ABSTRACT. We here use 2009-2019 Gallup data from over 150 countries at both the individual and country levels to revisit the relationship between income and subjective wellbeing. Our inspiration is the paradox first underlined by Easterlin (1974), in which higher incomes are associated with greater happiness in cross-sections, both across individuals and across countries, yet rises in country GDP per capita do not increase its average wellbeing. The worldwide coefficient on log income in individual cross-section data, with subjective wellbeing measured by the Cantril ladder on a 0-10 scale, is 0.4: doubling an individual’s income is associated with higher wellbeing of approximately 0.3. At the country level, the estimated GDP per capita coefficient is a little larger at 0.6. We then consider the relationship between changes in GDP and changes in subjective well-being: these also turn out to be positive, although insignificant in rich countries (which is also the case in Easterlin’s initial analysis time-series analysis of US data). As such, the impact of economic growth on happiness varies significantly by the country's income level. We suggest that this positive relationship in less-rich countries reflects the correlation between GDP and the conditions necessary for a good life (such as social support, freedom and confidence) as well as the intrinsic value of income in poorer countries.

ABSTRACT. Purposes: The transition to motherhood affects women’s mental health and the relationship with their partners. This study investigated the mutual and interdependent change that occurs in relationship satisfaction, wellbeing and illbeing from pregnancy to three years postpartum. We further investigated how Genetics influenced maternal mental health. Data and Methods: This four-wave longitudinal study included 83,124 women from the Mother, Father, and Child cohort study linked to the Medical Birth Registry of Norway. Data were collected at pregnancy (30 weeks) and at 6, 18 and 36 months after birth. Phenotypes were created using the Relationship Satisfaction Scale, Differential Emotional Scale and Hopkins Symptoms Checklist-8. We also included a wellbeing spectrum polygenic index to evaluate genetic influence. Analyses were based on Random Intercept Cross Lagged Panel Models using R. Results: We observed both stability and change in relationship satisfaction, wellbeing, anxiety and depressive symptoms, along with a complex and interchangeable relationship among these variables. The period of greater change was from pregnancy to six months following birth. From child age 6 to 36 months, stability for all four variables increased. Prenatal relationship satisfaction played a crucial role in mothers’ mental health after birth. Genetics predicted the stable component of all four variables. Conclusion: Relationship satisfaction, wellbeing and illbeing develop in an interdependent way from pregnancy to toddlerhood. Wellbeing spectrum polygenic index can predict all variables.

ABSTRACT. Globally, Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a major problem considered under the broad category of violence against women that have an economic cost ranging from1% to 4% of global GDP. Women’s equality and empowerment is recognised as an SDG because of the fact that the situation of women remains grim across the nations. The 2019-2021 National Family Health Survey in India concludes that 31.5% of Indian women have experienced violence at least once since the age of 15. Kerala – the state with 100% literacy rate and socio- demographic indicators similar to developed nations, has witnessed many reported cases of IPV. With the history of being the only matrilineal society in India, the study of IPV in Kerala is highly relevant. The study used a mixed methodology. Survey was conducted using an interview schedule. Purposive sampling was followed. Qualitative themes were identified through in-depth case studies, FGDs and narrative analysis. The study disclosed social genesis of IPV, significant mediating social agencies, impact of IPV on well-being and quality of life of women survivors etc. It also gave insight into the conditioning of women into strong empowered human beings to survive the traumatic impact of IPV, how their basic instincts, beliefs etc. nurtured their survival struggles and what helped them to develop a positive psychology to carve the life out of crisis. The research proposes that struggles of these women against IPV could be transformed into a silent movement for gender justice, empowerment and equality through proper policies.

ABSTRACT. Taiwan is the first country in Asia to pass the Domestic Violence Prevention Act and has adopted the civil protection order system from the United States, aiming to protect the personal safety of victims. However, after more than 20 years of implementing the Domestic Violence Prevention Act, Taiwan still frequently experiences cases of spousal homicide. This paper examines the development and current status of the protection order system under the Domestic Violence Prevention Act through relevant literature, government statistical data, and newspaper coverage of intimate partner femicide from 2014 to 2018.

From the point of view of policy transfer, the development context of civil protection orders system is different in Taiwan and the United States. The social, economic, and developmental context in Taiwan also differs from that of the United States. These differences might bring many challenges, such as low application rates, high withdrawal rates, and low issuance rates of restraining orders, coupled with insufficient criminal measures, may affect the effectiveness of protection orders. Furthermore, from discussion of newspaper coverage of intimate partner femicide from 2014 to 2018, the diversity of patterns in intimate partner violence and the multitude of factors influencing the lethality risk for victims can also impact the protective effects of civil protection orders. Therefore, it is imperative for future research to systematically examine the implementation effectiveness of civil protection orders through empirical studies.

ABSTRACT. Reproductive and sexual health is crucial for the social and economic development of Malaysia. It encompasses physical well-being, emotional wellness, freedom from unwanted pregnancy, unsafe abortion, domestic violence, sexually transmitted diseases including AIDS/HIV as well as proper menstrual management. The issue of menstrual poverty has gained significant attention in Malaysia and globally particularly exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Menstrual poverty also stems from inadequate knowledge and societal stigma which are often overlooked aspects surrounding this issue. This study aims to explore menstrual poverty among women in Malaysia recognizing that cultural context plays a pivotal role in their understanding and practices related to reproductive health. This study uses an approach based on the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Model (KAP) in exploring the issue of SRH from the aspect of menstrual poverty. Next, this study uses a quantitative approach in a cross-sectional survey. The study employs a two-stage stratified sampling technique with 2,081 respondents using questionnaires distributed online along with face-to-face interviews. Findings indicate that an overwhelming majority possess good knowledge about reproductive organs and proper menstrual management while demonstrating positive attitudes towards it. Therefore, it is very important for Malaysia to continue to emphasize the importance of menstrual poverty awareness, promote proper menstrual management education, and implement interventions for menstrual management. By addressing menstrual poverty, we can take important steps towards promoting gender equality and improving reproductive and sexual health in Malaysia.

ABSTRACT. What and how we measure affects what we do. It might therefore be concerning that the wording of single-item subjective well-being (SWB) measures differs between commonly used surveys in the SWB literature. The aim of this study is to provide a better understanding of whether and how wording differences between SWB measures affects people’s responses. Using experimental data from over 2,500 respondents, our findings show that the wording of single-item happiness and life satisfaction measures has limited effects. While lower SWB and higher dispersion is observed in rarely used open or negative question tones, more common wording differences do not affect the predictors, means, and dispersion of SWB. The findings imply that while the lack of a uniform SWB measure is not ideal, it does not pose a significant threat to the credibility of findings from the SWB literature. We are currently collecting additional experimental data (5000+ respondents) in Japan and will update the empirical study upcoming months with these new data.

ABSTRACT. When using subjective wellbeing to evaluate policy outcomes, the evaluator must decide which indicator(s) to adopt. Suitability of a metric may relate to the timespan over which a policy is likely to impact and/or to the anticipated size of effect. Choices may include short-term experienced wellbeing (affect) measures and evaluative wellbeing measures. An alternative metric that lies between these extremes is the WHO-5 measure of mental wellbeing which surveys feelings of cheerfulness, calmness, vigour, rest and interest over the prior fortnight.

Any single measure of wellbeing may be insufficient to represent the welfare of individuals. Bentham (1789) posited that we should maximise pleasure AND minimise pain, an approach akin to the dual-continua model of mental wellbeing in which mental states reflect combinations of ill-being and well-being.

We utilise five surveys (two of which are longitudinal) in which life satisfaction and WHO-5 are each measured for the same respondents to examine three questions. First, we test the association of life satisfaction with WHO-5 and with each element of WHO-5. Second, we examine whether associations between life satisfaction and WHO-5 differ in different contexts and/or according to different personal characteristics. Third, we examine associations of each element of WHO-5 with each other element to test if these associations are consistent across respondents or if certain respondent groups are clustered in ways that exhibit different associations. The results are used to indicate whether a single subjective wellbeing measure is sufficient for policy purposes or whether multiple measures are required.

ABSTRACT. Often, researchers and policy makers are interested in assessing satisfaction changes, i.e., if people feel better or worse over time. To this purpose, surveys typically ask respondents about their satisfaction levels at two points in time, and thereby calculate if any change occurred. What if surveys asked about satisfaction changes directly? In theory, this approach has several advantages. In practice, it is unclear whether subjective changes or subjective levels perform better. This study provides an analysis of the relative merits of the two measures. To assess the validity and reliability of either type of measure, we collect panel online data from 500 UK residents and ask them every 3 months about their subjective satisfaction levels (“All things considered, how satisfied are you with your life nowadays?”) and changes (“Compared to three months ago, how satisfied with your life are you nowadays?”). We complement this dataset with one-year lag data from another online panel and a nationally representative British panel. We find that subjective changes are not only psychometrically reliable, but also have relatively higher predictive and postdictive validity in regression analyses.

ABSTRACT. Introduction The mental health of young people has emerged as a pressing issue globally, especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study examined depression, anxiety, and stress levels among Chinese adolescents post-pandemic, along with their associations with individual, family, and school factors.

Method A total of 1,338 secondary school students (737 males and 598 females; age = 13.08 ± 0.58 years) from four schools participated in the study. They completed a questionnaire that assessed their mental health, meaning in life, perceived parenting behaviors, peer support, and school climate.

Results Among the participants, 14.37% reported varying degrees of depression, 9.45% exhibited anxiety symptoms, and 14.65% experienced stress. Results of multiple regression analyses revealed several key findings: 1) girls exhibited higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress compared to boys; 2) a higher educational level of fathers was linked to lower depression and anxiety in adolescents; 3) presence of meaning in life was reversely related to depression, anxiety, and stress, while searching for meaning correlated positively with these negative emotions; 4) parental rejection was positively associated with depression and anxiety, and maternal overprotection was positively linked to stress in adolescents; 5) both peer support and a positive school climate were consistently inversely related to negative emotions in adolescents.

Conclusions The results highlight the protective influence of positive parenting behaviors, peer support, and a supportive school climate on adolescent mental health. Helping adolescents to discover future goals and finding meaning in life is crucial for fostering their positive development.

ABSTRACT. Adolescent engagement in extensive digital activities has been associated with elevated levels of anxiety and depression, alongside disruptions in sleep patterns. Our objective of this study is to examine the dynamic relationship between social media addiction and well-being among adolescents, considering the heightened involvement of this demographic in social media activities. A total of 100 adolescents (aged 13-15 years old) studying in formal education institution in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia are recruited in this study, to complete a set of questionnaires that contain measures to assess the state of social media addiction, social support, sleep, and psychological health. Data analysis is performed using SPSS and Process Macro. We seek to determine if social media addiction affects psychological health and sleep, and if social support mediates the said relationships. This research holds significant implications for both academic and practical applications. The findings stand to enrich the comprehensive understanding of social media addiction issues among adolescents in Malaysia, providing insights into the underlying mechanisms thereof. The anticipated results carry direct implications for schools participating in this study, enabling a more comprehensive understanding of their student population. The acquired knowledge can be applied in the formulation of targeted intervention plans for individuals grappling with dysfunctional digital associated usage. Furthermore, broader interventions aimed at protecting adolescents from detrimental consequences of problematic social media usage can be developed, thereby contributing substantively to the overall well-being of our future generation.

ABSTRACT. Background: The dimensional adversity model is a novel theory which conceptualizes childhood adversity by two distinct dimensions: threat and deprivation. This model predicts that cognitive skills would be affected by childhood deprivation, and socio-emotional emotional competence would be impaired by childhood threat. However, the empirical findings of this model are mixed, and the examination of this model by a national-wide longitudinal data in Asian background is still lack.

Objective: The current study aimed to examine the differential effects of two domains—threat and deprivation—of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on adolescent development, testing McLaughlin’s dimensional model of adversity and psychopathology (DMAP) using a national-wide longitudinal data in China. .

Participants and setting: The two-wave national-wide sample included 1980 adolescents aged from 10 to 15.

Methods: Based on the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) in 2012 and 2016, we tested the longitudinal effects of threat and deprivation on adolescents’ socio-emotional (indexed by depression) development and cognitive development (indexed by memory score and math performance).

Results: (1) threat is a significant predictor to children's depression (but not to cognitive ability). (2) Time spent with parents (indicator 1 and 2 of deprivation) significantly predicts memory ability (father and mother have opposite directions of effect), and it has no significant effect on depression. (3) Family income (indicator 3 of deprivation) only has a significant effect on children's depression in cross-sectional analysis, while it exclusively predicts math performance in longitudinal analysis.

Conclusion: the cross-sectional and longitudinal results partially supports McLaughlin’s model.

ABSTRACT. The COVID-19 pandemic in the past years has posed significant challenges to different populations including university students. Being in a developmental stage transitioning from late adolescence to early adulthood and facing multiple challenges in different life domains, university students suffered more from the pandemic which impaired their psychological well-being. However, limited research has taken a holistic perspective to understand the psychological well-being of university students in Hong Kong during the pandemic as well as the potential risk and protective factors. Based on a comprehensive framework involving both negative mental health and positive well-being indicators and multiple ecological risk and protective factors, two surveys were conducted in two different periods of the pandemic based on the responses of undergraduate students (N = 978 and 1,020, respectively). Results of descriptive analyses showed that the participants demonstrated higher levels of mental health problems. Structural equation models showed that COVID-19-related stress, negative family functioning, and difficulties encountered under the pandemic were risk factors while positive psychological attributes, support from family, peers, and community, needs satisfaction, as well as positive evaluation of university services were protective factors of their psychological well-being. The findings contribute to our understanding of ecological risk and protective factors of the psychological well-being of university students under COVID-19. It also highlights the importance of promoting both intrapersonal and interpersonal protective factors to promote the psychological well-being of university students during the pandemic.

ABSTRACT. Using data from the World Values Survey in its seventh wave (2017-2020), I investigate how happy people look like and whether these “happiness characteristics” are more present in big urban towns or in small rural villages. Mean comparisons and correlations are the main statistical tools used. I find evidence that (i) people seem to be slightly happier in rural places, (ii) happier people have some particular characteristics (e.g., higher levels of trust in others and being more interested in politics) and (iii) these positive attitudes are slightly more present in rural contexts. Finally, some conceivable explanations for these results and their potential implications are discussed. This submission refers to an already published article, which I couldn’t present and promote back then due to the pandemics. Based on similar-topic presentations at ISQOLS 2023 – in particular during session 11C (Special Session the Geography of Happiness and Well-being II: Spatial Differences in Well-being) –, I believe the present submission could be just as interesting for ISQOLS 2024.

ABSTRACT. How is gentrification associated with health and well-being across urban and rural neighborhoods? Long considered an urban phenomenon, gentrification increasingly occurs in rural areas. It is a process of neighborhood change that alters natural, built, and social environments, and thus impacts sense of community, social ties, and safety, as well as health behaviors and health and well-being more broadly. Effects may vary across urban and rural communities for myriad reasons including that that rural communities are traditionally assumed to be more aligned with both sense of community and nature. The relationship between gentrification and physical health is not well developed and limited extant results are equivocal. Studies that examine gentrification’s connection to mental health and well-being are rarer and more work is needed.

This research uses 1) restricted data from the 2018 United States General Social Survey and 2-3) the 2006-2010 and 2015-2019 American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Census tract identifiers locate respondents in urban and rural counties (using the 2013 National Center for Health Statistics county classification scheme). Counties are classed as not gentrifiable, gentrifying, and not gentrifying. Outcomes include well-being (happiness) and mental and physical health. Predictors are gentrification status of the neighborhood as well as urban-rural status. Controls span theoretically relevant demographic and social variables. Analysis will include ordinal, logistic, and/or multinomial logistic regression as appropriate.

This work is being developed. Results and discussion will focus on the ways that gentrification is associated with health and well-being generally and across different neighborhood types across the urban-rural continuum.

ABSTRACT. Literature on ‘what makes a happy city?’ points out that there has been a long and successful history of urban and regional research into the determinants of quality of life (QoL) and happiness. It further reports that most of the studies to date have focused on the objective measures of QoL and happiness. Studies also identify that there has been a renewed interest in this field in the recent past, with the emergence of the new ‘Science of Happiness’ which explores whether subjective happiness can be measured, whether it should be measured, how it should be measured and what are the factors affecting it. A huge potential for a spatial dimension to be taken into account in this new emerging interdisciplinary field has been recognized. In this regard, it has also been argued that there is huge potential for the new emergent ‘Science of Cities’ to engage with the very important debates on what makes people happy and, in particular, on what cities and regions can do about it. This paper works on this important debate through finding the association between urban design (at a neighbourhood scale) and the key theme area falling under the social dimension of social sustainability (happiness). The paper attempts to find the correlation between design of a neighbourhood and the happiness of its’ residents, by particularly focussing on the outdoor shared spaces in the selected case of a neighborhood in the capital city of India.

ABSTRACT. The current study provides a consideration of a structural model of children’s subjective well-being. It proposes a novel bifactor structural configuration, and offers an innovative methodological approach to measure children’s subjective well-being. Ultimately, this model has implications for the measurement of children’s subjective well-being and subsequently allows for more accurate decisions as it relates to policy and practice. A bifactor measurement model specifies that for multidimensional data, there is a general factor that explains the common item variance for items, but that there are also group factors or sub-traits accounting for additional common variance for item subsets. We specify a general factor of SWB and four group factors (context-free life satisfaction, domain-based life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect) using structural equation modeling and parcelling. We sourced data from the Children’s Worlds International Survey of Children’s Well-Being (N = 92 782). Our analysis strategy included confirmatory factor analysis and bifactor analysis. We found a good fit for the specified bifactor model, with all items loading onto a general factor and group factors. For the bifactor analysis, after controlling for the general factor, the loadings on the group factors were substantially lower and did not meet the criteria of acceptability for bifactor indices thresholds. From a measurement perspective, it may be feasible to report a total score for children’s SWB, as opposed to scores on the individual subscales. Applied researchers can thus confidently use subjective well-being as a unidimensional construct or follow the parcelling approach in the structural equation model context.

ABSTRACT. Super-diverse settings comprise of people from many cultures and with languages, therefore those individuals often face complexities in understanding each other. This is complexity is replicated in educational settings as teachers try to understand children and their families. Two action research studies undertaken to examine teachers’ approaches to understanding children’s expression in super-diverse schools and kindergartens in Aotearoa New Zealand. One significant finding was that teachers’ intuitive perception was critical. In indigenous framing, this is known as whatumanawa, or ‘the seeing eyes of the heart.’ Whatumanawa implies that love is critical to intuitive perception that is predicated on wellbeing. Our findings demonstrated that love, indeed, was a core concern of the teachers.

ABSTRACT. Psychological Well-Being (PWB) from a eudaimonic perspective is an important construct (Ryan & Deci, 2001), closely related to children’s overall well-being and quality of life. The eudaimonic perspective on PWB articulates the main indicators of positive functioning as the development of skills and personal growth (Keyes, 2013; Waterman et al., 2010). However, the existing research predominantly focuses on assessing the PWB of adults, with fewer studies prioritizing children’s PWB. Therefore, we aimed to systematically review existing empirical research on children’s PWB from an eudaimonic perspective. It provides a starting point to consolidate dispersed evidence, enhance the understanding of the key aspects of PWB, and facilitates the gradual expansion of the literature. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA) framework, we identified 32 articles, with study sample ranging from 8 to 18-year-olds. The 32 studies were categorised into four themes, namely a validation study focus; predictors and correlates of PWB; descriptive designs; and intervention studies. The key findings of the validation studies reported that Ryff’s (1989) PWB scale was valid and reliable in most contexts, with a range of children from different age groups and across different languages. Studies in the predictors and correlates theme found that negative variables have a negative correlation with PWB, while positive variables have a positive correlation on PWB. This review has made an important contribution to our understanding of the PWB from children’s perspectives by identifying disparities and limitations in the field and by proposing recommendations to ameliorate these challenges.

ABSTRACT. Despite the growing number of child wellbeing focused strategies and policies implemented by local, national, and international authorities, there is limited information on the experienced wellbeing of children and young people and its measurement. To date there are no published studies explicitly describing the diurnal patterns of young people’s subjective experienced wellbeing.

This research consists of two stages. In Stage One nine intermediate students (12-13 years old) co-designed an experienced wellbeing survey instrument for smartphone delivery. Classmates of Stage One participants were then invited to take part in a 7-day pilot of the Youth Daily Feeling Tracker. Happiness was tracked alongside other measures of momentary experience 7-9 times a day at random intervals, outside of school hours. A fixed effects model was used to identify diurnal patterns of youth happiness.

Diurnal patterns of youth happiness are different to that of adults. On average, study participants are happiest in the evening between 6-7pm than any other time of the day, and happier on the weekends than schooldays. Unlike diurnal patterns of experienced wellbeing observed in adults, mean youth happiness drops sharply after 7pm. On the weekend there is a substantial decline in happiness reported around 11am, while weekdays the lowest mean score occurred between 5-6pm. These findings are robust to model specification, though limited by small sample size. Student focus group sessions offered important insights into the patterns revealed, where several students expressed feeling tired, especially in the morning; and having limited discretion over their after-dinner activities due to care or school-work.

ABSTRACT. In the last two decades, research on children's well-being has surged, primarily emphasizing subjective well-being (SWB) over children's quality of life (QoL). Qualitative studies suggest that children themselves conceptualize their well-being well in line with Allardt‘s framework of ‚having, loving and being‘. However, systematic analyses of children’s QoL in these dimensions and their impact on children's SWB are lacking. Analysing data of 36,690 children aged 10-12 in 18 European countries from the 3rd wave of the International Survey of Children’s Wellbeing, we find that children’s QoL is moderately positively associated with SWB. Nonetheless, SWB and QoL capture distinct information of children’s well-being at individual and country-level. In the majority of countries, ‘loving’ contributes most strongly to children’s SWB, followed by ‘being’ and ‘having’. While the relative importance of the three QoL dimensions correlates positively with trust and a post-materialist value climate, national affluence only positively relates to ‘loving’ and ‘being’.

ABSTRACT. Background: Malnutrition is more prone to manifest in the elderly, particularly in individuals who regularly undergo medical interventions. To examine the relationship between the nutritional status and Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) among hospitalized individuals aged 65 and older. Methods: This research encompassed elderly patients aged 65 and above, both outpatient and inpatient. Exclusion criteria applied to those who were bedridden and incapable of completing frailty-related measurements. The study was conducted from January to December 2023 and involved the collection of data, including body measurements and responses to questionnaires such as the 24 hrs diet recall, MNA-SF, OHRQoL -7T and oral health status. Results: This study included a total of 260 elderly participants, with 56.2% being female and an average age of 75.6 years. 25.0% of elderly patients face a risk of malnutrition, with 59.2% and 25.0% exhibiting insufficient protein and calorie intake, respectively. Within the OHIPQoL questionnaire, items significantly associated with dietary protein or/and calorie intake include "I feel that I have dental problems" and "I have to stop eating," while items significantly linked to the risk of malnutrition are "Feeling unsatisfied towards overall life." Oral health self-perception (P<0.001), number of natural teeth (P=0.044), dry mouth problem (P=0.035), and OHIPQoL (P=0.025) all exert a noteworthy impact on nutritional status. Conclusion: Nutritional status is notably linked to OHIPQoL. It is essential to prioritize oral health care for the elderly in the future to prevent adverse health outcomes associated with malnutrition.

ABSTRACT. The study explores the diverse perceptions of well-being among two distinct age groups in Taiwan. The research incorporates a participant pool of 53 older adults aged 65-80 (mean age: 72.5) and 123 youths aged 18-30 (mean age: 24.3). Employing Q methodology, a unique approach blending qualitative and quantitative research methods, the study identifies and analyzes five distinct viewpoints on well-being. The first viewpoint, prevalent among older adults, emphasizes traditional values and physical health. The second viewpoint, also among older adults, focuses on financial security intertwined with family relationships. The third viewpoint, reflecting a modern perspective, prioritizes emotional well-being and mental health, showing a heightened awareness of psychological factors. The fourth viewpoint, named "Emotional Fulfillment and Life Harmony," uniquely captures the essence of cultivating positive emotions, aligning life goals, and achieving happiness. The fifth viewpoint, predominantly held by youth, illustrates contemporary values and societal challenges, encompassing aspects like self-fulfillment, personal aspirations, and adapting to modern societal dynamics. This study's comprehensive analysis underscores the multifaceted nature of well-being and the importance of considering generational differences in enhancing life quality. Its insights are pivotal for developing targeted well-being strategies and policies, ensuring effective interventions across different age groups in Taiwan. The study contributes significantly to the broader understanding of well-being, emphasizing the need for nuanced, culturally sensitive approaches in research and practice.

ABSTRACT. Aims: Dementia, a degenerative brain condition, affects countless elderly individuals globally, impairing cognitive abilities and diminishing life quality. This study evaluates and contrasts various strategies and activities designed to boost life quality in dementia patients. Our goal is to assess the effectiveness of different measures in incrementally enhancing life quality for elderly individuals with dementia. Methods: The study involved a narrative literature review, focusing on strategies and activities like comprehensive care coordination, personalized care plans, cognitive engagement therapy, physical exercises, environmental adjustments, and support for caregivers. We identified pertinent studies through a systematic search of databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Results: Our review indicates that combining different strategies and activities effectively enhances life quality in dementia-affected elderly adults. Integrated care and personalized approaches significantly benefit life quality, addressing multiple facets of dementia management. Cognitive engagement therapy proves beneficial as a non-drug intervention for cognitive and overall life quality improvement. Physical exercises enhance both physical and mental health, whereas environmental adjustments and caregiver support are vital for fostering a supportive setting. Conclusion: The study concludes that an all-encompassing approach, integrating various strategies and activities, is vital for the gradual improvement of life quality in elderly dementia patients. Healthcare professionals should customize these strategies according to the unique needs and preferences of each dementia patient, prioritizing personalized care, cognitive engagement therapy, and physical exercises.

ABSTRACT. SCOPE This workshop offers an introduction to the POZE perspective and deriving approach, which addresses aspirations, emotions, thoughts and sensations within a holistic framework of individual empowerment. Theory is combined with practical exercises to help participants understand the logic, and to experience its added value first-hand. It concludes with the opportunity for mutual sharing of these experiences. AUDIENCE Whether you feel you live underneath your potential, or if you are satisfied with the status quo, this workshop may be for you. Human existence is a composite of aspirations, emotions, thoughts, and sensations. These must be in sync for personal wellbeing, and harmonious social interactions. This session proposes a novel approach to look at the core drivers of our being, and their interplay. While aimed at the personal experience the resulting insights and thoughts may serve your professional approach. AGENDA Introduction in the POZE paradigm of aspirations, emotions, thoughts and sensations The Why, Who, How and What of life and how they relate to these four layers of the human being. (10 min) Exercice Attention P-O-Z-E (5 min) Art of Awareness. Drawing exercise Present - Problem - Perspective Sharing and discussion (30 min) Exercise Re-center using PO-ZE (5 min) Conclusion/Q&A (10 min) Homework Letter to Self (10 min) Feedback on the session using the Quadrant (Like/Worked. Wish. Questions. Ideas) (5 min)

ABSTRACT. People with diabetes are 2 to 3 times more likely to have depression than people without diabetes. Only 25% to 50% of people with diabetes who have depression get diagnosed and treated. This depression will increase the death rate by up to 30 percent in people living with diabetes. These problems require a shortcut approach solution to overcome these conditions.

The research objectives were 1) to determine the effect of online hypnotic guided imagery (HGI) on the quality of life, 2) to determine the subjective well-being of depression in diabetic patients, and 3) to know changes in emotion-bounded energy in the therapy process.

A randomized pretest-posttest control group design involving 10 Depression with type II Diabetes patients (21-55 yo). Intervention with HGI two times. Patients were also given biofeedback (emergy meter (Emergy: emotion-bounded energy) to measure biological changes during the intervention process from measurements of galvanic skin response (GSR), SPO2, and heart rate variability (HRV). Participants were given the PWI-A, PANAS-X, and WHOQOL-BREF pretest & posttest.

There was a significant increase in quality of life and emotional changes but no difference in life satisfaction. 75% of therapy sessions have proven an increase in positive emotions and a decrease in negative emotions. About 95% of the intervention participants experienced health development in terms of reduced and disappearance of secondary physical symptoms.

It is necessary to have more than two therapy sessions to re-evaluate the effectiveness of HGI on changes in life satisfaction.

ABSTRACT. Research on subjective well-being has intensified in recent years, but the subjective well-being of people belonging to minority groups has not yet been sufficiently explored. In Slovakia, there is a significant lack of research on the Roma minority. To address the research gap this study examines subjective well-being (SWB) in minority and majority samples in the Slovak Republic, using data from the 2018 EU-SILC datasets. This paper highlights that generalization of behavioural patterns cannot be applied to the entire population of a single country. It indicates that factors contributing to increased or decreased SWB in the majority population may result in differing effects within the minority population. Employing the structural equation method, we demonstrate what lies behind the significant differences in perceived SWB between the majority and Roma populations in Slovakia. This research underscores the importance of individual and cultural differences in the assessment of SWB, even in the presence of uniform conditions for all residents. The contribution of this research is to expand knowledge in the field of SWB with a specific focus on the Roma minority.

ABSTRACT. To date, little research has focused on happiness and wellbeing in the Oceania-Pacific region populations compared to its developed neighbours such as Australia and New Zealand. The World Happiness Report that documents happiness around the world focuses on over 150 countries but none are from the Pacific Island nations. This leaves a massive gap in our understanding of life satisfaction and happiness in these island nations. This study focuses on understanding dynamics of life satisfaction in Fiji. While the country does not collect data on the level of happiness of its people, there is a strong sense of happiness among its people. The term ‘where happiness comes naturally’ is predominantly used to promote the country as a tourism destination.

We base our analysis on Fiji’s only MICS data collected in 2021. The question about happiness and respondents’ overall satisfaction with life was administered to 5,072 women and 2,530 men who were between 15-49 years of age. Results show that women score on average a life satisfaction score of 7.7 compared to 7.6 for men. This study uses a range of econometric techniques to test various demographics differences in wellbeing in Fiji. We also further explore various determinants of life satisfaction and run various econometric tests of understand the effects of those factors in Fiji. Findings from this study is expected to allow policy makers, civil society groups, non-government organisations and researchers to evaluate where the wellbeing inequities exists and what could be done to improves people’s wellbeing in Fiji.

ABSTRACT. Introduction The Sámi, indigenous to Northern Europe, maintain rich traditions like reindeer herding and unique languages. Continuous efforts are made to preserve their cultural identity and practices. Systemic barriers, including cultural marginalization and environmental challenges, exacerbate these inequalities, impacting their ability to preserve traditional lifestyles. It is not known, until now, how this impacts Quality of Life (QoL). Aims Describe QoL in the Sámi population in Norway Methods In 2019/20, the three northernmost Counties in Norway took part in the Norwegian Counties Public Health Surveys (NCPHS), which also has a comprehensive QoL module (comprises subjective and objective measures, Cantril scale). NCPHS is an internet-based survey. On average 25 % of the adult population was invited to participate in the NCPHS. Results Being Sámi was through self-identification, n=3312. Satisfaction with Life was 7,34 versus 7,41 for the general population. For Loneliness, 15,9 % percent of the Sámi were characterized as lonely (score 6-10) versus 13,3 %, and for positive emotions, there was no difference, with a score of 6,69 for both groups. Sex, age and educational gradients are similar to the general population, for all measures. Minor differences were found according to if one lived in a Sámi-majority municipality or not. Conclusion Overall, being Sámi is associated with slightly lower QoL on several measures, but effect sizes are general small to insignificant. Due to lack of data on the Southern Sámi population, findings cannot be generalized to all Sámi.

ABSTRACT. This presentation first reviews research on the factor structure of mental well-being at the individual level and proposes a robust three-dimensional model that includes subjective-hedonic, psychological, and social components. It then outlines an initiative to create a global index of psychosocial functioning (eudaimonic well-being) for 166 countries. The third goal of the presentation is to present a model of mental well-being at the national level. Based on research using more than 20 national indices of well-being and quality of life and data from 153 nations, the paper presents a novel data-driven model of national well-being. This innovative model incorporates three macro factors: socioeconomic progress, psychosocial functioning, and negative affectivity. The presentation will end with a comparative analysis of the factor structures of well-being at the national and individual levels.

ABSTRACT. The past decade has seen a dramatic decline in levels of satisfaction with the functioning of democracy as well as political trust in the country. In addition, there remains deep unhappiness with basic government-provided services for many. This has contributed to widespread protest action, leading to claims of a ‘rebellion of the poor’. South Africa is not unique in such developments, leading political scientists to question whether the world may be entering a time of democratic decline. Against this backdrop, this chapter examines the relative influence of political support measures on subjective personal well-being in the country. Whether or not this has adversely affected satisfaction with life-as-a-whole, as well as specific domains of wellbeing, remains poorly understood. Using data from the South African Social Attitudes Survey (SASAS), the paper will profile inequalities in quality of life using single-item and composite measures of personal wellbeing, and how different political trust measures have dented the resilience that South Africans tend to demonstrate in the face of adversity. In examining the correlates of subjective wellbeing, a multi-dimensional approach to political support will be adopted, in line with the conceptual models of David Easton and Pippa Norris. This covers diffuse political support measures such as national pride and attachment to democratic principles, through to more specific forms of political support, including satisfaction with democracy and key aspects of government performance, institutional trust, and trust in leadership. The paper concludes by reflecting what these associations might mean politically in coming years.

ABSTRACT. The advent of democracy in 1994 promised South Africans a ‘better life for all’ and the so-called ‘born free’ generation hoped for better education and job opportunities than those of their parents and grandparents, who had lived under apartheid. In focus group discussions, township youth living in a small university town in the country’s poorest Eastern Cape Province had the opportunity to express what hopes they had for their future in the post-Covid-19 era and confirmed the important role of hope in their lives as a useful tool that motivated them to aspire to fulfil their dreams. In response to select items from the Snyder hope scales, youth discussed their life goals, optimism, agency and pathway thinking to realise their dreams. Youth recognised hope could be both harmful as well as useful. The discussions provided an opportunity for youth to share and compare with others their experiences of disappointment and failure, of times when they had felt hopeless, with the worst cases of hopelessness resulting in alcohol and substance abuse, which was reportedly widespread among township youth. Family, neighbours and significant others provided support and advice that assisted youth to recover from hopelessness, and to find new direction in life. Results from this qualitative study point to the importance of providing township youth with a platform to share their experiences of hopelessness. Policy and practical interventions are needed to support and guide hopeless youth to regain their mental health, well-being, and hope for the future.

ABSTRACT. This study expands the existing literature on intergenerational mobility by going beyond conventional measures and adopting subjective wellbeing (SWB) as a more holistic measure of social stratification. Using the National Income Dynamics Study panel data for South Africa, the study considers the life-cycle dependency of SWB, as well as possible endogeneity bias caused by simultaneity between parent and child SWB. The findings indicate that, while positive significant persistence exists between parent and child SWB measured at the same time point, this is much lower compared to persistence measured using income. Mother-child and co-residents record higher intergenerational persistence compared to father-child and non-coresidents respectively. Further, considering the life-cycle dependency of SWB, the persistence reduces further considerably. Lastly, the persistence is no longer found to be positive and significant when correcting for possible endogeneity bias in the SWB association of parents and children. The above findings differ substantially from other income-based studies pointing to the value of a more holistic assessment of intergenerational mobility.

ABSTRACT. This presentation will share findings of broader research, which examined the relationship between anxiety and depression on the Quality of Life (QoL) of Maasai women living in resource poor settings in Northern Kenya. It also tested a cost-effective model of psychoeducation in treating mild and moderate symptoms of depression and anxiety. The presentation will highlight the socio-cultural lens that Maasai women in Northern Kenya use to define, understand anxiety, depression, and QoL and share some culturally accepted methods for treating mental health conditions and improving QoL for women that have been in place and used for decades. Narrative sessions conducted revealed symptoms of mental health conditions akin to those associated with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), that women experienced during the hot, arid, and harsh desert like climatic conditions. Criteria for diagnosing SAD include symptoms that are characteristic of a recurrent major depressive disorder (MDD) with a seasonal pattern usually beginning in the fall and continuing into winter months in countries in the Northern hemisphere that are further away from the equator. This Criteria for diagnosing SAD for people at risk of this disorder excludes the women or people living closer or at the equator, which the contributing factors will be presented. Discussions allowing participants to share experiences and perspectives for community wellbeing and mental health will be facilitated.

ABSTRACT. After replicating the universe of empirical results coming from articles published in top Economic journals, we study the anatomy of wellbeing research. We document trends in topics and methods and identify which segments of the population are the most often studied. We also produce a series of meta-analyses of results considered canonical and identify under which conditions they truly are canonical.

ABSTRACT. The majority of OECD countries have adopted frameworks to monitor multidimensional well-being in a systematic and comprehensive way. This implementation of well-being monitoring signals a certain amount of belief in well-being metrics. Presently, alternative metrics, especially GDP per capita (growth), remain dominant in government decision making. Does the increase in well-being monitoring signal decision-makers now place additional priority on it? And if so, has this additional priority translated into greater well-being? We plan to assess the well-being impacts of countries adopting a well-being monitoring framework. The results will reveal one of three potential outcomes – countries that monitor well-being prove to be worse off, indistinguishable or better off. In each case, governments and the well-being community learn something valuable.

We will use information prepared by the OECD on when countries introduced a framework, and match that to country-level subjective well-being from the Gallup World Poll (GWP). We anticipate analyzing the data using staggered difference-and-difference regressions. The results will yield a plausibly causal relationship that applies to country-level subjective well-being. Aggregate levels are perhaps the most important for government decision making, however, further analysis could go further to test for heterogeneous results within countries.

ABSTRACT. We evaluate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the life satisfaction of healthcare workers, as compared to the wider workforce, in five European countries. In ten waves of quarterly panel data, the life satisfaction of healthcare workers is always higher than that of other essential workers and non-essential workers. Life satisfaction follows a double humped pattern over time for all workers, which is largely explained by the COVID-19 death rate and policy stringency. The spread of the pandemic in terms of the death rate has twice as large an effect on healthcare workers’ life satisfaction; on the contrary, the latter are the only workers whose satisfaction was not affected by the stringency of lockdown policies.

ABSTRACT. To promote the holistic development of high school students in mainland China, we have implemented the Tin Ka Ping P.A.T.H.S. Project (TKPPP) in mainland China for more than a decade. TKPPP is a curricula-based positive youth development program incorporating different positive youth development constructs such as resilience, psychosocial competence, positive identity, and prosocial norms. To understand the effectiveness of the program, we use different evaluation strategies, including subjective outcome evaluation and qualitative evaluation. One qualitative evaluation strategy is to invite the program participants to share their experiences via writing student diaries. Through the years, we have collected around 9,000 student diaries.

In this study, we analyzed student diaries collected in the 2022-23 academic year (N = 2,400) and analyzed the data using thematic analyses. There are several observations based on the findings. First, the diaries were overwhelmingly positive in nature, suggesting that students had very positive experiences in their participation. Second, TKPPP was able to promote the personal development of the participants, including the promotion of psychosocial competence, resilience, self-confidence, and optimism. Third, participants perceived that the program promoted their positive values and moral competence. Fourth, the program promoted the interpersonal competence of the students, including relationship building and conflict resolution. Fifth, evidence of improvement in parent-child relationships and family life after participating in the program was found. Sixth, students perceived that the program promoted their social responsibilities and prosocial involvement.

ABSTRACT. To promote the holistic development of high school students in mainland China, we have implemented the Tin Ka Ping P.A.T.H.S. Project (TKPPP) in mainland China for more than a decade. TKPPP was modeled after the P.A.T.H.S. Program in Hong Kong which is a positive youth development program targeting junior high school students. Through multi-method evaluation, research findings showed that different stakeholders have positive evaluation of the P.A.T.H.S. Program and participants showed improvement in their psychosocial competencies and well-being after joining the program.

In TKPPP, we adapted and developed curriculum materials for both junior high school and senior high school students in mainland China. To understand the views of the students, we typically use the client satisfaction questionnaire to examine the views of the students regarding the program, teachers and benefits of joining the program. In this study, we examined the perceptions of the students of TKPPP based on the data collected in 2022-23 school year (N = 5,654). A validated subjective outcome evaluation form was used to gauge the views of the program participants. Besides profiles of student responses, we also examined the predictors of student satisfaction in this study.

Results showed that students had very positive views of the program and teachers. They also saw many perceived benefits of joining the program, such as promotion of their psychosocial competence and ability to cope with life challenges. The findings suggest that the TKPPP is a positive youth development program that can promote the holistic development of young people.

ABSTRACT. There is a decrease in Hong Kong adolescents' life satisfaction in Hong Kong. Recognizing the pivotal role of teachers in shaping students' values and characters, this study aims to explore the influence of different kinds of teachers' support on adolescents' overall subjective well-being.

A mixed-method approach was employed in the current student. Four hundred participants were asked to complete a pen-and-paper questionnaire and twenty of them also joined focus group interviews to gather comprehensive picture within schools. The study measures subjective well-being using validated scales, such as the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), while also examining the level of perceived support from teachers through the Child and Adolescent Social Support Scale (CASSS).

Initial results show a strong beneficial relationship between their subjective well-being and teachers' support. Results indicate that students report higher life satisfaction, positive emotions, and a stronger sense of general well-being when they perceive higher levels of emotional and instrumental support from their teachers. Furthermore, the degree of support from teachers does not predict negative affection.

These findings underline how crucial emotional and instrumental support from teachers is in fostering adolescents' subjective well-being. Education strategies and the creation of supportive learning environments not only improve their academic performance but also contribute to adolescents' general happiness and life satisfaction. It is suggested that more studies should be conducted to examine potential moderating factors as well as the long-term impacts of teacher support on the well-being of adolescents.

ABSTRACT. A substantial body of prior research has emphasized the adverse consequences of negative peer interactions during adolescence. However, a crucial aspect often under-extimated is that adolescents' interactions with peers encompass both detrimental and beneficial aspects. Employing network analysis, this longitudinal study with two waves of data (N = 849) investigated the peer effects related to positive youth development (PYD) attributes among rural Chinese adolescents. The results shows that perceived peers' PYD attributes played a significant role in fostering PYD attributes of adolescents, a phenomenon particularly pronounced among adolescents with lower PYD attributes themselves. Notably, peer prosocial norms and moral competence served as pivotal bridges with the highest potential for enhancing PYD attributes among adolescents. These findings significantly enrich our understanding of positive youth development and peer influence, with a specific focus on the unique context of rural China. Furthermore, the study explores the practical implications of using social network interventions to support adolescent development.

ABSTRACT. The dark side of individualization is social isolation, which has been exacerbated by the pandemic, particularly among young adults. Isolated young adults lack social interaction and social support. Some of them seclude themselves from society, spending their lives at home or in their room. In 2023, a survey was conducted in South Korea to identify the existence of isolated/secluded young adults and their vulnerable lifestyles. A total of 8,874 young adults who were isolated/secluded responded, reporting significantly lower levels of life satisfaction and the quality of life than their non-isolated/reclusive peers. This new vulnerable people requires social attention and government support.

ABSTRACT. Background: As one of the global contextual stressors, the COVID-19 pandemic brings depressed socio-economic consequences and leads to uncertainty and loss of sense of control among aspects. These effects collectively hinder enhancements in global quality of life. The improvement of well-being outcomes is contingent upon the precise operational definition and measurement of related constructs. Notably, the sense of being out-of-control emerges as a critical aspect of contextual stress under challenging and resource-limited conditions. Methods: This study utilized cross-sectional data collected from 30 countries during January 25, 2021, to November 10, 2021. To evaluate psychometric properties of the Out-of-Control Scale, two phases were designed in this study. Phase 1 primarily checked the items and factor structure, phase 2 confirmed the factor structure and tested the measurement invariance, as well as conducted further analysis including latent profiles, multinominal logistic regression analyses, and network analysis. Results: A six-item, single-factor structure was verified, confirming satisfactory factor loading, fit indices and consistency. Measurement invariance across geographies and groupings was also confirmed. Three Out-of-Control profiles representing low (37.6%), medium (17.3%), and high (45.11%) stress levels, were identified, with age, depression/anxiety symptoms, education, socio-economic status, and exposure to COVID-19-affected acquaintances significantly influencing affiliation. The item “I think I cannot control things that I previously could” was the most critical node. Conclusion: Out of control has significantly contributed to our ability to quantify contextual stress, thereby facilitating our understanding of psychological reactions under situations of global health emergencies.

ABSTRACT. Aims: The COVID-19 patients were criticized in Japan because they were infected by their selfish or irresponsible behaviors. As a result, their subjective well-beings during the pandemic was affected heavily by those prejudice as well as long-COVID. It is very important to follow their Quality of Life after the pandemic, in particular, relationships within their families, at workplaces, and in communities.

Methods: Longitudinal surveys were conducted in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2024 in Japan. The survey items include happiness, age, gender, job status, income, health, loneliness, community involvement, trust, time use, and the frequency of contact between family members. Ordinary least squared regression and fixed effect model were applied.

Results: The details will be reported at the conference.

ABSTRACT. This study examines the association between living arrangements and older adults' well-being measured by happiness and K6 before and after the COVID-19 epidemic using Japanese panel data. The data used in this study is the Japan Household Panel Survey (JHPS/KHPS), which is representative panel data and conducts surveys before and after the spread of COVID-19. The differences-in-differences (DID) estimation that controls individual fixed effects provides three findings. First, the happiness of older men living alone decreased during the spread of COVID-19. However, a significant impact of living alone could not be found for older women. Second, when we used the detailed living arrangements variables, including living alone, living only with a couple, a couple living with others, and living without a spouse but with others, the men's well-being of living alone or living only with a couple worsened. Meanwhile, the well-being of women did not vary significantly for either living arrangement. Lastly, additional analysis, including the sample of other age groups, such as those under 39 and 40-64, revealed that the mental health of women under 39 deteriorated when they lived alone during COVID-19. The overall analysis shows the distinct gender difference in the impact of living alone and the adverse effects of living alone were substantial for older men.

ABSTRACT. What have we learned from the responses to COVID-19 effects: A case study from slum areas in Bangkok

Sauwalak Kittiprapas, Thailand.

COVID-19 have had significantly adverse impacts to poor communities. However, we witnessed some adjustment from the community members and responses from the society in positive sides as well. The paper will present some descriptive aspects that we learned from the past COVID-19 effects reported by the respondents from slum communities in Bangkok. Given the hardship in financial aspects, they adapt to be more economics, want to learn new skills for new occupations, know how to protect themselves with sanitation, as well as changing mindset. Positive responses from the society are private assistances to reach the unreached and role of temples for giving as well as voluntary community assistances to those in need. Other aspects such as limitation to migration and channels to education are also reported. Some policy recommendations for social development and social protection are recommended.

ABSTRACT. Previous research has shown that unemployment reduces subjective well-being (SWB). Although empirical evidence suggests that these effects vary substantially across countries, we still know little about explanations of this variation. Taking a worldwide comparative perspective, we investigate how the economic and institutional context moderates the relationship between unemployment and SWB. We use unique comparative microdata of the Gallup World Poll, which collects nationally representative surveys, covering more than 98% of the world's adult population. The total sample for the 2019 study includes 159,773 individuals aged 18-65, nested in 163 countries. We use two-stage multilevel analysis, which allows for variable intercepts and slopes of all individual-level variables. At the individual level, we control for age, sex, education, marital status, migration background, health problems, household location and composition to account for confounding bias and compositional differences across countries. At the country level, we add country-level data from international databases (Word Development Indicators, Quality of Government Data, ILO Employment Protection Legislation (EPLex) Database). Our results show substantial cross-country variation in the predominantly negative effects of unemployment on various SWB measures. The negative effects are mitigated in countries with higher economic (GDP) growth, even after controlling for the level of economic development (GDP per capita). This finding is robust to the inclusion of further country-level institutional moderator variables on labour market regulation (EPLex index) and welfare state support (measured by the share of people covered by at least one social protection benefit and the share of the unemployed receiving unemployment benefits).

ABSTRACT. Nearly ten percent of the Filipino population, employed on temporary contracts in health care, construction, manufacturing, services, domestic family work, live and work in over 100 countries globally.

This paper seeks to broaden the analysis of the effects of the foreign employment on the nation’s life beyond the usual two indicators: the annual number of registered foreign jobs and the foreign exchange remittances received in the country’s international reserves. The paper will examine the changing socio-demographic profile of the OFW households through the years, consider the families’ aspirations and intentions in pursuing foreign work, and assess the quality of life (QOL) and well-being of Filipino households with a family member in foreign employment. Social Weather Stations, our primary source of data, has, since 2001, a regular question on the presence of a family member in foreign employment, making it possible to compare the socio-demographic profiles and the QOL of adult Filipinos from OFW and non-OFW families. QOL will be measured using the following indicators: (a) one’s perceived quality of life; (b) personal optimism, pessimism, and life satisfaction; (c) experience of poverty; among others. The paper will also present comparative data on the Filipino public’s overall perception of the performance of the national government in administering overseas employment and the views of households with a Filipino member employed abroad.

ABSTRACT. The way researchers experience their work is important not only for them as individuals, but also for the functioning of their organization and for their scientific output: Existing research suggests that work psychosocial factors (i.e., fair work conditions and social support) significantly impact future research performance. Unfortunately, recent studies demonstrate alarming levels of mental health risks and declining well-being among researchers, particularly early career researchers (ECR), which has been highlighted within the ReMO COST Action (CA19117), which represents research community focused on mental health and well-being within academia. Besides a moral imperative deriving from the duty of care that employers have toward ECRs, these alarming rates of poor ECRs’ well-being must be addressed as they are fundamental for the future of scientific progress. To analyse the mechanisms that can foster (vs. thwart) ECRs’ well-being, building upon the job demands-resources theory, the main aim of this qualitative study was to gain more detailed insights into the interplay between ECRs’ work conditions, personal characteristics, well-being, and mental health on an in-depth level using 6 focus groups with 53 ECRs working in Croatian scientific institutions. The thematic analysis of the qualitative data gathered in the focus groups involved a six-step process: familiarizing with the data, generating initial codes, searching for themes, reviewing themes, defining, and naming themes, and interpreting the findings. In this study, we present these results by showing ECRs’ perspectives and understandings of their well-being and mental health in the context of their work conditions, and their personal characteristics and resources.

ABSTRACT. The economics of happiness is an established and booming research field. However, until the late 1970s, the study of the impact of economic variables on subjective wellbeing was considered to be outside the domain of economics. The main reason was the methodological hostility of orthodox economists towards incorporating "subjective" and "psychological" variables. The legacy of economics as a positive social science that dealt with observed or revealed behavior only, was a major obstacle for economists to study subjective wellbeing. The main exception was the pioneering work of Richard Easterlin in 1974, who attempted to account for the discrepancy between income increases and overall life satisfaction. Opening up the communication of economists with psychologists in happiness research, Easterlin relied on references from psychology and especially from social psychology in order to construct his arguments. Influenced by Easterlin, references to theoretical and empirical work in psychology became more apparent when happiness economics attracted more interest by the end of the 20th century. After showing its rich historical past of interaction with psychology, the paper argues that this stance is contrary to the established mainstream tradition and methodology. Further, it demonstrates that contrary to the approach of mainstream economics, leading figures of happiness economics adopt a conscious methodological position towards interacting with psychology. It is also argued that the economics of happiness attitude towards psychology is linked to important theoretical and methodological differences. The paper identifies three major points of diversion: conception of utility, empirical methodology, and economic policy implications.

ABSTRACT. Measuring the well-being of family using a subjective measurement had been started with the implementation of the Malaysian Family Well-Being Index (MFWBI) 2011 by the National Population and Family Development Board (NPFDB), Malaysia. To date, there are four exercises taken by the NPFDB in measuring family well-being in the country. During the recent MFWB 2022, the NPFDB had introduced an initiative to develop a new brief scale specifically to measure relationship among the family members. The Family Environment Scale which is a 27-item measure developed by Rudolf Moos in 1994 was used as a basis to the development of this new scale known as Family Relationship Scale. Other than the existing dimensions covered in the Family Environment Scale, namely, Cohesion, Expressive and Conflict, a new dimension called as Couplehood was added in the Family Relationship Scale. Total of 4,881 participants involved in the MFWB 2022 had being asked to complete the 19-item Family Relationship Scale. Result of factor analysis suggested a new Cohesion dimension to be formed, a combination of the original Cohesion and Expressive items. New Cohesion dimension will contain 10 items with factor loading values ranging from 0.736 to 0.834. The Conflict dimension contains six items with factor loading values ranging from 0.682 to 0.844. and the new Couplehood dimension contains three items with factor loading values between 0.704 to 0.816. This new scale has good psychometric properties and can be used in measuring the successfulness of marital or family intervention programmes, as a pre and post measurements.

ABSTRACT. Much research on well-being in non-Western countries has applied well-being concepts without specifying whether the concepts or measurements utilized are culturally appropriate to explain the structure of well-being in their cultural context. Therefore, many scales are unable to capture a specific population of non-Western aspects of well-being. Consequently, this issue can jeopardize the validity of the instruments in these contexts. The issue of validity increases when these scales are applied to investigate the well-being of a population that is culturally distinct due to its spiritual features, such as the Sufi group in Indonesia. This study aims to examine the measurement equivalence and cultural validity of two existing and widely used well-being scales, the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS) and the Indonesian Well-being Scale (IWS), for use with an Indonesian Muslim Sufi population. In this qualitative research, a purpose-sampling method was used to select 14 participants and they were interviewed about their understanding of the items that make up these scales. Identify the understanding of the scale items of the participants. The data were then analyzed using a summative content analysis approach. Semantic bias was found in some items, and this led to unexpected interpretations that deviated from the intended meaning. Furthermore, there are cultural biases found in some items, particularly in Indonesian well-being scale, that did not work well within Indonesian Muslim Sufi context. The authors recognized cultural response bias as a key issue in the use of these scales and deliberated recommendations for modifications.

ABSTRACT. As a partnership between social practice artist Jin-Ya Huang, and the Hunt Institute for Engineering & Humanity, in collaboration with several community partners, the Hunt Institute for Engineering & Humanity embarked on studying the wishes and aspirations of the people of Dallas through a "wishing tree". Inspired by ancient traditions, the “wishing tree” is a social practice art installation that collects and displays the wishes of participants. Expressing one’s wish involves an immersive, interactive and participatory process. The experience is simultaneously reflective and communal, according to participants. Collecting data in this manner is certainly nontraditional from a social science perspective but is relatable in many cultural traditions across continents. Our goal is to understand the role and value of this process in terms of its potential to offer insights that complement the findings of conventional social science methodologies like surveys, especially when it comes to groups under-represented in surveys such as low-income individuals, youth, women, immigrants, refugees, and minorities, just to name a few. We analyze the wishes as expressed via the wishing tree in comparison with the results of relevant other studies that used surveys with close-ended questions. We also compare participation levels and the experience of participants. Finally, we analyze the policy implications and make policy recommendations. Note: we wish to offer holding a Wishing Tree Community Workshop at ISQOLS 2024 whereby the participants of the conference can experience the process for themselves , followed by a discussion about the merits and limitations.

ABSTRACT. The aim of this panel is to offer a panorama of theories and practices related to quality of life in an uncertain world, and the social change that needs to happen to make their impact sustainable. The selection of speakers considers social, economic, environmental, and political/governance aspects that favor or hamper aid, recovery and overall social change dynamics. To achieve this aim and provide a multidisciplinary perspective, both practitioners and academics will be represented.

The varied set of perspectives deriving from the authors’ field of experience and expertise will result in a kaleidoscope of first-hand knowledge about different paths that are conducive to individual and collective levels. Whereas some speakers will concentrate on the policy dimension, others will provide case-studies, and others methodological innovations. Their common theme is a holistic angle to ‘social change’ processes that is not limited in its scope to either the material or the immaterial side of societal transformation. Each contribution will illustrate connections between micro changes (individual) and the dynamics that derive from them at the meso (community), macro (country) and meta level (planet) nurturing quality of life if they are sustained through time. A central understanding is that we have a common responsibility, but differentiated abilities.

The moderator will provide an introduction of POZE (Perspective – Optimization – Zeniths – Exposure), the holistic perspective to social transformation that is illustrated, respectively and combined, by the speakers. The key messages of this panel are 1) the understanding that collective wellbeing is the cause and consequence of collective wellbeing; and 2) quality of life is the result of alignment between the twice four dimensions that influence human existence at the individual level (soul, heart, mind and body; expressed as aspirations, emotions, thought, sensations), and collectively (micro, meso, macro and meta; or, individual experiences, communities, countries and the world). Investments in one dimension without consideration of the others is unsustainable, whereas all can be promoted by systematically assessing and addressing the mutual interplay that connects them. Within this framework speakers will provide their own views, practical experience and theoretical approximation on how the multiple dimensions at stake play out in relation to quality of life without ties to a monolithic orthodoxy.

NOTE This Panel is connected to the ‘Handbook on Quality of Life and Social Change’, which is scheduled to appear in December 2023 as part of the Springer Handbook Series on Quality of Life.

GOAL The expected outcome of this panel is to identify and connect like-minded thinkers and practitioners to learn and share best practices and ideas.

SESSION STRUCTURE Following a brief introduction to the scope and paradigm of the Panel (Introduction/ 5 min) the moderator will offer the floor to each of the four panelists to introduce themselves and their present scope of work (Question 1 / 5 min each). They will then in turn answer the Questions that are directed to them specifically (Questions 2 to 5/5 min each). Subsequently the audience will be invited to ask questions to the speakers (10 min). To conclude the moderator will give each speaker the flow to summarize their key take-away. (10 min)

Questions Entry question to all speakers: How does this multidimensional understanding of being and becoming, of individual change and collective transformation relates to your body of work and current research interests?

Specific questions to the respective panelists: Micro What influences individual wellbeing from the inside out, and how does this influence the environment in which a person evolves? Meso What are the causes and consequences of solidarity that is taken beyond theory to practice, both for the individuals who are taking action and those who evolve in their community and society? Macro How does the macro-economic and political context influence individuals’ quality of life, and how is it influenced by it in return? Meta What are the cornerstones of happiness that are common to individuals beyond borders, and what are the differences that distinguish people and peoples?

Moderator Cornelia C. Walther, PhD combines praxis and research. As a humanitarian practitioner, she worked for two decades with UNICEF and the World Food Program in large scale emergencies in West Africa, Asia and Latin America. As lecturer, coach and researcher, Cornelia collaborates with various universities; including the Center for humanitarian leadership at Deakins (Australia), the Fachhochschule Münster (Germany), the University of Palermo (Argentina) and Aix-Marseille’s Law faculty (France). She is a senior fellow at the Center for Social and Behavior Change at the University of Pennsylvania. Cornelia holds a doctorate in Law and is a certified yoga and meditation teacher. In 2017 she initiated the POZE dynamic in Haiti; which has since then benefited people on all continents. Recent books include ‘‘Development, humanitarian action and social welfare’; ‘Humanitarian work, social change and human behavior’; ‘Connection in times of Covid’, ‘Technology, Behavior and Social Change’ and Leadership for Social Change and Development. [Macmillan Palgrave/Springer, New York].

LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/corneliawalther Website https://www.poze.cc

ABSTRACT. This study aimed to examine the effect of health vulnerability on health poverty. We developed a health poverty measurement model based on the multi-dimensional poverty framework to assess farmers’ health vulnerability. Additionally, an econometric model was employed to evaluate the impact of health vulnerability on health poverty. The study sample included 1,115 rice farmers in Hubei Province, China. The medical affordability poverty ratio was 17.95%, with farmers in the low-income group facing severe medical affordability poverty (27.46%). Multi-dimensional analysis results revealed health poverty ratios of 17.95% and 30.50%, respectively. Our findings indicated that climate change vulnerabilities, living habits, medical facilities, and medical accessibility were positively related to health poverty. In contrast, regular physical examinations were associated with reduced mental health poverty. The study offers valuable insights into mechanisms addressing illness-induced poverty among farming communities through national and regional strategies and programs grounded in a multi-dimensional health poverty framework. For instance, our findings highlight the positive impact of promoting the exchange of health knowledge on farmers’ health status. The importance of developing and monitoring robust and comprehensive metrics to understand and enhance farmers’ ability to absorb and mitigate adverse health shocks is also underscored. Finally, improving the quality and quantity of medical facilities and strengthening medical affordability in rural areas should be critical outcomes in government-wide initiatives.

ABSTRACT. Individual ratings of Subjective Wellbeing (SWB) are influenced by various contextual factors such as culture, era, location, comparisons to peers, health, and chance occurrences. On a population level, the "Easterlin's paradox" holds that wellbeing measures remain steady over time, despite world-wide advancements in living standards, healthcare, longevity, etc.. Response biases further complicate SWB measurement, making it challenging to assess genuine wellbeing. Bernheim’s ACSA (Anamnestic Comparative Self-Assessment) addresses these issues with a single-item self-anchoring scale using personal best (=-5) and worst (=+5) life periods as concrete scale anchors.

In comparison to traditional SWB measures, ACSA proves more sensitive to objective changes and less susceptible to cultural biases, as evidenced by experimental studies and surveys. ACSA's use of self-anchoring mitigates response biases, suggesting universal applicability for worldwide SWB comparisons. This presentation advocates for greater attention to and widespread adoption of Bernheim’s ACSA in SWB research and policymaking. The paper concludes that ACSA offers a valuable tool for obtaining more accurate and culturally unbiased measures of SWB, urging collaboration with ISQOLS members for further exploration.

ABSTRACT. Conventional Quality of Life (QOL) assessments using generic questions are susceptible to issues like trivialization, cultural bias, and insensitivity to changes. This study aims to address these problems through the Anamnestic Comparative Self-Assessment (ACSA). ACSA involves respondents anchoring their subjective wellbeing (SWB) scale on their remembered best and worst periods in life experience, rated at +5 and -5, respectively. These anchors can be considered universal as all individuals have been through both positive and negative life phases.

In South Africa, despite significant SWB differences between ethnic subpopulations, universal personal scale anchors were identified. European surveys, encompassing general and patient populations, revealed ACSA's superior discrimination and responsiveness compared to conventional questions (CQ) on SWB. In Locked-in Syndrome patients ACSA proved effective in overcoming the 'disability paradox', where SWB of severely disabled persons cannot be distinguished from healthy subjects. Additionally, ACSA demonstrated greater sensitivity to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on SWB compared to CQ.

ACSA's incorporation of biographical references discourages trivial responses and promotes empathic investigator-respondent interactions. Its brevity enhances suitability for longitudinal or intervention studies. Methodologically, ACSA combines cognitive and affective SWB, allowing respondents to choose between different perspectives on QOL.

In conclusion, ACSA's universal yet individualized biographical scale anchors may mitigate superficial and relativity-biased responses. The study calls for collaborations to further test the hypothesis that ACSA can offer transculturally comparable assessments of SWB.

ABSTRACT. In this paper we focus on Anamnestic Comparative Self-Assessment (ACSA) as a self-anchoring rating scale to assess overall subjective well-being (SWB) compared to other measures of SWB. ACSA’s distinguishing feature is the use of extreme scale anchors that refer to real experienced life situations: the reminisced best and worst periods in the respondent’s life. These are internal standards, thus less prone to relativity biases.

We applied the ACSA-scale and the other measures of SWB in Flanders (Belgium) in both a general population (N= 1025, a survey of Statistics Flanders in 2018) and a large group of university students (N=1147, a survey of Ghent University in 2020). In conformity with the OECD guidelines, in both surveys we included a wide range of measures of subjective well-being. These measures differ in the terms by which they address the cognitive or affective aspects of SWB, and whether or not single item scales are used. Conceptually, scales also differ in the reference standards used by respondents and the conceptual meaning of scale points.

In our analysis, we describe the metrics of the ACSA-scale and correlate ACSA ratings with other scales of subjective well-being. In addition, we analyze to what extent SWB of students is different from the SWB in a general population, using a diversity of scales to measure SWB.