ABSTRACT. Two fundamentally different conceptions of wellbeing are dominant in the economics literature. The capabilities approach, grounded in the work of Amartya Sen, conceptualises wellbeing as the capability of people to live the kind of lives they value. This approach has been influential in public policy and informs most official wellbeing monitoring. The second approach focuses on people’s perceptions and considers wellbeing in terms of subjective measures such as life satisfaction. Where the capabilities approach is multi-dimensional, the subjective approach typically takes the individual’s life satisfaction as a unidimensional metric of overall wellbeing.

This paper investigates whether the approach selected to measuring wellbeing leads to important differences in policy priorities. Using a multi-dimensional wellbeing survey of social housing tenants we investigate the policy priorities that emerge from applying the Alkire/Foster multi-dimensional poverty measure as well as examining the determinants of life satisfaction. The paper describes how tenant outcomes vary across each dimension of wellbeing in the New Zealand Treasury’s Living Standards Framework (LSF) before examining the joint distribution of outcomes including. The impact of each dimension of wellbeing on overall life satisfaction and on the probability of experiencing multi-dimensional poverty are used to assess the policy priority for different aspects of wellbeing.

We find that poverty in each wellbeing dimension in the LSF is associated with reduced life satisfaction as is being in multi-dimensional poverty. However, multi-dimensional poverty adds no predictive power over and above the effects of the linear combination of individual wellbeing dimensions. The priority attached to wellbeing dimensions varies depending on whether the contribution to multi-dimensional poverty or the impact on life satisfaction is used to determine importance. This suggests that while the approach to conceptualising wellbeing does not lead to large differences in the drivers of wellbeing, it does have importance when considering policy priorities.

ABSTRACT. The concept of personality potential (Leontiev, 2011) refers to the integral characteristics of self-determined person which account for the non-specific capacity of effective self-regulation, including flexible goal setting and attainment, in various activities and life domains, as well as in the conditions of life challenges. We hypothesized that higher PP predicts sustainable well-being that is less dependent on environmental conditions, such as region or income. To measure PP, we used an aggregate of several brief scales assessing personality resources, including optimism, hardiness, future orientation, hope, readiness for change, tolerance for ambiguity. In a 2018 pilot study EFA and CFA revealed a single reliable factor accounting for 47% of the common variance. In this study, we restricted the set of variables to the first three with the single factor accounting for 66% of their common variance. We aimed to investigate the relationships between environmental factors, well-being measures, and personality resources using large-scale sociologically informed studies, having in mind both direct impact and moderation of the impact of demographic, life-style, and other variables. The sample comprised 2472 respondents from 6 locations in two neighboring Siberian regions of Russia, quoted by gender, age, and education. A part of the sample (n=1267) participated in the three-year longitudinal follow-up.In cross-sectional analyses, the aggregate index of PP revealed highly significant associations with a number of well-being measures, including: subjective well-being, satisfaction with life, affective balance, basic need gratification, perceived health, perceived value of life, meaningfulness of time use. Moderation analyses revealed that individuals with higher levels of PP showed weaker associations of environmental factors with well-being outcomes. Besides, cross-lagged panel model analyses of longitudinal data have revealed that it is PP that predicts well-being outcomes, rather than vice versa. The results highlight the importance of PP in achieving sustainable well-being.

ABSTRACT. We hypothesize that the role that resources play in resilience is through the mediating effects of personal wellbeing and positive personality traits. That is, resources (social and economic resources) impact personal wellbeing (the pleasant life, the engaged life, the meaningful life, and the balanced life), which in turn contributes to the development of positive traits and dispositions (optimism, self-confidence, autonomy, sense of efficacy, self-esteem, sense of accomplishment, and ability to learn new things). Positive traits and dispositions directly influence the formation of, and change in, personal resilience. We tested this hypothesis using data from the sixth wave of the European Social Survey, a large-scale, cross-national survey conducted in 2012 (N = 54,673) across 29 European countries. The data were supportive of the hypothesis. These results highlight the importance of subjective and eudaimonic aspects of wellbeing in establishing and reinforcing personal resilience.

ABSTRACT. Australia’s newly established wellbeing framework, ‘Measuring What Matters’ (MWM), seeks to measure social progress and influence policy by reporting on 50 wellbeing indicators within five “themes”. In this presentation, we assess whether the MWM framework adequately measures what people in Australia value for their wellbeing by examining both the process of the framework’s development and its content. Firstly, we consider whether the consultation process undertaken was adequate. Secondly, we examine whether the MWM indicators align with existing research on what people in Australia value for their wellbeing. We identified limitations across all aspects of the consultation examined: its comprehensiveness, reach, transparency, and extent to which it genuinely incorporated community feedback into the framework. While the MWM framework was found to broadly align with existing research on what Australians value for their wellbeing, there were some notable divergences. We urge the Australian Government to undertake a comprehensive, wide-reaching, transparent, and genuine consultation across Australia. Furthermore, we recommend that the Australian Government develop new indicators in consultation with the public. Enhancing the MWM framework will help establish it as a cornerstone of government decision-making, and importantly, ensure that it does what it purports to do: measure what Australians value for their wellbeing.

ABSTRACT. For decades, economic growth theory has predominantly focused on GDP per capita as measuring rod for socio-economic wealth and progress. There is an increasing consensus that this growth measure misses out important parts of human and social welfare. This awareness has prompted the rise of the new economics of wellbeing. In the same vein, the new geography of happiness has come into being by addressing spatial and multiscalar differences in human happiness in a geographical (regional-urban) context. The present paper seeks to establish a liaison between these two strands of research by zooming in on the new concept of ‘City Love’ as a measure for the spatial contentment of citizens with their daily living environment. A new conceptual model is developed and empirically tested by employing a big multi-annual data base on a wide range of world cities. Our study aims to identify the driving forces of City Love disparities among the set of world cities examined.

ABSTRACT. This study presents and tests an urbanometric approach for identifying the key factors that shape urban wellbeing (‘city love’) in an open system of functionally interconnected municipalities. The paper uses the Flemish urban-rural system in Belgium as an empirical test case. A Beta regression model is developed to measure the impact of both ‘soul’ factors (such as social capital, governance, and cultural services) and ‘body’ factors (such as green infrastructure and bike-walkability) on city love, while accounting for the moderating effects of regional agglomeration. The findings show the importance of connectivity within urban agglomerations, revealing that municipalities closer to urban centers rely less on local facilities, while those outside agglomerations depend more on local amenities for urban satisfaction. This paper offers a new quantitative perspective for data-driven urban planning, transforming the landscape of conventional urban studies and ways of analysing cities in a complex system of municipalities.

ABSTRACT. The study explores the concept of ‘proxilience’ within the 15-minute city framework to enhance urban resilience and improve quality of life in metropolitan areas. It extends Maslow’s hierarchy by incorporating urban accessibility and resilience capacity as essential components of wellbeing and life satisfaction. Using a vulnerability-opportunity model, it maps urban structures to identify service gaps and develop a Proximity Index and Proxilience Index, assessing essential services, mobility, and adaptive capacity using various geo-localized data and complex ML based geo-statistical methods. By integrating urban-rural policies, the study seeks to reduce spatial disparities, promote shared resources, and foster equitable, well-being-oriented development for a higher quality of urban life.

ABSTRACT. In Finland, register data is available in a very comprehensive manner. Statistics Finland and other statistical authorities end up with almost all individual encounters with the public sector. As far as social welfare and health care are concerned, these encounters mean financial subsidies and services received. When the data is attached to one person, it is possible to examine the regional targeting of services and subsidies for areas up to 100 x 100 metres. In the www.karttasovellus.diak.fi service, it is possible to examine regional differences at the level of welfare areas, municipalities and postal code areas in terms of health and social factors. In one well-being area, the subjective well-being of the residents has been collected three times through voluntary surveys, and nearly 9 thousand residents have responded to these. It is possible to carry out a review of register data and subjective well-being data in the same geographical area. The proposal examines what kinds of differences can be seen between municipalities in the area in terms of register information and subjective well-being.

ABSTRACT. The "Guidelines on Measurement of Well-Being," developed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, address the critical need for harmonized approaches to measuring well-being across countries. Rooted in the multidimensional framework inspired by the Stiglitz-Sen-Fitoussi report and complemented by OECD and Eurostat frameworks, these guidelines propose standardized dimensions and indicators that enhance comparability and coherence in well-being statistics. The guidelines provide a systematic structure for selecting dimensions and indicators, balancing universality with adaptability to national contexts. By promoting a shared conceptual foundation and operational definitions, these guidelines aim to create a common statistical language for evaluating well-being. They focused on the measurement of current well-being, including both objective and subjective measures, and offer practical guidance on addressing disparities across population groups. This approach allows national statistical offices and policymakers to better understand societal progress, support evidence-based decision-making, and foster international dialogue. The guidelines also tackle challenges such as cultural differences, methodological inconsistencies, and the integration of novel data sources to improve timeliness and quality. By standardizing dimensions and indicators while accommodating national adaptations, this initiative represents a significant step toward bridging gaps in global well-being assessments, ensuring that metrics capture the lived experiences of diverse populations effectively. These guidelines, therefore, contribute significantly to advancing the quality of life discourse by enhancing international comparability, providing a robust framework for policy evaluation, and fostering collaboration among countries striving for a more inclusive and sustainable measurement of societal progress.

ABSTRACT. Across the world, wellbeing frameworks have proliferated to the extent that supranational harmonisation efforts have started to emerge, employing multiple criteria to judge the suitability of indicators and their aggregation. Data burden constitutes an important criterion, and one that is often prioritised by small states due to indivisibility of costs. Our paper seeks to contribute a practical case-study from the smallest European Union (EU) member state (Malta) to curate data on well being and offer policy-makers an online interactive dashboard of disaggregated indicators with minimal added costs. Through ongoing collaborations between the Malta Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society (MFWS), the University of Malta (UM) and the National Statistics Office (NSO), wellbeing questions were incorporated annually in the mandatory European Union Survey on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC), using the EU SILC’s periodic wellbeing module. This has yielded annual micro-data on wellbeing to complement the rich demographic data and lifestyle characteristics that already feature in the standard EU-SILC (conducted among some 10,000 residents, in a rotating panel design in Malta alone). The paper contributes to the current debate on methodological issues to measure wellbeing, beyond GDP in five ways i. It describes the research-policy collaboration, highlighting its potential for similar arrangements and impact in other contexts, ii. It outlines the rationale for the variables selected from the extensive EU-SILC to feature in the Malta Wellbeing INDEX dashboard, iii. It show-cases Malta’s on-line data visualization efforts which highlight inequalities over time and across demographic and lifestyle characteristics iv. It provides the first ever synthesis of wellbeing trends and inequalities over the last five years in Malta and v. It critically reviews the potential of retaining all or part of the wellbeing module within the EU-SILC to act as a core instrument to measure well being across the European Union.

ABSTRACT. In 2010, the Italian National Institute of Statistics (Istat) launched a system of indicators to measure Equitable and Sustainable Well-being, the so-called BES framework. The process through which the Bes system of indicators was set-up was a participatory one, and allowed to identify a multidimensional approach to provide a shared view of well-being of the Italian society. Since 2013, a Report is published annually to describe and analyse the evolution of well-being in the 12 domains identified to represent it. A special focus is devoted to the analysis of well-being inequalities: indicators are available by region (NUTS2) and gender, age group and gender, level of education, gender and broad age group. Among the most recent developments, the analysis of well-being inequalities was expanded, with the aim to take into account the intersection of multiple factors of inequalities (macro area of residence, level of education, gender and age group), to identify the most disadvantaged groups in terms of well-being. Over the years, the Bes approach expanded. Since 2016, Italy included by law a sub-set of BES indicators in the economic planning documents. In 2018, to face the increasing demand for more granular well-being data, Istat set up the “Bes at local level” project, and annually releases a dataset and a dashboard for data visualization for the 107 Italian provinces (NUTS3). The theoretical framework is shared with the national project while the indicators at local level are partly identical to the Bes ones, partly specific. The Istat's investment in the production of data at fine territorial level is growing, and in 2023 a new series of 20 annual regional reports was launched. The 2024 edition was enriched with a special report on well-being in metropolitan cities, including new measures of perceived safety, life-satisfaction and social relations for the 14 Italian metropolitan capitals.

ABSTRACT. In 2010, the UK Office for National Statistics was commissioned by the then prime minister to establish a set of measures of national well-being and progress. After a national debate, the UK Measures of National Well-being, a 10 domain, then 44 measure framework was established. Each quarter since then we have evaluated the UKs data on personal well-being, relationships, health, what we do, where we live, personal finances, education and skills, economy, governance and environment, to better understand progress in the UK. Over the last 14 years we have adapted our approach to measuring progress to better meet user needs and address feedback. Most notably during 2022 and 2023 we reviewed the UK Measures of National Well-being and our interactive dashboard to ensure we were still measuring what matters most and disseminating our progress in a way that users need. Feedback from this review included demand for a more comprehensive assessment of national well-being, a clearer assessment of change, additional granularity in analysis, improvements to timeliness, clearer change reporting and a greater emphasis on inequality. This presentation will focus on the evolution of both the measurement and dissemination of progress in the UK through the UK Measures of National Well-being. Grounding in evidence from the review we will focus primarily on our approach to timeliness and granularity, but we will also comment on our, • Visual dissemination, • Written dissemination, • Promotion of our framework including the use of social media, • Measure selection, and • Change assessment.

ABSTRACT. The isoginis, a family of innovative inequality measures, extend beyond the traditional Gini index (1914). While the Gini offers a synthetic diagnosis, it misses key divides at different income levels. The isoginis are precentile-specific indicators (iso10, 50, 90 respectively for bottom, top deciles, and the median) that build on concepts of “concentration of inequality” (Blesch et al., 2022) and “concentration of income” (Castells-Quintana et al., 2024). This paper shows how isoginis differently affect wellbeing indicators. Using LIS and WHR 2024 data, a panel of 490 country-year observations from 44 countries is analyzed and highlights the Gini’s bias in favor of top deciles and misses variations in inequality’s shape. Three isoginis, along with additional measures (miso for mean inequality and diso the top/bottom differential inequality ), refine inequality analysis and demonstrates the diversity of inequality (at different levels) and its various link to wellbeing indicators.

ABSTRACT. In the ISQOLS 2024 Annual Conference, we presented research using representative household panel datasets, the Japan Household Panel Survey (JHPS) and JHPS Second-Generation Supplement (JHPS-G2), to estimate the intergenerational persistence of subjective well-being (SWB), including happiness, subjective health, and mental health, between parents and their adult children in Japan. This study provides new evidence on the intergenerational mobility of well-being across three generations (grandparents, parents, and adult children) in Japan using JHPS and JHPS-G2. Since JHPS and JHPS-G2 do not include SWB indices for grandparents, we use income—an essential determinant of utility in economic studies and a strong predictor of perceived quality of life—to measure well-being. We impute the lifetime incomes of three generations based on education and occupation at age 45, addressing the issue of unobservable grandparents’ income by estimating income returns to occupation and education for grandparents using microdata from the Social Stratification and Social Mobility (SSM) survey. Our findings show that the income elasticity between the grandparent and parental generations is 0.35, and between the grandparent and grandchild generations, it is 0.145, indicating multigenerational persistence of well-being. Notably, income transmission from grandparents to grandchildren primarily occurs through the parental generation, following an AR(1) process. Using grandparental income as an instrumental variable (IV) for parental income to estimate intergenerational persistence between parents and children, we find no significant difference between Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and IV estimation results. These results enhance our understanding of mobility of well-being, demonstrating that while multigenerational perspectives provide deeper insights into long-term persistence of well-being, two-generation models remain valid under certain conditions. By analyzing heterogeneities in intergenerational persistence based on whether grandparents had passed away before their grandchildren’s birth and their self-employment status, we found weak evidence of grandparental investment in grandchildren’s human capital and within-household transmission of endowment traits.

ABSTRACT. It is well-known that becoming unemployed negatively affects wellbeing. The provision of unemployment benefits has the potential to cushion negative consequences when unemployed individuals and their households can maintain a socially accepted living standard. In this study, we utilize systematic differences between Germany’s unemployment insurance benefit and basic income support and compare changes in subjective wellbeing of people who lost the job, using life satisfaction as an indicator for subjective wellbeing. Our main research question is to what extent losses in household income and increased material deprivation partially explain the relationship between unemployment and life satisfaction and how it differs by benefit type. In more detail, we are interested in the multifaceted dimensions of material deprivation and investigate to what extent cuts in accommodation, food and clothing, durable consumer goods, social activities, and financial security matter. We contribute to previous research by conceptually and empirically examining the tangible implications of unemployment on the affected individuals’ living standard. While income is an indirect measure for the potential living standard, material deprivation directly addresses the living standard in its multifaceted dimensions. We use data from the German households panel study “Labour Market and Social Security” (PASS) and apply fixed effects models to estimate the effect of unemployment entry by benefit type on life satisfaction and mediation models to quantify the significance of income losses and increased material deprivation. Results demonstrate that the reduction in life satisfaction when entering unemployment can be attributed more to the increase in material deprivation than to the loss of income, both for recipients of basic income support and unemployment insurance benefits. The most significant factors are restrictions on the financial security of the household, such as no longer being able to save or handle unexpected expenses, and on social activities.

ABSTRACT. Rising living costs, global conflicts, and the COVID-19 pandemic have strained household well-being. While income remains central to improving subjective well-being, households also rely on non-standard livelihood practices such as budget management, asset liquidation, and subsistence production to cope with financial challenges. This study explores how these practices influence life satisfaction and modify the effect of income. Using data from the German Panel Study on Labour Market and Social Security (PASS), waves 15–17 (2021–2023), the analysis focuses on economically vulnerable households. A new module records the frequency of 15 livelihood practices, including price comparisons, subsistence farming, and selling assets. Fixed-effects regression models are applied to examine within-person variation in life satisfaction. The findings show that income consistently improves life satisfaction, while the effects of livelihood practices vary. Budget management, parsimonious acquisition, and asset liquidation are associated with small declines in life satisfaction, likely reflecting financial strain. In contrast, subsistence production—such as gardening and repairing goods—contributes positively, fostering resilience and a sense of agency. Interaction effects reveal that income benefits increase with greater use of budget management, suggesting that proactive financial control enhances its utility. For households deeply engaged in subsistence production, the role of income diminishes, indicating that self-sufficiency can replace income as a primary contributor to well-being. This study highlights the dual role of non-standard livelihood practices: they help households manage economic uncertainty but can also limit well-being. Importantly, the impact of income on life satisfaction depends on the intensity of these strategies, offering insights into pathways for resilience and policy interventions.

ABSTRACT. Water is an essential resource whose availability is threatened by a number of factors, of which the effects of climate change are of particular concern. In the domestic sphere, a more responsible use of water requires behavioural changes towards more sustainable patterns, as well as the adoption of efficient technologies and the improvement of infrastructures. These measures may be perceived as a sacrifice of quality of life, as they imply a personal or economic effort. This study examines the relationship between willingness to make different types of effort to conserve water and subjective well-being, using a representative sample of the adult population of Andalusia, a region in southern Spain (N=2277). Two measures of subjective well-being, life satisfaction and the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE), are included. To capture willingness to save water, four variables are used, two of which relate to behavioural changes (willingness to reduce the number of showers and willingness to reduce shower duration) and two of which relate to financial expenditures (willingness to make a one-off outlay to purchase an efficient shower head and willingness to pay an additional amount annually to improve the condition of the distribution networks, thereby reducing water losses due to leaks and breaks). The results of the linear regression (OLS) and ordered logistic regression analyses show a significant positive association between subjective well-being and the willingness to make a financial effort to conserve water. In contrast, the willingness to make a personal effort to change habits is not significantly related to any of the well-being indicators. The findings add to the growing evidence linking well-being and sustainability in different domains, calling into question the notion of pro-environmental willingness as a form of sacrifice.

ABSTRACT. Pro-environmental choices are often framed as sacrifices, yet they may produce happiness, similar to other pro-social behaviors. Meta-analyses suggest that broad self-reports produce positive correlations between pro-environmental behaviors and well-being indicators. Our research extends these findings by linking pro-environmental behaviors and well-being more tightly in time, thus reducing recall bias and controlling for trait-level confounds, and by using experimental methods. We conducted an experience sampling study (4714 assessments from 283 participants) and a daily diary study (1439 assessments from 132 participants) that asked participants to report on their recent (last two hours or last day) pro-environmental behaviors and well-being using a smartphone app. We replicated the trait-level (between-persons) association between pro-environmental behaviors and well-being. Additionally, multi-level models that control for individual differences indicated that reports with more pro-environmental behaviors also had higher levels of positive affect and authenticity (ESM and daily diary), and life satisfaction and meaning (assessed only daily). In an experimental study (n=343), we randomly assigned university students to either enact a new pro-environmental behavior, or to find and photograph a piece of public art (intended as a control task). After completing the task, participants reported their moods online. Pre-registered comparisons did not yield a significant difference between conditions; however, exploratory analyses showed that moods were considerably better than baseline assessments in both conditions. We speculate that pro-environmental behaviors and discovering public art were both quite pleasant; our ‘control’ activity may actually have been an equivalent mood booster. Strong causal claims about the happiness benefits of pro-environmental behaviors will require better evidence, yet available data are consistent with this idea. Our experience sampling and daily diary studies link well-being and pro-environmental behaviors more closely in time, and with the benefit of assessing naturalistic pro-environmental behaviors in day-to-day life.

ABSTRACT. Sustainability has evolved beyond the preservation of natural resources and environmental health to encompass economic stability and the development of social frameworks that enhance human health and overall Quality of Life (QoL). However, systemic discrimination and historical injustices have deepened social inequalities, widening disparities in QoL and obstructing progress toward sustainable and inclusive development. Despite its significance, the integration of social equity into QoL research remains limited, revealing a critical gap in understanding how equitable practices contribute to sustainability. This study addresses this gap through a systematic review of existing literature, combining keyword co-occurrence analysis to map the research landscape with a content analysis of 39 academic papers. The findings reveal that producers and end-users emphasize different facets of sustainability. Producers view sustainability primarily as a pathway to ensure long-term business viability through environmentally friendly practices, resource efficiency, and sustainable market growth. In contrast, end-users focus on how sustainable practices translate into tangible improvements in their daily lives, such as enhanced living standards, better accessibility to resources, and overall well-being. These perspectives reflect two sides of sustainability: one focused on creating systems and practices for long-term sustainability and the other on the practical and immediate benefits to individual and communities. Social equity can serve as a bridge between these perspectives by addressing systemic inequalities that prevent marginalized groups from accessing the benefits of sustainability. By prioritizing fair treatment, equal opportunities, and resource distribution, social equity ensures that end-users, particularly those in underserved communities, can share in the advantages of sustainable practices. For producers, integrating social equity enhances long-term business viability by fostering trust, inclusivity, and social cohesion. This study emphasizes the need to align these perspectives between producers and consumers.

ABSTRACT. The paper focuses on sustainable livelihoods and partnerships for sustainable living as preconditions for creating caring societies. In asking the question how to define and defend our democratic and free market values responses of some 30 key opinion leaders in the researcher’s network have been analysed. ChatGPT was then asked the same question, and the responses were then compared with the 30 human responses. The paper then reflect on the gap indicating how notions of the themes not reflected by AI are pivotal for enhancing quality of life. Key themes that are addressed are: • Free market democracies without care kills • Earth care as prerequisite for sustainable living and lasting free market democracies • Servant and ethical leaders to drive the triple bottom line • Responsibility, accountability and good governance walk together • Strong institutions will enhance the economic self-reliance and human well-being of communities • Care for and protecting the vulnerable is non-negotiable • Partnerships for peace building

ABSTRACT. Previous research has linked parental psychological control (PC) to reduced well-being in adolescents. However, the potentially distinct effects of specific PC aspects on adolescent well-being, as well as the underlying mediating and moderating mechanisms, have not been well documented. Using a three-wave longitudinal design, the present study aimed to investigate the impacts of individual dimensions of parental PC (i.e., relational induction, social comparison shame, and harsh PC) on Chinese adolescents’ well-being (indicated by life satisfaction) and ill-being (indicated by emotional distress). The mediating effects of basic needs satisfaction and frustration and the moderating effect of gender were also explored. The working sample included 895 Chinese adolescents who completed the surveys across the three waves (52.07% girls, Mage= 13.42 ± 1.26 at Time 1).

The results of total effects showed that 1) the negative effect of social comparison shame on adolescent life satisfaction was significant, while paternal (not maternal) social compassion shame significantly and positively affected adolescent emotional distress; 2) paternal (but not maternal) relational induction positively affected adolescent life satisfaction, while not predicting emotional distress; 3) the negative effect of maternal (not paternal) harsh PC on life satisfaction was marginally significant, while paternal (not maternal) harsh PC positively predicted adolescent emotional distress; The results of mediation effects showed that 1) needs satisfaction (not needs frustration) significantly mediate the association of social comparison shame with life satisfaction and emotional distress; 2) needs satisfaction and frustration significantly mediate the association of harsh PC with life satisfaction and emotional distress (including marginal significance); 3) needs satisfaction and frustration could not mediate the effects of relational induction. Meanwhile, there were no significant adolescent gender differences in our focal effects. Our findings facilitate a more nuanced understanding of the impacts of parental PC and inform future practices for more effective and tailor-made intervention strategies.

ABSTRACT. The number of single parents increases in many countries of the Global North and single parents typically report more work-to-family conflict than partnered parents and live often at risk of poverty. Findings from happiness research could though complete the picture or reveal burdens as well as potentials for single parents. Happiness research does not often focus on single parents and the societal conditions for rising children without a partner in the household are different in different times and different countries. Yet, using an online findings archive – the World Database of Happiness – we gathered and described research findings in a standardized way. Drawing on these, we provide an overview of the available knowledge about the association of single parenthood and happiness. The findings show that single parents are less happy than other parents but in certain settings and conditions happier than other individuals that live without an intimate partner. Factors associated with single parents’ happiness are informal support through social ties, employment and the use of childcare. The presented synthesis of research findings could serve as a valuable foundation for informed political decision-making aimed at enhancing the well-being of single parents.

ABSTRACT. Background: Despite the influence of parenting styles on adolescent development has been well recognized, little is known about the similarities and differences between maternal and paternal parenting styles and their impacts on male and female students. This study aims to examine the profiles of maternal and paternal parenting styles and investigate their associations with adolescents’mental health, behavioral outcomes, and academic performance, with a particular focus on gender-specific impacts.

Methods: Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) was employed to identify distinct parenting profiles based on a sample of Chinese junior high school students (N=1,946, 49.54% male students). Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was conducted to compare mental health, behavioral outcomes, and academic performance across the identified parenting profiles, considering gender differences.

Results: Four distinct parenting profiles were identified: neglectful, authoritarian, supportive, and mediocre. Significant gender differences were observed in the associations between parenting profiles and adolescents’ developmental outcomes. The supportive group consistently showed the most favorable outcomes (highest life satisfaction, prosocial behavior, and academic performance; lowest depression and conduct problems) for both genders. However, female students in both supportive and mediocre profiles reported significantly higher depression and conduct problems and lower life satisfaction than their male counterparts. Furthermore, female students in the supportive profile and authoritarian profile exhibited superior academic performance and sleep quality than male students, respectively.

Conclusions: The findings underscore the crucial role of supportive parenting in promoting positive outcomes among adolescents while emphasizing the need for gender-sensitive interventions to address the unique challenges faced by adolescent girls and boys.

ABSTRACT. Understanding the complex relationship between parenthood and subjective well-being is critical for designing policies that promote fertility, family health, mental well-being, work-life balance, and general welfare. While early research predominantly anticipated a positive association between parenthood and well-being, empirical evidence has often revealed a more nuanced or even negative relationship. Recent studies, however, suggest that specific conditions—such as financial stability or effective work-life balance—can shift this association in a positive direction. This evolving body of research raises an important question: Are these recent optimistic findings genuinely reliable, or do they reflect biases aligned with expected outcomes?

Our study will propose a comprehensive meta-analysis to systematically assess the evidence on the impact of children on parental well-being. Using state-of-the-art meta-analytical tools, we aim to rigorously evaluate the variability in outcomes and identify the conditions under which parenthood enhances or diminishes well-being. By synthesizing the most recent and robust data, this research seeks to provide policymakers and researchers with a clearer understanding of the true dynamics between parenthood and well-being, informing targeted and effective interventions.

ABSTRACT. We conduct a survey experiment to explore individuals' perceptions of AI-generated content and examine whether exposure to AI influences perceptions of task meaningfulness. The study relies on a nationally representative sample of 2,000 Dutch respondents who are tasked with evaluating slogans for a public health campaign. Half of the respondents are informed that the slogans were created by an AI-powered marketing software (treatment group), while the other half are told the slogans were crafted by a human marketing professional (control group). Participants rate the task's meaningfulness before and after evaluating the slogans, enabling a combined between-subject and within-subject design. Our preliminary findings reveal nuanced patterns regarding task meaningfulness, with sociodemographic characteristics such as age and gender, along with familiarity with AI, influencing the results. Acceptance and perceived quality of AI-generated content also vary, particularly with respect to creativity and effectiveness. Our results provide insights into societal attitudes toward AI and the meaningfulness individuals derive from engaging with it, highlighting the potential implications of AI deployment in creative and professional contexts.

ABSTRACT. New digital technologies such as smartphones and laptops and other devices have pervaded almost all aspects of life. Most adults and adolescents spend several hours per day on digital devices that connect them 24/7 to other persons, to content and information, and to a large variety of services. A key question that remains somewhat overlooked in quality of life research is how people’s experiences with these digital technologies and smartphones is affecting individuals’ well-being and life satisfaction. Drawing from a dataset collected from adult individuals in Belgium - Flanders (N = 2259), the aim of our study is to address this question through a cross-sectional examination of life satisfaction and how it is predicted by three behavioural and psychological measures that represent the ‘digital lifestyle’. More specifically we look at the role of (1) how frequently individuals use their smartphone for communication and for social media use, (2) how vigilant people perceive themselves to be over what happens online and (3) how individuals judge their own digital well-being, which we operationalize as the extent to which individuals perceive to reap benefits or value versus drawbacks or discomfort from their smartphone. Some first findings point to a positive effect of smartphone use for communication purposes, but a negative effect of smartphone use for social media purposes. This is both among working and non-working people, but it occurs at different times among both groups. We find no evidence of heterogeneity of this effect according to gender or age. Heterogeneity by personality remains to be studied. The degree of experiencing problems due to smartphone use seems to be an important moderator of the well-being effect of smartphone use. Experiencing problems amplifies both effects: the effect of social media gets (more) worse and the effect of communication gets (more) better.

ABSTRACT. Identifying the patterns and correlates of unmet care needs is critical for ensuring quality of life in later life. Given the aging population and shifting family structures, there is growing interest in understanding the impact of these changes on the unmet care needs of older adults. This study investigates unmet care needs among individuals aged 50 and older in Taiwan, utilizing data from the 2019 Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging (TLSA) (N = 3,777). The analysis integrates information on the use of assistive technology and/or personal assistance as strategies to mitigate unmet care needs. The findings indicate that assistive technology plays a significant role in reducing unmet care needs, complementing the support provided by personal assistance. Individuals who are female, never married, or living alone are at greater risk of experiencing unmet care needs, whereas kinship network measures do not appear to offer protective benefits in addressing care needs. Contrary to our expectations, perceived support from family does not effectively compensate for unmet needs. Greater attention should be directed toward individuals in poorer health and those from ethnic minority groups. These findings underscore the importance of addressing the potential care needs of middle-aged and older adults in relation to their living arrangements and care networks. Policy implications are discussed concerning strategies to enhance support for individuals with care needs and their families.

ABSTRACT. The digital transformation of contemporary societies has introduced new opportunities for enhancing quality of life but has also widened disparities affecting vulnerable populations, particularly older adults. In this study, we use a comparative analysis of Social Happiness models using Ordinary Least Squares regression to evaluate the determinants of quality of life in older adults versus the general population in Spain in 2024. The data are collected through a representative macro-survey. Digital competencies are identified as key predictors of social happiness and they contribute significantly to quality of life by enabling communication, access to services, and social engagement. However, older adults are disproportionately impacted by systemic barriers to digital inclusion, such as limited access to technology, low digital literacy, and ageism. These factors heighten their risk of social isolation and loneliness, with over 50% of individuals aged 80 and older experiencing loneliness compared to 26% in the general population. The results reveal distinct patterns between older adults and the general population regarding the influence of digital skills, social interactions, and structural barriers on social happiness. For older adults, digital exclusion is not only a technological issue but also a social one, amplifying their marginalization and limiting their integration into a rapidly digitizing society. Ageism, particularly "digital ageism," further increases these disparities by reinforcing stereotypes and reducing opportunities for older adults to adapt to digital tools. The findings underscore the need for inclusive strategies that bridge the digital divide and combat ageism. By integrating technological solutions with intergenerational initiatives and community-based interventions, policymakers can foster environments where older adults are empowered to thrive. This research contributes to the discourse on digital equity and aging, emphasizing the importance of holistic approaches to enhance the quality of life and social inclusion of older adults in the digital era.

ABSTRACT. Background Despite progress in traffic safety, traffic-related fatalities are projected to become the fifth most common cause of death worldwide by 2030, emphasizing the need for robust infrastructure, safer vehicles, and simplified traffic regulations that address individuals’ behavior and well-being. While earlier studies have explored the impacts of accident experiences on well-being and safety preferences, the link between life satisfaction and willingness to pay (WTP) for traffic safety remains underexplored.

Aim of the Study This study examines how WTP for traffic safety varies across intervention types, their framing as public or private goods, and the influence of life satisfaction. It also evaluates whether accident experiences affect life satisfaction or directly influence WTP, and investigates how trust and familiarity with safety measures shape WTP.

Data and Methods Using a representative Swedish sample, we analyzed relationships between life satisfaction, accident experiences, and WTP for safety measures for pedestrians and cyclists. Interval regression was applied to account for censored WTP responses. Respondents evaluated familiar interventions (e.g., anti-slip treatments, better lighting) and less familiar, high-tech solutions (e.g., sensors, mobile apps).

Results Traffic accident experience showed no significant effect on life satisfaction, consistent with hedonic adaptation. However, life satisfaction significantly increased WTP. Familiar interventions yielded higher WTP across public and private measures. For unfamiliar, technology-based solutions, WTP was higher for public interventions, likely reflecting trust in public authorities.

Conclusions Our findings highlight the importance of life satisfaction and familiarity in shaping WTP for traffic safety. Unfamiliar interventions based on new technologies should be carefully introduced to foster public trust and acceptance.

ABSTRACT. “What do people want?” This ancient question has modern relevance for quality-of-life researchers and policymakers. We address the question using economic methods, adapted to study desires beyond market goods. Here, we study 220 dimensions or “aspects” of well-being, including everything from “The air in your area not being polluted” to “Your financial security” to “You not feeling lonely.” These are arguably the aspects of life which are desirable for their own sake – the final goods to which market goods, time, and other factors are inputs.

Economists compare the relative importance of market goods using physical quantities and market prices. Aspects of well-being have neither, so we developed a new methodology to measure their relative importance. SWB survey questions elicit current aspect levels over the past year on a 0-100 scale. In stated preference questions, respondents choose between two options where the level of one aspect is varied from its current level over the next year. We use the data to estimate the aspects’ relative log marginal utilities in standard deviation units. We also correct for interpersonal differences in scale use tendencies, so that the units are interpersonally comparable. We interpret these estimates as local measures of the aspects’ relative marginal importance.

We present results using this methodology for an MTurk sample of ~2,500 U.S. respondents. We find the highest marginal utilities for aspects related to family well-being, the ability to support one’s family financially, and mental and physical health. We also find substantial heterogeneity, with current SWB levels explaining much of the variation. In other words, what people want more of depends on what they already have. We present a simple model where individuals differ in both preferences for aspects and their efficiency in “producing” aspects; we discuss how this model sheds light on the reasons for interpersonal differences.

ABSTRACT. Happiness and well-being have gained increasing prominence as metrics in public policy, particularly in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis and the Stiglitz-Sen-Fitoussi Report. Advocates argue for moving beyond GDP to incorporate non-economic indicators, spurring efforts like Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness Index and the World Happiness Report. However, we highlight significant challenges in defining and measuring happiness or well-being due to their conceptual complexity and normative nature, raising concerns about the appropriateness of many current metrics. Although happiness and well-being are often presumed to be well-understood subjects of inquiry, the diversity of instruments and constructs suggests otherwise. The historic and present lack of a unified idea about these objects makes it difficult to imagine someone adequately capturing them within the confines of a questionnaire. Consequently, it seems hard to imagine a reasonable common understanding among respondents and consistency in how they translate it onto a given scale. The apparent face validity of these instruments, however, can be attributed to the fact that happiness and well-being are familiar concepts in social interactions, governed by recognized linguistic and expressive norms (feeling rules). We call for a stronger theoretical debate and caution against the simplification of the object, which Samuelson argued to be a natural part of Economics and can be observed in the search for and consideration of universal and stable aspects of happiness and well-being. To mitigate the consequences of biases such as hermeneutic injustice and affective injustice, we advocate for a more equitable distribution of power by involving respondents in defining constructs and shaping measurement tools. Embracing a nuanced, culturally diverse, and context-dependent nature of happiness and well-being will allow us to craft a "new story about the good life" beyond GDP.

ABSTRACT. Background: Adolescents’ subjective well-being (SWB) can be effectively achieved by targeted policies and interventions that increase satisfaction in their specific life domains. Policymakers should understand the relative importance of key life domains for adolescents to design targeted strategies that enhance their SWB.

Purpose: This study aims to elicit the utility weights and relative importance of key life domains for Australian adolescents from proxy perspectives.

Methods: An online survey was conducted in 2024, targeting Australian adult populations aged 20 years and above. A Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) technique was employed to assess how they believe Australian adolescents perceive the importance of twelve key life domains: physical health, mental health, family, friends, neighbourhood, life at school, choice, future, safety, time use, appearance, and things they have. Each domain was described using 4 levels. The DCE data was analysed using the latent class conditional logit model. Preference heterogeneity between adults with and without children or adolescents was explored by incorporating interaction terms between life domains and parental status.

Findings: A total of 1,245 Australian adults (51% female), with a mean age of 49 years, completed an online DCE survey. All 12 domains were found to be statistically significant. There was evidence of preference heterogeneity between adults with and without children or adolescents across four domains: physical health, mental health, friends, and life at school. The percentages of utility ranges within each domain relative to the total utility ranges across all domains revealed that mental health, family and physical health are the top three domains for SWB of Australian adolescents, whilst appearance, time use and things you have are three least important domains.

Conclusion: The stated preference evidence from this study provides new knowledge on the relative importance of key life domains that matter most for the SWB of Australian adolescents from proxy perspectives.

ABSTRACT. While reduced working time (RWT) and flexible working arrangements (FWTAs) are often advocated for their socioeconomic and environmental benefits, little is known about their influence on individuals' engagement in volunteering activities. This study bridges this gap by examining how working time and flexibility affect both the likelihood and frequency of volunteering. Using data from the UK Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS) spanning 2013 to 2017, we employ a threefold analytical approach. First, we assess the impact of the total hours spent in paid and unpaid work on volunteering participation and frequency. Second, we estimate the effects of specific RWT options—such as part-time work, term-time work, and compressed working weeks—and FWTAs—including job sharing, annualized hours, flexible working hours, and remote work—on volunteering behaviors. Third, we explore the interactions between RWT/FWTAs and the total number of work hours. Preliminary results indicate that the total number of paid and unpaid work hours negatively impacts volunteering participation and frequency. However, specific RWT options, such as part-time and term-time work, and flexible arrangements, like job sharing and flexible working hours, positively influence engagement in volunteering activities. These findings reveal the complex interplay between work arrangements and civic participation, suggesting that targeted workplace policies can play a pivotal role in enhancing social engagement. By adopting more inclusive and adaptable work arrangements, policymakers and employers can simultaneously promote individual well-being and strengthen community ties.

ABSTRACT. Previous research underscores the extensive personal benefits derived from participation in extracurricular avtivities (ECAs), including improved academic performance, psychological wellbeing, and social skills. However, despite the robust evidence linking ECAs to individual benefits, little attention has been given to whether these benefits extend beyond the self, particularly in fostering altruistic behavior during crises. This study investigates the relationship between high school ECAs and altruistic behaviors during crises, focusing on the COVID-19 pandemic. Using data from the Future Families and Child Wellbeing Study, which tracked individuals from birth to adulthood, the analysis included 2,710 participants with complete data on high school ECAs and altruistic behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Logistic and OLS regressions were utilized. The findings revealed that participation and level of ECAs significantly increased the likelihood (OR=1.91) and number (β = 0.10) of altruistic actions. Volunteer service ECAs emerged as the most impactful, while school activities, group, hobby, religious, and sports ECAs exhibited more nuanced effects. These findings highlight the potential of ECAs as tools for cultivating socially responsible and altruistic youth, particularly in times of societal distress. By extending the PYD framework to include altruistic outcomes, this research provides a foundation for designing ECA programs that promote both personal and collective well-being. Future studies should continue to explore the mechanisms and contexts that enhance the prosocial impacts of ECAs, ensuring their role as a cornerstone of positive youth development.

ABSTRACT. This paper investigates how gift expenditure affects resident’s subjective health outcome. Using a large panel survey dataset from China, we find that higher household gift expenditure is positively correlated to individuals’ subjective health outcome. We examine the mechanism of the correlation. We find that more gift spending towards relatives or friends increase borrowing capacity of households within community, enhance individual’s physical exercise habit, and increase individual’s health-related spending. Those findings indicate that gift expenditure strengthens household’s social network, thereby improving monetary liquidity and information sharing. The positive impact of gift spending on health outcome is more prominent in households residing in rural areas. Our findings are robust to alternative explanations, samples, and measurements.

ABSTRACT. Children's subjective well-being is broadly acknowledged as a multidimensional construct, yet the relative importance of its components remains underexplored. This study, grounded in ecological developmental theory, investigates well-being components in six Asian countries/regions and identifies those with higher significance using regularized partial correlation network analysis. Data from Wave 3 of the International Survey of Child Well-Being (ISCWeB) (2016–2019) include responses from children aged 10 (N=8,102) and 12 (N=8,155) in Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Vietnam, Nepal, and India. The study employs the Domain-Based Subjective Well-Being Scale, comprising 11 items measuring satisfaction with aspects of life such as material possessions, appearance, and expectations for the future.

The results indicate that children's well-being networks in these Asian countries are clustered, reflecting strong interconnections between dimensions. Improving one dimension tends to enhance others. However, for 12-year-olds in Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, India, and Nepal, the networks show weaker and looser connections compared to 10-year-olds, suggesting reduced effectiveness of single-dimension improvements in boosting overall well-being. Across all countries except India, a sense of safety consistently ranked among the top three factors.

Notably, in Taiwan, satisfaction with future life rose from low importance at age 10 to a top-three influential factor at age 12, while in South Korea and Hong Kong, it remained consistently influential. Vietnam and India showed little change across age groups. These findings highlight sociocultural impacts on well-being and offer insights to inform policies and practices aimed at enhancing children's overall well-being.

ABSTRACT. Social investment in children requires data that better captures children’s well-being (CWB) and includes all children. Several international bodies have outlined the importance of holistic, cross-sectoral approach and early intervention to promote CWB. WHO-UNICEF-Lancet Commission has recommended countries to develop user-friendly dashboards for monitoring CWB. Compared to international monitoring tools (e.g. OECD Child Well-being Dashboard), national ones are better calibrated to guide national and local CWB policymaking and investment decisions. Iceland has taken considerable steps towards equitable and early investment in children by recently launching a cross-sectoral CWB dashboard, which allows for monitoring well-being of children at the municipal level. In Iceland, CWB is measured in 5 dimensions - health and well-being, security and protection, participation and social connection, quality of life, and education. In Estonia, in 2023 the Ministry of Social Affairs initiated the development of similar cross-sectoral CWB dashboard. Such dashboard, which will launch in 2027, is highly needed in Estonia; for policymakers and practitioners it should function as monitoring and investment tool, for researchers, it would make data on children less fragmented and more easily accessible. Our aim is to introduce the first steps of CWB dashboard development in Estonia. As one of the first steps, Iceland’s CWB dashboard development process were described, and applicability of Icelandic CWB model was analysed by 40 Estonian experts. Different CWB indicators and data sources were mapped, and it turned out that only some of Icelandic indicators can be transferred into Estonia. Some data gaps were identified, e.g. lack of data for < 7 y.-o. children, and additional need to explore availability and usability of municipal level data and data for more vulnerable children. Also, CWB dashboard development steps between 2025 and 2027, including important challenges (e.g. cooperation between different silos of government) will be outlined.

ABSTRACT. This presentation aims to present the results of a new tool implemented to record child well-being during 2024–2025 in Greece. By taking Plato (in Philebus), Edgeworth, Aristotle, and Arthur Cecil Pigou into account, a definition of child well-being is formulated as follows: The well-being of children is a society’s chief end, manifested as the (potential) pleasure that they enjoy, originating from certain economic and non-economic factors that determine this chief end, with the most important being education that instills in children what kind of persons they ought to be. The tool was used to measure the well-being of children in Greece, through questionnaires distributed in public schools. The sample consisted of children of three distinct school categories. Finally, this presentation proposes policies for improving child well-being taking into account the demographic and social insurance. In light of the above, this work falls within the field of economic demography.

ABSTRACT. According to research, peer victimization has been on the rise globally. In Hong Kong, more than 80% of students have reported experiencing peer victimization, with primary school students more vulnerable to peer victimization than do secondary school students. The experience of peer victimization severely damages primary school children’s subjective well-being, including their life satisfaction. Meanwhile, studies have shown that children’s life satisfaction in Hong Kong is consistently low, which corresponds to significant developmental maladjustment. Given that life satisfaction plays an important role in children’s overall development, it is necessary to investigate the impact of peer victimization on life satisfaction and its underlying mechanisms. Additionally, psychological symptoms, which always follow peer victimization and further threaten children’s life satisfaction, may play an important mediating role. School-related factors may also exert a buffering effect in the peer victimization and mental health relationship.

Based on the general strain theory, this study examined the relationship between peer victimization and life satisfaction and investigated the mediating role of depression and the moderating effect of the teacher–student relationship. A total of 1,144 students from grades 4 to 6 (mean age = 11.43) from 16 Hong Kong primary schools participated in this study. The results of structural equation modeling (SEM) showed that depression partially mediated the relationships between children’s victimization experiences and their life satisfaction, while fewer conflicts in the teacher–student relationship buffered the association between peer victimization and depression. The impacts of peer victimization on depression were stronger among students with fewer teacher–student conflicts.

This study contributes to the mechanisms underlying the relationship between peer victimization and life satisfaction which have both theoretical and applied significance.

ABSTRACT. Over the past 2 years, UN-Habitat has been working with a coalition of partners, including ISQOLS, to develop a global Quality of Life Index. The outcomes of this process consist of an Index that is comprised of 2 layers of indicators. The Global Layer captures those aspects of Quality of Life that are universal, while the Local Layer is created by the communities themselves, capturing local values, priorities and cultural/contextual nuances. While this process has helped local governments to better understand their cities through a quality of life lens and to take the pulse of their communities, the next obvious step in this initiative is to explore viable solutions to their challenges.

As a first step in this process, this session is meant to bring together quality of life researchers and practitioners to explore quality of life solutions while sparking innovation and creativity to tackle urban quality of life challenges. Participants will be introduced to real world challenges that have been encountered among UN-Habitat's Quality of Life Initiative participating cities. They will be introduced to practical tools such as the 5 E's Framework for Policy Action (ie. Engineering, Education, Enforcement, Empowerment, Evaluation). They will then be tasked with coming up with out of the box solutions to overcome common urban challenges.

ABSTRACT. Quality of Life (QoL) and well-being are often used interchangeably in policy and academic discourse, yet they encompass distinct dimensions of human experience. This paper explores the conceptual and practical differences between these terms, arguing that QoL may provide a fuller vision of people-centered development by integrating both subjective well-being and the external conditions that shape daily life. While well-being primarily focuses on individual psychological states, QoL extends beyond personal perceptions to include economic stability, access to services, urban infrastructure, environmental quality, and social equity.

Through comparative analysis and discussion, we will examine how QoL offers a holistic framework for policy and measurement, especially in urban development. The session will highlight recent trends in international development, including the growing emphasis on well-being in global policy frameworks and the need to position QoL as a complementary yet distinct concept. We will explore how QoL lenses—such as access, belonging, and safety—can enhance policy decisions, making data-driven insights more actionable and impactful. By bridging research and practice, this session aims to foster a deeper understanding of QoL’s role in shaping inclusive, sustainable, and high-functioning communities.

ABSTRACT. Urban development and sustainability efforts often rely on narrow economic and infrastructural indicators that fail to capture the full complexity of lived experiences. This paper introduces a Quality of Life (QoL) evaluative framework that employs multiple lenses - accessibility, affordability, choice, connectedness & belonging, equity, inclusion, safety, and satisfaction & adequacy - to provide a more holistic understanding of urban progress. Drawing on evidence from ten pilot cities, we illustrate how these lenses reframe conventional urban domains, including housing, mobility, governance, and environmental sustainability, to offer a richer assessment of what makes cities truly livable.

By applying this approach in diverse urban contexts, we assess its effectiveness in integrating empirical data with community-driven perspectives, leading to more equitable and people-centered policy interventions. Our findings suggest that QoL lenses enable decision-makers to better understand the intersections of physical and social infrastructure, ensuring that urban development strategies enhance not only economic performance but also well-being, inclusion, and resilience. This paper argues that a QoL-centered paradigm can redefine notions of progress, fostering urban environments where all residents have the opportunity to thrive.

ABSTRACT. The growing maturity of the “science of happiness” raises the prospect of enabling government policy to be more accountable to the measurable subjective experience of the population. In its ideal form, the application of this science promises to inform decision makers about the likely distribution of life satisfaction resulting from any prospective policy, allowing for the selection of more optimal policy. Such “budgeting for wellbeing” invites three natural objections, beyond normative quibbles with the subjective objective: (1) non-incremental changes are unlikely in large bureaucracies, so a new accounting system for devising and costing government policies and budgets is too radical, (2) governments do not have an authoritative set of credible cost/benefit coefficients to use in analysis, and (3) long-run objectives, risks, and environmental considerations cannot be feasibly captured in quantitative projections of human subjective wellbeing. Three institutions are needed to address these challenges. I describe (a) an evolving collection of largely-objective indicators for monitoring progress, with life satisfaction providing quantitative structure and overarching visibility to the system, (b) a publicly-curated, evidence-based Database of Happiness Coefficients, and (c) independent public agencies that decide on a growing list of material constraints on the economy. Rather than overwhelmingly novel, these features have antecedents and analogues. Moreover, most civil service decision-making and projection-making apparatuses need not change. Also, there will be no less room nor less need for political debate and platforms. While shifting society to human-centred measures of progress may be radically transformative in the long run, it can be initiated smoothly and non-disruptively.

ABSTRACT. This thesis seeks to clarify whether carbon reduction actions, or carbon actions effectively reduce emissions and whether these actions impede the development aspirations of developing countries, which heavily rely on fossil fuel-derived energy services— the primary sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To address this, I present a global analysis of the correlations between carbon actions and development outcomes using both quantitative and qualitative research methods. One method employs a partial least squares structural equation model to identify correlations among indicators of carbon finance, human development, and carbon emission reductions across 103 developing countries in the Global South. The other utilizes qualitative comparative analysis to examine the conditions under which carbon actions in 17 countries contribute to social co-benefits, such as enhanced access to clean cooking, job creation, and reduced drudgery. The findings aim to inform policymakers about the impact of carbon actions on social co-benefits and address a gap in the literature by providing insights from the Global South.

ABSTRACT. The Norwegian philosopher Arne Næss (1912-2009) criticized modern economics for its lack of philosophical awareness and interdisciplinarity, suggesting that economists should draw inspiration from the field’s origins in philosophy. Næss’ views on how the economy should be organized and studied are significant for a proper understanding of his overall philosophy, particularly in light of his differentiation between a deep and shallow understanding of environmental issues. In this paper we review Næss’ critique of economics as an academic discipline and discuss his proposals for transforming our approach to economics, considering both its historical development and the ongoing environmental crisis. Specifically, we emphasize the importance of philosophy, ecology, and social anthropology as foundational elements for economics. Our primary reference is the Norwegian-language chapter “New tasks for political economy” from Næss’ major work in environmental philosophy, "Ecology, Community and Lifestyle". We deal with Næss’ view on the use of models and the relationship between theory and reality, the fundamental connection between ecology and the economy, what role normative systems thinking can play for economics, and how economics can be informed by economic anthropology. Our treatment of Næss´ philosophy of economics includes an investigation of his views on relations between people´s quality of life and GDP growth, and his conception of progress and welfare. In conclusion we reflect on the implications of our analysis of Arne Næss’ economic viewpoints for the future of economics. We see a need for a reorientation within economics with an increased focus on environmental issues as understood by ecologists, a reframed focus on values and goods as understood by philosophers, and a renewed emphasis on promotion of welfare as the primary goal of economics. In practice, the latter reorientation will imply adopting John Stuart Mill's categorization of economics as a branch of social philosophy.

ABSTRACT. Socio-economic disparities, inadequate healthcare infrastructure, and shifting familial dynamics worsen care deficits among older adults in the Global South. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we evaluate quantitative studies to identify and assess the effectiveness of interventions targeting these care deficits. We include 18 studies with 43,067 participants, examining diverse intervention types such as nurse-coordinated care models, community-based multidisciplinary approaches, and technology-enabled solutions. The meta-analysis shows that integrated care strategies significantly improve functional independence (Standardized Mean Difference [SMD] = 0.21; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.05–0.37) and reduce hospital readmissions (Risk Ratio [RR] = 0.77; 95% CI: 0.63–0.95). Technology-assisted interventions notably enhance patient autonomy and quality of life. Subgroup analyses reveal that intervention effectiveness depends on contextual factors, including urban-rural divides, resource allocation, and cultural norms. Despite these encouraging results, study design and outcome heterogeneity highlight the need for further high-quality research. This review offers actionable insights to help policymakers and practitioners design scalable, context-sensitive interventions that address the unique needs of older adults in the Global South, fostering equitable and sustainable care solutions.

ABSTRACT. There are a number of studies that show that startup founders are exposed to particular health burdens. Due to the distinct stress factors they are exposed to, founders often suffer from depression, anxiety and other mental health issues, which can have a negative impact on their personal well-being and business results. Conversely, mental health is a significant lever for startups to cope with high stress and rapid change to keep the company and the people involved healthy, productive and motivated. Company founders, as managers and role models of their companies, have a key role to play in making a startup resilient in terms of an healthy working environment. However, there is a lack of systematic analyses to examine the health situation of founders. Therefore, the conference contribution would like to present a systematic literature review.

ABSTRACT. This study investigates the link between engagement in entrepreneurial activities and well-being as measured by life satisfaction, using data from representative surveys. In this study, we contribute to the literature on the economic relevance of subjective well-being and the factors enabling entrepreneurship. We use data sourced from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM)’s adult population survey (APS) for Luxembourg - a prominent service and financial center characterized by a diverse work force - which ranks high in entrepreneurial intensity among advanced economies. The study estimates a sequence of logit models to assess the role of life satisfaction across different stages of the entrepreneurial process, from nascent to established entrepreneurs. Additionally, a generalized ordered model is implemented to investigate whether SWB correlates with an individual's current entrepreneurial status. To address the risk of reverse causality, the analysis employs Coarsened Exact Matching (CEM) and a two-stage least squares (2SLS) approach with generated instruments. Overall findings show a negative association between subjective well-being (SWB) and entrepreneurship. SWB is negatively associated with entrepreneurial intentions but shows no association with entrepreneurial success. Job satisfaction (JS) is negatively associated with entrepreneurial intentions but is positively associated with entrepreneurial success. Results hold when entrepreneurship outcomes are regressed on both SWB and JS. Results suggest that different domains of subjective well-being (SWB) have distinct effects on entrepreneurship. Job satisfaction (JS) and entrepreneurship may follow a U-shaped relationship, where lower JS is positively associated with the intention to start a business. Entrepreneurs tend to experience reduced satisfaction in the early stages of their journey before eventually recovering to higher levels of well-being once they become more established.

ABSTRACT. Entrepreneurs in Africa tend to have a higher levels of happiness than employees, and their personal growth is an important aspect in this regard. However, the demands that come with entrepreneurship can also take a toll on their mental health, particularly for vulnerable groups in rural and urban contexts. The demand for mental health has increased over the years and continues to increase within Africa, with less than 1% of the state budgets allocated to mental health in most developing countries. Initiatives that aim to support entrepreneurs have been implemented as an attempt to address the challenges that they are faced with.

Afya ya akili, is an impact initiative undertaken by Huruma Bantfu that equips entrepreneurs with mental health interventions within their own communities. There are significant opportunities within African communities to promote mental well-being. Psychoeducation and destigmatization are key. One way to reduce mental health stigma is to increase people’s understanding of the brain and what it does when it is healthy.

Afya ya akili comes up with innovative ideas and promising solutions to solve mental health challenges in Africa through collaborative efforts sensitive to community psychosocial needs. This papers outlines the role of well-being initiatives such as mental health interventions for entrepreneurship play in developing personal resilience to grow and scale enterprises in Africa.

ABSTRACT. WISER Session

ABSTRACT. South Africa has persistent inequality, worsened by COVID-19. Job losses were significant and impacted the income distribution and poverty rates. Survey data from the Gauteng City-Region Observatory (GCRO) Quality of Life (QoL) survey series have highlighted the varied socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the nature of the post-COVID recovery. Survey data shows an overall measure of socio-economic status (which combines household income, medical aid coverage, education level, internet access and employment) declined from 41 out of 100 in 2017/18 to 37 in 2020/21 and increased again to 43 in 2023/24. Similar fluctuations are seen with regard to the proportion of respondents who live below the food poverty line of R760 per month (about US$43) – in 2017/18 it was 12% and increased to 23% in 2020/21, but declined again to 16% in 2023/24. While the data shows that socio-economic conditions have improved, the recovery is partial. The survey data provides insight into the partiality of the recovery. Some measures show positive change and resilience while other variables highlight the size of the challenge that lies ahead. South Africa’s welfare systems remain a lifeline for many households. The proportion of respondents that benefited from any kind of social grant has increased steadily from 30% in 2011 to just over 50% in 2023/24. But low-income households are less likely to recover from shocks because they lack financial safety nets - 94% of low-income households are not able to insure any of their major assets, compared to 9% of the highest-income households. The partial recovery extends to differences in overall Quality of Life in terms of satisfaction and general well-being. This paper explores the partiality of the post-COVID socio-economic recovery in Gauteng to look for the areas where interventions are needed to accelerate further recovery.

ABSTRACT. Motivation Major health shocks, such as heart attacks, strokes, cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure, are significant economic and personal disruptions. These events not only affect physical health but also have far-reaching implications for financial stability, employment, and subjective well-being. While the literature has explored the costs of diseases and their influence on financial behavior, limited empirical evidence exists on how these shocks impact households' financial outcomes and perceptions of health and mortality. This study aims to fill this gap by leveraging longitudinal data from the Survey on Health, Aging, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE).

Data Using data from over 40,000 observations spanning waves 4-9 of the SHARE dataset, we employed a propensity score matching difference-in-differences approach to estimate the causal effects of major health shocks. The analysis focuses on changes in household financial outcomes (income, net financial assets, and employment), general health, life satisfaction, and subjective mortality assessments.

Results Health shocks significantly impact financial stability and well-being. Strokes and diabetes lead to the largest reductions in net financial assets (-9.3% and -8.8%, respectively), while cancer and strokes lead to the most substantial declines in general health (-0.453 and -0.235 points, respectively). Employment probability declines across all shocks, with cancer (-3.1 percentage points) and heart attacks (-1.6 percentage points) showing the strongest effects. Subjective mortality risk increases following health shocks but is consistently underestimated compared to objective measures.

Implications These findings confirm the substantial financial and personal burdens of health shocks, emphasizing the need for targeted policies to mitigate their impacts. Enhanced education about mortality risks and better access to social safety nets could help individuals and households navigate the economic and emotional challenges posed by health shocks.

ABSTRACT. The primary aim of this paper is to explore the impact of real-life income fluctuations on individuals, focusing specifically on "gain-loss asymmetry"—a phenomenon where losses exert a more pronounced psychological effect than equivalent gains. By analyzing data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP), this study evaluates the effects of actual income changes on experienced utility, distinguishing between real income variations and anticipated changes. Self-reported life satisfaction is used as a proxy for experienced utility, with income changes determined by comparing current net real household income to that of the previous five years. Employing an ordinary least squares model with a two-way fixed effect estimator, our findings reveal that income losses significantly and negatively affect life satisfaction compared to equivalent gains, with the exception of the first lag. Beyond the first lag, losses exert a significantly greater impact than gains. Notably, the gain-loss asymmetry is more pronounced among middle-income individuals, while categorical losses are more impactful for higher-income groups.

ABSTRACT. This paper examines the relationship between household composition and wealth concentration in developed economies. While previous research has explored household structure’s impact on income disparities, its role in shaping wealth inequality remains understudied. This study addresses this gap by investigating how different household types accumulate wealth compared to traditional dual-parent households. Additionally, the paper analyzes the role of assortative mating—the tendency for partners to share similar socio-economic backgrounds—in wealth disparities. Using data from the Household Finance and Consumption Survey (HFCS), this study applies Gini decomposition techniques to assess the contribution of household composition to wealth inequality across European countries. The analysis compares data from the first and fourth HFCS waves to examine how shifts in household structures have influenced wealth concentration. The decomposition methodology distinguishes between changes in wealth inequality driven by demographic shifts and those resulting from variations in wealth accumulation patterns within household types. In a second stage, data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) will be used to analyze wealth inequality trends over time. The SOEP provides detailed insights into household financial behavior, allowing a deeper examination of how family composition and assortative mating contribute to long-term wealth disparities. Preliminary findings indicate that wealth inequality in Europe increased by 3.5% between 2010 and 2021, with the most pronounced rise occurring between 2010 and 2014. Single-parent households exhibit the highest levels of wealth inequality, whereas childless couples experience the least disparity. The study also suggests that assortative mating significantly influences wealth distribution, as couples with similar socio-economic characteristics tend to accumulate wealth more effectively. By analyzing the intersection of household composition and assortative mating, this paper enhances our understanding of the mechanisms driving wealth concentration. The findings provide valuable insights for policymakers aiming to address growing disparities and promote more equitable wealth distribution.

ABSTRACT. Couple relationship health has been empirically linked to many individual and family well-being outcomes in the United States, including mental health (Whisman et al., 2021), physical health (Coleman et al., 2013), and general happiness (Carr et al., 2014). However, more research is needed to elucidate what factors may explain the association between couple relationship quality (RQ) and mental health. Loneliness within the context of couple relationships may be one such factor. Approximately half of all adult individuals in the U.S. report feeling lonely and isolated (U.S. Surgeon General, 2023). While those in couple relationships also report high levels of loneliness, there is evidence to suggest that those in high-quality couple relationships may experience less loneliness and better mental health than those in unhealthy relationships (Mund & Johnson, 2020). Couple relationship education (CRE) programs have been found to increase RQ (Adler-Baeder et al., 2022) and may also reduce loneliness and subsequent mental health problems; however, less is known about the role of CRE interventions with these associations. Using data from 1,810 individuals who participated in a CRE program in the U.S., we examine: (1) if CRE participants report improvements in RQ, loneliness, and mental health two months post-program; (2) if changes in RQ are associated with changes in loneliness and mental health; and (3) if change in loneliness explains (i.e., mediate) the association between change in RQ and mental health. Based on preliminary results, participants report significantly higher RQ, lower loneliness, and better mental health following the CRE intervention. Further, the association between change in RQ and change in mental health is significant such that those who report improvements in RQ also report improvements in mental health. More so, this association is fully mediated by improvements in loneliness. Implications for research and practice that promote quality-of-life will be shared.

ABSTRACT. Purposes: Expanding from the social support deterioration model, this study examines a proposed theoretical model of how children’s subjective well-being is indirectly associated with their exposure to sibling violence and school bullying, mediated through different sources of social support (family support, peer support, and teacher support) that children perceived across 25 countries. It also further examines how gender and age groups differ in the interrelationships between variables in this model. Data: The data in this study was drawn from a global sample of 73,182 children aged 10 and 12 years from 25 countries in the third wave of an International Survey of Children’s Well-Being (ISCWeB). Results: The results of structural equation modeling analysis provided a good fit of model for the sample as a whole [χ2 =(137,N=73,182)=9,951.510; p<.001, NFI=.967, IFI=.967, CFI=.967, RMSEA=.031]. The final model accounted for 45% of the variance in children’s subjective well-being. Overall findings showed that children’s well-being was slightly directly associated with their victimization by siblings and peers; however, children’s well-being was indirectly associated with victimization by siblings through perceived family support and indirectly associated with victimization by peers through perceived peer support and teacher support. Similar findings were found for male and female as well as children aged 10 and 12 years old. Implication: The findings imply that children’s perceptions of social support from family, peers, and teachers play important mediating roles in the associations between child victimization by siblings and peers and their subjective well-being. The findings provide empirical evidence and information to help practitioners and policymakers justify developing or incorporating social support into prevention and intervention strategies on child victimization. It also suggests that such strategies can be effective across gender and age groups across 25 countries.

ABSTRACT. Ujamaa Intersections Model is a tool that represents Ubuntu Models relevant to the realization of well-being, harmony, happiness, equality, human dignity, and democracy in the African context from pre-colonial times. Ujamaa is among the core values of Ubuntu thus post-colonial Tanzania under the leadership of Dr. Julius Nyerere who succeeded in restoring the UIM and ultimately demonstrated true well-being, harmony, equality, and democracy in Tanzania. The Arusha Declaration of 05th February 1967 became an official Ubuntu tool that facilitated the vision toward achieving collective and holistic welfare, happiness, harmony, and democracy in the country and beyond. Dr. Nyerere used the Arusha declaration to ensure individual human rights, including freedom of expression, and the well-being of all citizens, and to prevent the exploitation of one person by another and the existence of democracy. Despite some challenges in implementing the Ujamaa Intersections model, it succeeds in uniting Tanzanians and upholding collective democracy, social ties, social cohesion, and communality. Also, UIM provides strong mutual support in the community. Compared to other African countries, Tanzania has continued to embrace the voluntarism spirit, cooperation, collective community activities, strong cultural values, etc. Also, unlike other post-colonial African states Tanzania was never touched by tribalism, racism, and related conflicts due to the Ujamaa Intersections Model. Tanzania’s democratic ideal went beyond borders with the belief that Africa is one and Tanzania couldn’t enjoy true freedom while other African countries were experiencing discrimination, racism, and colonial domination thus through the UIM Tanzania supported the liberation of other African states including Zimbabwe, the Republic of South Africa. Therefore, based on UIM’s contribution to Africa’s well-being, peace, and happiness in 2014 Nyerere was awarded Ubuntu champion by the National Heritage Council and it has remained a country of high hospitality for refugees, immigrants, and those who seek happiness, hospitality, and peace.

ABSTRACT. Capability Approach (CA) posits that individual well-being should be conceptualized through capabilities (opportunities to achieve) and functionings (achievements), which are shaped by commodities (resources) and conversion factors (personal and contextual features). Although the importance of social engagement in the development of capabilities has been emphasized, the role of loneliness in the context of CA has not yet been examined.

We focused on social loneliness (lack of weak ties) and applied a subjective approach (used self-assessed measures) to test the role of social loneliness as a specific social conversion factor for capabilities (perceived capabilities) and functionings (psychological quality of life), contributed by commodities (perceived resources). We examined: Does social loneliness mediate the effects of perceived resources on perceived capabilities? Does social loneliness deteriorate perceived capabilities? To what extent are the negative effects of social loneliness on psychological quality of life mediated by perceived capabilities?

We used data of Finnish long-term unemployed persons (N=511, year 2016), aged 20-64 years in passive unemployment at the time of filling the survey. Data was collected with a structured, self-employed questionnaire in the PROMEQ project. We used Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) with latent variables conducted with STATA as our main statistical method.

Our structural model (SEM) supported the theoretical assumptions of the hypothesized CA-model: social loneliness largely mediated the effects of resources on perceived capabilities. Social loneliness significantly deteriorated perceived capabilities. The negative effects of social loneliness on psychological quality of life were largely mediated by perceived capabilities.

Results suggest that among our sample of long-term unemployed Finns, social loneliness played a strong role in the process of CA. The negative effects of social loneliness on psychological quality of life may largely stem from the deterioration of perceived capabilities, highlighting that social loneliness may seriously reduce the perception of opportunities for achieving the desired lifestyle.

ABSTRACT. Despite the growing interest in migration studies, research examining the impact of immigration on the subjective well-being of local populations remains surprisingly limited, often yielding inconclusive and contradictory findings. Notably, the influence of the gender composition of immigrant populations has been largely overlooked in the literature. This study addresses this gap by employing the social production function framework to assess how gender-specific immigration patterns affect the well-being of native populations over time, using longitudinal data from regions in Germany and Spain. Our empirical analysis utilizes fixed-effects panel models for both regions and a regression discontinuity design for Germany, providing robust evidence of substantial gender-based differences in the effects of immigration. Specifically, we find that the arrival of female immigrants is significantly and positively correlated with increased life satisfaction among the native population. In contrast, the influx of male immigrants is associated with a reduction in native life satisfaction, a pattern that holds consistently across both male and female natives. Interestingly, during periods of economic crisis, the observed disparity between the effects of female and male immigration appears to diminish, suggesting that economic conditions may moderate the influence of gender-specific migration. These findings carry important implications for understanding the drivers of anti-immigrant sentiments, particularly in contexts where gender dynamics may play a critical role. Moreover, the results have potential policy relevance, suggesting that differentiated approaches to immigration management could help mitigate the social tensions arising from gender-specific migration trends.

ABSTRACT. Research on migration mobility initially emphasised employment opportunities, better jobs, and higher earnings for individuals. However, emerging studies propose that migration's impact on life satisfaction, beyond utilitarian considerations, should also be considered. This study presents empirical evidence on the reciprocal relationship between life satisfaction and individual migration in China. Using data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) 2012–2020 panel, it examines how changes in life satisfaction may drive mobility decisions and how mobility decisions, in turn, impact life satisfaction. When life satisfaction is low, individuals are more likely to make mobility decisions by 29.0 percentage points. To a higher life satisfaction level, individuals are not likely to move. The evidence shows that compared with individuals who did not move, migration decisions have a positive association with life satisfaction. These findings highlight the pivotal role of individual life satisfaction, serving not only as a significant determinant of migration decisions but also migrants making decisions to improve life satisfaction.

ABSTRACT. Perceived microaggressions are a significant stressor that negatively affects the quality of life (QoL) of migrants, but the role of personal resources in buffering this relationship remains unclear. This study investigates whether personal resources—resilience, hope, optimism and self-efficacy—moderate the association between perceived microaggressions and QoL among migrants in Germany. Additionally, it examines within-group differences based on migrants’ regions of origin and skin colour to account for the diversity of migrant experiences.

Data were collected from 815 migrants across Germany’s 16 federal states using validated measures of QoL, perceived microaggressions, and personal resources, alongside demographic and socio-economic variables. Moderation analyses were conducted using hierarchical regression models, with interaction terms included to assess whether personal resources attenuate the negative effects of microaggressions on QoL. Subgroup analyses explored differences by region of origin (e.g., Eastern Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia) and skin colour using the Fitzpatrick scale.

The results show that the association between perceived microaggressions and reduced QoL is weaker for individuals with higher levels of personal resources, indicating a significant moderating effect. However, these buffering effects were less pronounced among migrants with darker skin tones and those from “non-western” regions of origin, reflecting compounded vulnerabilities within these subgroups. Regional disparities in resource availability and social integration further underscore the intersectional challenges faced by migrants.

These findings highlight the protective role of personal resources in mitigating the adverse effects of microaggressions. They emphasise the need for targeted interventions and policies to enhance resilience, strengthen social support networks, and address structural inequities within migrant communities in Germany.

ABSTRACT. Approximately 30,000 North Korean defectors reside in South Korea. Given that they risked their lives to cross the border in pursuit of a better life, it is crucial to determine whether they are indeed living such a life. According to the majority of findings in happiness studies, objective living conditions do not necessarily guarantee subjective quality of life, or happiness. Although the objective standard of living for North Korean defectors may have improved upon settling in South Korea, it is essential to examine how satisfied they are with their lives and how much happiness they experience. In this context, North Korean defectors may have a different concept of happiness, as they lived under a closed hereditary dictatorship, which sets them apart even from other socialist states. Furthermore, their perception of happiness may vary depending on whether their motivation for defecting was survival or the pursuit of freedom. Therefore, I will study the concept of happiness held by North Korean defectors. Next, this study aims to examine the factors that influence their level of happiness. Although North Korean defectors are legally considered domestic citizens, they practically exhibit characteristics similar to immigrants or refugees. The factors influencing their happiness may differ from those of citizens who have lived in South Korea continuously. For instance, whether North Korean defectors have left family members behind in North Korea could significantly impact their happiness. Therefore, based on the results of research on factors affecting the happiness of immigrants and refugees, this study intends to discover factors that affect their happiness. For analysis, I will conduct life history research on three or four North Korean defectors by using in-depth interview.

ABSTRACT. Occupational hazards are important for health, safety and quality of life among elderly workers, especially, informal sector. Objectives: This study aimed to survey occupational hazards among the elderly informal workers in Nakhon Nayok province, Thailand. Methods: A cross-sectional survey using questionnaire was completed among 380 elderly workers. A detailed questionnaire was used to collect information on occupational hazards the occurrence of occupation-related illnesses. Data analysis was performed and presented using descriptive statistics. Results: The results revealed that 60.3% were women with the average age of 70.9 years (SD=7.3); 66.3 % had completed an elementary education. The majority of informal occupation was employee with 65.8%, followed by agricultural sector (32.6%). The most significant occupational health hazard was dust exposure (82.6%). Physical hazards were heat exposure (43.4 %), and lighting intensity (40.0%). Biological hazards were poisonous exposure (31.8%) while ergonomic hazards including repetitive work (43.6%), manual material handling more than 10 kilogram per day (31.8%), prolonged sitting (35.7%) and standing (35.2%). The highest prevalence rates of work-related illnesses were back pain (63.7%) follow by upper extremities pain (50.5%), and heat exhaustion (33.4%). Conclusion: These findings provide a significant data for relevant authorities to develop occupational health and safety program. This is particularly engaging health and safety awareness in the workplace, leading to promote the quality of work life among elderly informal workers.

ABSTRACT. Exploring Job Characteristics, Employee Well-being and Happiness in a Sample of Female Secondary School Teachers in South-Eastern Nigeria

Abstract Efforts to enhance quality of work life or quality of work-related life have progressively gained support in recent decades. Among the major emphasis of positive psychology in the workplace is the design of job features to enhance employees’ quality of life such as well-being and happiness. Hence, the features of job in terms of job characteristics are necessary for the realization of these goals of positive psychology. There has been much research on job characteristics, employee well-being and happiness at work, but there has been little effort to study these issues among female teachers in the non-Western context of Nigeria. In response, this correlational study examines job characteristics, employee well-being and happiness in 146 female teachers from 26 to 55 year (M = 34.60) drawn from female secondary school teachers in Enugu metropolis, South-eastern Nigeria. The participants completed measures of job characteristics, employee well-being and happiness. The results of the correlations show that employee well-being has a positive relationship with happiness as well as skill variety, task identity, task significance and feedback dimensions of job characteristics. Happiness has positive relationships with skill variety, task identity and feedback. Results of the hierarchical multiple regression show that employee well-being and skill variety positively predict happiness, while task significance and autonomy negatively predict happiness. Skill variety and task identity moderate the relationship between employee well-being and happiness. These findings have implications for work design, positive psychology research, policies and practice that enhance teachers’ happiness, well-being, professional success and personal fulfilment. The results also provide evidence foundation for policy makers, educational psychologists, industrial-organizational psychologists, clinicians and other allied health professionals to inform their training and support programmes necessary for enhancing general well-being in the workplace.

ABSTRACT. The inescapable desire to flourish, representing the pursuit of the best possible life, has captivated scholars throughout history. The workplace, a significant avenue for fulfilling this desire, paradoxically remains marked by widespread employee exhaustion and gloominess, despite substantial investments in the area. This disconnect underscores a gap between theoretical understandings and employees' lived experiences of flourishing. Furthermore, existing workplace flourishing conceptualizations, largely adapted from life-domain research conducted in a Western context, often lack cultural sensitivity and work-specific nuances, limiting their relevance and applicability. To address these gaps, this study employs a grounded theory approach, interviewing 31 employees across diverse industries and occupations to explore their perceptions and experiences of workplace flourishing. While previous research primarily defines flourishing as a state of emotional, psychological, and social well-being, our findings reveal it as a dynamic, ongoing process of achieving optimization through the fulfillment of interconnected values at any given moment. We present a theoretical model that unravels the gearbox system consisting of the present self, personally expressive work, personal projects, and the agentic self that drives flourishing at the workplace. This model also emphasizes the critical role of a supportive workplace environment in fostering and sustaining flourishing while acknowledging the influence of uncontrollable situational factors. Additionally, it captures the evolving nature of flourishing, shaped by changing individual values and goals over time. This study contributes to the advancement of workplace flourishing theory by providing a culturally nuanced and work-specific perspective, offering valuable insights into organizational practices and direction for future research.

ABSTRACT. Several authors and institutions are studying and advocating for the implementation of a four-day workweek. Building upon the progress achieved in the 20th century regarding workers' rights and the regulation of work hours, the proponents of the four-day workweek argue that society is now ready to take another step forward. The ongoing increase in GDP and labor productivity provides the necessary economic foundation. In fact, reducing the workweek is seen as a means to achieve better balance between work and family life, alleviate stress and burnout, and ultimately enhance overall well-being and productivity - see (Kelly, Orla et al. 2022) or (Schor, Juliet B., Fan, Wen, e Gu, Guolin 2023) or (Kamerāde et al. 2019). Moreover, the additional free time would create opportunities in the leisure industry, thereby bolstering the economy. Taken together, these factors point towards increased job satisfaction, a shift in consumption patterns, and overall improvements in life satisfaction. Additionally, it is argued that these changes could have positive effects on environmental issues. However, there are several reasons why this initiative may encounter challenges, particularly concerning inequality. Firstly, different sectors vary in their capacity to adapt to a shortened workweek - see Lewis, Kyle et al. (2023). Secondly, while some individuals would enjoy leisure activities, others would be required to work simultaneously. Moreover, trends in the labor market, such as declining union influence, globalization, the rise of platform-based employment, and the prevalence and rise of 24/7 service industries, pose significant obstacles - see Burchell et al. (2024), Chung (2022), Devetter e Valentin (2024), Fernández Massi e Longo (2024), Mullens e Glorieux (2024), Pulignano et al. (2024) or Spencer (2022). Finally, contrary to the 20th century, where union power was substantial, the current dynamics of the labor market raise doubts about the feasibility of such transition.

ABSTRACT. The combination of data from different sources offers many benefits. However, new sources of error can be introduced, e.g., bias inherent to the new or alternative data source, bias introduced by the technical process of the data linkage, or, if the active consent of (survey) respondents is needed, another form of nonresponse error. For the German study “Life courses and old-age provision” (LeA), survey data on life courses and pension entitlements are linked with administrative data from the respondents’ individual pension accounts. Because of national data protection rules, respondents’ explicit consent is required to extract and link the administrative data. Therefore, the respondents need to sign a consent form during the personal interview. In contrast to most of previous research, the paper not only examines the relationships between objective indicators like age, sex, education, income, or nationality on the one hand and record linkage consent on the other hand. Next to biographical determinants and other subjective indicators (and personality traits) potentially relevant for old-age provision like risk aversion, patience, impulsiveness, or procrastination, consent rates for different levels of subjective well-being are examined by means of bivariate and multivariate analyses to answer the question whether an “(un-)happiness bias” exists with respect to record linkage and if so, how large it is. Based on the results, conclusions are drawn for further research for both data collection and data analysis.

ABSTRACT. Whether survey data on social capital reflect real facts is relevant because such data are the basis of a substantial and influential literature. This literature highlights the role of social capital in fostering social cohesion, political stability, political and social participation, the quality of democracy, economic outcomes, health, and subjective well-being. However, the limited evidence on the convergence of survey data with objective measures of social capital raises concerns that this literature resembles a giant with feet of clay. We provide evidence that objective and survey measures of social capital correlate meaningfully. To this purpose, we exploit various sources of cross-country, cross-region, and time-series European objective data on blood donations, voter turnout, and newspaper reading. In addition, we expand our analysis to the correlation of survey data with semi-objective indicators of social capital. Semi-objective indicators originate from survey meta-data. Specifically, we use interviewers’ reports to derive information on respondents’ cooperation. Our findings indicate that survey measures of social capital are valid and disprove the suspicion that the social capital literature is a giant with feet of clay.

ABSTRACT. One of the core statistics of Statistics Flanders is the subjective well-being of the inhabitants of Flanders. Moreover, in our surveys, several potential determinants of subjective well-being are incorporated. In our paper, we reflect on the impact of the changed survey strategy used to measure subjective well-being and its determinants/correlates.

We compare results of different types of survey: face-to-face (during 2008-2018) versus a self-completion mode (combined use of an online version and a paper version, during 2021-2024). More specifically, we reflect about the differences in the reported subjective well-being. Although the life-satisfaction during the 2 periods separately is stable, the reported subjective well-being is remarkably lower when using self-completion compared to a face-to-face survey. In our paper, we reflect on these differences in reported subjective well-being related to the modes used in this survey. Moreover, we also reflect on the differences in the importance of the correlates and determinants of the subjective well-being.

ABSTRACT. We ran a field experiment to causally identify the effects of intense survey participation on key labour market outcomes. We randomly excluded individuals willing to sign up for the German Job Search Panel, a high-frequency survey with a focus on job search and well-being. Using administrative data on labour market outcomes (e.g., employment, earnings), we find that, on average, survey participation had no effect on labour market outcomes during the year after signing up. Furthermore, there is no strong heterogeneity across subgroups. Overall, this is good news for the validity of survey-based research involving labour market outcomes. We also demonstrate that a comparison of individuals signing up for the survey with individuals not re-sponding to the invitation could have been misleading. Even when controlling for a wide range of observable characteristics, survey participation and the subsequent take up of training programs correlate significantly. This speaks to the importance of experimental research designs in our context.

ABSTRACT. Using 23 waves of longitudinal data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey, we document a gradual decline in the perceived number of close friendships. Within a structural equation modelling framework, we find that this fall in perceived friendships is associated with a deterioration in mental health. The association between friendships and mental wellbeing is mediated by social support, social connection, and loneliness. The findings highlight the need to develop appropriate ways of fostering broader social relationships as well as the development and protection of friendship networks.

ABSTRACT. This study explores patterns and motivations for social tie formation and dissolution in the context of age. It provides empirical tests of the social convoy model, socioemotional selectivity theory, and the differential investment of resources (DIRe) model. Data comes from a survey administered face-to-face to a large, representative sample of the population of Poland (n = 1000). Controlling for between-tie and between-ego differences, it is found that the intensity of forming and dropping new ties is a decreasing function of age, but the relationship becomes weaker among people aged 40 and older. The number of social ties people maintain (degree) is also a decreasing function of age. However, the number of social ties with family, as opposed to coworkers and other acquaintances, is roughly constant across age groups. Young women, but not men, tend to form fewer ties if they are married. Both expressive and instrumental motivations for social tie formation are relatively most active in middle adulthood. The data also reveal a “rich get richer” effect: people with relatively high degree and a more central position in a social network tend to form more new ties and enlarge their social network over time.

ABSTRACT. Social connection is vital for people’s physical and mental well-being across the lifespan and friendships are an important source of closeness with others. Much of what is known about the well-being benefits of friendships is limited to the structure of social networks (e.g., number of friends). Less is known about what people do to develop and maintain friendships in adulthood and the factors that shape these processes (e.g., major life events such as divorce, marriage, relocation). The general goal of this research was to examine the link between making/keeping friends and well-being and the role of major life events in adulthood. To assess our research questions, we recruited a total of ~1000 adults (equal gender split) with half the sample consisting of midlife adults (40-59 years of age) and the other half consisting of relatively younger adults (20-39 years of age). The participants completed online questions about the occurrence and features of a recent major life event (e.g., how negative, stressful, positive the event was), the development (making new friends, reaching out to old friends) and maintenance of friendships (initiating time spent with friends, disclosure) during this recent major life event, as well as well-being (life satisfaction). Using regression analyses, we found that people who tended to make and maintain friends in the face of a major life event were more satisfied in their lives. However, not all major life events are equal; the more negative/stressful the event was rated, the less people made and maintained friendships. The reverse pattern occurred for events rated as more positive highlighting the potential for major life events to promote the development of friendships. Differences between younger and midlife samples will be discussed.

ABSTRACT. Civic engagement, which comprises an individual’s political and social participation, is a cornerstone of modern democracies and societies. Despite existing research on determinants of civic engagement, little is known about how civic engagement is formed over one’s lifespan. This paper is the first to examine whether macroeconomic conditions during adolescence form civic engagement in adulthood. We build on the impressionable years’ hypothesis, which emphasises that experiences during one’s formative years (i.e., between the ages of 18-25) are particularly important in shaping attitudes, preferences, and behaviour later in life, including those that pertain to the socio-political domain. Defining civic engagement as investments in terms of time, money, or effort to engage in activities that benefit society, we propose that economic hardship during the impressionable years likely affects civic engagement later in life, as it establishes persistent patterns that force individuals to prioritize (economic) needs at the expense of investing in civic activities. Activities like attending community meetings, volunteering, or, donation require time, energy, and financial resources which are often scarce during economic instability, making such activities fall outside immediate concerns. The focus on immediate priorities during formative years can establish patterns of behaviour that persist into adulthood, as individuals continue to view civic participation as secondary or unattainable. Using a large individual-level survey dataset from the Gallup World Poll, we exploit cross-country and cross-cohort variation since the 1940s to examine the impact of experiencing economic distress during early adulthood on civic engagement as an adult. In so doing, our paper contributes to a growing literature that sheds light on the formation of political attitudes and behaviours.

ABSTRACT. The Italian National Institute of Statistics (Istat), together with representatives of the third sector and civil society, developed a multidimensional approach to measure “equitable and sustainable well-being” (called Bes, from the Italian acronym of Benessere Equo e Sostenibile) providing a comprehensive framework for assessing the well-being of Italian society across the 12 domains identified as relevant for its measurement. Since 2013, the Bes has made available a suite of indicators disaggregated according to several categories, to enable the assessment of equity in well-being and the tracking of inequalities. Among them, regional inequalities are a fundamental dimension of well-being equity. For this reason, almost all BES indicators are available at regional level (22 regions - TL/NUTS 2).

Monitoring the evolution of regional inequalities in well-being is challenging, as wide variability and a considerable amount of data have to be managed, with different units of measurement. The aim of this work is to analyze the evolution of regional disparities in well-being, describing the dynamics of convergence or divergence among Italian regions over time. Measures of variability and convergence are employed, such as, for example, σ-convergence, that has the advantage of producing non-parametric and unbiased indices that describe the evolution of interregional disparities over time. Similar approaches have been widely used in the literature. Our research provides new insights by both examining the full set of Bes indicators with regional breakdowns (more than 100 indicators, with potentially different temporal ranges) and by adopting a comprehensive approach that simultaneously takes into account levels, trends, and disparities, facilitating comparisons across different indicators and well-being domains through standardization techniques. The methodology and the main results of this integrated analysis are presented, also with the aim of providing a useful tool for the monitoring of the cross-cutting policy priorities of reduction of territorial disparities.

ABSTRACT. This study investigates the spatio-temporal patterns of Quality of Life (QoL) perception across 73 European cities, utilizing data from the Urban Audit survey conducted every three years. By employing GIS spatial statistics, we uncover significant spatial variations in QoL perceptions, revealing that these perceptions are influenced by both the intrinsic characteristics of each city and its geographical positioning. Our analysis indicates that cities in similar geographical contexts often exhibit correlated QoL perceptions, underscoring the role of proximity and local environmental factors in shaping residents' evaluations of their living conditions. The conceptual framework is grounded in Węziak-Białowolska's (2016) model, focusing on subjective QoL perception through a longitudinal lens. This framework incorporates three dimensions: satisfaction with city services, personal well-being assessment, and place attachment, measured over 14 years to capture evolutionary patterns. This approach allows for both cross-sectional and longitudinal comparisons, facilitating the identification of city-specific trajectories versus regional patterns. The research methodology employs a mixed-methods approach that includes spatial autocorrelation analysis (Moran's I), multi-level modeling for hierarchical structures, and Geographically Weighted Regression to capture spatial variations in QoL determinants. The primary data source consists of Eurobarometer survey data (2009-2023), focusing on subjective perception indicators across approximately 73 cities. This research contributes novel insights into urban studies by addressing a critical gap in longitudinal QoL perception studies. By integrating Geographically Weighted Regression with hierarchical linear modeling, we analyze spatial dependencies and temporal changes in QoL perceptions. This study enhances our understanding of urban well-being determinants and provides actionable insights for policymakers aiming to improve urban livability across Europe, particularly in the context of evolving socio-economic landscapes following the financial crisis and pandemic.

ABSTRACT. The COVID-19 pandemic and containment measures had multiple consequences on people’s wellbeing, affecting, among others, their financial situation and employment stability. The aim of this study is to investigate subjective financial wellbeing of people aged 51+ measured between Wave 7 (2019) and Wave 9 (2022) of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) database, and its relation to pandemic severity, as measured by excess mortality, using multilevel ordered logistic regressions and standard errors clustering. SHARE respondents from 28 countries were assigned with regions from which they were sampled or regions of their historical accommodation in various versions of the regional disaggregation. During the analyzed period, the average subjective financial wellbeing improved in 93 out of 122 analyzed regions. A relatively low financial resilience to the COVID-19 crisis was observed in Southeastern Europe. The regional-level mean weekly excess mortality from June 2021 until March 2022 was used as the main explanatory factor in the econometric analysis. We found that one additional excess death per 10,000 inhabitants in a given region is associated with the probability of worsening of individual’s financial wellbeing higher by 4.88-5.72 percentage points. Accounting for income in an auxiliary model resulted in a loss of significance of excess mortality. We also conclude that transition to retirement of unemployed people during the pandemic makes them more resilient in terms of their financial wellbeing. On the contrary, transition to retirement or job loss experience of people employed before the pandemic outbreak is associated with worsened financial wellbeing in 2022.

ABSTRACT. Rural areas across Southeast Europe have undergone various socio-economic transformations, with out-migration emerging as one of the most pressing challenges. Key drivers for this development, such as high unemployment, inadequate infrastructure, and limited job opportunities, are well-documented. However, less attention has been given to the factors that make individuals choose to remain in their place of residence despite these drivers for migration. Exploring these factors is crucial for informing sustainable rural development strategies. This study draws on the concepts of place attachment and well-being to explain why people stay. In particular, we examine the relationship between these concepts and how they relate to an individual’s intention to stay. Using data from a rural household survey conducted in Albania, Kosovo, Romania, and Moldova, we employ multiple regression analysis to explore these interconnections. Preliminary findings reveal a high likelihood of respondents choosing to remain in their place of residence over the next two years. They also show variations in average levels of well-being across age groups and countries, with Kosovo and Romania reporting the highest overall levels. Moreover, data indicate that place attachment is generally high, increasing with age and reflecting older people’s deeper connections to their villages. The study’s findings will contribute to the academic discourse on rural development and offer insights for policymakers and stakeholders aiming to design targeted interventions to support and sustain rural areas.

ABSTRACT. Policy Roundtable

ABSTRACT. Policy Roundtable

ABSTRACT. Policy roundtable

ABSTRACT. Policy roundtable

ABSTRACT. Policy Roundtable

ABSTRACT. Policy Roundtable