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Do positive children become positive adults? Evidence from a longitudinal birth cohort study
Abstract
Little is known about the long-term consequences of positive well-being in childhood in the general population. We analysed data from the British 1946 birth cohort study to test associations between adolescent positive wellbeing and well-being in midlife. Positive and negative behaviours at ages 13 and 15 were rated by school teachers, and personality was assessed when the children were 16 years. Positive childhood behaviour was associated with midlife well-being; specifically a low probability of lifetime emotional problems, satisfaction with work, a high frequency of contact with friends or family and engagement in social activities. Happy children in this cohort were no more likely to marry, but significantly more likely to divorce. These associations were independent of childhood social class, childhood cognition, educational attainment, midlife occupational social class and extraversion. From this longitudinal study, we conclude that childhood well-being predicts positive adult wellbeing, and not merely the absence of mental ill-health.
... Recent surveys have also reported that half of all mental health conditions/problems start by 14 years of age, but most cases remain undetected and untreated (WHO, 2007). Furthermore, research predicts that there is a significantly positive relationship between well-being during adolescence and well-being during midlife (Richard & Huppert, 2010). Data on adolescents from national surveys stipulate that India has the largest adolescent population. ...
Well-being is commonly understood as the overall presence of positive affect,
fulfillment, and optimal functioning health in an individual. Over the years, the landscape of wellbeing has expanded to include physical, mental, and social domains, ensuring a holistic and inclusive approach to the concept of health. This multidimensional conceptualization emphasizes the need to balance key areas to cultivate wellness, which is associated with numerous benefits. This paper reviews the meaning and importance of well-being for adolescents while asserting the viability and application of Seligman's PERMA model of happiness and well-being for this specific population. Living in a society where adolescents are deeply influenced by peers, media, and the internet, it becomes crucial to discern the information constantly consumed in a manner that nurtures growth and sustainable social development. The study elaborates on the factors that directly affect various areas of well-being and provides suggestions for advancing and promoting positive
strategies to enhance happiness and wellness in everyday functioning.
... Promoting their mental health means strengthening their capacity to learn and build meaningful relationships. Good mental health during childhood strongly contributes to positive outcomes in adulthood [2]. It is during this period of life that we learn to reinforce protective factors, as well as internal and external resources. ...
... This unhealthy state may impact negatively on physical health and longevity [6]. It is also well-known that wellbeing in childhood is predictive of wellbeing in adulthood [7]. ...
Objective: To investigate prevalence of life satisfaction in the Thai population before and during the COVID-19 epidemic, and factors associated with life satisfaction during the epidemic.
Methods: Multistage sampling was used to draw a sample from the Thai population. A total of 3,115 Thai participants age 15 years or older from a nationally-representative longitudinal survey in 2019 and in 2021 were included in this study. The study applied the Scale with Life Satisfaction (SWLS) instrument to measure life satisfaction among the Thai population before and during the COVID-19 epidemic. Multiple regression analysis was used to investigate the association between life satisfaction and other variables. The follow-up survey response rate for individuals was 44.8%.
Results: An average life satisfaction score during the COVID-19 epidemic (in 2021) was 22.4 which decreased from 25.5 before the COVID-19 epidemic (in 2019). More than one-third of the participants (36.5%) reported having less life satisfaction during the epidemic, which was nearly 20 percentage points higher than before the epidemic (17.7%). Controlling for life satisfaction in 2019, the analysis found statistical associations between demographic and economic characteristics and health-related behaviours, and life satisfaction during 2021. People in the older age cohorts (p ≤ 0.001), in a rural area (p ≤ 0.05), having higher education (p ≤ 0.001), still being employed (p ≤ 0.01) and becoming unemployed (p ≤ 0.01) had higher life satisfaction. The possibility of higher life satisfaction was also found in people who maintained good health (p ≤ 0.01), sufficient physical activity (p ≤ 0.001), and fruit and vegetable intake (p ≤ 0.01). People with income loss during the epidemic had lower life satisfaction (p ≤ 0.05).
Conclusion: The findings suggest that policies and systems for resilience and social protection are needed for empowering individuals—especially the poor and vulnerable—to cope with crises, and improve health and wellbeing outcomes.
... learning, greater creativity, more prosocial behavior and positive relationships(Huppert & So, 2013;Oishi et al., 2007;Richards & Huppert, 2011).In this work, we will present results based on the OPUS surveys on religiosity and how it in uenced coping with the effects of the pandemic based on analysis of the two standardized indicators of individual wellbeing: 1) The World Health Organization Well-Being Index (WHO-5)(Bech et al., 2003) and 2) Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire Short Form (Q-LES-Q-SF). Each of the measurements included retrospective standardized questionnaires diagnosing the respondents' subjective opinion on the issues related to well-being at three different timepoints: a) two weeks of normal life before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, b) the last two weeks during the corresponding period a year ago, and c) the last two weeks before the survey. ...
The COVID-19 pandemic shook up societies, leaving a stigma on the health and well-being of many individuals. How big this stigma was depended on individual factors, which researchers are now trying to relate. One aspect affecting well-being during the pandemic may have been religiosity. In our longitudinal study of a representative sample of Poles, we took two measurements, in March 2021 and April 2022, obtaining a sample of N=622 repeated respondents out of 1000. We categorized participating individuals as religious, fuzzy or secular and, partly using retrospective questions, we compared their levels of well-being (WHO-5 index, Q-LES-Q-SF) before the outbreak as well as one and two years after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. We found that in the general population, despite a decline in well-being one year after the pandemic outbreak (2021), there was an improvement in the following year (2022), with religiosity proving to have a positive impact on well-being. The religious category achieved higher well-being values than the secular, especially in March 2021, when the effects of the pandemic were strongly felt in society in the form of lockdowns and the highest number of deaths.
... Despite the growing concern about student well-being, balancing the challenges of the two educational goals has not been accomplished in many high-income countries (Bor et al., 2014;Heller-Sahlgren, 2018). Well-being during childhood and adolescence is not only related to the present life experiences of students, but also to various later-life outcomes, including emotional, social, educational, behavioral, and labor market outcomes (De Neve & Oswald, 2012;Koo & Suh, 2012;Layard et al., 2014;Lyons & Huebner, 2016;Marques et al., 2011;Richards & Huppert, 2011;Shin et al., 2013;Suldo et al., 2011). Given that adolescents represent the future of our societies, their well-being is not only a personal matter but a societal issue that deserves special attention. ...
Using nationally representative student assessment data from PISA 2018 for South Korea, this study analyzes the effects of between-student competition and cooperation at the school level on individual academic performance and adolescent well-being. Instrumental variables regressions were used to address potential endogeneity. Findings indicate that a more competitive school climate induces higher academic performance in mathematics, reading, and science. Student competition, however, comes at the cost of reduced individual life satisfaction. We find that competition is stronger at schools with a higher proportion of male and single children, and where mothers have higher education levels. Competition is found to increase the investment into after-school private tutoring. In contrast to competition, cooperation among students shows no significant effect on academic performance, while it has a positive effect on individual life satisfaction. Students at schools with higher levels of cooperation also show more positive affect, less negative affect, and perceive greater meaning in life.
Abstract The importance of secure human attachments in childhood for healthy psychological development is well-established, yet the well-being implications of child-dog symbiotic relationships are less understood. Children form strong emotional bonds with their pet dogs that meet the prerequisites for an attachment relationship. These bonds can be mutually reinforcing and beneficial and could indicate positive child well-being. However, not all child-dog relationships are positive and here we explore whether harmful and unsafe interactions are associated with poorer emotional and behavioural functioning. The aim of this study was to examine whether the type of child-dog behaviour (positive or negative) mediates the relationship between child-dog attachment and well-being indicators. Data from caregiver reports (N = 117) and child self-reports (N = 77) were collected through an online survey. The results revealed that positive child-dog interactions significantly mediated the relationship between high attachment scores and better child outcomes (higher scores for well-being, positive outlook, happiness, quality of life, higher social satisfaction, and lower loneliness), whereas the reverse was found for negative child-dog interactions, predicting lower attachment scores and worse child outcomes (negative outlook, increased loneliness and social dissatisfaction, lower quality of life). This study has identified important mechanisms through which pet dogs may pose both benefits and risks to children’s psychological well-being. These findings will aid the development and evaluation of interventions that promote positive and safe child-dog interactions and subsequent child and dog psychological health and welfare.
Bullying is a recognised serious public problem affecting many students worldwide. Despite the well-established empirical evidence for the negative consequences of bullying on adolescents' mental and physical health and educational outcomes, little is known about the link between bullying victimisation and adolescents' subjective well-being. Moreover, empirical studies using comparative large-scale survey data are particularly scarce. This study explores this question using nationally-representative data from 329,015 adolescents across 64 high and middle-income countries and economies from the 2018 PISA survey. Two measures of subjective well-being were considered: overall life satisfaction and positive affect. Multilevel regressions were estimated at three levels (student, school, and country). Results showed that bullying victimisation was negatively and significantly related to overall life satisfaction and positive affect after controlling for a wide set of factors affecting subjective well-being. Moreover, this negative relationship was more pronounced for top
performer students. Locally adapted intervention programmes are needed to tackle the issue of school bullying and foster positive school climate. Practical and policy implications are discussed in detail.
Aim:
Adolescents' well-being and school absence are important factors for public health. The aim of this study was to examine the association between social well-being and problematic school absence among Danish adolescents in the ninth grade, as well as to examine potential sex differences, using a large cohort of adolescents.
Methods:
In this cross-sectional study, information on social well-being was obtained from the yearly Danish National Well-being Questionnaire mandatory in compulsory school. Data on school absence was obtained from the Ministry of Children and Education. The study population comprised 203,570 adolescents in the school years 2014/2015 to 2019/2020. The association between social well-being and problematic school-absence was analysed using logistic regression. A stratified analysis was made to investigate potential sex differences.
Results:
A total of 17,555 (9.16%) adolescents had problematic school absence, defined as >10% illegal absence and/or sickness absence in the ninth grade. Adolescents with low social well-being had higher odds for having problematic school absence compared with adolescents with high social well-being, adjusted odds ratio=2.22 (95% confidence interval 2.10-2.34). When stratifying for sex, the association was strongest for girls. The results remained after adjustment for parents' educational level and family structure.
Conclusions:
Associations between adolescents' social well-being and problematic school absence were found, where girls had the strongest association. These findings might provide knowledge about social well-being as an important factor for problematic school absence, while underlining the importance of early focus and prevention, which is of importance for both the adolescents and society.
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)
We examined whether childhood cognitive ability was associated with two mental health outcomes at age 53 years: the 28 item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) as a measure of internalising symptoms of anxiety and depression, and the CAGE screen for potential alcohol abuse as an externalising disorder. A total of 1875 participants were included from the Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development, also known as the British 1946 birth cohort. The results indicated that higher childhood cognitive ability was associated with reporting fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression GHQ-28 scores in women, and increased risk of potential alcohol abuse in both men and women. Results were adjusted for educational attainment, early socioeconomic status (SES) and adverse circumstances, and adult SES, adverse circumstances, and negative health behaviours. After adjusting for childhood cognitive ability, greater educational attainment was associated with reporting greater symptoms of anxiety and depression on the GHQ-28. Although undoubtedly interrelated, our evidence on the diverging effects of childhood cognitive ability and educational attainment on anxiety and depression in mid-adulthood highlights the need for the two to be considered independently. While higher childhood cognitive ability is associated with fewer internalising symptoms of anxiety and depression in women, it places both men and women at higher risk for potential alcohol abuse. Further research is needed to examine possible psychosocial mechanisms that may be associated with both higher childhood cognitive ability and greater risk for alcohol abuse. In addition, the underlying mechanisms responsible for the gender-specific link between childhood cognitive ability and the risk of experiencing internalising disorders in mid-adulthood warrants further consideration.
This paper critically examines and analyses the structure of a widely used instrument — the Bristol Social Adjustment Guide (BSAG)* — intended nominally for ‘detecting and diagnosing maladjustment, unsettledness or other emotional handicap in children of school age’ (Stott, 1969, p. 7).
Background:
This study provides, to our knowledge, the first empirical test of whether behavioral differences among children in the first 3 years of life are linked to specific adult psychiatric disorders: anxiety and mood disorders, antisocial personality disorder, recidivistic and violent crime, alcoholism, and suicidal behavior.Methods:
In a longitudinal-epidemiological study, 3-year-old children were classified into groups based on examiner observations of their behavior. At age 21 years, they were reassessed for psychopathologic functioning using standardized interviews based on DSM-ÏÏJ-R criteria.Results:
Although effect sizes were small, undercontrolled (includes children who are impulsive, restless, and distractible) and inhibited (includes children who are shy, fearful, and easily upset) children differed significantly from comparison children in young adulthood. Undercontrolled 3-year-olds were more likely at 21 years to meet diagnostic criteria for antisocial personality disorder and to be involved in crime. Inhibited 3-year-olds were more likely at 21 years to meet diagnostic criteria for depression. Both groups were more likely to attempt suicide, and boys in both groups had alcohol-related problems. Controls for family social class did not change the findings.Conclusions:
Some forms of adult psychopathologic abnormality are meaningfully linked, albeit weakly, to behavioral differences observed among children in the third year of life.
Background:
Recent evidence suggests that neurodevelopmental impairment may be a risk factor for later affective disorder.
Methods:
Associations between childhood developmental characteristics and affective disorder were examined in a prospectively studied national British birth cohort of 5362 individuals born between March 3 and March 9, 1946. Mental state examinations by trained interviewers performed at ages 36 and 43 years identified 270 case subjects with adult affective disorder (AD). Teachers' questionnaires completed at age 13 and 15 years identified 195 case subjects who had shown evidence of childhood affective disturbance (CAD).
Results:
Female gender and low educational test scores at ages 8, 11, and 15 years were a risk factor for AD, CAD, and AD without CAD. In addition, attainment of motor milestones was later in the CAD group (odds ratio [OR] =1.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-1.3), followed by, and independent of, greater risk for speech defects between the ages of 6 and 15 years (OR=2.0; 95% CI, 1.3-3.0), decreased psychomotor alertness on medical examination between ages 4 and 11 years (OR=4.6; 95% CI, 2.2-9.7), and an excess of twitching and grimacing motor behaviors in adolescence (OR=3.9; 95% CI, 2.5-6.1). Persistent CAD was strongly associated with persistent AD (OR=7.8; 95% CI, 2.6-23.2).
Conclusion:
The findings give credence to the suggestion that affective disorder, especially its early-onset form, is preceded by impaired neurodevelopment.
This study conducts a systematic age, period, and cohort analysis that provides new evidence of the dynamics of, and heterogeneity in, subjective well-being across the life course and over time in the United States. I use recently developed methodologies of hierarchical age-period-cohort models, and the longest available population data series on happiness from the General Social Survey, 1972 to 2004. I find distinct life-course patterns, time trends, and birth cohort changes in happiness. The age effects are strong and indicate increases in happiness over the life course. Period effects show first decreasing and then increasing trends in happiness. Baby-boomer cohorts report lower levels of happiness, suggesting the influence of early life conditions and formative experiences. I also find substantial life-course and period variations in social disparities in happiness. The results show convergences in sex, race, and educational gaps in happiness with age, which can largely be attributed to differential exposure to various social conditions important to happiness, such as marital status and health. Sex and race inequalities in happiness declined in the long term over the past 30 years. During the most recent decade, however, the net sex difference disappeared while the racial gap in happiness remained substantial.
highlights specific issues that are most relevant to emotional well-being / [attempts] to determine what produces the experience of emotional well-being as defined from a respondent's own perspective
defining and measuring emotional well-being / correlates of emotional well-being / theories on the causes of emotional well-being (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
A 12-item questionnaire measuring neuroticism and extraversion was developed using a sample of 1600 adults equally divided into 8 groups on sex, an age dichotomy, and a social class index. Factor analysis yielded factors identical with those of a previous study. Statistically significant score differences were found on the 3 sampling dimensions, but only the sex differences were important. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
The frequency of formal volunteering varies widely across European countries, and rates of formal volunteering are especially
low among Eastern European countries. Why are there such large differences in volunteering rates when it is known that volunteering
is beneficial for well-being? Using data from the latest round of the European Social Survey, we test three hypotheses to
explain these cross-national differences in volunteering. We ask whether people in countries with low frequencies of volunteering
spend more of their time on informal volunteering activities; whether they differ on socio-demographic variables which are
known to be linked to volunteering rates; or whether they show less well-being benefit from formal volunteering. Contrary
to the first hypothesis, we find a positive correlation between formal and informal volunteering. We further conclude that
national differences in rates of volunteering cannot be fully explained by differences in the social, psychological or cultural
factors associated with volunteering nor the outcome of volunteering. It is likely that contextual factors, such as a country’s
historical background or institutions, determine levels of volunteering to a large extent.
KeywordsVolunteering-European social survey-Subjective well-being-Hedonic measures-Eudaimonic measures
Lower cognitive ability is a risk factor for some forms of severe psychiatric disorder, but it is unclear whether it influences risk of psychological distress due to anxiety or the milder forms of depression. The participants in the present study were members of two British birth national birth cohorts, the 1958 National Child Development Survey (n=6369) and the 1970 British Cohort Study (n=6074). We examined the association between general cognitive ability (intelligence) measured at age 10 (1970 cohort) and 11 years (1958 cohort) and high levels of psychological distress at age 30 (1970 cohort) or 33 years (1958 cohort), defined as a score of 7 or more on the Malaise Inventory. In both cohorts, participants with higher intelligence in childhood had a reduced risk of psychological distress. In sex-adjusted analyses, a standard deviation (15 points) increase in IQ score was associated with a 39% reduction in psychological distress in the 1958 cohort and a 23% reduction in the 1970 cohort [odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) were 0.61 (0.56, 0.68) and 0.77 (0.72, 0.83), respectively]. These associations were only slightly attenuated by further adjustment for potential confounding factors in childhood, including birth weight, parental social class, material circumstances, parental death, separation or divorce, and behaviour problems, and for potential mediating factors in adulthood, educational attainment and current social class. Intelligence in childhood is a risk factor for psychological distress due to anxiety and the milder forms of depression in young adults. Understanding the mechanisms underlying this association may help inform methods of prevention.