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Abstract
The present investigation examined the role of multiple close relationships (mother, father, best friend, and romantic partner,
if any) in happiness among emerging adults with and without a romantic partner. The results for those without a partner (n=152) revealed that only the relationship experiences with mother and best friend were predictive of happiness. On the other
hand, the findings for those with a partner (n=159) showed that only three factors, namely mother–child relationship quality, romantic relationship quality and conflict
were predictive of happiness. The results for this group also suggested that romantic relationship quality was protective
of best friendship conflict; moreover, best friendship quality did not buffer the negative impact of romantic partner conflict
on happiness, suggesting a less important role of best friends in happiness. In other words, the findings suggest that when
emerging adults are involved in a romantic relationship, friends’ importance in happiness might be less pronounced or not
pronounced at all. The results were discussed in light of the literature and suggestions were made for future research.
KeywordsClose relationships-Cross-domain buffering-Emerging adulthood-Happiness-Relationship quality
... Additionally, Williams et al. (2018) suggest that using IER more frequently and evaluating IER to be effective in regulating emotions has been associated with a multitude of positive outcomes such as enhanced social relationships and the experience of positive emotions. Although well-being was not measured specifically in Williams et al. (2018) research, the positive outcomes of IER, such as positive interpersonal relationships, have been suggested to be associated with components of well-being such as life satisfaction (Alden & Taylor, 2004;Demir, 2010). Thus, the current study sought to replicate the concept that IER is linked to well-being while utilizing a measure of IER that is not strategy specific as well as a diverse set of well-being measures. ...
... When considering the interplay of social anxiety, IER, and well-being, if socially anxious individuals are not using IER, they may not gain some of the positive outcomes described by Williams et al. (2018), such as positive relationships. In turn, this can impact their well-being as research suggests that healthy interpersonal relationships-whether romantic, with a parent, or with a friend-are positively associated with well-being (Alden & Taylor, 2004;Demir, 2010;Gómez-López et al., 2019). Overall, the current study examined a model which considers this potential interplay and explores how IER may be a mechanism that underlies the association between social anxiety and well-being. ...
Background
Although there has been a recent shift to investigating interpersonal emotion regulation (IER), there are still key aspects of IER to understand. Examining how emerging adults, including those with social anxiety, utilize and think about IER can provide insights into how this type of emotion regulation can impact well-being. It is valuable to have investigated IER during the pandemic since in-person interpersonal interactions may have been disrupted due to physical distancing. Thus, the current study examined the relations between social anxiousness, IER, and well-being during this time.
Method
Emerging adults (n = 674) completed measures related to social anxiousness (social interaction, performance, and scrutiny anxiety as well as avoidance), IER (tendency and efficacy for positive and negative emotions), and well-being (subjective happiness, life satisfaction, and flourishing).
Results
Through a structural equation mediation model, it was demonstrated that social anxiousness is inversely linked to well-being and IER, and IER is positively linked to well-being in the context of the pandemic. Importantly, IER acted as a partial mediator on the link between social anxiousness and well-being.
Conclusions
These results underscore the important role of IER, as well as social anxiety, on emerging adults’ well-being. Additionally, IER could act as a mechanism partially explaining the inverse relation between social anxiety and well-being levels in emerging adults. Further, our findings provide a crucial starting point to inform future research and clinical interventions based on IER.
... Furthermore, friends act as confidents and companions in addition to offering help and support that can be very usefull while going through the life transitions of emerging adulthood (Stress buffering model; Cohen & Wills, 1985;Wrzus et al., 2017). Friendship quality (i.e., the more qualitative characteristics of friendship) has been found to influence well-being more than do the more quantitative ones (e.g., contact frequency, duration; Antonucci, 2001;Demir, 2010). Friendship quality covers various features usually grouped under a positive dimension (e.g., intimacy, support) and a negative dimension (e.g., conflict; Bukowski et al., 1994;Demir et al., 2007;Ponti et al., 2010). ...
... However, as pointed out by Furman and Rose (2015), the effects that these two relationships have on well-being has rarely been explored simultaneously. The few studies that have done so, however, yielded mixed results; the link between friendship and well-being emerged as the most important of the two, persisted or, in some cases, disappeared when romantic relationships were taken into account (Bertera, 2005;Camirand & Poulin, 2022;Demir, 2010;Eshbaugh, 2010;Walen & Lachman, 2000). However, most of them observed that friendship quality stayed associatied with wellbeing even when other social relationships were included (partner and family; Bertera, 2005;Eshbaugh, 2010;Walen & Lachman, 2000). ...
The aim of this study was to verify whether the links between features of best-friendship quality (intimacy, reliable alliance, conflict) and well-being indicators (self-esteem, loneliness) change from early emerging adulthood to early established adulthood. The moderating effect of gender and investment in romantic life on these links was examined as well. For the purpose, 346 individuals (58% women) completed questionnaires at age 20 and again at age 30. Multilevel analysis were performed for each well-being indicators separately. The results showed reliable alliance to be associated with both well-being indicators, and intimacy to be associated with loneliness. Age moderated the effect of intimacy on self-esteem, whereas investment in romantic life moderated the effect of reliable alliance. Finally, triple interactions emerged between conflict, gender and age in their associations with self-esteem and loneliness, underscoring particularities for men. These results underscore the most influential features of friendship quality for well-being.
... Other studies considering support or relationship quality in two out of these three types of relationships found, in samples of varying age ranges between 17 and 28 years old, moderate correlations with depressive symptoms for support in relationships with parents (Caron et al., 2012;S. T. Li et al., 2014;Memmott-Elison et al., 2022; but see Demir, 2010) and in relationships with friends or romantic partners (Camirand & Poulin, 2022;Caron et al., 2012;S. T. Li et al., 2014). ...
... The few studies that considered both the positive and negative sides of relationships in early adulthood suggest that conflicts and strains in relationships with friends, romantic partners, and parents are problematic for mental health (Camirand & Poulin, 2022;Caron et al., 2012;Demir, 2010;Hirsch & Barton, 2011). Once again, these studies were cross-sectional, relied only on self-reports, and focused on young adults in college or with college-educated parents, that is, on a segment of the population who might rarely experience strains as intense as those experienced by some young adults with lower educational attainment. ...
“Diseases of despair,” most prominently depressive and substance-related problems, diminish the prospects of many young adults, especially those with lower levels of education. Yet many young adults in that situation avoid these problems. Close relationships are thought to be a key factor underpinning risk and resilience among this group. To examine this premise, this study explored links, beyond potential confounders assessed in adolescence, between strengths and strains in the social domain and markers of despair in the early and mid-20s in a Canadian sample overrepresenting youth without postsecondary credentials (N = 543, 52% male, 23% non-White). Having a good general ability to maintain supportive relationships was associated with fewer depressive and substance-related symptoms. Furthermore, support and less strain in relationships with parents and friends were associated with fewer depressive symptoms in the early and mid-20s, while for romantic relationships, associations with depressive symptoms became more consistent and robust in the mid-20s. Therefore, support and strains in romantic relationships gradually gained prominence as a determinant of depressive symptoms as youth advanced in adulthood. For substance-related problems, significant associations emerged for strains in friendships only, in both the early and mid-20s. These results suggest that multiple aspects of relationships pose a risk for or protect from the development of diseases of despair in early adulthood and that their relative importance changes depending on outcomes and developmental timing. Thus, facilitating meaningful social connections and reducing the prevalence and impact of relationship strains might contribute to preventing diseases of despair among youth with lower educational attainment.
... In the research, it was found that individuals with secure attachment style exhibited different emotional patterns (happiness, admiration, gratitude, compassion, pride, anger, guilt, etc.) in the relationship, whereas individuals with insecure attachment style remained within a narrow framework and gave defensive and negative emotional reactions (hostility, blame, pity, pride, contempt, hostile jealousy, etc.) to their partners (Mikulincer & Shaver, 2005). Because being in a romantic relationship with deep meaning is as important a determinant for happiness as being in a healthy relationship with others (Demir, 2010). As a matter of fact, a large number of studies have shown that healthy close relationships and relationship evaluation styles have a reciprocal relationship with happiness, psychological well-being and life satisfaction (Fok & Cheng, 2018;Forgas et al., 1994;Gere & Schimmack, 2013;Bucher et al., 2019;Czyżowska et al., 2020). ...
... This result may be related to one of the limitations of the study, which is that the participants were not asked whether they were in a romantic relationship while evaluating their experiences in close relationships. As a matter of fact, in a study conducted by Demir (2010) in emerging adults, the happiness levels of university students with and without partners were compared and the results obtained showed that only relationship experiences with mothers and best friends predicted happiness for individuals without partners. In the same study, it was found that the predictors of happiness for university students with a partner were mother-child relationship quality, romantic relationship quality and conflict. ...
The emphasis on well-being in mental health definitions and the impact of positive psychology studies, it is observed that the interest in the factors explaining the subjective well-being (happiness) of individuals is increasing day by day. Subjective well-being involves cognitive and emotional evaluation of life. These evaluations may vary from one area of life to another and may have positive or negative effects on happiness. For this reason, numerous studies have focused on the relationship between subjective well-being and various aspects of life domains including friendship, romantic relationships, and academic achievement. However, it is noteworthy that the extent and priority of how the dynamics of various life domains collectively contribute to individuals' subjective well-being have not yet to been sufficiently clarified. From this point of view, the present study aimed to investigate the predictive role of the subcomponents of university students' interpersonal sensitivity, academic self-perception and attachment-based experiences in close relationship in their subjective well-being and to determine the priority status of these factors. The participants of the study consisted of 410 (235 female, 175 male) university students between the ages of 18-25. As a result of the correlation analysis, statistically significant relationships were found between all of the sub-dimensions of interpersonal sensitivity, academic self and experiences in close relationship and subjective well-being. The results of the stepwise regression analysis revealed four statistically significant models to explain subjective well-being. At each stage, when the effects of the sub-dimensions included in the previous model were controlled, the explanatory levels of the variables included in the model for subjective well-being were 30% for lack of social self-confidence, 12% for academic effort, 3% for interpersonal anxiety and dependency, and 4% for non-assertive behaviors, respectively. The findings were discussed and supported by the explanations and findings in the literature.
... Other than social support, friendships and romantic relationships are also significant predictors of an individual's happiness (Demir, 2010). Friendships, defined as mutually enjoyable relationships that provide the individuals involved with socio-emotional needs such as intimacy, companionship, and validation (Fiori & Denckla, 2015), are one of the most critical predictors of happiness (Frederick & Zhang, 2021). ...
... Other than friendships, mutually satisfying romantic relationships can also predict happiness (Demir, 2010). A study done by Londero-Santos et al. in 2021, it was concluded that neither relationship status nor relationship length greatly affects subjective well-being (SWB), whereas relationship satisfaction does. ...
Happiness is defined as “the experience of joy, contentment, or positive well-being, combined with a sense that one’s life is good, meaningful, and worthwhile” (Lyubormirsky, 2007, p. 32) and positive psychology studies how humans have always strived to achieve it. Positive psychology, a relatively new discipline of psychological science created by Martin E. P. Seligman in 1998, is concerned with human flourishing and how to achieve it, ultimately studying the processes and conditions that contribute to achieving one’s optimum state (Gable & Haidt, 2005). However, happiness can be associated with a number of different things by different people. Some people associate happiness with things such as wealth, beauty, prestige, aesthetics, and power, whereas others associate happiness with things that are generally considered more profound and long-lasting such as social connections and living a fulfilling life (Compton & Hoffman, 2019). Happiness can also be achieved by many ways. One of the ways to achieve this is by cultivating positive relationships and having social support that can ultimately provide an encouraging, supportive, and constructive companionship for people, and in turn contribute to their happiness. For example, friendships can provide us with the support and safety of alliance when family fails to do so, and this can help children establish positive traits such as security and determination (Roffey, 2012).
... As they are far from their home networks, including their families and peers, some backpackers will travel in groups of pre-existing friends, whereas others will form new, supportive relationships during their journeys [53][54][55]. Studies have examined social support's contribution, whether from parents, family members, and/or peers, to life satisfaction among different groups of young people during this critical life stage [56][57][58][59]. However, we could not find any studies that examined this issue among backpackers. ...
... However, we could not find any studies that examined this issue among backpackers. In light of the contribution that social support makes to life satisfaction [56,58,60,61], in this study, we explored the direct effect of social support on life satisfaction. Based on the COR theory [20,21] and on earlier studies among other populations, e.g., [61][62][63], we also explored the mediating effect that social support has on life satisfaction. ...
Although research from a positive psychology perspective is conducted among different populations, few studies have examined the predictors of life satisfaction among young backpackers. The current study focused on young adults (ages 21–30), an age group for whom backpacking treks are a growing phenomenon, during their treks in the Far East and South America. Direct and indirect models were used to identify personal factors and environmental resources contributing to life satisfaction. After at least one month abroad, 318 young adults (M = 23.76) answered a self-report quantitative questionnaire. The findings show that personal resources, social support, and community participation were positively associated with life satisfaction, and risk-taking behaviors were negatively associated with life satisfaction. Social support and community participation partially mediated the association between risk-taking behaviors and life satisfaction and between personal resources and life satisfaction. The implications of the findings for the subjective well-being of young backpackers during their transition to adulthood include, among others, the need to help young backpackers maintain their personal and social resources as valuable assets for coping with challenges during their trips. It is also important to increase awareness of the possible wide-ranging negative effects of risk-taking behaviors during backpacking trips.
... *p<.05; IOS = inclusion of other in self; number in paratheses are standard errors; bold lines represent significant paths; dotted lines represent nonsignificant relations 2017) and more globally (Demir, 2010). The lack of significant findings does not indicate that poor relations with mothers are not consequential for youth in India, but rather when considered with poor relations with fathers and other family members, poor quality of relations with mothers do not add unique variance when examining depressive symptoms. ...
... People in relationally mobile cultures also give gifts more often (Komiya et al., 2019). All these positive features may make people happier (Chan & Lee, 2006;Demir, 2010;Demir et al., 2007;Kim & Lee, 2011;Ye et al., 2019). ...
In cultures with high relational mobility, relationships are free and flexible. People can make new friends easily, and they have the freedom to leave unsatisfying relationships. In cultures with low relational mobility, relationships are more fixed, and people have less freedom to leave relationships. We argue that people experience higher well-being if they have the freedom to exit toxic relationships and find new partners easily. In Study 1, we ran a controlled comparison by testing people all within the same nation. We measured well-being and relational mobility in a representative sample of 22,669 people across China. People reported greater well-being in relationally mobile prefectures. Study 2 found this same relationship across 74,657 people in 34 cultures. Study 3 used a cross-lagged design to give more insight into the direction of the relationship. The results showed that relational mobility predicted later subjective well-being, but not the opposite direction. Overall, these data suggest the cultural environments of relational mobility make people happy.
... In particular, having a close companion and confidant that is responsive and able to listen to their problems and offer encouragement, care, and empathic responses can reduce stress and support better psychological well-being [12,15,16]. Indeed, a large body of empirical research demonstrates that partnered individuals are happier, less anxious, and less depressed than their single counterparts [12,[17][18][19][20][21]. ...
Discrimination can contribute to adverse mental health outcomes among individuals in romantic partnerships. However, research has yet to examine how differences in partner race/ethnicity can shape the link between gendered racial microaggressions, an intersectional form of discrimination, and depressive symptoms among Asian American women. Accordingly, we assessed the link between gendered racial microaggressions and depressive symptoms, and whether partner race/ethnicity (White vs. Asian) moderated the link. Using a sample of 156 Asian American women (Mage = 26.5, SD = 5.33), we conducted multiple regressions to assess the main effects between four gendered racial microaggression stress subscale factors and depressive symptoms. We then examined partner race/ethnicity as a moderator in these associations. All four gendered racial microaggression stress subscale factors of ascribed submissiveness, assumptions of universal appearance, Asian fetishism, and media invalidation significantly predicted greater depressive symptoms. However, only Asian fetishism experiences maintained a significant and positive association with depressive symptoms for Asian American women with White male partners. The association between Asian fetishism and depressive symptoms was no longer significant for Asian American women with Asian male partners. Results indicate that Asian fetishization may be a uniquely oppressive experience for Asian American women with White partners that can contribute to greater depressive symptoms. These findings demonstrate an increased need for the development of critical consciousness in individual and couples counseling sessions to help Asian American women and their romantic partners identify and mitigate the negative effects of gendered racial microaggressions.
... Low levels of relationship well-being with friends during emerging adulthood have been associated with depression (Kopala-Sibley et al., 2015), loneliness (Doumen et al., 2012), and low self-esteem (Özabacı & Eryılmaz, 2015). On the other hand, high-quality interpersonal relationships at this age are accompanied by happiness (Demir, 2010), hope (Booker et al., 2021), and life satisfaction (Crocetti & Meeus, 2014;Samadieh & Tanhaye Reshvanloo, 2023). ...
Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the critical determinants of perceived well-being in friendship relationships during emerging adulthood.
Methodology: A sample of 726 undergraduate students at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad was selected during the Fall semester of 2021-2022 through the convenience sampling method.They completed the Interpersonal Behaviors Questionnaire (IBQ; Rocchi et al., 2017), the Compassionate and Self-image Goals Scale (CSIGS; Crocker & Canevello, 2008), the Basic Need Satisfaction in Relationships Scale (BNS-RS; La Guardia et al., 2000), the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (INQ-10; Bryan., 2011), the Friendship Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SRQ-F; Ryan & Connell, 1989), Interpersonal Behaviors Questionnaire-Self (IBQ-self; Rocchi et al., 2017), the State Level Subjective Vitality Scale (SVS-SL; Ryan & Frederick, 1997), the Perceived Relationship Quality Component (PRQC; Fletcher et al., 2000), and the The Basic Empathy Scale (BES; Jolliffe & Farrington, 2006). Data analysis was conducted using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling. All statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS.25, AMOS.24, and SmartPLS 3.3.3.
Findings: The perceived support of basic psychological needs by friends (β=.204), the perceived thwarting of basic psychological needs by friends (β=-.147), the goal in friendship relationships (β=.234), the satisfied basic psychological needs (β=.124), the frustrated psychological needs (β=-.116), and the friendship self-regulation (β= .023) had significant indirect effects on perceived well-being in friendship relationships (p<0.05).
Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that self-determination theory provides a coherent framework for explaining perceived well-being in friendships.
... The psychological well-being of young students is influenced by a diverse set of factors. Based on research on the diversity of determinants of the phenomenon of psychological well-being (Akhtar, 2015;Baik et al., 2015;Bexley et al., 2013;Boyce et al., 2010;Burns, Machin, 2010;Demir, 2010;Ibrahim et al., 2013;Larcombe et al., 2015;Lerkkanen et al., 2018;Nepomuceno et al., 2016;Özdemir & Tuncay, 2008;Roslaba et al., 2017;Ryff, 2017;Schofield et al., 2016;Shaw et al. ., 2002;Sarokhani et al., 2013;Tommis et al., 2007;), Table 2 summarizes several factors that significantly affect the psychological well-being of young students. ...
This scientific article reflects the results of research on the psychological well-being of students of Rēzekne Academy of Technologies in 2019 and 2023. The need for such studies is justified by recent studies in various countries, which show that the prevalence and severity of mental problems among young people is increasing. Taken together, these studies show that students are increasingly experiencing symptoms of increased anxiety and stress, as well as depression. Thus, the deterioration of students' psychological well-being is a major challenge in modern universities. The aim of the empirical study: to reflect the dynamics of the level and content of the psychological well-being of young students. The analysis of scientific literature and empirical results is used as a basic method in the development of the article.
... Creating a significant and meaningful romantic relationship is essential to happiness, self-esteem, and well-being (Collins et al., 2009;Xia et al., 2018), and adolescents who successfully establish a satisfying romantic relationship are more likely to experience better psychological adjustment in later life. High-quality romantic relationships are linked to high satisfaction and less internalizing and externalizing behavior (Demir, 2010). Nevertheless, if adolescents are involved in romantic relationships characterized by conflict or violence, they can develop depressive symptoms and externalizing behaviors (Kansky & Allen, 2018;Price et al., 2016). ...
Introduction
Creating romantic relationships characterized by high‐quality, satisfaction, few conflicts, and reasoning strategies to handle conflicts is an important developmental task for adolescents connected to the relational models they receive from their parents. This study examines how parent–adolescent conflicts, attachment, positive parenting, and communication are related to adolescents' romantic relationship quality, satisfaction, conflicts, and management.
Method
We interviewed 311 adolescents at two time points (females = 52%, ages 15 and 17) in eight countries (China, Colombia, Italy, Kenya, the Philippines, Sweden, Thailand, and the United States). Generalized and linear mixed models were run considering the participants' nesting within countries.
Results
Adolescents with negative conflicts with their parents reported low romantic relationship quality and satisfaction and high conflicts with their romantic partners. Adolescents experiencing an anxious attachment to their parents reported low romantic relationship quality, while adolescents with positive parenting showed high romantic relationship satisfaction. However, no association between parent–adolescent relationships and conflict management skills involving reasoning with the partner was found. No associations of parent–adolescent communication with romantic relationship dimensions emerged, nor was there any effect of the country on romantic relationship quality or satisfaction.
Conclusion
These results stress the relevance of parent–adolescent conflicts and attachment as factors connected to how adolescents experience romantic relationships.
... Perhaps factors such as how frequently first-year university students communicate with their mothers, how often they visit home if they move out, and their topics of conflict (i.e., daily routines, responsibilities, more autonomy) can be explored by future studies to shed more light into these associations. In sum, our results on the associations between parent-child relationships and well-being are in line with previous research showing that more than fathers, mothers influence their children's happiness [57]. Together, the present study supports the notion of linked lives, as suggested by the Life Course Theory [13]. ...
This prospective study examined changes in parent–child relationship quality and well-being during the transition to university. We also investigated whether living situation (i.e., moving out of the parental home) and motivation to leave home were related to these changes. The participants were 240 Turkish university students (65.4% female; Mage = 17.74 (0.53) at Time 1) participating in two measurement waves from 2017 to 2019. Results of Latent Change Score Models revealed that both autonomy support of fathers and perceived stress decreased over time, while other parent–child relationship qualities and life satisfaction remain relatively stable on average. First-year university students who left home showed less decline in stress than those still living at home. We did not find living situation and motivation to leave home to moderate changes in parent–child relationship quality and well-being. Furthermore, we found bidirectional associations mainly between parent–child relationship quality and life satisfaction and between conflict with mother and stress. These findings underline the importance of considering the changes in parent–child relationship quality and well-being in the transition to university in a family-oriented culture.
... Within the period of emerging adulthood, multiple variables have been shown to be associated with resilience. For example, expansion of social relationships has been shown to be important in supporting the well-being of emerging adults (O'Connor et al., 2011) and predicts positive outcomes such as life satisfaction and positive affect (Demir, 2010;Facio & Resett, 2013). Additionally, psychological well-being encompasses sub-factors such as autonomy and self-acceptance and has been shown to be associated with resilience (Chamberlain & Haaga, 2001;Harms et al., 2018;Wong, 2008). ...
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been linked to many negative outcomes in prior psychological literature. Previous studies have shown that ACEs are related to sleep problems (e.g., trouble falling and staying asleep) and sleep problems are related to resilience outcomes. However, there are far fewer studies that examine whether sleep quality, regularity, and insomnia symptoms mediate the relationship between ACEs and resilience. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to analyze the mediating role of sleep problems on the relationship between ACEs and resilience. Emerging adult participants between the ages of 18–25 (N = 501) were recruited online via Mechanical Turk (n = 243) and from a mid-size university research participant pool in the Northwestern United States (n = 258). Participants completed questionnaires online concerning ACEs, sleep problems (i.e., quality, regularity, and insomnia symptoms), and resilience (i.e., psychological well-being, social well-being, life satisfaction, and effortful control). Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data cross-sectionally. The latent construct of sleep problems was found to mediate the relationship between ACEs and the latent construct of resilience. These results suggest that sleep quality, regularity, and insomnia symptoms may be important targets for intervention when treating individuals with ACEs to increase their resilience.
... These preferences are intrinsically amoral in nature; yet, they have a profound effect on people's life experiences. For example, sexual attractiveness strongly influences one's choice of a romantic mate and plays a crucial role in romantic relationships [58,59], and these relationships are, quite expectedly for all the reasons highlighted already, instrumental in individuals' feelings of happiness and well-being [60][61][62][63]. Consequently, any individual whose traits deviate sufficiently from those which the opposite sex has evolved to prefer and which, as such, contribute to the stereotypes of their own sex, will encounter difficulties in the pursuit of romantic fulfilment, even if simply by virtue of reduced potential partner availability and interest. ...
The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) lists 1571 as the year of the first recorded use of the English word ‘masculinity’; the Ancient Greek ανδρεια (andreia), usually translated as ‘courage’, was also used to refer to manliness. The notion of manliness or masculinity is undoubtedly older still. Yet, despite this seeming familiarity, not only is the notion proving to be highly elusive, its understanding by the society being in a constant flux, but also one which is at the root of bitter division and confrontation, and which has tangible and far-reaching real-world effects. At the same time, while masculinity has been attracting an increasing amount of attention in academia, the large body of published work seldom goes to the very foundations of the issue, failing to explicitly and with clarity reach a consensus as to how masculinity ought to be understood. Herein I critique the leading contemporary thought, showing it to be poorly conceived and confounded, and often lacking in substance which would raise it to the level of the actionable and constructive. Hence, I propose an alternative view which is void of the observed deficiencies, and discuss how its adoption would facilitate a conciliation between the currently warring factions, focusing everybody’s efforts on addressing the actual ethical, deconfounded of specious distractions.
... It encompasses not only the positive or negative emotions and attitudes one holds towards their current state, but also serves as a reliable predictor of academic performance, physical and mental health, as well as subjective well-being in adolescents (Di Fabio & Gori, 2016;Suldo et al., 2006). Numerous studies have documented the significance role that positive friendships play in enhancing individual life satisfaction (Demir, 2010). Indeed, the quality of one's friendships has been found to impact both adolescent positive emotions and life satisfaction. ...
Friendship has been increasingly acknowledged as a beneficial factor in adolescent psychological adjustment. However, there remains a lack of understanding of the circumstances in which peer influence occurs and how it manifests. To address this gap, this study drew on the developmental situation theory and self-determination theory to investigate the moderating and mediating role of basic psychological needs satisfaction (BPNS) in the relationship between friendship quality (FQ) and positive emotional adjustment (PEA) among adolescents in boarding schools. A total of 1073 high school students (M age = 16.23 ± 1.31 years, 58.2% female) from Northwest China participated in the survey. Research hypotheses were tested using bootstrap analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM). Results showed that FQ had a significant positive predictive effect on three variables of PEA (i.e., positive emotion, life satisfaction, and self-esteem) and this effect was robust in girls. The moderating effect indicated that BPNS fostered the positive associations between FQ and positive emotion. The mediating effect indicated that BPNS also played a mediating role between FQ and PEA variables. These findings shed light on the potential psychological benefits of high-quality friendship for adolescents and on the mechanism through which they occur.
... It was also found that personal happiness and life satisfaction were higher among males than females. Demir (2010) investigated the influence of close relationships on happiness in emerging adults (18-25 years). There were two groups of adults, i.e., one group having romantic partners (n=152) and another group without romantic partners (n=152). ...
] The present study investigated the subjective happiness of tea garden workers of Dibrugarh district, Assam, concerning gender (male and female) and income group (middle and lower-income groups). The sample comprised 100 (50 male, 50 female) tea garden workers aged 21 to 60 years. A survey research design was implemented in this study, while the purposive sampling technique was used for selecting participants. A socio-demographic sheet and subjective happiness scale was used to collect data. Mean, standard deviation, percentage (%), and t-test were computed for statistical analysis of the responses. The findings reveal that the subjective happiness of male and female tea garden workers is significantly different at the 0.01 level. Male workers perceive more pleasure than their female counterparts; further, it was found that lower-and middle-income group workers perceive an equal level of satisfaction in their lives; no significant difference was found between them.
... Contextual definitions of happiness were also consistent with evidence obtained from other ehhi studies (Delle Fave et al., 2011, 2016, highlighting the close connection between happiness and interpersonal bonds, ranging from intimate and family relationships to interactions with friends and significant others. On the same vein, in other studies the quality of best friend relationships emerged as predictors of happiness, especially for those not involved in romantic relationship (Demir, 2010), and friendship maintenance behaviors were positively associated with happiness (Sanchez et al., 2020). The goals identified in highest percentages by both Brazilian and Italian participants concerned family and work, thus corroborating previous international evidence (Delle Fave et al., 2013). ...
The role of teachers in shaping youth's worldview is widely acknowledged. While exposure to stress and burnout were thoroughly investigated among these professionals, scientific evidence concerning their wellbeing is still limited. Grounded in the positive psychology framework, the present study is aimed at investigating teachers' wellbeing in a crosscultural perspective. To this purpose, primary and secondary school teachers from Brazil (N=187; Mean age = 36,01; 89,94% women) and Italy (N=267; Mean age = 47,42; 85,39% women) completed the Eudaimonic and Hedonic Happiness Investigation Inventory. The instrument includes openended questions exploring participants' happiness definitions, future goals, and current sources of meaning. Relationships between participants' distribution across answer categories and demographic features were analyzed through chisquare statistics and logistic regression. Substantial group similarities emerged: happiness was primarily defined as an experience of inner harmony and balance; family and work were prominent future goals and sources of meaning. As for group differences, a higher percentage of Brazilians reported education as a future goal and spirituality/religion as a source of meaning, whereas significantly more Italians indicated health and interpersonal relations as future goals. The importance attributed to work by both groups attests to the potential of educational professions in supporting workers' wellbeing and pupils' psychosocial development.
... Bauer and Mc Adams (32) compared students and adults on personal growth and well being where they found that personal growth is correlated to subjective well being. Demir (33) showed that personal relationships were predictive of happiness. Gerdtham and Johannesson (34) found that health has a positive correlation with happiness. ...
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The present quantitative study adopts a between group design to assess the difference between interning doctors and practicing doctors in the levels of Machiavellianism, aspirations, quality of life and subjective happiness. A correlational design was also employed to determine if quality of life and subjective happiness can be predicted by Machiavellianism and its dimensions of amorality, desire for status, desire for control and distrust of others; and aspirations and its dimensions of wealth, fame, image, personal growth, relationships, community, and health. Purposive Sampling and Snowball Sampling techniques were used to collect data from 100 interning and 100 practicing doctors. Independent t-test results showed that practicing doctors were significantly higher on Machiavellianism and its dimensions of amorality, desire for status and distrust of others; aspirations, its dimension of image, community, health, and physical quality of life. Interning doctors were higher on desire for control, fame aspirations, psychological health and overall quality of life. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that personal growth and health aspirations predicted quality of life in interning doctors and Machiavellianism, amorality; wealth, fame, image, community and health aspirations predicted quality of life among practicing doctors. Health aspiration was a predictor of subjective happiness in interning doctors. In practicing doctors, amorality, desire for status, distrust of others; wealth, fame, image, personal growth, relationships, community and health aspirations were predictors of subjective happiness. In present day India the rapidly changing and overburdened healthcare system has affected the well being of health care professionals and the present study throws light on to some factors that may influence quality of life and happiness of doctors in India.
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... Social experiences, including interpersonal relationships and interactions, affect mood and mental health both in neurotypical and autistic populations (Demir, 2010;Pemberton & Fuller Tyszkiewicz, 2016). Responses from autistic adults in our sample emphasized the importance of high-quality nurturing social relationships and interactions. ...
Purpose:
Daily mood can be influenced by a range of experiences. Identifying everyday life experiences that make autistic adults happy and unhappy holds potential to foster positive mood and tackle mental health problems amongst this group.
Methods:
A total of 293 autistic adults between the ages of 18 to 35 years old (mean age of 26.51 years old (SD = 4.62); 43.3% female gender, 4.8% nonbinary) provided open-text responses regarding everyday sources of happiness and unhappiness. Using an iterative process of inductive coding, 14 happy themes and 22 unhappy themes of mood-changing life experiences were identified based on self-report qualitative data.
Results:
Common themes across the happy and unhappy domain involved social partners, social interactions, and engagement in recreational and employment activities, with additional distinct themes specific to happy or unhappy mood. Top themes identified in the happy domain emphasizes encouraging quality relationships and positive interactions with others and cultivating supportive work/societal environments to build a sense of achievement and value. Meanwhile, emotional tolls accompanied negative relationships and interactions, underscoring the necessity to provide autistic adults with conflict resolution and coping skills to increase feelings of happiness.
Conclusion:
Overall, the wide range of sources of happy and unhappy everyday experiences highlights the importance of considering personal preferences in engagement with others and activities in treatment.
... Entering higher education often involves young adults leaving the parental home, resulting in decreased dependence on parents and other members of their social networks, for example, neighbours and siblings, leading to potential affective isolation and financial difficulties (Cheng et al., 2012). Although university students participate in other social contexts, a close family relationship not only contributes to increased levels of subjective well-being (satisfaction with one's life and general happiness) (Brannan et al., 2013;Demir, 2010;Diener & Biswas-Diener, 2008;Kong et al., 2012;Liem et al., 2010;Proctor et al., 2009;Uchida et al., 2008), but it also constitutes an important predictive factor for the health-risk behaviours of university students (Allahverdipour et al., 2015;Park & Kim, 2020;Yarcheski et al., 2004;Zhao et al., 2014). ...
This study examined the mediating role of social factors (friends' substance use, living with family and having a romantic partner) in the relationship between subjective well-being and health-risk behaviours. This is a cross-sectional study of 840 Portuguese university students that used a probabilistic sampling technique. The data were gathered using a paper-and-pencil questionnaire which included three main areas: subjective well-being, health behaviours and social factors. Structural equations were used for modelling and analysis in order to test the mediating effect of the social factors in the correlation between subjective well-being and risky behaviours. Structural equation modelling showed that behaviours that put one's health at risk were directly and positively related to having friends who use psychoactive substances and negatively with the following variables: having a romantic partner and living with family. The mediation analysis showed that social factors significantly mediated the correlation between subjective well-being and health-related risk behaviours. This study highlights the importance of taking into account the importance of social networks when designing educational interventions to improve student health in higher education settings.
... And good interpersonal relationship is an important prefactor of individual well-being (Dush and Amato, 2005). That is, good interpersonal relationships support high levels of subjective well-being (Pinquart and Sörensen, 2000;Lyubomirsky et al., 2005;Demir and Weitekamp, 2007;Demir, 2010). Thus, we propose the following hypothesis: ...
This study constructs a formation model of customer well-being (CWB) in customer experience with joy and customer satisfaction as mediating factors linking three critical factors—convenience, performance and relationship of customer experience with CWB. By collecting data from customers of retailing, the model was empirically tested. The results show that the three critical factors all have positive effects on CWB. Meanwhile, service performance has a direct effect on CWB. Joy plays a key role in the formation of CWB mediating the relationship between the three critical factors and CWB. This study is the first in the literature to explore CWB from the perspective of customer experience with joy as an antecedent of CWB. It provides important implications for managers to enhance customer experience and CWB in the service setting. It also helps managers to pay attention to the role of customer joy in customer experience and make full use of it.
... One reason is that young adulthood is characterized by growing independence from one's parents (Seiffge-Krenke, Overbeek, & Vermulst, 2010). Nonetheless, parental support remains essential for YAs' well-being and successful adaptation to adulthood (Demir, 2010;Shulman, Kalnitzki, & Shahar, 2009) and PT programs for YA have been developed and tested. ...
The term Failure to launch (FTL) has been used to describe abled adults who do not work, do not attend school, and live with— and at the expense of—their parents. FTL can be beneficially addressed through parent training, a treatment method that is rarely used with adults (i.e., individuals past the age of majority). The authors first review the goals of parent training programs offered to parents of adults. The review demonstrates that these goals dovetail with key aspects of FTL. The authors then describe a new parent training approach for parents of individuals with FTL, based on SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions). They highlight five key components of SPACE-FTL: Psychoeducation, Reducing Parental Accommodation, Increasing Parental Support, De-Escalation, and Engaging Supporters. The authors conclude by discussing SPACE-FTL in relation and comparison to other parent training programs and their components.
... Ce bien-être général de l'individu ne peut être atteint sans une certaine harmonie avec les autres, c'est le concept du bien-être social (Keyes, 1998). Des relations interpersonnelles de qualité́ contribuent de façon importante au bien-être (Demir, 2010). Elles répondent à des besoins d'attachement et de soutien social (Eshbaugh, 2010). ...
... Thus, findings point to the importance of the quality of the relationship and motivations to connect for SWB (Pinquart & Sorensen, 2000). Moreover, evidence shows that friendships are a primary source of happiness particularly to those who are not in a romantic relationship (Demir, 2010). ...
Subjective wellbeing (SWB) encompasses experiencing positive emotions, the absence of negative emotions and judgments of life satisfaction. One might expect that individuals living in societal conditions that better fulfil predictors of SWB are happier than those living in less favourable conditions. However, levels of SWB in some Latin American countries are similar or even higher than those in some more developed countries in Western Europe, despite the well-documented social challenges faced within the region. This discrepancy highlights an important issue in SWB research: the discounting of diverse cultural factors in the construction of happiness. Bringing together social representations theory and cultural models, this thesis examines SWB in common sense thinking –and its underpinning cultural forces– of people living in London and Mexico City. Two cross-cultural studies were conducted using the Grid Elaboration Method (GEM), a novel free association and interview technique. In the first study, experiences of the city of 24 London and 24 Mexico City dwellers were investigated. Thematic analysis of the data suggested that representations of the self and the other guided participants’ emotional and cognitive experiences associated with living in the city. Moreover, it identified the special relevance that feelings of detachment and relegation from the environment had in London dwellers’ unhappiness and the influence that family had for Mexico City dwellers’ SWB. Building on these results, the second study examines in more depth the representation of family in 24 London dwellers and 24 Mexico City dwellers. Following the same methodology it was found that cultural values underpinned conceptualisations of relatedness and autonomy, which shaped participants’ practices and affective experiences associated with family. This work makes a unique contribution in contextualising the plethora of quantitative SWB data and invites the consideration of socio-cultural factors in the design and implementation of SWB-related interventions and policies.
... For all of us, social distancing requirements significantly disrupted how we connect in relationships (Abel & McQueen, 2020). Strong friendships are predictors of happiness in EAs (Demir, 2010) and are one of the most important parts of building resilience. For Amelia, this was a critical part of what college was about: making new friends and finding her people. ...
The rapid spread of COVID-19 led to, among other things, confusion in news coverage and public health safety. In academe, university leaders were pressured to quickly construct new plans for holding university classes while integrating the safety protocols required by government officials. Though this sudden shift may have been necessary, it also disrupted the biopsychosocial needs, developmental norms, and milestones of emerging adults on college campuses. Current research on emerging adults’ biopsychosocial needs during COVID-19 is scant, and research efforts may have been diverted due to the suddenness of campus shutdowns. Social work clinicians nonetheless need a theoretical framework that primarily focuses on emerging adults’ needs during and post pandemic. Therapeutic settings create platforms for emerging adults to share their stories and for clinicians to understand their clients’ lived experiences during a pandemic such as COVID-19. An awareness of how the experience of shared trauma can affect the therapeutic relationship is crucial to the wellbeing of both client and clinician. This composite case study illustrates a treatment intervention constructed from resilience theory that included narrating what unfolded, learning emotional regulation, building sources of support, and making meaning of the experience. The framework in this paper suggests that resilience theory can be an effective therapeutic approach for emerging adults during and after the COVID-19 pandemic and recommends further attention to the role of social workers in higher education.
... When their experiences in all three contexts were evaluated together, three themes became apparent as the most salient effects of the Pandemic: difficulties related to online education in school life need for autonomy in family relationships, and losses related to friendships. Previous research has shown that friendship was associated with happiness and depression (Chow & Ruhl, 2014;Demir, 2010). Similarly, the present findings reflected the importance of friendship for emergent adults. ...
The COVID-19 Pandemic is associated with many radical changes in the lives of young adults. Their developmental and generational characteristics would likely affect their experiences of Pandemic. This study explores their experiences in the context of school, family, and friendship during the Pandemic. The sample consisted of 23 college students. Qualitative data were collected online and analyzed with the thematic analysis method. The results showed that their experiences in the school context resulted in seven themes: difficulties with online classes, benefits, negative mood, coping strategies, loss of socialization opportunities at school, return to daily life, and physical conditions. The themes in the family context were the need for autonomy, increasing conflict, improved family relationships and no change. Finally, in the friendship context, the themes of losses, coping strategies, emotions, no change, and gains emerged. Results were discussed in terms of the self-determination perspective and generational characteristics of the sample.
... Therefore, in the long run, impulsive individuals have impaired social and intimate relationships. Successful close relationships are an essential component of life satisfaction and happiness (Demir, 2010). Previous research has shown that impulsivity is associated with unhealthy (pathological) love (Sophia et al., 2009) and low one's own and partner's marital satisfaction (Tan et al., 2017). ...
p>The primary purpose of this study was to investigate associations between attention impulsivity, motor impulsivity and non-planning impulsivity measured according to the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 (BIS) and indicators of subjective well-being (SWB) measured by the Flourishing Scale (FS) and Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI) in students at selected private higher education institutions (N = 514, 52% women, 48% men). The aim of the current study was to explore the impact of gender on the aforementioned associations. Relationships between impulsivity and subjective well-being were examined taking into account the multifactoral structure of impulsiveness. The main findings of the study show that: (a) attention impulsivity predicted low prosperity and low levels of satisfaction with standard of living, health, personal achievements, safety and future security; (b) motor impulsivity showed bivariate but not unique relationships between prosperity and satisfaction with personal health, achievements and personal safety; (c) non-planning impulsivity was found to be uniquely associated with lower subjective prosperity and lower satisfaction with personal achievements and personal relationships; and (d) gender did not moderate the relationship between BIS components and SWB indexes. Impulsivity substrates explained between 4 and 17% of the variance in subjective well-being indexes. In sum, the results showed that the three components of impulsivity are distinct yet partially overlapping.
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This study examines the relationship between socioemotional competencies (SEC) and happiness among emerging adults, with a focus on the moderating and mediating roles of mindfulness and social media engagement (SME). A total of 70 participants (Mage = 25.00, SD = 6.33), including 43% women (n = 30), were involved. Data analysis employed hierarchical regression, moderation, and mediation analyses. Results indicate a significant positive association between SEC and happiness, mediated by mindfulness, whereas the moderating effect of mindfulness was non-significant. High SME was found to moderate the relationship between SEC and happiness significantly, although its mediating effect was non-significant. These findings highlight the importance of SEC and mindfulness in enhancing happiness and suggest avenues for further research on their interplay with SME.
The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of self-determination theory-based intervention (SDTI) on increasing perceived well-being in friendship relationships at emerging adulthood. The study has an applied objective and a quasi-experimental design, with experimental and control (waiting list) groups and follow-up. The statistical population consisted of undergraduate students of Mashhad universities in the 2022-2023 spring semester. The sample consisted of 30 people (19 women and 11 men) selected using the convenience sampling method and randomly divided into experimental and control groups. Data was collected using the Subjective Vitality Scale (SVS-SL), the Perceived Relationship Quality Component (PRQC), and the Basic Empathy Scale (BES). The experimental group was exposed to intervention for eight 90-minute sessions twice per week. Data were analyzed using repeated measures MANOVA and SPSS.27 software. Results indicated a significant effect of the self-determination theory-based intervention (SDTI) on increasing perceived well-being in friendship relationship components (vitality, satisfaction, commitment, intimacy, trust, and empathy). During the follow-up phase, the effectiveness of the intervention increased significantly (P<0.05). Therefore, it can be concluded that the self-determination theory-based intervention (SDTI), can be effective in enhancing the perceived well-being in friendship relationships at emerging adulthood, and its use is recommended to counselors of student counseling centers
Background: The beginning of youth period, from 18 to 25 years old, is an emerging concept in the study of life span. The quality of friendships at the beginning of youth helps people overcome academic and personal challenges and facilitates their well-being. It is essential to design interventions that help improve well-being in friendships.
Aim: The present study aimed to design and validate a Self-Determination Theory-based Intervention (SDTI) with the aim to improve perceived well-being in friendships at the emerging adulthood.
Method: The research design was a qualitative research to design and validate an intervention protocol. At first, interventions based on SDT, with a focus on well-being in friendly relationships, were examined through research and theoretical sources, and an intervention package was designed. The content validity of the intervention program was checked through the opinions of experts.
Results: An intervention package in 8 sessions (each session 90 minutes) was designed to promote perceived well-being in friendships (including vitality, satisfaction, commitment, intimacy, trust and empathy) at the beginning of adulthood, based on SDT. This package had good content validity based on the opinion of experts. The CVR was greater than 0.99 and CVI was greater than 0.79.
Conclusions: This intervention protocol, considering the goals in friendships, recognizing the basic psychological needs in relationships and techniques to support these needs in friends and self-regulation in friendships, can be an effective intervention in improving the quality of relationships at the beginning of youth.
Friendships are beneficial to a person's growth and well-being. People in close relationships may experience four types of self-change: self-expansion, self-
pruning, self-contraction, and self-adulteration. The current cross-sectional research sought to investigate whether these relational self-change processes explain the links between friendship quality and well-being in same-sex best friendships. Study 1A (N = 187) adapted the Turkish Relational Self-Change Scale to the friendship context and confirmed its psychometric adequacy in addressing friendship-based self-changes in Türkiye. Study 1B (N = 306) examined the links between different friendship functions and relational self-changes, as well as whether relational self-changes explain the link between friendship quality and ontological well-being. Among the specific friendship functions, stimulating companionship and self-validation were related to self-
expansion and self-pruning, whereas reliable alliance was related to self-contraction and self-adulteration. Self-adulteration also indirectly explained the relationship between friendship quality and ontological well-being. Study 2 (N = 204) revealed that only self-pruning explained the link between perceived friend responsiveness and overall well-being. The contributions of friendships to self-change and personal well- being were discussed in light of the findings.
Erken dönem travmalarının, yetişkinlikte birçok ruhsal sorunun veya şiddet davranışlarının belirleyicisi olduğu bilinmektedir. Bu makale çalışmasında; erken dönem travma deneyiminin flört şiddeti mağduriyeti yaşayan kadın üniversite öğrencileri üzerindeki etkisinde savunma mekanizmalarının aracılık rolü araştırılmıştır. Araştırmanın çalışma grubunu İstanbul’ da lisans ve üzeri öğrenimine devam eden 303 kadın katılımcı oluşturmaktadır. Verilerin toplanmasında Romantik İlişkileri Değerlendirme Ölçeği (RİDÖ), Çocukluk Çağı Ruhsal Travma Ölçeği (ÇÇRT), Savunma Biçimleri Testi-40 (SBT-40) ve araştırmacı tarafından hazırlanmış Demografik Bilgi Formu kullanılmıştır. Araştırma; erken dönem travma deneyimi, savunma mekanizmaları ve flört şiddetine maruz kalma arasındaki ilişkiyi değerlendirmeyi amaçlayan ilişkisel tarama modeline göre tasarlanmış betimleyici bir çalışmadır. Araştırma sonuçları özetlendiğinde; erken dönem travma deneyiminin flört ilişkisinde maruz kalınan şiddeti, ilkel savunma mekanizmalarını ve nevrotik savunma mekanizmalarını yordadığı; kullanılan ilkel savunma mekanizmalarının ise flört ilişkisinde maruz kalınan şiddeti anlamlı düzeyde yordadığı belirlenmiştir. Bununla birlikte erken dönem travma deneyimi ile romantik ilişkilerde flört şiddetine maruz kalma arasında ilkel savunma mekanizmalarının aracılık rolü doğrulanırken, nevrotik ve olgun savunma mekanizmalarının aracılık rolü doğrulanmamıştır. Araştırma sonuçları ilgili literatür çerçevesinde tartışılmış ve yorumlanmıştır.
Voluntary simplicity is a lifestyle in which individuals consciously prefer to consume less and adopt a simple life. On the other hand, conspicuous consumption refers to the pretentious purchase of luxury and expensive products in order to gain social status or attract attention. In this study, an answer is sought to the question of how lifestyle choices and consumption habits affect the happiness levels of individuals. In this context, the voluntary simple lifestyle and the conspicuous consumption orientation, which express two different approaches that can be effective on happiness, are examined. The basic objective of this research is to investigate the effects of individuals’ voluntary simple lifestyle and conspicuous consumption orientation on their happiness. The ancillary objective of the research is is to designate the differences in the effect of voluntary simple lifestyle and conspicuous consumption orientation on happiness by gender, educational status and age. In line with these objectives, 764 participants were accessed through an online questionnaire by way of using convenience sampling technique. When the basic findings were evaluated, the individuals’ voluntary simple lifestyle averages were found to be at a high level. This was followed by the averages of the happiness variable. The averages of the conspicuous consumption orientation were at the lowest level compared to the other structures. While there were significant differences in individuals’ happiness and voluntary simple lifestyles according to demographic characteristics, no differences were found in conspicuous consumption orientation. Hypothesis test results are demonstrate that voluntary simple lifestyle has a positive and significant effect on happiness. Yet, a significant effect of conspicuous consumption orientation on happiness could not be designated. Moreover, it has been designated that the effect of voluntary simple lifestyle on happiness differentiates based on gender, educational status and age. The effect of conspicuous consumption orientation on happiness differentiates only based on educational status.
This research investigates the contents, antecedents, and mediators of happiness in the Indian state of Assam. The first study examines the content and meanings of happiness in Assamese culture. Posing exploratory questions, a thematic analysis of the narrations of 53 participants revealed 18 themes, grouped into intrinsic or content and extrinsic or context factors of happiness. The content and meanings of happiness embrace a blend of ancient Indian, Eastern, and Western concepts. Based on these results, a culture‐sensitive happiness scale is constructed in the second study. It further tests whether life skills mediate the relationship between character strength and happiness. Data from 503 Assamese participants showed that the one‐factor model of happiness, combining all 14 items of intrinsic and extrinsic factors, is acceptable. It has measurement invariance across male and female genders and high‐ and low‐income groups. To ensure criterion‐related validity, the happiness of people is associated with their well‐being profiles. Adjusting the confounding effects of age and sex of participants, it is observed that character strengths do not promote happiness but pass through life skills fully to promote happiness.
Little research exists on peer relationship functioning in adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and its connection to early career exploration skills. To fill this gap, the present study examined the link between the quality of peer relationships and domains of dysfunctional career thoughts (i.e., decision-making confusion, commitment anxiety, and external conflict) while considering gender among 102 adolescents with ADHD. The results, using multiple regression analyses, indicated a significant negative correlation between external conflict and positive female-to-female relationships. Females with high-quality relationships with other female peers had fewer dysfunctional career thoughts pertaining to external conflict. Implications for career professionals when formulating interventions are discussed.
Objectives: The present study attempts to understand how the social norms concerning the idea of cohabitation and different patterns of emotional interdependence affect an individuals subjective well-being in cohabiting relationships. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 6 participants (three males and three females) aged 21-48 (n=6) in a cohabiting relationship for more than eight months and residing in Indian metropolitan cities. A semi-structured interview schedule with twenty-six questions was designed and validated by three experts. Results: A review of audio recordings, transcripts, and process notes revealed thirteen sub-themes listed under six global themes that emerged from the qualitative analysis: Emotional Covariation Interpersonal Emotion Dynamic Societys Standpoint Social Support Individual Perspective, and Well Being. Conclusion: Examining emotional interdependence, social norms, and subjective well-being, we drew attention to several vital factors of interpersonal emotion dynamics and individual versus relational well-being. Participants views about cohabitation were recorded. A low social acceptance of cohabitation led to significant distress and feelings of anxiety, fear, and uncertainty. The role of social support in higher levels of affective well-being is also analyzed.
We explored the relational importance in early and middle adulthood in a South African setting. Informants were 52 participants (female = 58%, African language speaking = 31%, age range = 18–65; younger adults = 50%). Data on the types of important relationships and the reasons behind the importance for the different age groups were collected through semi-structured, open-ended questions. Thematic analysis indicated family, friends, and spiritual relationships as the most important relationships across the age groups. Other relationships important to both groups, were relationships pertaining to work, pet/s, and self. The middle adulthood age group emphasised the importance of work relationships above those with friends and further indicated relationships with their spouse, success, and neighbours. Younger adults indicated relationships with romantic partners, academics, and society as a whole. The findings suggest a convoy effect on relationship preferences for these age groups in that they highlight the importance of social relationships and how they vary in different developmental phases or stages of life. Implications for consideration of developmental phases in the design of interventions are indicated.
Higher education students are required to demonstrate value beyond their curricula achievements to secure jobs in increasingly competitive labour markets. Focusing on extracurricular activities as one-way students can do so, this paper uses a motivation perspective to examine what drives students to engage in extracurricular activities, and how student motivation varies between early and late-stage students. We conducted 46 in-depth interviews with students in a post-92 widening-participation university and found that four motivations – extrinsic, intrinsic, social, and pro-social – explained extracurricular participation. The motivations varied across types of extracurricular activities; extrinsic motivation was prominent for employment, academic, society and volunteering extracurriculars; intrinsic and social motivations were vital for sports and societies; and pro-social motivation for academic, volunteering, and society extracurriculars. Moreover, we found important differences between the motivations of early-year and final-year students, suggesting that motivations vary across the university journey. Our paper contributes to the literature on extracurricular activities within higher education by providing new evidence on the motivations that propel students to engage in (different) activities in the current marketised higher education environment and by identifying the level of study as an important boundary condition shaping motivations for extracurricular participation.
Resilience and social support are important for emerging adults and especially those with chronic health conditions (CHC). We examined associations among resilience, social support, and health in those with and without a CHC. 132 emerging adults with a CHC and matched healthy participants completed questionnaires. Two-group, measuredvariable path analysis and mediational models were conducted. Those with a CHC had poorer resilience and health but equivalent social support. Resilience significantly predicted general health and emotional well-being. Resilience mediated the relationships between coping and health for healthy participants and between coping and emotional wellbeing in those with a CHC. Satisfaction with social support was significantly correlated with health, mediating the influence of network size on emotional well-being for those without a CHC and both physical functioning and emotional well-being for healthy participants. These results indicate the importance of resilience and social support for emerging adults, especially those with a CHC.
In the minds of many parents and in the eyes of the law in many countries, becoming an adult is signified by turning age 18. As nice as it might be to think that simply turning a certain age automatically equips an individual with all of the knowledge, skills, and abilities requisite to independently and successfully navigate adulthood, the reality is that becoming an adult is a process. As such, parents continue to play an important role in the process of their children becoming adults. The purpose of this chapter is to examine the many important ways that parents still matter in the lives of their children during emerging adulthood. In order to do this, first, a theoretical and developmental foundation will be provided for why it is important to consider the contributions of parents during emerging adulthood (ages 18-29). Next, a review of the literature will show the specific ways in which parenting is linked to emerging adults’ flourishing and floundering, respectively, including the role that culture may play in these relations. Finally, the chapter will include a framework for parents to think about how to parent during this time.
Parenting is a critical influence on the development of children across the globe. This handbook brings together scholars with expertise on parenting science and interventions for a comprehensive review of current research. It begins with foundational theories and research topics, followed by sections on parenting children at different ages, factors that affect parenting such as parental mental health or socioeconomic status, and parenting children with different characteristics such as depressed and anxious children or youth who identify as LGBTQ. It concludes with a section on policy implications, as well as prevention and intervention programs that target parenting as a mechanism of change. Global perspectives and the cultural diversity of families are highlighted throughout. Offering in-depth analysis of key topics such as risky adolescent behavior, immigration policy, father engagement, family involvement in education, and balancing childcare and work, this is a vital resource for understanding the most effective policies to support parents in raising healthy children.
Introduction
This scoping review explores the association between young adults’ personal relationships and their physical and mental health. We reviewed studies that examined the nature and the quality of interaction in personal relationships and its effect on physical and mental health among young adults. We excluded studies conducted on the population with psychiatric conditions or who are differently abled.
Methods
We used the following network databases to find relevant research: Google Scholar, SCOPUS, Web of Science, EBSCO, PubMed, ERIC, Science Direct and JSTOR from August 2021 to December 2021. We obtained 64 studies following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping review (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines.
Results and Discussion
Thematic analysis of the selected studies indicates that personal relationships have the potency to either foster or hinder young adults’ physical and psychological functioning and well-being. Quality of relationships with family members such as parents, siblings, and extended family members are significantly associated with mental health and well-being Furthermore, studies showed that romantic relationship status and psychosocial characteristics within relationship contexts affect the mental health of young adults. In addition, our review showed that support from friendships, friendship features, and quality could support young adults’ self-esteem, mental health, and well-being. Although we find mixed results on personal relationships’ effect on physical health, few studies show that personal relationships affect cortisol levels, multiple areas of biological regulation, and women’s level of dysmenorrhea among young adults. The results justify the need to apply preventive intervention in the community to eliminate risk factors and enhance protective factors by imparting empirically validated knowledge, attitudes, and skills for relationships among young people. Investments in community-wide preventive interventions, interpersonal skill development agendas in counseling and psychotherapies, are recommended.
Conclusion
The present review highlighted the underlying cultural influences on relationships and the necessity to promote relationship research in non-western cultures, given the underrepresentation of non-western cultures in research., we have highlighted the underlying cultural influences on relationships and the necessity to promote relationship research in non-western cultures, given the underrepresentation of non-western cultures in research.
This study aimed to comprehend how individuals in emerging adulthood characterize friendship. This study adopted a qualitative design to obtain in‐depth information about the elements in emerging adults' definitions of friendships. The study was conducted with university samples and non‐university samples. As a result of the study, the elements in the friendship definitions of the participants were grouped under five themes: behavioral processes; cognitive processes; emotional processes, structural characteristics, and distinctive features. Accordingly, sharing, fun, assistance, boundaries, and altruism sub‐codes were categorized under behavioral processes; while trust, compatibility, commitment‐fidelity, and respect sub‐codes were categorized under cognitive processes. Intimacy, requirement sub‐codes were categorized under affective processes and openness, homogeneity, heterogeneity, and reciprocity sub‐codes were grouped under structural characteristics themes. Apropos of distinctive features they included the sub‐codes of developmental support, unconditional acceptance, isolation‐vigilant, closeness, friend as a life partner, and network. In addition to the codes in the university sample, “Effects of marriage” was the only code that differed in the non‐university sample.
In this study, it was aimed to investigate the relationship between dating violence attitudes and irrational beliefs of teacher candidates in romantic relations. The sample of the study consisted of 290 students at various departments of one of the universities in Istanbul. The data were collected using the personal information form, The Dating Violence Scale (DVS), Irrational Romantic Relationship beliefs Inventory (IRRBI). Findigs show that the teacher candidates’ attitudes towards dating violence show that they do not support violence. The scores obtained from the general violence sub-dimension do not differ statistically significantly (p> 0.05). However, physical violence, emotional violence, economic violence and sexual violence, a statistically significant difference was found in favor of women. When the attitudes of teacher candidates on dating violence were examined according to their dating experience, findings did not differ. There is a moderate, negative, and significant relationship between dating violence attitudes and irrational beliefs in romantic relationships.
An integrative model of the conative process, which has important ramifications for psychological need satisfaction and hence for individuals’ well-being, is presented. The self-concordance of goals (i.e., their consistency with the person’s developing interests and core values) plays a dual role in the model. First, those pursuing self-concordant goals put more sustained effort into achieving those goals and thus are more likely to attain them. Second, those who attain self-concordant goals reap greater well-being benefits from their attainment. Attainment-to-well-being effects are mediated by need satisfaction, i.e., daily activity-based experiences of autonomy, competence, and relatedness that accumulate during the period of striving. The model is shown to provide a satisfactory fit to 3 longitudinal data sets and to be independent of the effects of self-efficacy, implementation intentions, avoidance framing, and life skills.
Bumper stickers reading "Friends can be good medicine!" were distributed by the California Department of Mental Health in 1981 as part of a statewide health promotion initiative (California Department of Mental Health, 1981). The objectives of the initiative were to increase awareness of the health-promoting influence of supportive relationships and to encourage personal involvement providing support to others. Although the ultimate success of this project is unknown, its implementation reflects the degree to which a link between social support and health has become part of our belief system. Correlations between social support and health outcomes have been found in a range of contexts and using a variety of methods (for recent reviews, see Broadhead et al. Although links between social support and health are consistently found, our understanding of the nature of this relation remains limited. A problem in past research was that social support was conceptualized unidimensionally, although it was operationalized in many different ways (e.g., marital status, community involvement, availability of confidants). More recent efforts have analyzed social support into component functions. Theorists differ somewhat with respect to the specific functions served by social support, but most conceptualizations include emotional sustenance, self-esteem building, provision of information and feedback, and tangible assistance (e.g.. Once support is defined in terms of its functions, it is possible to generate hypotheses concerning the psychological processes through which social support has its effects. Although clear theoretical formulations of the helping functions served by relationships arc crucial in the generation of hypotheses, these predictions cannot be empirically tested without appropriate assessment instruments. As described in House and Kahn's (1985) recent review, a number of social support measures have been developed. The measures differ widely in their implicit models of social support, some assessing number of supporters, others tapping frequency of supportive acts, and still others measuring degree of satisfaction with support. A number of problems have plagued these measurement efforts. At the theoretical level, the authors of social support measures have rarely articulated the assumptions underlying their instruments. For example, if a measure assesses the number of supportive individuals, the assumption is that better outcomes are associated with the quantity of support sources. If a measure taps satisfaction with support, the assumption is that better outcomes are associated with the perception that support is adequate for one's needs, regardless of tile number of supporters. Although these differences are rarely articulated, different research questions are posed and answered as a function of the manner in which social support is assessed. Inconsistencies in the literature nay be related to differences in the aspects of social support that are assessed in different studies (see Cohen & Wills, 1985).
Emerging adulthood is proposed as a new conception of development for the period from the late teens through the twenties, with a focus on ages 18–25. A theoretical background is presented. Then evidence is provided to support the idea that emerging adulthood is a distinct period demographically, subjectively, and in terms of identity explorations. How emerging adulthood differs from adolescence and young adulthood is explained. Finally, a cultural context for the idea of emerging adulthood is outlined, and it is specified that emerging adulthood exists only in cultures that allow young people a prolonged period of independent role exploration during the late teens and twenties.
The Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) was developed to assess satisfaction with the respondent’s life as a whole. The scale does not assess satisfaction with life domains such as health or finances but allows subjects to integrate and weight these domains in whatever way they choose. Normative data are presented for the scale, which shows good convergent validity with other scales and with other types of assessments of subjective well-being. Life satisfaction as assessed by the SWLS shows a degree of temporal stability (e.g., 54 for 4 years), yet the SWLS has shown sufficient sensitivity to be potentially valuable to detect change in life satisfaction during the course of clinical intervention. Further, the scale shows discriminant validity from emotional well-being measures. The SWLS is recommended as a complement to scales that focus on psychopathology or emotional well-being because it assesses an individuals’ conscious evaluative judgment of his or her life by using the person’s own criteria.
A widespread form of bias has slipped under our cultural and academic radar. People who are single are targets of singlism: negative stereotypes and discrimination. Compared to married or coupled people, who are often described in very positive terms, singles are assumed to be immature, maladjusted, and self-centered. Although the perceived differences between people who have and have not married are large, the actual differences are not. Moreover, there is currently scant recognition that singlism exists, and when singlism is acknowledged, it is often accepted as legitimate.
This study examined the links among relationship status, relationship happiness, and a latent measure of subjective well-being. Using the study of Marital Instability over the Life Course, we found that married individuals reported the highest level of subjective well-being, followed (in order) by individuals in cohabiting relationships, steady dating relation- ships, casual dating relationships, and individuals who dated infrequently or not at all. Individuals in happy relationships reported a higher level of subjective well-being than did indi- viduals in unhappy relationships, irrespective of relationship status. Even with relationship happiness controlled, however, relationship status was associated with subjective well-being. A longitudinal analysis suggested that shifting into more committed relationships was followed by improvements in subjective well-being. Little support was found for the assumption that people with a high level of well-being select themselves into more committed relationships.
Heterosexual college students’ assessments of friendship behavior are compared based on the sex and sexual orientation of the friend in a series of hypothetical vignettes. Respondents evaluated the appropriateness of a friend’s behavior both qualitatively and quantitatively. The quantitative results support the hypothesis that the sex of the respondent, as well as the sex and sexual orientation of the friend, result in differential evaluations of friendship behavior. Specifically, heterosexual male respondents evaluate the behaviors more favorably when the friend is a straight, rather than gay, male. Straight females evaluate the behavior of straight females more positively than friends from other identity categories. Qualitative comments provide evidence that heterosexism and sexism inform the respondents’ evaluations. In open-ended accounts, respondents apply conventional beliefs about sex and sexual orientation to friendship behaviors, employ identity work as a means of distancing themselves from the gay or lesbian friend, and question the friend’s gay or lesbian identity. Qualitative results also provide evidence that friendship is a context in which heterosexism is resisted.
Results from a survey of 283 gay men and lesbians contradict some of the findings of earlier research on gender differences in same-gender friendships. Data from a variety of scales and items indicate that, while gay males and lesbians value casual, close and best friendships equally (similar to research findings on heterosexual men and women), their definitions and enactments of friendship also were similar (unlike other research which supports differences along gender lines). However, some gender differences did persist in the ways gay men and lesbians dealt with conflict and sexuality within friendships. The implications of considering sexual orientation and gender in the study of friendship are discussed in terms of theoretical, methodological and socio-political issues.
The purpose of this investigation was to identify the factors associated with the distress experienced after the breakup of a romantic relationship, both at the time of the breakup (assessed retrospectively) and at the time the questionnaire was completed. Four categories of variables were examined as possible correlates of post-breakup distress: variables associated with the initiation of the relationship, characteristics of the relationship while it was intact, conditions at the time of the breakup and individual difference variables. The sample consisted of 257 young adults (primarily college students; 83 male and 174 female) who had experienced a recent breakup (M = 21 weeks since breakup). The variables most highly associated with distress at the time of the breakup were non-mutuality in alternatives (i.e. partner having more inter-est in alternatives), commitment, satisfaction, greater effort in relationship initiation, being `left' by the other and fearful attachment style. The variables most highly associated with current distress were commitment, duration of the relationship, fearful attachment style, dismissing attachment style and time since breakup.
This study examines positive social support, social negativity, and anxiety and mood disorders in a random sample of 4688 adults aged 21-54 years from the National Comorbidity Survey (1990-1992). Social negativity with spouses, relatives, and friends had a strong positive association with the number of anxiety and mood disorder episodes. One surprising finding was that positive support was not as strongly associated with the number of anxiety and mood disorder episodes as social negativity. Positive support from spouses or friends was not associated with a lower number of episodes of either anxiety or mood disorders. Only positive support from relatives was associated with a lower number of episodes of both anxiety and mood disorders. These results may be due to variation by source in the link between support and negativity. Given that much previous research has focused on the role of positive social support, these findings demonstrate the significant impact that negative social exchanges can have on mental health.
This article reports a longitudinal study of the social interaction patterns of college students and adults. Adults (N = 113) from 26 to 31 years old who had participated in similar studies in college kept detailed records of social activity for 2 weeks. Three hypotheses were supported. First, from college to adulthood, opposite-sex socializing grew, whereas same-sex, mixed-sex, and group interactions decreased. Second, intimacy increased in adulthood, whereas satisfaction did not. Contrary to theories that focus on the formation of primary intimate relationships in early adulthood, intimacy increased in all interaction categories. Sex differences in the development of intimacy were also noted. Third, correlations revealed marked consistency over time in several variables. Implications of these findings for social development during early adulthood were examined.
The purpose of this study was to examine correlates of initial distress and current recovery among individuals who have experienced the breakup of a dating relationship, including factors associated with commitment to the relationship (i.e. satisfaction, duration, closeness, perceived alternatives) and factors associated with coping with life stressors (i.e. perceptions of the controllability of the breakup, social support and self-esteem). Participants were 34 males and 51 females who had experienced the breakup of a dating relationship within the past 6 months. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that these variables accounted for between 21 and 47 percent of the variance in the measures of initial distress and current recovery. The coping-related variables added significantly to the prediction of initial distress and current recovery once the commitment-related variables were taken into account, but were more strongly related to recovery than to initial distress. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
A theoretical model was tested, in which better perceived social network support specifically for a romantic relationship was hypothesized to predict higher relationship well-being which, in turn, would predict more positive mental and phys- ical health outcomes for relationship partners. Furthermore, the model was tested on participants in both same-sex (i.e., homosexual, n = 183) and mixed-sex (i.e., heterosexual, n = 275) relationships. Structural equation modelling indicated that the hypothesized model did fit the data very well; further- more, no differences in model fit were found between the two relationship groups. Support specifically for the relationship remained a highly significant predictor of the outcome vari- ables, even when general social support and support for one's sexual orientation were controlled.
This study examined differences between men and women, and between individuals experiencing rejection (Rejectees) and individuals doing the rejecting (Rejectors) in romantic relationship break-ups. We tested fourteen evolution-based predictions about romantic breakups using data from 193 participants; ten received support. Women more than men, for example, experienced costly sequelae such as the loss of a mate's physical protection and harmful post- breakup stalking by the ex-partner. Both men and women who were rejected, compared with those who did the rejecting, experienced more depression, loss of self-esteem, and rumination. Rejectors, on the other hand, experienced the reputational cost of being perceived by others as cruel. Exploratory data analyses revealed that women more than men reported experiencing negative emotions after a breakup, particularly feeling sad, confused, and scared. Both sexes used an array of strategies to cope with the breakup, ranging from high base-rate strategies such as discussing the breakup with friends to low base-rate strategies such as threatening suicide. The largest sex difference in coping strategies centered on the act of shopping, used by women Rejectors as well as women Rejectees, likely a strategy of appearance enhancement prior to re- entering the mating market. Discussion focuses on the adaptive significance of sex differences and individual differences based on rejection status.
In recent studies of the structure of affect, positive and negative affect have consistently emerged as two dominant and relatively independent dimensions. A number of mood scales have been created to measure these factors; however, many existing measures are inadequate, showing low reliability or poor convergent or discriminant validity. To fill the need for reliable and valid Positive Affect and Negative Affect scales that are also brief and easy to administer, we developed two 10-item mood scales that comprise the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). The scales are shown to be highly internally consistent, largely uncorrelated, and stable at appropriate levels over a 2-month time period. Normative data and factorial and external evidence of convergent and discriminant validity for the scales are also presented. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
Reviews the literature since 1967 on subjective well-being (SWB [including happiness, life satisfaction, and positive affect]) in 3 areas: measurement, causal factors, and theory. Most measures of SWB correlate moderately with each other and have adequate temporal reliability and internal consistency; the global concept of happiness is being replaced with more specific and well-defined concepts, and measuring instruments are being developed with theoretical advances; multi-item scales are promising but need adequate testing. SWB is probably determined by a large number of factors that can be conceptualized at several levels of analysis, and it may be unrealistic to hope that a few variables will be of overwhelming importance. Several psychological theories related to happiness have been proposed; they include telic, pleasure and pain, activity, top–down vs bottom–up, associanistic, and judgment theories. It is suggested that there is a great need to more closely connect theory and research. (7 p ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
This study investigated 3 broad classes of individual-differences variables (job-search motives, competencies, and constraints) as predictors of job-search intensity among 292 unemployed job seekers. Also assessed was the relationship between job-search intensity and reemployment success in a longitudinal context. Results show significant relationships between the predictors employment commitment, financial hardship, job-search self-efficacy, and motivation control and the outcome job-search intensity. Support was not found for a relationship between perceived job-search constraints and job-search intensity. Motivation control was highlighted as the only lagged predictor of job-search intensity over time for those who were continuously unemployed. Job-search intensity predicted Time 2 reemployment status for the sample as a whole, but not reemployment quality for those who found jobs over the study's duration. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Little is known about social networks in childhood, and even less is known about the networks of ethnically diverse children. Interviews were conducted with 333 African-American, Anglo/European-American, and Hispanic-American public school children in Grades 1–2, 4–5, and 8–9. The research was based on the social convoy model (R. L. Kahn & T. C. Antonucci, 1980), in which social networks are viewed as dynamic hierarchic structures affording the provision of support across the life span. An adapted convoy mapping procedure evidenced good test–retest reliability at all ages, and convoy support measures were associated with self-concept and teacher-rated sociability and mood. For all ethnic groups, the results reflect the significance of close family relations across age, an increase in involvement with extended family in middle childhood, and the emergent role of peers as support providers in adolescence.
W. Wilson's (1967) review of the area of subjective well-being (SWB) advanced several conclusions regarding those who report high levels of "happiness." A number of his conclusions have been overturned: youth and modest aspirations no longer are seen as prerequisites of SWB. E. Diener's (1984) review placed greater emphasis on theories that stressed psychological factors. In the current article, the authors review current evidence for Wilson's conclusions and discuss modern theories of SWB that stress dispositional influences, adaptation, goals, and coping strategies. The next steps in the evolution of the field are to comprehend the interaction of psychological factors with life circumstances in producing SWB, to understand the causal pathways leading to happiness, understand the processes underlying adaptation to events, and develop theories that explain why certain variables differentially influence the different components of SWB (life satisfaction, pleasant affect, and unpleasant affect). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
To consider friendships and their significance through the life course requires, first, differentiation of deep structure (i.e., reciprocity) from surface structure (i.e., the social exchange) and, second, assessment within a multifaceted framework that simultaneously emphasizes having friends, the identity of one's friends, and relationship quality. Having friends is correlated with a sense of well being across the life span, but developmental outcome also depends on the identity of one's friends as well as the quality of one's relationships with them. Greater attention needs to be given to the manner in which friendships differ from one another, continuities and changes across major developmental transitions, and differentiation of developmental pathways through which friendship experience contributes to individual outcome. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
This article explores the cultural construction of fatherhood in America, as well as the consequences of this construction as a motivator for understudying fathers—especially father love—for nearly a century in developmental and family research. It then reviews evidence from 6 categories of empirical studies showing the powerful influence of fathers' love on children's and young adults' social, emotional, and cognitive development and functioning. Much of this evidence suggests that the influence of father love on offspring's development is as great as and occasionally greater than the influence of mother love. Some studies conclude that father love is the sole significant predictor of specific outcomes after controlling for the influence of mother love. Overall, father love appears to be as heavily implicated as mother love in offsprings' psychological well-being and health, as well as in an array of psychological and behavioral problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Tested the hypothesis that children would report that different social-network members provide different social provisions, using 199 5th–6th grade White children. Ss completed network of relationships inventories, which assessed 10 qualities of their relationships with mothers, fathers, siblings, grandparents, friends, and teachers. Consistent with R. S. Weiss's (1974) theory (i.e., that individuals seek specific social provisions or types of social support in their relationships with others), Ss reported seeking different provisions from different individuals. Mothers and fathers were turned to most often for affection, enhancement of worth, a sense of reliable aid, and instrumental aid. Next to parents, grandparents were turned to most often for affection and enhancement of worth, and teachers were turned to most often for instrumental aid. Friends were the greatest source of companionship, and friends and mothers received the highest ratings of intimacy. Ss also reported having more power in their relationships with other children than in those with adults. Conflict was perceived as occurring most often in sibling relationships. Ss were most satisfied with their relationships with mothers, and they thought their relationships with mothers and fathers were the most important. Bases for children's differentiations of their relationships and implications for understanding social networks are discussed. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
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Based on surveys and interviews of two hundred gay men, this study presents the first book-length examination of contemporary urban gay men’s friendships. Expertly weaving historical and sociological research on friendship with firsthand information, it argues that friendship is the central organizing element of gay men’s lives. Through friendship, gay identities and communities are created, transformed, maintained, and reproduced.
Introduction: Importance of Sibling Relationships. A Life Span Perspective for Sibling Research. Methodological Approaches and Issues in Studying Siblings. Siblings in Childhood Adolescence. Siblings in Adulthood and Old Age. Siblings in Crosscultural Perspective. Understanding Sibling Relationships: A Hermeneutic Approach. Sibling Helping Relationships. Siblings as Caregivers of Elderly Parents. Siblings with Chronic Illnesses and Disabilities. Sibling Conflict, Aggression, Violence, and Abuse. Sibling Sexual Experiences: Normal Exploratory Behavior, Nonabusive Incest, and Abusive Incest. Loss of Siblings through Death. Siblings and Psychotherapy. Epilog. Index.
The literature on subjective well-being (SWB), including happiness, life satisfaction, and positive affect, is reviewed in three areas: measurement, causal factors, and theory. Psychometric data on single-item and multi-item subjective well-being scales are presented, and the measures are compared. Measuring various components of subjective well-being is discussed. In terms of causal influences, research findings on the demographic correlates of SWB are evaluated, as well as the findings on other influences such as health, social contact, activity, and personality. A number of theoretical approaches to happiness are presented and discussed: telic theories, associationistic models, activity theories, judgment approaches, and top-down versus bottom-up conceptions.
In the beginning of this chapter, several studies about the association between social participation and inner happiness are cited. An abundance of literature supporting this connection implies that relationships are vital to an individual's adjustment, physical progress, immunity, and emotional maturity. It becomes logical then to stand on the affective side of the personality, which is centered on the underlying processes and effects involved in the interplay between emotional experience and social network. Despite all these, some researchers have concluded that there have been insufficient proofs to the essential mechanisms and the kinds of ties that induce advantageous and detrimental effects to the overall well-being of humans. This chapter takes the aforementioned premise as a reference point of its aim to break down the components and the aspects of relationships that influence emotional welfare.
Relying on the theoretical model of [Lyubomirsky et al. 2005, Review of General Psychology, 9, pp. 111-131], the present study investigated the relationship between personality, number of friends, best friendship quality and happiness among 423 young adults (n = 300 women). The main interest was to examine whether friendship contributed to happiness while controlling for personality. Friendship variables accounted for 58% of the variance in happiness. Results revealed that friendship quality predicted happiness above and beyond the influence of personality and number of friends, but friendship conflict was not a significant predictor. Additional analyses revealed that the companionship and self-validation features of friendship quality were predictive of happiness while controlling for gender and personality. The findings were discussed in the light of theory and empirical research and suggestions were made for future research.
The present study, based on a national sample of 471 young adults, finds that closeness to fathers makes a unique contribution to offspring happiness, life satisfaction, and psychological distress. Parental divorce weakens the salience of the father-child relationship for adult children's life satisfaction. Similarly, marriage, parenthood, and full-time employment diminish the salience of both the mother-child and the father-child relationship for offspring well-being. Closeness to stepfathers is also related to some dimensions of offspring well-being. Overall, these findings suggest that fathers are important figures in the lives of young adults.
Changes in the structure of friendship networks are thought to complement change in a couple's level of involvement in a close relationship. As a pair become close, their network of mutual friends should increase in size, and with declining involvement a concurrent reduction in the number of mutual friends should occur. A measure of network overlap was derived from daily reports of social activity provided by participants. The hypothesized variations of stage and overlap are consistently supported in both cross-sectional and logitudinal tests. Network overlap covaries with stage of relationship, and this covariation cannot be accounted for by a couple's familiarity or length of dating. Underlying variations in overlap are compositional changes in the stability of the network membership, involving either the reclassification of friends or actual changes in network membership. The findings are discussed in terms of the importance of considering the social context of developing relationships, since that context can serve both facilitative and disruptive functions.
During young adulthood men and women experience new roles that affect their interactions with social network members. The most common transitions during young adulthood—marriage and career—were examined with respect to descriptors of the social networks, including network size as well as affectionate and instrumental behavior exchanges. In addition, the network sectors of kin and friends were considered. Marital status, career stage, and gender interacted in various ways with each other as influences on network size and affectionate and instrumental behavior exchanges with kin and friends. The role changes associated with career entry and engagement or marriage seemed to be related to partial withdrawal from friends and an increase in kin contact among both men and women. Solidifying of kin relationships through affective involvement appeared for women but not men.
Longitudinal data from the National Survey of Families and Households were analyzed to explore continuity and change in parent-child relations as children make the transition to adulthood. Results support a social learning view that past relationship patterns continue to be played out when families enter a new life stage. The effects of earlier patterns of interaction on later relations are modest, however, and account for less than 10% of the variance in current parent-child relationships. Evidence of long-term effects was strongest in two aspects of parent-adult child relations: emotional closeness and control-conflict. The potential for discontinuity over time in parent-child relations also was examined. The hypothesis that children's transition to adult roles would bring about change in family relationships was supported, in part. Transitions to marriage, cohabitation, and fulltime employment (but not to parenthood) were associated with closer, more supportive, and less conflicted parent-adult child relations. The child's leaving home also weakened the impact of past patterns of interaction on some aspects of current relationship quality.
In this study friendsickness (preoccupation with and concern for the loss of or change in precollege friendships) is seen as a significant source of distress for college students, affecting college adjustment. A short‐term longitudinal study of college students (N = 70) examined associations between friendsickness, precollege predictors, and dimensions of college adjustment 10 weeks into the first semester. As hypothesized, friendsickness was associated with precollege social concerns, discrepancy between precollege expectations and college experiences, more precollege friends in the college social network, and loneliness and poor self‐esteem in college. Implications for precollege prevention of and college intervention efforts for friendsickness are discussed.
A number of theorists have argued that increased romantic involvement of a couple with each other necessarily leads to decreased involvement with other members of their social network. A critical analysis of those arguments suggests that the withdrawal process is socially defined rather than existentially necessary, and selective rather than universal. Data are presented on network structure for a sample of 419 university students involved in relationships ranging from occasional dating through marriage. The results indicate that as couples become more romantically involved, their friendship networks shrink and they become less involved with those friends who remain in the network. Kin networks do not shrink, although the variance in number of kin listed increases dramatically at engagement and again at marriage. Results are discussed in terms of the interpersonal construction of definitions of relationships and the networks in which they are embedded.
The SWLS consists of 5-items that require a ratingon a 7-point Likert scale. Administration is rarely morethan a minute or 2 and can be completed by interview(including phone) or paper and pencil response. The in-strumentshouldnotbecompletedbyaproxyansweringfortheperson.Itemsofthe SWLSaresummedtocreatea total score that can range from 5 to 35.The SWLS is in the public domain. Permission isnot needed to use it. Further information regardingthe use and interpretation of the SWLS can be foundat the author’s Web site http://internal.psychology.illinois.edu/∼ediener/SWLS.html. The Web site alsoincludes links to translations of the scale into 27languages.
The current study examined three hypotheses about experience in close friendships and psychosocial adjustment. At Time 1, 51 same-sex close friend dyads (n = 102 friends, 51% female, mean age = 20 years) completed self-report measures and participated in a brief observational assessment. The hypothesis that friendship quality would be associated with clinical symptomatology and self-esteem was supported and indicated that high levels of negative friendship features were positively associated with clinical symptoms, whereas positive features were most strongly associated with self-esteem. The second hypothesis that changes in the friendship would be associated with adjustment one year later (68% participation rate at Time 2) was supported only for interpersonal sensitivity such that perceived negative changes in the relationship predicted increased symptoms. Finally, friends’ perceptions of the features and quality of their relationship were somewhat consistent, yet as hypothesized, discordant perceptions predicted higher symptomatology and lower social support and satisfaction in the relationship. The results highlight the importance of considering both positive and negative aspects of friendship in early adulthood.
In this study, Nancy Schlossberg's (1989) theory of college students' mattering to others was revisited. Mattering is the experience of others depending on us, being interested in us, and being concerned with our fate. The relationships of gender, mattering to college friends and the college environment, and friend and family social support with academic stress of 533 first-year undergraduates were examined. Female students reported higher levels of family support, mattering to friends, mattering to their college, and academic stress. Regardless of gender, college friend social support was the most powerful predictor of mattering; mattering to the college was the most powerful predictor of academic stress levels. Research-informed implications for reducing first-year students' academic stress and enforcing their social support and experiences of mattering are discussed.
Theory and knowledge about adult friendship have not been integrated within a broader life-span perspective, thus leaving us with a disjointed understanding of adult friendship, marriage and parent-child relationships. The present study redresses this situation by examining developmental differences in young adult friendship within the broader context of their network of significant family relationships. Robert Weiss' (1974) conceptualization of social provisions was used as the basis for comparing the roles that close friends play in need fulfillment to the roles played by other network members. Predominantly White middle-class male and female adults (ages 20 to 35 years) were recruited from three family-role-defined phases of young adulthood (N = 180): (i) the single phase (i.e. romantically uncommitted), (ii) the married-without-children phase, and (iii) the parenthood phase (i.e. married with young children). Participants rated the extent to which they received each of nine social provisions through their relationships with their mother, father, closest friend, spouse or casual dating partner, and their oldest child (if applicable). In general, the findings revealed that reliance on friends to satisfy social needs is greatest during the single phase and is reduced significantly during the marital and parenthood phases. Women report gaining higher levels of certain social provisions (especially emotional support) from friends than men across all three phases. The importance of friends relative to other network members as suppliers of social provisions differed substantially between the three phases; these differences appeared to be integrally tied to differences in family role involvement. Neither Weiss' relationships-specificity model nor Cantor's (1979) hierarchical-compensatory model adequately described the organization of need-fulfilling networks across all three phases.
This article examines the influence of sociodemographic and family, friendship, fictive kin, church, and neighbor network variables on two measures of subjective well-being (i.e., life satisfaction and happiness) among a national sample of African Americans. The analyses were conducted on the National Survey of Black Americans, a national cross-section study of the adult (age 18 and older) Black population (N = 2,107). Multivariate analyses revealed that sociodemographic (i.e., age, income, region, health, marital status, urbanicity) and social relations and network factors (i.e., subjective family closeness, support from family, number of friends, presence of fictive kin, church attendance, and frequency of contact with neighbors) were significantly associated with subjective well-being. The findings are discussed in relation to previous work on the sociodemographic, health, and social network correlates of subjective well-being.
The present research comprises two studies designed to investigate both antecedents and consequences of pursuing avoidance (relative to approach) personal goals over the course of a semester-long period. Results revealed that neuroticism was positively related to the adoption of avoidance personal strivings (Study 1), and participants with low perceptions of their life skills were more likely to adopt avoidance personal projects (Study 2). Avoidance regulation proved deleterious to both retrospective and longitudinal subjective well-being (SWB), as participants with a greater proportion of avoidance goals reported lower SWB over the course of the semester and evidenced a decrease in SWB from the beginning to the end of the semester. Ancillary analyses attested to the robustness of these results across a variety of alternative predictor variables. Path analyses validated perceived progress as a mediator of the direct relationships observed.
This study examines the relation between close, dyadic, peer relationships and adolescent adjustment by addressing 3 questions. First, which more strongly predicts adolescent adjustment, the quality or the quantity of close friendships? Second, what are the relative contributions of positive and negative friendship qualities to adolescent boys' and girls' adjustment? Third, how do differing patterns of these friendship qualities predict adolescent adjustment? Participants were 456 juniors and seniors attending 2 midwestern high schools (51% boys; ages 16 to 19, M = 17.2, SD = 0.74) who completed a survey assessing adjustment (i.e., adolescent depression, substance use, positive affect) and the qualities of their closest peer relationships. Results partially supported the hypothesized relations between specific friendship qualities and adolescent adjustment, but the pattern of gender differences was opposite to that predicted. However, negative and positive friendship qualities were jointly associated with all indicators of adjustment. Suggestions are offered for further research concerning the relation between peer contexts and adjustment in adolescence.
The goals of this study were to (i) examine the association of social support and strain with psychological well-being and health, (ii) investigate whether these associations depended on relationship-type (partner, family, friend), (iii) examine the buffering effects of support on strain (both within and across relationship-type), and (iv) test the extent to which these associations differed by age and sex. The sample contained 2,348 adults (55% male) aged 25 to 75 years (M � 46.3), who were married or cohabitating. Positive and negative social exchanges were more strongly related to psychological well- being than to health. For both sexes, partner support and strain and family support were predictive of well-being measures; partner strain was also predictive of health prob- lems. However, family strain was predictive of well-being and health outcomes more often for women. Further, while we did find evidence that supportive networks could buffer the detri- mental effects of strained interactions, friends and family served a buffering role more often for women than for men.
Participants described their current and past romantic relationships on a variety of measures, as well as their typical behavioral responses to conflict in intimate relationships. Consistent with studies of initial social encounters, participants who were high in trait positive affect (PA) described their current relationships as being of higher quality than did low PA individuals. Participants who were high in PA were also more likely to currently be in a relationship than were other people. Negative affect emerged as a predictor of the amount of conflict that characterized people's past romantic relationships. Analyses further revealed that the link between PA and relationship quality was mediated by high PA individuals' reluctance to engage in active destructive responses and propensity to engage in active, constructive responses to conflict with their partner.
What is happiness? Why are some people happier than others? This new edition of The Psychology of Happiness provides a comprehensive and up-to-date account of research into the nature of happiness. Major research developments have occurred since publication of the first edition in 1987 - here they are brought together for the first time, often with surprising conclusions. Drawing on research from the disciplines of sociology, physiology and economics as well as psychology, Michael Argyle explores the nature of positive and negative emotions, and the psychological and cognitive processes involved in their generation. Accessible and wide-ranging coverage is provided on key issues such as: the measurements and study of happiness, mental and physical health; the effect of friendship, marriage and other relationships on positive moods; happiness, mental and physical health; the effects of work, employment and leisure; and the effects of money, class and education. The importance of individual personality traits such as optimism, purpose in life, internal control and having the right kind of goals is also analysed. New to this edition is additional material on national differences, the role of humour, and the effect of religion. Are some countries happier than others? This is just one of the controversial issues addressed by the author along the way. Finally the book discusses the practical application of research in this area, such as how happiness can be enhanced, and the effects of happiness on health, altruism and sociability. This definitive and thought-provoking work will be compulsive reading for students, researchers and the interested general reader
Arnett's (2000) proposal that the years from the late teens to the late 20s constitute a distinctive period of experiences in social relationships stems partly from readily apparent social and demographic changes. The implicit hypothesis that this demographic and behavioral distinctiveness also involves discernible psychological differences between 18- and 28-year-olds and both younger and older groups, however, requires evidence of a more challenging kind. A rigorous appraisal of this latter contention requires not only evidence of age-group differences but also additional evidence of a developmental progression and an associated set of processes for changing from one period to another. This chapter examines the implications of the distinctiveness hypothesis for the voluntary close relationships of 18- to 28-year-olds. Whereas parent-child and sibling relationships are involuntary, circumscribed by biological kinship, emerging adults voluntarily form relationships with friends and romantic partners (Laursen & Collins, 1994; Reis, Collins, & Berscheid, 2000). Voluntary relationships depend more heavily than do involuntary ones on the motivation of the partners to maintain connections over time. Because emerging adults as a group often are characterized as preferring transitory to sustained involvements, a key question is whether their friendships and romantic relationships are somehow distinctive from those of younger and older groups. Of particular interest, then, are comparisons of this age group with mid- to late adolescents and with 28- to 35-year-olds. The chapter is divided into three major sections. The first section outlines findings from research relevant to the distinctiveness proposal. The second section assesses evidence that bears on two specific contentions regarding the sources of distinctiveness in close relationships: (a) continued identity exploration in the realm of close relationships, along with signs that possible alternative partners and arrangements are highly salient and self-focus is intense in close relationships, and (b) that behaviors regarding close relationships are unstable and feelings of uncertainty are pronounced. The third section addresses implications of research findings for both the conceptual and the empirical status of Arnett's proposal. The section also advances a possible framework for the further study of the distinctive characteristics of close relationships among 18- to 28-year-olds. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
in summer 1980, we surveyed 400 members of the University of Denver's entering freshman class / our questionnaire asked about current relationships, previous transition periods, family background, state and trait loneliness, social skills, typical attributions following social successes and failures, and strategies for coping with loneliness / in each of the three academic quarters—autumn, winter and spring—we attempted to recontact the same students to see how they were feeling
our presentation of findings is divided into five sections / examine ways in which the typical student's social network changed as a result of leaving home to enter college / report changes in relationship satisfaction, state loneliness, and reported difficulty of the transition across the various time periods / explore the role of social skills in promoting relationship satisfaction and combating loneliness / examine personality correlates of social skills, including attributions, coping styles and trait loneliness / show how trait loneliness and social skills relate to network satisfaction and state loneliness at different points in the transition process
indications of strain / social skills / facets of the trait-lonely personality / continuity and change during the transition (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)