ABSTRACT. Urbanization has been one of the primary forces driving the spatial configuration and the demographic, socio-economic, and political transformation of China’s grassroots neighborhoods. Although the scale of urbanization in China, together with its global influence, has generated a rapidly expanding field of study, the literature dealing with the country’s rural-urban transition at the neighborhood level is primarily based on cross-sectional surveys or case studies of specific localities. Few efforts have been made to present a more complete picture of the neighborhoods undergoing transition, the residents experiencing in-situ urbanization, and the associated consequences and challenges. In this paper, we aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of the changes in neighborhood environment of places experiencing in-situ urbanization and examine the effects of such changes on the urbanized residents’ subjective well-being.

Based on the 2018 Urbanization and Quality of Life Survey and the 2024 follow-up survey we conducted in 40 township-level administrative units undergoing rural-urban transition via administrative reclassification, we will deal with the endogenous issues that have limited the scope and reliability of existing research based on cross-sectional data. We are also collecting and compiling factual information (such as administrative reclassification, demographic composition, land use, health facilities, and social services) on selected neighborhoods in the 40 townships and integrating this information with the survey data.

With the multi-level data, we will examine the changing neighborhood environment and its effects on the in-situ urbanized residents’ subjective well-being and reveal the important role of community facilities and social services in promoting citizens’ subjective well-being. The research will shed light on the administrative and territorial factors directing China’s ongoing urbanization and will contribute to both academic and policy discussions concerning rural-urban transition, effective social service provision, sustainable urban development, and citizens’ well-being.

ABSTRACT. The increasing trend of intergenerational coresidence has garnered both public and academic interest. As more young adults postpone or forgo marriage in societies where premarital coresidence is common, such as Taiwan, they may live with their parents for an unprecedented duration. Previous studies have documented how coresidence affects the well-being of young adults in both Western contexts and Taiwan. Nevertheless, recent research highlights the necessity for a more nuanced understanding of the effects of coresidence on various population subgroups. Therefore, this study examines whether the influence of coresidence on life satisfaction varies among never-married young adults based on gender and socioeconomic status (SES). I use data from the 2007 to 2024 Panel Study of Family Dynamics to document and analyze how long-term living arrangements, transitions into coresidence, and transitions out of coresidence influence the life satisfaction of never-married young adults aged 26 to mid-30s based on gender and SES. I expect to discover varying coresidence related to gender and SES among never-married young adults. This research is significant for two reasons. First, it closely aligns with the increasing trend of intergenerational coresidence and related research. Second, it sheds light on how residential (in)dependence influences the life satisfaction and subjective well-being of emerging adults.

ABSTRACT. Background: Healthy city is a city that is continually creating and improving physical and social environments and expanding community resources which enable people to mutually support each other in performing all functions of life and in developing to maximum potentials (Hancock & Duhl, 1988). Healthy city is defined as a city that is striving for holistic health of citizens (Cho, 2015). A Forest-friendly healthy city is a city where the natural environment, especially forests, is carefully integrated into urban planning and design to promote physical, mental, and environmental health. The Garden City model, first proposed by Sir Ebenezer Howard in the early 20th century advocates for a balance between urbanization and nature by creating self-contained cities with abundant green spaces, including gardens and forests. In Korea, the Healthy Cities Act has come into effect since December 2023. Korea is working to improve the quality of life of citizens by creating urban forests and gardens based on the Urban Forest Act and the Arboretum and Garden Act. Korea has created and operates national gardens in Suncheon and Ulsan, and has created and operated local gardens in other cities. Seoul has been working on creating a healthy city by holding the 10th general meeting of the Healthy City Alliance last year. The city of Seoul plans to create 1,000 community gardens of various types by 2026. Methods: Literature survey and case study Results: identification of quality of life, health promotion, sustainability as common goals of healthy cities and garden cities, identification of Confirmation of Seoul City's policy status and future plans for healthy cities and garden cities. Discussion: It is meaningful to confirm the basis and cases that a healthy city and a garden city can meet through forests and develop into a city with a higher quality of life.

ABSTRACT. Despite significantly lower household income in rural areas of Japan, residents report similar or even higher levels of well-being and happiness than their urban counterparts. While social capital is a plausible compensating factor for economic deficiencies, there is still little evidence of a direct trade-off between the two in rural Japan. To test the trade-off hypothesis, effects of two dimensions of social capital are identified: community social capital and access to social support resources. The results show that while the former is higher in rural than in urban areas, only the latter shows a small trade-off effect: better access to social support resources can mitigate the negative effects of lower income in rural but not in urban areas of Japan.

ABSTRACT. This paper estimates the difference in house prices in Luxembourg and its three neighboring countries, Belgium, France and Germany. We use propensity score matching techniques and representative household survey data, which contain information on house price valuations from households living in Luxembourg or in its surrounding regions. When using a sample of dwellings close to the border, the results suggest that the house price difference is 2.1, meaning that crossing the border into Luxembourg increases dwelling prices by 101\% on average, showing a clear discontinuity at the border that is not explained by intrinsic dwelling characteristics or geographical determinants. This result confirms, yet refines, those found in a hedonic price model with distance information.

ABSTRACT. This paper focuses on young people and examines the interplay between life satisfaction, life goals in young adulthood, and housing-related empowerment. Evidence suggests that young people’s housing pathways have become increasingly fragmented and chaotic due to significant constraints on residential decisions, particularly concerning housing tenure. These constraints affect perceptions of housing-related empowerment and are critical to individual and family wellbeing, especially in the context of delayed access to homeownership and growing exclusion from this ‘desired’ tenure, as framed in many housing regimes. These challenges are compounded by increasing inter- and intragenerational inequalities. We recognize that young adults' life goals are diverse, and these, combined with housing-related empowerment, significantly impact life satisfaction. Furthermore, young people’s housing aspirations and expectations can vary considerably across different groups defined by their specific socio-economic characteristics (e.g. income, education, professional status, or migratory background). Yet, little is known about the interplay between life satisfaction, life goals and the housing sphere – specifically, how life goals and housing-related empowerment influence life satisfaction across diverse sub-groups of young people.

This paper explores the differences in the relationship between goals, satisfaction, and empowerment among various socio-economic sub-groups of young people (aged 19 to 35). It does so by using Luxembourg as a case study, a country characterised by a liberal housing regime traditionally supporting homeownership and facing a pronounced crisis of access to affordable housing. The analysis employs regression models using the data from the 2023 Affordable Housing Survey conducted in Luxembourg, providing new insights into these critical relationships.

ABSTRACT. Humans have an evolutionary bond with nature. The biophilia hypothesis, formulated by Edward O. Wilson in 1984, has also been examined by the World Health Organization (WHO) and more recently in science. However, previous research addressing urban land use and its composition and configuration is mostly based on cross-sectional data and lacks in identifying causal relationships regarding different aspects of land use structure. The possibility of using longitudinal data to record developments in this regard over time and to identify causal effects has not yet been studied extensively. The paper contributes to this research gap by analysing longitudinal data that record developments over time and to approach causality by estimating two-way fixed-effects regressions. A relationship between individual life satisfaction and mental health on the one hand and composition and configuration of urban land use on the other is established. There are several theories suggesting how landscape patterns affect human well-being. For example, the prospect-refuge theory implies a universal preference for savanna-like views. As well, environmental factors such as air quality might be affected by composition and fragmentation. Moreover, bird diversity is related to land use structure. On the other hand, there is evidence that air pollution and birdsong soundscapes positively affect life satisfaction and mental health. Urban land use is assessed by classification while composition and configuration are measured by landscape metrics. Both well-being indicators are recorded based on an analysis of the panel survey data sets of the Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP). The European Urban Atlas (EUA) of the Copernicus program is used as the data basis for investigating urban land use structure within German cities. The results have important implication for well-being policies in the context of urban planning.

ABSTRACT. People who experience stronger place attachment—i.e., feeling comfortable and secure in the place they live—report greater subjective well-being. However, research has yet to understand some of the underlying mechanisms explaining this association. The aim of this study was to examine whether perceived environmental quality mediated the associations of place attachment with life satisfaction, happiness, and optimism. In a large cross-sectional study (N = 4,053), we conducted phone interviews with individuals who resided in different Portuguese municipalities. Participants who resided in municipalities with small population sizes (vs. medium and large population sizes) reported stronger place attachment, higher perceived environmental quality, and greater subjective well-being. Likewise, participants who resided in an inland region (vs. coastal region) also reported higher perceived environmental quality. A mediation analysis further showed that stronger place attachment was associated with higher perceived environmental quality, more life satisfaction, more happiness, and higher optimism. Aligned with our reasoning, these associations were mediated by perceived environmental quality. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

ABSTRACT. Urban blue and green spaces are known for mitigating pressing climate events such as heatwaves and floods, while offering co-benefits for human health and well-being. However, these benefits are not equitably distributed, with disadvantaged groups and deprived neighbourhoods often facing limited access to green and blue spaces. Additionally, these individuals are often excluded from planning processes. This project aims to counteract these barriers by addressing the needs and preferences of disadvantaged groups and including them in urban planning processes supported by geoinformation systems (GIS) and advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI). Focusing on Enschede, a medium-sized city in the Netherlands, this interdisciplinary project uses a participatory co-design approach to bring together diverse perspectives from disadvantaged groups and decision-makers to foster collaborative and inclusive urban planning. Based on a systematic scoping literature review, we synthesized knowledge on the role of blue and green spaces in enhancing the well-being of disadvantaged populations, particularly in the context of extreme weather events. Building on the resulting urban green and blue space for inclusive climate and health framework, we assessed the needs, perceptions, and barriers faced by disadvantaged residents using mixed methods in Enschede. While conducting two participatory workshops in collaboration with UrbanistAI and the UT DesignLab - one imagining and designing spaces suitable for disadvantaged community members with students acting as personas, and one together with disadvantaged community members and decision-makers from the area - urban planning solutions supported by GIS and AI tools were collaboratively developed. The knowledge generated in this process is disseminated through science communication pieces, informs collaborative educational initiatives, and contributes to developing climate-sensitive blue and green spaces co-designed to enhance inclusivity and well-being for disadvantaged urban populations. This project was funded by the collaboration of VU Amsterdam-University of Twente awarded to the impact program Creating Responsible Societies.

ABSTRACT. The quest to obtain the economic value of the marine environment has heavily relied on hypothetical markets or revealed preference techniques. A newer approach involves the estimation of a micro-econometric well being function. Here the implicit worth of the environment is obtained by assessing the effects of exposure to the environment on subjective well being and then comparing them with effects of income on subjective well being. The area is ripe for exploration in the marine environment, given emerging evidence on the links between the marine environment and well being. Our study seeks to provide a detailed exploration of whether, how, and by how much, the marine environment impacts well being by examining what type of exposure (residential, recreational, occupational, and consumptive activities) generates well being effects. We employ primary data gathered from a representative sample of UK residents in 2022 as part of a funded project (ECOSCOPE, GRANT ID 101000302) and estimate a baseline well being model and any additional impact explained by exposure to the marine environment. We trace the equivalence of exposure to the marine improvement environment and income. We also conduct a sensitivity analysis of the values derived by using both affective and evaluative definitions of well being and different types of exposure to the marine environment.

ABSTRACT. This case study from Chiclayo, Peru, explores the integration of go-along interviews into well-being studies, presenting preliminary findings on how residents perceive their built and natural environment and its impact on their well-being. The methodology combined map-based surveys and go-along interviews to capture subjective and spatial dimensions of well-being. Surveys using the Personal Well-being Index (PWI-A) measured subjective well-being and assessed perceptions of environmental resources. Go-along interviews involved participants walking through their daily environments while discussing their experiences, perceptions, and interactions with their surroundings. GPS coordinates were recorded to link qualitative narratives with spatial data. The study focused on two areas in Chiclayo with different levels of green spaces and socio-economic characteristics. Data collected included information on public, green, and blue spaces, air quality, and the functionality of green spaces. This case study provides insights into the perspectives of vulnerable groups, contextualising the use of go-along interviews in the Global South, and informs the design of inclusive and sustainable urban development strategies. Integrating qualitative and quantitative data offers a contextualised understanding of well-being and highlights the potential for participatory methodologies to study well-being and environmental justice.

ABSTRACT. Cape Town's urban landscape is marked by inequalities, with informal settlements exemplifying the persistence of socio-economic disparities in the post-apartheid era. Given the state's constrained capacity to address these issues comprehensively, co-production has emerged as an impactful alternative to conventional planning approaches. This study explores the co-production processes involved in developing social infrastructure—facilities and spaces that meet basic needs and promote social connections—within Monwabisi Park, an informal settlement in Cape Town. The research builds on social infrastructure interventions facilitated by the non-profit organization Violence Prevention through Urban Upgrading (VPUU). Funded by the EU research project WISER (2023-2026), this study adopts an inductive qualitative approach to understand the broader impacts of the social infrastructure interventions on the quality of life of residents. It also examines the governance arrangements that facilitated their co-production processes and highlights key elements that contributed to their success. This paper focuses on two types of social infrastructure interventions to illustrate the broader scope of the study:1) Emthonjeni, meaning "source" or "well" in isiXhosa, provides water and washing facilities and at the same time offers children safe spaces to play and learn 2) Community Urban Gardening, founded by Monwabisi Park residents, use underutilised spaces to improve food security and raise awareness on healthy nutrition. Both interventions serve as hubs of community interaction and integration and create opportunities for collective action. The key findings of the study highlight the critical role of community engagement and the involvement of intermediaries like VPUU in facilitating hybrid governance arrangements and empowering local residents. By centering on non-economic drivers of quality of life, this research reframes the narrative around informal settlements, emphasizing the agency of marginalized communities. The findings underscore the transformative potential of co-production in enhancing social cohesion and environmental justice while advancing livelihoods and well-being in informal settlement communities.

ABSTRACT. Recently, there is an increased interest in the conceptualisation and assessment of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) concept in health sciences. This is because HRQoL is currently used as a patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) for the quality of healthcare services. So far, HRQoL studies have been conducted in Saudi Arabia, however the instruments used in assessing the HRQoL is questionable as most are culturally not validated. Up to date, there is limited evidence on culturally adapted QoL instruments to the Saudi context. This study aims to develop/adapt a HRQoL instrument and assess the HRQoL patients undergoing haemodialysis in Saudi Arabia. HRQoL instrument translation and cultural adaptation was undertaken following DeVellis (2011) steps of instrument adaptation.

A critical systematic review and critique of common QoL/HRQoL instruments used in renal literature was performed to assist in interpreting the empirical qualitative study findings and to map the existing instruments with the current study domains of HRQoL. The Web of Knowledge (Web of Science) database was used to locate research studies that aimed to assess the QoL/HRQoL of patients undergoing dialysis or instrument development or validation for patients undergoing dialysis. The quality of QoL/HRQoL instruments have been appraised and each instrument and the published study of its development and validation were reviewed. The QoL/HRQoL domains assessed in each instrument were reviewed and the items were grouped into domains if not explicitly mentioned. Those domains are generated from the qualitative study findings. Additional domains that did not fit into the identified domains were also extracted. Five domains were identified and assessed in all instruments. These are physiological, social, psychological, religious, and vocational domains. The literature search yield 14 instruments, 12 were used in assessing the QoL/HRQoL of patients with renal failure and undergoing dialysis. Seven instruments are disease-specific whereas the rest are generic instruments.

ABSTRACT. For sexual minority men living with HIV(SMM-LWH), intersectional minority stress increases mental health risk. Further, racial minority and substance-using (SU)SMM-LWH are two subgroups that experience disproportionate mental health disparities. Just-in-time adaptive interventions(JITAI) are a promising for this population. JITAIS offer in-the-moment support by relying on ‘tailoring variables’ from ecological momentary assessment(EMA) to guide intervention delivery. As such, JITAI success relies on EMA compliance as well as data validity. Given these subgroups show low EMA compliance, it is important to optimize EMA methods prior to scaling up JITAIs for this population.

We review findings from three studies where we piloted an EMA-based JITAI to improve wellbeing with SMM-LWH and SUSMM-LWH. We also present a planned missing EMA design to reduce burden and improve EMA compliance/JITAI engagement.

Study 1 enrolled 22 SMM-LWH(Mage=37.8; 81% racial.minority);EMA completion rates ranged from 12.5%-100%(M=66.19%). Study 2 enrolled 8 SUSMM-LWH(Mage=39.4; 50% racial.minority);EMA completion rates ranged from 32.2% - 100%(M=63.09%). In both, participants commented on redundancy/burden of completing the same daily EMAs. To address this, we are implementing a planned missing EMA design for Study 3, which will enroll 80 SUSMM-LWH(current N=59). Our planned missing EMA uses a simple matrix design and ensures each item will have 67% complete data, which results in each pair of items having 33% complete data for covariance estimates. Preliminary show that patterns of unplanned missingness across EMAs do not differ significantly, providing early evidence of feasibility for using this design in JITAI research.

While planned missing designs have become increasingly popular in longitudinal research, limited research has examined it in EMA and few–if any–have explored the utility of this design for JITAIs. This design has the potential to reduce participant burden in EMA studies, which can improve data quality and compliance, both of which are key to the success of JITAIs.

ABSTRACT. INTRODUCTION: Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are foundational tools for informing treatment options and evaluating outcomes. We examined the association of patient factors with PROM measurement rates and achievement of substantial clinical benefit (SCB) for patients undergoing primary total knee and hip arthroplasty (TKA/THA).

METHODS: This retrospective analysis included patients aged ≥50 years undergoing primary TKA/THA between 2020-2023 at a single academic medical center. We extracted demographics (e.g. race), clinical factors (e.g. BMI), socioeconomic factors (e.g. insurance type), and the measurement of PROM scores [Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for Joint Replacement (HOOS JR), Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for Joint Replacement (KOOS JR), and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Global Health (PROMIS GH)] from a third-party vendor. PROMs were assessed within 30 days before surgery and at one year (+30 days). Logistic regression models evaluated associations between patient factors and PROM measurement rates and achievement of SCB (SCB: HOOS JR: ∆+22, KOOS JR: ∆+20).

RESULTS: Among 2,715 patients (1,227 THA, 1,438 TKA; mean age 68 years; 59% female), one-year PROM completion rate was 59%. Black race (OR:0.39-0.45), non-English speaking status (OR:0.06-0.18), and each point increase in Charlson Comorbidity Index (OR:0.79-0.87) were associated with lower completion rates, while older age correlated to higher completion (OR:1.17-1.23 per SD). Among patients completing PROMs at both time points, SCB achievement rates were 83% for THA (n=639) and 63% for TKA (n=520), with higher baseline scores being the only significant predictor of lower achievement (OR: 0.26 and 0.38, respectively).

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Notable disparities exist in PROM measurement rates based on patient factors, while achievement of SCB is independent of these factors. This distinction suggests barriers exist in data collection but not in clinical improvement potential. Future interventions are warranted to address these disparities to improve care equity and outcomes assessment in arthroplasty.

ABSTRACT. Introduction: Nursing home residents’ (NHR) Quality of life (QoL) became increasingly important in healthcare and various studies used QoL questionnaires as outcome measures. However, most of these studies reported only overall QoL scores and didn’t examine QoL on item level. For deeper understanding of NHR’ QoL, the aim of the study was to investigate QoL overall and on item level. Methods: This descriptive study used the German version of the brief Older People's Quality of Life questionnaire (OPQOL-brief). Demographic data, length of stay in the nursing home and medical diagnosis were also collected. Between February and March 2023 data collection took place in one Austrian nursing home. For data analysis descriptive statistics was carried out. Results: From 121 invited NHR, 67 participated. Most of them were female, on average 83 years old and lived in the nursing home on average for 33 months. The average total OPQOL-brief score was nearly 50 (moderate to good). The item with most frequent agreement was 'I feel safe where I live' (88.1%) followed by 'I look forward to things' (86.6%) and 'My family/friends/neighbours would help me if needed' (86.5%). The highest frequency of disagreement showed the item 'I am healthy enough to have my independence' (67,2%). The two items rated second and third worst were: 'I have social/leisure activities/hobbies that I enjoy doing' (38,8%) and 'I am healthy enough to get out and about' (35,8%). Conclusion: Looking more closely on the items instead of only considering the overall QoL score helps to better understand where NHR QoL is lacking and which items positively influence QoL. Even if the overall QoL is rated as moderate to good, there are items which need improvement. Nurses should be aware of the items’ influence on NHR’ QoL, and consider them when developing/implementing care plans or interventions.

ABSTRACT. Each year, more than a million Filipinos choose to work overseas, either in new employment or in an extension of an international work contract. The Philippine Statistical Authority (2023) estimated that 2.16 million Filipinos were currently overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). Foreign exchange remittances from OFWS have continued continue to grow, with US Dollars 21.53 billion in January to July 2024, a rise of 3% from the previous year. Social Weather Stations data show that Filipino households with overseas workers consistently have higher life satisfaction and optimism in general, compared to households without overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), the only exception being the COVID pandemic year when many OFWs, including seafarers, returned home due to the forced loss of employment.

Providing evidence from various national migration surveys and research studies, the paper juxtaposes how the country’s employment and foreign exchange gains and the comparatively higher levels of life satisfaction of left-behind families of OFWS come at significant personal risks and vulnerabilities at all stages of their overseas employment process. OFWs continue to face high recruitment costs, fraud and misrepresentation. Onsite contract violations and maltreatment in workplaces persist, despite considerable Philippine governmental regulation and welfare services. More worrisome are research findings that show that many OFWs in the most difficult conditions do not seek assistance for redress in foreign workplaces and, only in the most difficult conditions, opt for early contract termination and return home.

The paper offers insights on the future of overseas employment of Filipinos in an increasingly migrant-intolerant world.

ABSTRACT. Introduction Immigrants and refugees face a set of challenges that reasonably could affect their Wellbeing. As a group, especially refugees, often have lower income, poorer living conditions, reduced employment opportunities and are less socially integrated than the native population. Nonetheless, studies from Norway show that the foreign-born population, reports comparable life satisfaction as the native population. However, most of these studies focus on a single Wellbeing outcome, namely Satisfaction with Life, which represents only one of several dimensions of Wellbeing. Notably affective and eudaimonic measures are lacking. Furthermore, previous studies need to be updated to align with the shifting demographics of the foreign-born population, especially the large influx of Ukrainian refugees. Aims Describe holistic Wellbeing among the immigrant population in Oslo, Norway Methods In November/December 2024, a large public health survey was conducted in Oslo, the capital of Norway. The survey was specifically designed to obtain representative samples from the largest immigrant groups. The survey and accompanying informational materiel were made available in 7 languages. Altogether, 161,000 (i.e., 27 % of the adult population) were invited to complete a web survey on health and Wellbeing. The largest foreign-born groups and young (< 30 years) were oversampled. The total sample was a cluster randomized sample from 98 city wards. Results Complete interviews where obtained from 45,000 respondents (28 %). Foreign-born individuals represented 30 % of the net sample, allowing for country level analyses. Results on several key Wellbeing dimensions will be presented, with the data broken down by specific countries, with special emphasis placed on Ukrainian refugees. Conclusion Given that 25% of Oslo's population is foreign-born, and considering the city is rapidly changing, updating and refining Wellbeing data is crucial. Enhanced understanding of Wellbeing among different immigrant groups will inform policy development aimed at improving well-being among immigrant communities in Oslo.

ABSTRACT. Background: Quality of life (QoL), self-compassion, and general well-being are psychological categories that can be impacted by the substantial cultural and environmental changes brought about by migration, especially for older populations. Considering the difficulties of cultural adjustment, this study investigates how QoL affects self-compassion and well-being in older Iranian migrant males living in Sweden and Germany. Methods: A cross-sectional study was undertaken with Iranian men aged 60 and up who live in Sweden and Germany. To assess QoL and self-compassion, validated self-report instruments such as the WHOQOL-BREF and the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) were employed, while total well-being was measured using multidimensional psychological health indices. Participants' average ages were 66.23 years in Sweden and 68.37 years in Germany. To investigate the links between QoL, self-compassion, and well-being, data were analyzed using correlation tests and multiple regression models. Results: Higher QoL scores were substantially connected with increased self-compassion and well-being. Cultural adaption issues, such as perceived discrimination and shifting social norms, have a negative impact on psychological health. Self-compassion helped to mitigate the negative impacts of cultural stresses on well-being. These findings are consistent with prior study demonstrating the influence of migration on the health-related quality of life of senior Iranian immigrants. Conclusion: This study emphasizes the importance of QoL in shaping self-compassion and well-being among elderly Iranian migrants. Cultural adaptation has a substantial influence on psychological outcomes, highlighting the importance of tailored interventions. Fostering self-compassion may improve general well-being and facilitate better adjustment among elderly migrant populations.

ABSTRACT. The aim of this study is to explore the life satisfaction of elderly Turkish migrants in the Netherlands. To this end, a qualitative life story method was used and a total of 15 life stories were collected from first generation elderly Turkish migrants, who moved to the Netherlands in the wake of labour migration during 1960s and 1970s. The purpose of the use of life story method was to understand the determining factors, and the impact of migration process for the quality of life of elderly Turkish migrants. Participants of the study were also asked to graph their lives indicating their degree of life satisfaction in over those years, and to discuss the reasons for their ratings. The analysis of participants’ life stories and life graphs revealed key factors which increase or decrease elderly Turkish migrants’ life satisfaction in the Netherlands, and the change in their level of life satisfaction over time. The findings of the study also indicated the significance of the use of life story as a method for uncovering patterns of quality of life in old age, and to understand the impact of transitory life events in the life course of elderly.

ABSTRACT. In an era where artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly reshapes many facets of human life, its potential to enhance holistic well-being and foster shared quality of life is vast. This presentation focuses on "ProSocial AI" as a transformative force within the realms of Social Capital and Well-being. Tailored, trained, tested, and targeted AI models—designed with a profound understanding of human empathy, social trust, and collaborative values—can amplify prosocial behaviors, foster interpersonal trust, and enhance overall societal resilience.

Drawing from the multidisciplinary understanding of human existence as a composition of 2 x 4 dimensions, this session explores ProSocial AI's role in reinforcing social capital. This perspective can enable AI systems to align deeply with human values, nurturing trust in individuals and institutions. ProSocial AI, when carefully attuned to human values, can foster social bonds, catalyze meaningful engagement, and scale collective well-being across diverse communities.

Participants will gain insights into how ProSocial AI—through purposeful design and deployment—can catalyze societal well-being, balancing technological advancement with profound human values to address complex social challenges. By examining evidence-based case studies and participatory discussions, this session offers a roadmap for harnessing AI to strengthen our social fabric, promoting a shared and sustainable quality of life at scale.

ABSTRACT. This study examines the integration of pro-social artificial intelligence (AI), AI systems designed to promote social good, and natural intelligence (NI), which encompasses human cognitive abilities, to enhance social capital among older adults. Recognizing the potential of AI to facilitate prosocial behaviours, this research aims to identify effective strategies that combine technological interventions with human empathy and decision-making to promote volunteerism and philanthropy. We will systematically review existing literature, focusing on studies that assess the impact of AI-driven initiatives on social connectedness, mental health, and life satisfaction in senior populations. Databases including EBSCOhost, Web of Science, Scopus and ScienceDirect will be searched using predefined inclusion criteria. The findings are expected to provide insights into how the synergy between Pro-Social AI and human intelligence can be leveraged to empower social capital, thereby improving older adults' well-being and quality of life. This research contributes to the discourse on innovative approaches to supporting active and engaged ageing, aligning with the objectives of the Empowering Social Capital through Pro-Social AI and NI-AI Complementarity initiative.

ABSTRACT. This paper examines the social functions of happiness. This inquiry is initiated by the late Prof. Ruut Veenhoven, in which he asked for the well-being researchers to examine whether happier people contributes to the social goods substantially. This legacy issue has high theoretical importance yet receiving only limited research attention. I argue that happiness research can be more strongly justified as such a feeling of satisfaction helps to trigger activities that improve life conditions of the generalized others in a society. By way of observing happiness’ effects on altruistic behaviors on the basis of an online panel data, this study aims to provide empirical evidence to show to what extent happiness encourages an individual’s volunteering activities for the community and environments. The data is drawn from the project of Research on Public Opinions and Attitudes supported by the Center for Survey Research, Academia Sinica. This longitudinal survey covers three waves (2021, 2022, 2024) and have a large sample over 3,000 respondents. The preliminary results from cross-lagged models reveal that happiness observed from previous years has a notable influence on volunteering activities later in time. The outcomes suggest that happiness has a notable social usefulness because it encourages activities that contribute to collective goods.

ABSTRACT. Many scientific disciplines work on developing a thorough understanding of human well-being and its causal determinants. Different philosophical strands have developed distinct well-being concepts, which are nevertheless strongly linked. For instance, many typical well-being components in eudaimonic philosophies (such as human needs) correlate with subjective life assessment measures.

Existing empirical research also provides many insights into which factors determine human well-being , such as health and income. However, the causal ordering of these factors is often not explicitly considered, although doing so would be crucial for a correct identification of effect sizes.

In response to these two observations, we propose a unified causal framework of the main pathways determining human well-being in its different conceptual notions (eudaimonic well-being, affect, and overall life assessments). The framework considers environmental, economic, societal, political, social, and psychological factors and shows how they interact. It combines insights from theories of human needs, the capabilities approach, and subjective well-being research.

In the talk, we present the framework and the causality concepts underlying it (such as the distinction between total, direct, and indirect effects). We show how it can inform empirical research design and help to interpret existing research results. We also discuss its use in modelling societal interventions and environmental impacts on well-being.

ABSTRACT. Background: Human health and wellbeing are profoundly shaped by our social environments and biological predispositions. The majority of genetically sensitive investigations into wellbeing to date has focussed on the effect of one’s own genes on variation in wellbeing across the life course. However, an emerging inquiry is whether the genes of our social contacts, particularly our family members, also affect our own wellbeing. In this study, we examine the interconnectedness of genetic predispositions for wellbeing within families, drawing attention to the complex web of social and genetic factors that collectively contribute to wellbeing. Methods: We capitalize on up to eight assessments over 14 years in the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study (N> 87,000), the world’s largest population-based pregnancy cohort. Using family trio (parents and offspring) polygenic scores (PGS) for the wellbeing spectrum (WBS), we predict four types of wellbeing in parents’, including life satisfaction (LS), relationship satisfaction (RS), positive and negative affect. Multilevel models allow us to simultaneously control for shared genetics between family members while exploiting longitudinal data across adulthood. Results: The best-fitting models included both individual and relational genetic effects for mothers and fathers alike, with the latter related to their partner, but not to their child. The magnitude of the genetic effects varies across types of wellbeing with the individual genetic effects particularly large for negative affect and LS, and the relational genetic (partner) effects most substantial for RS. Conclusion: Our study showcases that individual (parental) wellbeing, at least at the family-level, is a relational asset influenced by the wellbeing genes of others operating through the environment. These findings have significant implications for our understanding of personal and familial wellbeing, emphasizing the importance of genetic perspectives in psychological and relational development within the family unit.

ABSTRACT. Abstract: This study investigates how intergenerational coresidence relates to depression among older adults in China. Using panel data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS, 2011–2020), we estimate individual fixed-effects models to assess within-person changes in mental health. Results show that older adults living with married children tend to report higher levels of depressive symptoms. This association is more pronounced among wealthier individuals, suggesting that economic autonomy may heighten stress in shared living arrangements. Gender differences also emerge: men experience greater depression in coresidence, while women show no significant effect. These findings challenge the assumption that family-based support universally benefits mental well-being in later life. Instead, the mental health effects of intergenerational living depend on socioeconomic status and gender roles. Our results highlight the need for alternative eldercare strategies and tailored mental health support for older adults navigating changing family structures.

ABSTRACT. We revisit the famous Easterlin paradox by considering that life evaluation scales refer to a changing context, hence they are regularly reinterpreted. We propose a simple model of rescaling based on both retrospective and current life evaluations, and apply it to unexploited archival data from the USA. When correcting for rescaling, we find that the well-being of Americans has substantially increased, on par with GDP, health, education, and liberal democracy, from the 1950s to the early 2000s. Using several datasets, we shed light on other happiness puzzles, including the apparent stability of life evaluations during COVID-19, why Ukrainians report similar levels of life satisfaction today as before the war, and the absence of parental happiness.

ABSTRACT. The realization of child health has become a serious global concern in the 20th century in the course of the HIV and AIDS pandemic, urbanization, overpopulation, poverty, etc. Tanzania and Uganda experienced significant challenges in realizing health rights for children following a rapid increase of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in the 2000s following the HIV and AIDS pandemic where OVCs were exposed to the high risk of being deprived of their health needs. Tanzania and Uganda share similar child health and early development (ECD) interventions embedded in community participation and engagement through Ujamaa Intersections (families, local leaders, elders, neighborhood, etc. Ujamaa Intersections Model forms the basis of holistic and collective intervention for para-social workers to address the special health needs of children. Both countries collaborated with other stakeholders to design an Ubuntu model of PSW integrated through the Ujamaa Intersections and social work to ensure and promote the protection of child health and other rights in the community. Also, PSWs were capacitated to advocate for child rights and provide community health interventions, succeeded in the provision of child community health promotion, conducting household visits, and community education, identifying children needing referral, psychosocial care and support, and collaborating with other community-based cadres as well as with local governance structures and community groups. Also, the relevance of Ubuntu values and social work enabled para-social workers to identify the special needs of vulnerable children, increase community child protection awareness, create alarm systems for abused children, and sometimes link them to temporary self-shelters or social welfare services, etc. Despite the challenges, PSW succeeded in advocating for children's rights and inclusive health. PSW has rendered evidence based on how the Indigenous models can offer sustainable solutions for an inclusive health approach as per the SDG of leaving no child behind.

ABSTRACT. The study guided by the Ubuntu theory necessity a review of social workers' engagement in serving autistic children in Tanzania and Uganda through the Ujamaa Intersections Model. UIM is among the Ubuntu model that strives to improve the quality of life that is reflected in the policy framework of the two countries based on the community approach which is directly linked to social work practice. Serving autistic children requires collective efforts and crosscutting interventions thus the applicability of the Ujamaa intersections or community intersections. The result has shown that Ujamaa intersections Model is linked to social work through the value of human dignity, equality, human rights, care, sympathy, ecology, social justice, etc. Social workers engage UIM to improve the communication, learning, and social skills of autistic children and their families. The functionality of the Ujamaa intersections at the community level influences the timely realization of holistic and collective strategies for autistic children relevant to safety, acceptance, and upholding a sense of competence in the natural environment. The Ujamaa intersections render relevant ecology for prevention and responses to the special needs of autistic children, Autistic care is challenged by some health professionals and caregivers are not aware of the role of social workers in Autism and planners have continued to focus autism interventions to be more health-oriented and side-lining other professions. Therefore, lessons from two countries render a shred of evidence on how social work interventions can integrate Ubuntu models in restoring the quality of life of autistic children through establishing conducive environments that are well-organized and predictable like Ujamaa Intersections. Ujamaa Intersections demonstrate a capacity to provide structure and clear routines that ultimately help autistic children feel secure, and accepted, reduce anxiety, and healthy life. It ensures timely access to regular schedules for meals, therapy, school, and bedtime.

ABSTRACT. Adoption is viewed as a permanent alternative service in the child welfare system. In Taiwan, non-relative adoption has must been processed by social agencies since May 30, 2012, in order to uphold children’s rights and well-being. This study was aimed to understand professional assessment on the best interests of the child during the three phases of Taiwanese pre-adoption preparation: parental preparation and assessment, match and pre-adoption placement, and court order process. Semi-structured interviews with 10 social workers and 3 court professionals were conducted. Research attention was focused more on assessment and collaboration between social workers and court professionals. Findings from the analysis indicated that: “Pre-adoption preparation “mechanism is designed for the best interests of the child. However, during the service delivery, social workers provided more "assessment" than "support". It seemed harmful to establish positive professional partnership with prospective adoptive parents. First of all, in the first phase, “increasingly strict parental preparation and assessment” leads to a longer “waiting period”, which may increase the risk of adoption disruption. During the second phase, because of “the assessment of pre-adoption placement” for court documentation, it may obstruct building positive attachment between adoptive parents and the adopted child from obtaining appropriate resources and supportive services. Finally, in the third phase, social workers seemed become the role of a “investigator” and provided a home-visit report for court. More interaction and collaboration between social worker and court professionals will be needed, to enhance pre-adoption services and might also benefit for post-adoption services. This study concluded with important implications for policies, practice and research regarding enhancing pre-adoption preparation services, further promoting the wellbeing of adopted children.

ABSTRACT. Background: Existing studies have confirmed that social workers are prone to burnout, which can affect a wide range of areas, including insomnia, depression, etc. Nevertheless, they might also experience "recovery." This study aimed to explore the factors that affect social workers' recovery under work stress, focusing on the two indicators of recovery outcomes: empowerment and life satisfaction. Based on the Unity Model and referring to existing research, this study focused on exploring the influence of spirituality and the Golden-mean thinking. In addition, seniority, harmony, self-esteem, resilience, and organizational support were included as the control variables. Methods: The study subjects were those who have held full-time social work positions for more than one year, including social workers, supervisors, and directors. Through an online survey, 484 usable data were collected. The direct, indirect, and buffering effects were tested through regression and path analyses. Results: The regression analyses revealed that the model was significant and explained 63.9% and 52.2% of the variances in empowerment and life satisfaction, respectively. Work stress exerted a negative effect on the dependent variables. The internal resources could facilitate recovery, with self-esteem being the most important factor, spirituality the second, and Golden-mean thinking the third. Resilience only had a significant effect on empowerment. Self-esteem could buffer the negative effect of work stress on empowerment. Spirituality and the Golden Mean thinking could indirectly affect empowerment and life satisfaction via self-esteem. In addition, spirituality and the Golden Mean thinking could indirectly affect empowerment via resilience. Conclusions: The findings imply the importance of self-care and organizational support in facilitating social workers’ recovery.

ABSTRACT. The present study is an endeavour to bring happiness to mainstream policy decisions and to supplement, if not completely replace, the conventional growth metrics with a happiness-oriented economy model. With this aim, we propose a Happiness Economy framework for India. The framework comprises 18 indicators categorized into four dimensions: economic, political, socio-psychological, and environmental. Each indicator consists of 3 to 5 variables for subjective assessment of the respective indicators. The proposed framework was tested for construct validity and efficacy through exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. For this purpose, a primary study was conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire on a sample size of 420 drawn from Jaipur city in the state of Rajasthan, India. Further, the composite indices for each of the four dimensions and the happiness index were constructed using two different methodologies. The results of the convergent validity test show that all the indicators are closely related and significantly measure the respective dimensions. The composite reliability test results indicate that the selected variables are a reliable measure of their respective indicator, and the average variance extracted shows significant variations in the indicators. The final measurement model shows that the political and economic dimensions are less correlated with happiness than the socio-psychological and environmental dimensions.

ABSTRACT. This paper explores the extent to which economic growth contributes to the improvement of human well-being. To address this, we combine input-output analysis with welfare economics to evaluate whether the sectoral composition of economic growth aligns with the development of economic sectors that best enhance well-being. From this perspective, we propose a new methodological framework that can be implemented by all European countries. Using longitudinal well-being data for Greece, we demonstrate—through a Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) —why these specific economic sectors were identified as the most suitable for enhancing well-being.

ABSTRACT. The academic community challenges the dominance of the economic growth paradigm, acknowledging that, beyond a certain stage of development, economic growth alone no longer ensures improvements in people's well-being (WB). Several alternative theories now coexist, primarily focusing on the role of institutions, deprivation and distributive issues, and economic performance. This article addresses the need to understand the drivers of WB by examining institutional settings and economic systems on a global scale. As a dependent variable, the study uses a measure consistent with an adjusted version of the Social Progress Index (SPI). The dataset consists of a 45-variable panel spanning from 2011 to 2020, covering over 140 countries. The article combines conventional econometrics with novel Machine Learning (ML) techniques. Specifically, Extreme Gradient Boosting is used to determine the most important predictive factors of WB, while pooled and Fixed Effects models are employed to validate results and interpret coefficients of specific variables. Findings suggest that public institutions influence people's WB more than the economy. Beyond a certain WB threshold, economic variables exhibit diminishing returns to WB, while governance influence becomes more significant. Poverty remains a persistent and primary detractor of WB.

ABSTRACT. As various international organizations release reports ranking countries based on their happiness levels, these reports serve as a valuable reference for shaping national policies. However, the differing rankings presented by these organizations often create confusion. This study aims to introduce the results of international reports on happiness levels and propose a method to integrate these diverse outcomes. Furthermore, based on the integrated results, the study seeks to provide policy implications related to happiness for different country groups. To achieve this, the study analyzes and integrates happiness-related scores from reports such as the World Happiness Report,Better Life Index,Ipsos Global Happiness Survey,Happy Planet Index,Legatum Prosperity Index,World Values Survey, and the World Database of Happiness. It will present a methodology for analyzing and synthesizing these scores and, based on the integrated findings, derive policy recommendations for different country groups.

ABSTRACT. Using Well-Base, a comprehensive database compiling over 1,200 replicable findings from regressions published in top-Econ journals since 2010 where cognitive well-being serves as the dependent variable, we systematically assess whether the determinants of well-being differ between men and women. To achieve this, we reproduce all regressions separately by gender. Several key findings emerge from this exercise. First, the predictive power of the regressions is consistently higher for men than for women, suggesting that existing models provide a more accurate understanding of men’s well-being compared to women’s. Second, we identify dimensions with uniform effects across genders and distinguish them from those exhibiting significant gender-specific differences. Finally, we demonstrate that the observed gender disparities in well-being determinants are influenced by contextual factors, such as cultural variations and generational shifts. Our results underscore the importance of adopting a more gender-sensitive approach in well-being research to better capture the nuanced experiences of both men and women.

ABSTRACT. Background: This study examines gender differences in how job and family satisfaction affect life satisfaction in Europe. According to the social production function, the satisfaction of social needs can be achieved through the intermediate goals of affection, behavioral confirmation, and status. The framework further posits that women are more adept at satisfying affection needs, while men are more advantaged in meeting status needs. Behavioral confirmation reinforces this pattern, as individuals receive social approval when they fulfill culturally expected roles, further solidifying gender-specific pathways to need satisfaction. We thus hypothesize that women's life satisfaction is more strongly influenced by family satisfaction, while men's is more dependent on job satisfaction. Methods: We use data from the European Quality of Life Survey (waves 2003–2016) on 60,000 working individuals aged 18–95 years across 28 countries to test the differences in the domain–life–satisfaction–link. To control for unobserved time- and culture-specific characteristics, we employ country–and–time–fixed effects linear regression models. Results: Our analyses reveal that family satisfaction has a greater impact on women's life satisfaction than on men’s, while job satisfaction plays a more significant role for men than for women. Additionally, we compare the b-coefficients obtained from the gender-comparison models regarding effect strength and find that family satisfaction exerts a significantly greater influence on women's life satisfaction than job satisfaction. In contrast, the effects of job and family satisfaction do not significantly differ for men, indicating that both life domains contribute equally to their life satisfaction. Conclusion: These findings highlight distinct gendered pathways to social need satisfaction: women’s life satisfaction is predominantly shaped by family satisfaction, while men’s is influenced by both job and family. This underscores the importance of incorporating gender-specific mechanisms in well-being research. Policies promoting work-life balance and addressing gendered well-being strategies are essential for fostering equitable quality of life across Europe.

ABSTRACT. Personality measures such as the Big Five are often either not collected or omitted from models used to estimate the wellbeing effects of public policy initiatives. This paper considers the effect of their inclusion. The motivating question is the degree to which the relatively low wellbeing of first year university students reflects their pre-enrolment characteristics versus the impact of the students encounters with the university itself. The 30 item Big Five Inventory Short Form (BFI-2-530) was completed by three separate cohorts of first year students who responded to the YOU Student Wellbeing Survey shortly after enrolling at a New Zealand university in 2019, 2020 and 2021 (N = 4000). Personality characteristics develop early in life and, although not completely set by early adulthood, in the case of the YOU survey the Big Five characteristics of Extraversion, Negative-emotionality and Conscientiousness exerted a major influence on both the hedonic and cognitive wellbeing of students (although Agreeableness and Openness much less so). These personality measures account for a much greater share the variance in student wellbeing than their demographics (age, sex and ethnicity), their financial capacity or social engagement. They also heavily condition the impact of variables of policy relevance to the university administration.