stress, trait positive affect, and overall life satisfaction at a single assessment. Those in Study 2 (N = 158) took the same measures at each of two time points, 15 weeks apart. A modified version of the model improved the fit to the data in Study 1. Optimal fit in Study 2 was achieved with a bidirectional version that modeled reciprocal relations of positive affect to both self-efficacy and support. The predictors in both studies accounted for substantial portions of the variance in academic domain satisfaction, academic stress, and life satisfaction. Implications for future research on the social cognitive model in educational and work settings are considered.     

Bayesian hierarchical modeling of the temporal dynamics of subjective well-being: A 10 year longitudinal analysis

This study demonstrates, for the first time, how Bayesian hierarchical modeling can be applied to yield novel insights into the long-term temporal dynamics of subjective well-being (SWB). Several models were proposed and examined using Bayesian methods. The models were assessed using a sample of Australian adults (n = 1081) who provided annual SWB scores on between 5 and 10 occasions. The best fitting models involved a probit transformation, allowed error variance to vary across participants, and did not include a lag parameter. Including a random linear and quadratic effect resulted in only a small improvement over the intercept only model. Examination of individual-level fits suggested that most participants were stable with a small subset exhibiting patterns of systematic change.     

An interaction model for the role of self-evaluations and antagonistic pursuits in subjective well-being

Popular theorizing about happiness pursuit emphasizes universal paths to happiness, but other theorizing acknowledges different people achieve happiness in different ways (i.e., subjective well-being, SWB). The present work extended this latter perspective by examining how antagonistic pursuit of a grandiose identity (‘narcissistic antagonism’) – generally thought to reduce narcissistic people’s SWB – may relate to increased cognitive well-being (i.e., a component of SWB) for narcissistic people with lower self-esteem. In Study 1, participants (N = 417) reported their narcissism, self-esteem, narcissistic antagonism, and general life satisfaction (to index cognitive well-being). In Study 2 (pre-registered), participants (N = 450) reported their narcissism, self-esteem, narcissistic antagonism, general and domain-specific life satisfaction, and general affect (to index affective well-being, which is a different component of SWB). Both studies revealed narcissistic antagonism related to increased life satisfaction only for more (vs. less) narcissistic people with lower (vs. higher) self-esteem. Study 2 not only replicated this interactive pattern on satisfaction across various life domains but also revealed the interaction may be related to increased negative affect. Broadly, results highlight how different people may enhance features of SWB in different, even ‘dark’, ways.     

Relationships between general self-efficacy,planning for the future,and life satisfaction

In this study we investigated relationships between general self-efficacy, the propensity to plan for the future, the consideration of future consequences, and overall life satisfaction. The sample consisted of 242 university students, with ages ranging from 16 to 31 (M = 18.5, SD = 1.7). Participants completed the New General Self-Efficacy Scale (NGSES), the Continuous Planning Scale (CPS), the Consideration of Future Consequences Scale (CFCS), and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). Analyses demonstrated that all variables were significantly intercorrelated, with general self-efficacy being most strongly related to the SWLS, followed by the CFCS and the CPS. Implications are discussed.     

Predictors of subjective well-being among college youth in Lebanon

The authors investigated the prevalence and predictors of subjective well-being (SWB) in a particular Middle Eastern culture: that of Lebanon. The authors examined personality constructs of self-esteem, optimism, and positive affect in relation to SWB. The authors surveyed a sample of 689 individuals between the ages of 17 and 24 by using four instruments with established cross-cultural validity: (a) the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS; E. Diener, R. Emmons, R. J. Larsen, & S. Griffin, 1985), (b) the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS; D. Watson, L. A. Clark, & A. Tellegen, 1988), (c) the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE; M. Rosenberg, 1965), and (d) the revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R; M. F. Scheier, C. S. Carver, & M. W. Bridges, 1994). The results indicated that college youth's SWB was positively correlated with self-esteem, optimism, and positive affect. Examining the demographic variable of gender, the authors found that men had higher scores on positive affect than did women. A trend emerged that suggested that language dominance and socioeconomic status were associated with SWB levels. The results suggest that internal personality constructs are more predictive of satisfaction with life than are demographic variables.     

Examining the association between psychological wellbeing with daily and intra-individual variation in subjective wellbeing

A number of studies identify distinct dimensions of psychological and subjective wellbeing. However, few investigations have examined how these distinctive wellbeing dimensions may be related over time. The present study aimed to contribute to this growing body of research by adopting a measurement burst design to examine the association between psychological functioning with daily and intra-individual variation in affect over a 14-day period, controlling for personality. Participants (N = 45) comprised a sample of Australian adults from Canberra, Australia who were observed on up to 14 days over a 2-week period (Mobs = 10.9 (SD = 3.1)). Maximum Likelihood (ML) estimates from a multi-level structural equation model identified psychological functioning as only weakly associated with daily positive affect, and unrelated to daily levels of negative affect and intra-individual variation in both affect domains when adjusting for demographic, personality and daily stressors. Positive and negative daily events were most strongly associated with positive and negative feelings, respectively. Post-hoc analysis within a Bayesian context confirmed our ML results whilst a Monte Carlo simulation identified sufficient statistical power of significant parameters. Overall, evidence for an association between psychological functioning and daily affect was not identified.     

Associations between peer victimization,perceived teacher unfairness,and adolescents' adjustment and well-being

Negative relationships within the classroom, both with peers and teachers, can be very stressful for adolescents and are often found to be associated with a variety of negative outcomes. In this study, we investigated the concurrent role of peer victimization and perceived teacher unfairness in explaining psychosocial problems in a sample of 1378 Italian students (353 middle school students, M_age = 12.61, SD = 0.69, and 1025 high school students, M_age = 14.92, SD = 0.81). Structural equation modeling showed that both peer victimization and perceived teacher unfairness were positively associated with reports of more frequent psychological and somatic problems, and negatively related to satisfaction with friends and sense of safety. Only perceived teacher unfairness showed a significant association with satisfaction with school. Results of multi-group modeling demonstrated measurement invariance (total scalar invariance) across both gender and school-level groups. Some gender and school-level differences in the regression coefficients were found. In general, associations between the risk factors and adolescents' problems were stronger for girls and for higher school students. Findings confirmed that both peer victimization and perceived teacher unfairness are significant risk factors within the classroom microsystems. Implications for school psychologists are discussed.     

Structural validity of the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form: The bifactor model of emotional,social and psychological well-being

The Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF) is a growingly popular questionnaire designed to assess three components of well-being: emotional, social, and psychological. The main goal of the present study was to evaluate the structural validity of the MHC-SF and test the bifactor model of the MHC-SF, which includes one general factor and three specific factors of well-being. Sample 1 consisted of 1095 Serbian students (aged 18–26 years), while Sample 2 included 325 Serbian adults (aged 27–63 years). The bifactor model of the MHC-SF yielded the best fit to the data across the two samples. The results showed that the general factor of well-being accounted for substantially greater amount of variance of the MHC-SF than three specific factors of well-being. After controlling for the general factor, three specific factors explained a small portion of variance in well-being. In addition, the three subscales of the MHC-SF showed low reliability as estimated by omega-subscale coefficients, indicating that these subscales comprise too small amount of reliable variance to interpret. The present findings suggest that researchers should not calculate separate scores for three types of well-being when using the MHC-SF and that alternative measures of specific components of well-being should be considered.     

Your personality on a good day: How trait and state personality predict daily well-being

The dynamic mediation model (Wilt, Noftle, Fleeson, & Spain, 2012) explains the associations between personality traits and happiness through links between personality states and daily well-being. To test this model, and the mediators of these relations, we examined if between- and within-person variation in personality was associated with daily well-being for undergraduates (N = 133) and US adults (N = 117). The model explained the trait neuroticism and daily well-being association. Also, after controlling for traits, people were happier on days in which they were extraverted, agreeable, conscientious, emotionally stable, and open to experience. Finally, these associations were partially mediated by the satisfaction of daily psychological needs. We discuss how the operationalization of state extraversion might impact its relation with daily well-being.     

Impact of a personal goals management program on the subjective well-being of young retirees

A personal goal-based intervention was offered to retired people aged 50 to 65 years with the objective of increasing their subjective well-being. The program aimed to help the participants set, plan, and pursue their personal goals through a learning process based on literature on goal intervention. At the end of the program, the experimental group (N = 117) had improved significantly more than the control group (N = 177) on the majority of the goal and subjective well-being indicators, and this gain was maintained six months later. The enhanced well-being observed in the participants after the intervention stemmed from the mediating effect of the goals and was thus due to the greater focus on goals. Some ideas to make the program more effective are discussed.     

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.     

Testing a bi-factor model to disentangle general and specific factors of motivation in self-determination theory

We examined the utility of the bi-factor model for disentangling general motivation and specific motivations (i.e., amotivation, external, introjected, identified, and intrinsic regulations) in relation to goal progress and physical activity (PA). Participants (N = 186 undergraduate students; M_age = 19.26 years) completed assessments of motivation and PA at Time 1. Four weeks later, PA and goal progress were assessed at Time 2. Results indicated that the exploratory bi-factor model specifying motivational regulations as the specific factors and general motivation as the general factor was a good fit to the data. Results of the structural equation model indicated that identified and intrinsic regulations and general motivation predicted concurrent PA at Time 1. A novel finding was that controlling for concurrent PA at Time 1, general motivation emerged as the only predictor of Time 2 goal progress and PA. Results highlight the importance of examining general motivation in addition to quality of motivation in tandem because general motivation emerged as the sole significant longitudinal predictor of PA outcomes.     

Associations between personality traits and psychological well-being across time in middle adulthood

Associations of personality traits with psychological well-being (PWB) were analyzed across ages 33–50 as part of an ongoing Finnish longitudinal study (initial N = 369). Bivariate latent growth curve analyses indicated that a low initial level of neuroticism (.75) and high extraversion (.55) correlated strongly with a high level of PWB. Moreover, a high level of conscientiousness, openness, and agreeableness also correlated significantly with PWB. The change factor was significant only for openness: the higher the initial level of PWB, the higher the increase in openness from age 33–50. In comparison with emotional well-being, indicated by general life satisfaction, the associations of the personality traits with PWB were significantly stronger for neuroticism, extraversion, and openness.     

Cognitions as mediators in the relationship between self-compassion and affect

Previous studies suggest that self-compassion is related to numerous facets of mental health, but the role of cognitions in this relationship remains unknown. To examine the mediating role of cognitions in the relationship between self-compassion and anxiety, depression, and life satisfaction when controlling for self-esteem in Japanese people, we conducted two studies. Study 1 (N = 231) examined the relationship between self-compassion and affect by modeling negative automatic thoughts as a mediator; Study 2 (N = 233) tested whether positive and negative automatic thoughts meditate this relationship. Results suggested that both self-compassion and self-esteem increased positive automatic thoughts and decreased trait anxiety, whereas only self-esteem increased life satisfaction and decreased depression directly. Positive automatic thoughts increased life satisfaction and decreased depression and trait anxiety, and positive automatic thoughts mediated the relationship between self-compassion and negative affect. These findings suggest that both positive and negative automatic thoughts mediate the relationship between self-compassion and affect in Japanese people.     

Personality traits and affective states: Relationships with and without affect induction

Substantial evidence shows that extraversion is related to positive affect (PA) and neuroticism is related to negative affect (NA), and there are several possible explanations for these relationships. The current paper replicates these findings and examines relationships between the other Big Five traits with general positive and negative states (N = 257). Agreeableness was negatively related to NA, while conscientiousness and openness were positively related to PA. Next, affect was induced and extraversion and conscientiousness predicted changes in affect following an affect-induction (N = 262). The current findings support some theoretical understandings of broad personality traits and their relationships to general affect, and also suggests some refinements.     

Independent self-construal mediates the association between CYP19A1 gene variant and subjective well-being

Testosterone and estrogen are involved in self-related behavioral dispositions and experiences of subjective well-being. In this study, we investigated to what extent the aromatase (CYP19A1) gene, which encodes an enzyme in converting testosterone into estrogen, contributes to subjective well-being and in another self-related disposition: independent and interdependent self-construal. In study 1, a meta-analysis showed that the GG genotype of CYP19A1 (a G/A substitution at Val80, rs700518) was associated with higher testosterone and lower estradiol. In study 2, an empirical study of individuals with the GG (n = 115), AG (n = 286) and AA (n = 193) genotypes indicated that individuals with the GG genotype exhibited higher independent self-construal and higher subjective well-being. The association between the GG genotype of CYP19A1 Val80 and subjective well-being was mediated by the independent self-construal. Our findings reinforce the idea that personality traits such as independent self-construal explain the link between genetic variant and subjective well-being.     

Envy mediates the relation between low academic self-esteem and hostile tendencies

In previous research, there has been little discussion about mediators or moderators that affect the negative relation between self-esteem and hostile tendencies. In the current article, we propose a model in which envy mediates that relation in the academic context. Across three studies, with correlational (N₁ = 303), experimental (N₂ = 76), and round-robin designs (N₃ = 330), results revealed that academic self-esteem indirectly influenced hostile tendencies through envy. In Studies 2 and 3, the indirect effect was moderated by the performance context. Results suggest that individuals with low academic self-esteem may exhibit hostile tendencies because of feelings of envy, especially in highly competitive contexts. Findings are discussed with respect to theoretical implications for research on personality and interpersonal perceptions.     

Beyond conscientiousness: Career optimism and satisfaction with academic major

The study focuses on psychological predictors of academic major satisfaction. According to the career construction theory (Savickas, 2005), vocational personality and career adaptability should generate career satisfaction. In this study, vocational personality was operationalised as Big Five conscientiousness, and career adaptability was operationalised as generalised self-efficacy and career optimism. A sample (N = 529) of university students completed an online survey. The resultant data were used to construct a structural model of the hypothesised relationships among variables. A good fitting model [χ² = 10.454 (7) p = .164; GFI = .993; CFI = .999; RMSEA < .031 (< .001–.066)] indicated that career optimism fully mediated the relationship between conscientiousness and academic major satisfaction. Results were consistent with previous research into personality and academic performance. Moreover, the results highlight the significant role of optimism in satisfaction with career generally, and studies, specifically. Suggestions are made for future research into modelling the relationships according to different academic disciplines and for the potential role of optimism as a learning objective for career education and counseling.     

Examining the within-person effect of affect on daily satisfaction

Assessments of global life satisfaction capture beliefs about overall well-being; state satisfaction assessments focus on short-term or “in-the-moment” appraisals of current life circumstances. Prior research has examined how trait measures of life satisfaction and affect are related at between-person and within-person levels of analysis. At the state level, however, a lack of clarity exists about the nature and magnitude of the association between satisfaction and affect. In a diary study involving assessments of both affect and satisfaction at the daily level (N = 350 with 6024 assessments), we found a consequential effect of affect on state satisfaction due to greater within-person variance over time.     

Positive alcohol expectancies in the French context: factorial properties of data from a large sample of alcohol drinkers

A French adaptation of the Alcohol Expectancy Questionnaire was able to provide data with hierarchical properties predicted from Goldman et al. (Psychol. Assess. 9 (1997) 145) study. The hierarchical structure was replicated using parcelled data from a sample of 1006 adult French drinkers, mean age = 22. Using criteria of stochastic homogeneity and geometrical consistency to select the measurement variables led to a 16-item solution. As Goldman et al.’s results suggested, the general factor could be replaced by factor Arousal/Power, with an acceptable goodness-of-fit, χ²(101, N = 1006) = 203.8. A MIMIC model suggested that the factor Arousal/Power was positively associated with a dichotomous measure of drinking habit, d = 0.83.