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ABSTRACT Upper‐middle‐class Chinese families send children to the United States for high school to exit what some perceive as an ‘unhappy’ educational environment in China or in pursuit of a ‘better education’ in the United States. However, for some students, the American high school experience itself may be marked by ‘unhappiness’, endured in the pursuit of ‘success’. Based on ethnographic interviews with Chinese youth attending private American high schools, this study illustrates how narratives of unhappiness surrounding such transnational educational choices result in multiple success frames among students, categorized as ‘pragmatists’ and ‘rebels’. Those who downplay happiness or experience unhappiness in the US context tend to adopt the ‘pragmatic’ frame, while those emphasizing their exit from an ‘unhappy’ situation are more likely to align with the ‘rebel’ frame. Despite slight deviations from parental expectations, the relative economic security of these families enables Chinese youth to develop ambivalent success frames based on their familiarity with both US and Chinese contexts, questioning the dominance of a singular success narrative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preliminary evidence suggests different dimensions of subjective well-being (SWB) may be differentially associated with reduced suicide risk when measured at the person versus group level. In this longitudinal study, 2055 military personnel and civilian government employees completed self-report surveys administered 6 times from January 2020 to November 2021. Generalized estimating equation (GEE) models were used to examine associations among life satisfaction, perceptions of life being worthwhile, happiness, negative affect, and suicidal ideation. At the participant level, life satisfaction and worthwhile life were significantly correlated with reduced suicidal ideation whereas negative affect was significantly correlated with increased suicidal ideation. At the unit level, happiness was significantly correlated with reduced suicidal ideation. When covarying for participant-level depression and hopelessness, participant-level life satisfaction was no longer statistically significant. Results suggest eudaimonic SWB may be protective at the individual level whereas hedonic SWB may be protective at the group level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Only 21% of U.S. women meet the recommended physical activity guidelines, placing them at increased risk for long-term conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. Physical activity is influenced by individual and interpersonal factors (e.g., romantic partners). Individual factors, such as positive affect, are associated with lower mortality risk and improved health behaviors. Objectives: This secondary data analysis, guided by Fredrickson's Broaden and Build Theory, aims to examine the relationship between positive affect of married women (n = 115 couples) and their physical activity behavior on the same- and next- day, while also considering their spouses' positive affect. Methods: Two population average models assessed the relationship of calm and happy (positive affect) to physical activity. Physical activity was assessed as the sum of the minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) over the prior 24 hours. Covariates of age, baseline activity frequency, education, marital quality, and race/ethnicity were also included. Results: Women's happiness (β = 0.15, p <.005), not calmness (β = −0.03, p =.60), was found to have a significant association with same-day MVPA. Spouses' happiness (β = 0.11, p =.045) was significantly associated with women's next-day MVPA while their calmness (β = −0.04, p =.44) was not. Conclusions: The results of this study support that incorporating positive affect could be valuable for improving physical activity behaviors. Spouse reports provide additional context to consider in physical activity promotion research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: While there are good reasons to assume that mindfulness protects against burnout in students, nothing is known about the role of caring for bliss. This study examined whether caring for bliss moderated the relationship between mindfulness at baseline and aspects of burnout approximately 12 weeks later. Participants: Students (n = 92) from a university in the United States. Methods: Online surveys were administered in 2018. Results: Moderated regression analyses, controlling for depressive symptoms and burnout at baseline, revealed that caring for bliss moderated the relationship between earlier mindfulness and two aspects of later student burnout, namely emotional exhaustion and cynicism. Specifically, exhaustion and cynicism were low when students reported either low or high scores on both mindfulness and caring for bliss. No moderating effect was found for academic efficacy. Conclusions: Mindfulness and caring for bliss appear to work synergistically to reduce aspects of student burnout over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case study examines the co-authoring of unboxing videos by one six-year-old, second-generation Brazilian immigrant child and her mother in the United States. These videos were created in response to boxes filled with gifts they received yearly from relatives in Brazil. To understand this mother-daughter dyad and their video production, this study draws on metaphors of mobility, the logics of reciprocity and obligation in gift-exchange, and the concept of care constellations. The analysis of interviews, field notes, and unboxing videos identified specific routes, rhythms, and frictions that fueled this family digital literacy practice. It also suggested that participants were implicated in a pattern of caregiving through a transnational cycle of gift-exchange. These findings disrupt typical framings of the unboxing genre as a manifestation of U.S. capitalist ethos and foreground the material and discursive production of care in a transnational family's digital literacy practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: to determine the prevalence of long-distance relationships (LDRs) among college students and explore how relationship dynamics differed between LDRs and geographically close relationships (GCRs). Participants: Data were from romantically involved students (N = 2075) who participated in the 2020 College Sexual Health Survey. Methods: Students completed an online survey in which they reported their current romantic relationship status, if they were in a long-distance relationship, and relationship dynamics (happiness, commitment, and conflict). Results: overall, 34.2% of romantically involved students were in LDRs, which were more common for first-year students, students in longer duration relationships, dating relationships, and Hispanic, Asian, and multiracial students. LDRs were less common for older students. Based on χ² tests, relationship happiness, commitment, and conflict did not differ based on LDR status. Conclusions: As LDRs are common, providing students with resources focused on navigating LDRs may help them manage their romantic relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored in three cultures (the United States, Korea, and Costa Rica) the association between subjective well-being (SWB) and behaviors often described as positive or beneficial. In two studies we found that three forms of subjective well-being (positive affect, negative affect, and life satisfaction) were associated with several categories of behavior (health behavior, supportive behavior, citizenship behavior, and creative behavior). Most of the associations were significant in three nations and not significantly different between nations. Furthermore, we examined whether there exists a significant association between common variance across types of SWB and common variance of categories of behaviors. We found that there was a significant common pathway between a latent SWB factor and a latent behavior factor, along with unique associations between individual SWB and behavior categories. We conclude that the SWB and behavior associations are widespread across the three distinct cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author shares counter narratives of eleven Black faculty members employed at predominantly white research universities in the United States focusing on their experiences with happiness within their academic role. The researcher builds the study advancing a more nuanced view of the Black faculty experience. Counter storytelling was specifically used to exhibit Black faculty members' self-description of happiness while affording them an opportunity to highlight experiences which produced feelings of happiness. This narrative exploration serves as a clarion call to Black faculty to recognize, embrace, and foster components of their academic roles that yield happiness. The author offers university leadership suggestions for the retention of Black faculty and urges for a relentless striving for racially equitable environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Mastering Emotions: Feelings, Power, and Slavery in the United States" by Erin Austin Dwyer is an insightful book that examines the power struggles between slaveholders and enslaved people through the lens of emotions. Dwyer analyzes how emotions such as fear, anger, and happiness were used as a currency of power and a site of contestation. The book explores how slaveholders attempted to control the emotions of the enslaved, while the enslaved strategically managed their emotions to resist control. Dwyer's work challenges the notion that slaveholders did not view enslaved people as human, showing that they targeted their emotions in their efforts to control them. [Extracted from the article]

This research investigates positive future expectancies, particularly hope in children, which is comprised of agency thinking, perceiving oneself as capable of achieving goals, and pathways thinking, perceiving oneself as capable of discovering methods toward the desired goals. Two studies (n = 82) were conducted in the United States to examine the role of agency and pathways thinking in children's trait and state happiness based on children's self-reports and their parents reports of their children. In Study 1, dyads of typically developing children (Mage = 10.21 years) and their parents (Mage= 43.84 years) completed measures of hope and happiness. Study 2 extended Study 1 to include a diverse sample of children with chronic health conditions (Mage = 11.14 years) and their parents (Mage = 43.48 years). In Study 1, regression analyses revealed that children's self-reports of agency thinking predict children's trait and state happiness, p's <.05. Contrastingly, in Study 2, regression analyses revealed that children's self-reports of pathways thinking predict children's self-reports of trait happiness, p <.001. Also, collectively, pathways thinking, agency thinking, and children's age predict children's state happiness, p =.025. In both studies, parents' reports of their children's hope were not significant predictors of children's happiness. There also was not an association between parents' perceptions of their children's hope and happiness and their children's self-reported levels. These findings elucidate the cognitive aspects of hope that promote happiness in childhood and advance understanding of the determinants of children's happiness in the U.S. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores whether Maslow's hierarchy of needs and Inglehart's values paradigm underlies associations between prayer frequency and happiness. Responses from a comparative analysis of wave six from the World Values Survey for India (n = 4078), Turkey (n = 1605) and the USA (n = 2232) were used to examine associations between prayer frequency and happiness. Prayer frequency interacted with Maslow's model to associate with happiness in India and Turkey. The self-expression variables entirely supplant prayer and are associated with happiness in the USA. The implications are discussed for generating models that impact happiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genuine happiness can be described as an unlimited, everlasting inner joy and peace undisturbed by external circumstances. The current study proposes a Genuine Happiness Scale (GHS) with four items. The sample consisted of 678 US young adults, with 432 completing the online surveys twice, approximately six weeks apart. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis provided evidence for a unidimensional factor structure of the GHS. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that, after controlling for genuine happiness at baseline, caring for bliss, mindfulness, and compassion predicted genuine happiness approximately six weeks later. In addition, genuine happiness predicted later well-being after controlling for well-being at baseline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Using nationally representative data among U.S. adults, we assess age differences in changes in mental health both from 2018 to May 2020 and during the pandemic. We also examine factors explaining age differences in mental health. Methods: We analyzed 2018 General Social Survey data (N = 2,348; age 18–89) and three waves of COVID Response Tracking Study data (N = 2,279; age 20–94) spanning May–August 2020. Outcomes included happiness, loneliness, stress, positive affect, and negative affect. Results: U.S. adults reported greater loneliness and less happiness in May 2020 versus 2018. Only loneliness and negative affect changed significantly from May to August 2020, showing declines. Mental health trajectories did not differ significantly by age. Overall, older adults reported lower loneliness, stress, and negative affect than younger adults during 2020. Older age was associated with two factors linked with better mental health: less likelihood of COVID-19 exposure and greater satisfaction with social activities and relationships. However, none of the factors examined herein explained age differences in mental health. Conclusion: Although mental health trajectories during the pandemic were similar across ages, older adults tended to report better mental health than younger adults. Future research should identify factors that explain age differences in mental health that persisted into 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on the honeymoon‐hangover effect suggests that newcomers experience an initial upward increase in job attitudes and motivation upon beginning a new job, followed by a subsequent decline. However, little empirical work has been done to investigate how newcomers feel during this period of adjustment. Despite its relevance, the affective forecasting literature has also not been incorporated in the context of newcomers. In this study, we examined fluctuations in police recruits' predicted and felt emotions (i.e., happiness, anxiety, and anger) during organizational socialization (i.e., 6‐month police academy training). Our results indicated that while their felt happiness did not change significantly, their anxiety and anger levels increased over time, which indicates that their felt affect exhibited a different pattern from that of the honeymoon‐hangover effect. We also found that police recruits' forecasts about their future emotions during the socialization period were generally inaccurate, which is in line with the general affective forecasting literature. Implications, limitations, and future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of COVID-19 on people's physical health is well documented. But how did COVID-19—with all the uncertainty and disruption of daily life it entailed—impact people's mental health? We used ecologically momentary assessments from 22,562 individuals (largely young adults) across the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom to study the impact of the early stages of COVID-19 on mental health. Exploring within-person trajectories of mood (4,471,810 observations) and depression (274,911 observations) between January 1 and September 30 of 2020, and comparing them to those observed for the same time period in 2019, we provide evidence that people—on average—show high levels of resilience. While the United States saw momentary decreases in mood and increases in depression that quickly returned to baseline, Germany and the United Kingdom did not experience observable negative effects on mental health. In a small subsample of U.S. users, we show that the mental health trajectories appear to be relatively consistent across different sociodemographics groups. Investigating the impact of social distancing on people's mental health within-person, we demonstrate that social distancing—on average—was associated with a decline in mental health. However, our findings also highlight that not all COVID-19 experiences were created equal. While individuals who experienced social distancing as burdensome reported lower levels of mental health, those who did not, indicated normal or even elevated levels of mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Electronic cigarettes have increased in popularity amongst college-aged adults. Although often advertised as smoking cessation tools, students have taken to them as their primary exposure to nicotine. For many reasons, e-cigarettes are extremely convenient and have become the most common tobacco products among this generation. Objective: To assess perceptions and reasons for e-cigarette use in college students Methods: A 20 question online Qualtrics® survey was distributed to college students aged 18 and above across the United States. All responses were anonymous and data were analyzed using quantitative and qualitative inferential and descriptive statistics. Results: Of those who used e-cigarettes, 67.7% are not likely to smoke when they are upset or sad, 56.8% disagree that stress is a factor, and 83.5% cited that alcohol was involved when smoking. Most respondents, 74% (n = 467), associated smoking with emotions of happiness, joy or peace. 43.7% who associated e-cigarettes with happiness or peace were more likely to agree that stress was an influence versus 26.5% for those who did not (p = 0.004). Conclusion: Results show a high prevalence of e-cigarette usage among college-aged students. Emotional pleasurable connections with e-cigarettes, similar to traditional cigarettes, play a role in their use. This information will allow healthcare professionals to tailor educational messages surrounding cessation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite their growing popularity, little research has focused on the association between Instagram and TikTok use and psychological well-being. Informed by Uses and Gratifications Theory, the present study investigates the flow states experienced when using each social media platform and whether these flow states differentially impact user well-being. A flow state is achieved when people are so engrossed in an activity that little else seems to matter to them and they will often continue the activity despite its negative consequences. Based upon a survey of adult Instagram (n = 195, Mage = 38) and TikTok users (n = 225, Mage = 37), the present study identified four unique clusters of users for both platforms based upon the levels of five flow dimensions: focused attention, curiosity, enjoyment, telepresence, and time distortion. Results found that TikTok users reported higher levels of overall flow than Instagram users. TikTok users also reported higher levels of the flow dimensions "enjoyment" and "time distortion." The flow dimension of "telepresence" (immersion in a world created by the social media application) for both TikTok and Instagram users was associated with higher levels of depression and anxiety. These social media may provide an escape from everyday worries for users, although a suboptimal coping strategy. Whether Instagram and TikTok use are but "improved means to an unimproved end" is an important question that requires additional research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Declaration of Independence lists the "pursuit of Happiness" as one of the rights that government is duty-bound to protect. Yet in the United States, decades of conservative and neoliberal policies have made that right illusory for far too many. By several metrics-economic inequality, life expectancy, and the alarming growth in so-called deaths of despair-it has become clear that the government has failed to provide most Americans with a basic level of security, much less with the chance to pursue lives of meaning and connectedness. A major reason for this failure is the distortion of the American political system, which is increasingly beholden to a small minority. We need a renaissance of civic engagement and local activism to challenge the systemic barriers to well-being, restore our democracy, and make our government attentive to public happiness in all its dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most unique aspect of religiosity/spirituality (R/S), supernatural beliefs, and their relationship with SWB has hardly been examined. This study explores the relationship between six R/S supernatural beliefs and SWB, in a case-based comparative cross-national design including two religious and two secular nations. Data were obtained from the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) Religion IV module from the religious countries of the USA (n = 1060) and Turkey (n = 1353) and the secular countries of Denmark (n = 1281) and Czech Republic (n = 1112). SWB was measured as happiness and self-rated health. Statistical analyses were performed using binary logistic regression models replicated across countries. Results indicated that the American sample showed no evidence of relationships between R/S and SWB outcomes capable of improving the model over demographic and service attendance covariates. In Turkey, some R/S beliefs were found to be statistically significantly related to SWB, with positive and negative associations with happiness. No associations were found in the secular countries. Findings were discussed in the light of previous research and interpreted from a terror management theory perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

E-cigarettes are believed to be less harmful than combustible tobacco. However, e-cigarettes have created divisions in public health: within and between academia, policy and practice. As e-cigarettes proliferate, and public health debates intensify, the best interests of those most at risk of smoking related illness can be lost in the furore. This article draws on 183 open-ended responses to a 2019–2020 questionnaire posted to various online vaping discussion forums to argue that emotion needs to become part of this discussion – particularly the emotional perspectives of vapers. The findings indicated that for many vapers, e-cigarettes are not just another potential harm reduction or alternative nicotine product. For many of the respondents, vaping is a social practice, but also more than this: an affective economy. In this economy, emotions do things, specifically they indicate the boundaries of a vaping community. This community is based on shared experiences of e-cigarettes creating positive new lifeworlds and changes to everyday life. However, it is also based on fears that these new lifeworlds are under threat. The aim of this article is to encourage more acknowledgment of this affective economy in the interests of reducing division and increasing reflexivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has shown that enthusiastic responses to personal good news are associated with positive relationship qualities, whereas more muted or ambivalent responses tend to have negative effects on relationships. This process, called capitalization, has been studied almost exclusively in Western cultures. The present research examined capitalization in three East Asian cultural groups (Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan), as well as in the United States. Whereas enthusiastic responses were associated with positive relationship outcomes in all groups, muted and critical responses showed significant moderation by culture. In three North American samples, these responses were negatively associated with relationship qualities. However, muted and critical responses revealed strong and positive correlations with relationship outcomes in Mainland China, non-significant associations in Hong Kong, and significant negative (but still weaker than in North America) associations in Taiwan. These findings point to the importance of examining relationship processes in the context of culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this prospective study, we examined the link between positive family relationships during childhood and adolescence and health and happiness three decades later in middle adulthood. We also investigated the stability of positive family relationships into adulthood as one possible pathway underlying this long-term association. Data were from the Fullerton Longitudinal Study (FLS) an ongoing investigation in the United States initiated in 1979 when children were aged 1 year with the most recent data collected in 2017. A cross-informant methodology was employed in which mothers and children independently completed the Positive Family Relationships (PFR) scale annually when children were of ages 9–17 years. When study children reached age 38, they reported on their current PFR, global health, and comprehensive happiness. Structural equation models revealed that children's perceptions of the family during childhood and adolescence predicted both their health and happiness at age 38. Mothers' perspectives of PFR predicted greater adult children's health, but did not predict their happiness. Associations were independent of family socioeconomic status, gender, intelligence, and extraversion. Moreover, while controlling for behavior problems (proxy for health) and happiness at age 17, both children's and mothers' early PFR related to PFR at 38 years, which in turn, predicted increased health and happiness at age 38, thus providing evidence for a pathway underlying this long-term connection. Our prospective findings revealed that families in which members get along well and support each other during the childhood and adolescent years furnish a foundation for positive family relationships in adulthood, which are associated with greater health and happiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Multidimensional Cognitive Attentional Syndrome Scale (MCASS) was developed to assess the seven maladaptive forms of self-regulation that make up the cognitive attentional syndrome (CAS). Both theory and empirical evidence highlight important distinctions among the seven forms of self-regulation underlying the CAS. The primary purpose of the present study was to determine whether the MCASS item scores are sufficiently multidimensional to warrant the use of subscale scores. A secondary aim was to examine the incremental utility of the MCASS domain-specific factors. A battery of self-report measures was administered to adults recruited through a crowd-sourcing website (N = 359). Bifactor analysis was used to examine the multidimensionality of MCASS item scores. This analytic approach allowed for the quantification of variance captured by each domain-specific item score independent of the general factor. Results from the bifactor analysis suggest that the MCASS is a multidimensional measure, consisting of a strong general factor and domain-specific factors that are sufficiently distinct. Additionally, the majority of domain-specific factors provided incremental utility in predicting two criterion variables (i.e., general distress, happiness emotion goals) after accounting for the general factor. Taken together, results support continued use of the MCASS total scale and subscale scores and suggest that researchers may want to consider using a bifactor model when examining structural models that include the MCASS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Social isolation imposes risks to an individual's psychological well-being. However, few studies have examined the role of resilience on these associations among older Chinese Americans, the fastest-growing aging population across all racial/ethnic groups in the United States. We aim to examine the associations of social isolation with indicators of psychological well-being and the mediating role of resilience in these associations.Methods: Data were derived from 398 Chinese older adults aged over 55 residing in Honolulu, Hawaii, in 2018. Psychological well-being was measured by psychological distress, life satisfaction, and happiness. Multivariate linear regressions and ordered logistic regressions were conducted.Results: Social isolation was positively associated with psychological distress and negatively associated with life satisfaction and happiness (all p < 0.05). By contrast, resilience was associated with lower levels of psychological distress and higher levels of life satisfaction and happiness (all p < 0.05). Moreover, the findings supported our hypothesis that resilience mediated the association between social isolation and psychological well-being. With regard to social isolation, resilience contributed to 32.0% of its association with distress, 24.9% of the association with life satisfaction, and 16.3% of the association with happiness.Conclusion: Our findings revealed a significant association between social isolation and psychological well-being and the mediating role of resilience in the association of older Chinese Americans in Hawaii. The study findings expand our understanding of psychological resources in older Chinese Americans and emphasize the importance of developing intervention programs to foster social connection and resilience among an understudied population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual influencers, digitally-created characters with realistic human-like appearances, have emerged as a distinctive type of virtual humans prominently featured in various virtual environments, with a notable presence on social media. They emulate human behaviors, including displaying emotions, to enrich their narratives. Yet, limited research has assessed how users interpret these virtual influencers' emotions as well as whether these emotional cues affect users' perceptions and attitude towards these virtual entities. To address these research gaps this research draws upon the Computers as Social Actors (CASA) paradigm. In study 1, sentiment analysis of a life-like virtual influencer's Instagram posts (N = 1196) conveyed a higher frequency, proportion, and intensity of positive (vs. negative) emotions. Study 2 utilized a U.S.-based Generation Z and Millennial sample from a large online platform to conduct a between-subjects online experiment (N = 142), examining whether Instagram posts conveying a virtual influencer's emotion (vs. no emotion) impacted users' attitude towards the virtual influencer. Findings indicate that the virtual influencer's perceived emotional intelligence, anthropomorphism, and authenticity are significant and serial mediators of the relationship between the virtual influencer's display of emotions in the social media posts and users' attitude towards the virtual influencer. Further, when looking at individual emotional effects (happiness vs. sadness vs. love vs. lust vs. no emotion), the expression of happiness in the virtual influencer's social media posts is greatly recommended for high perceptions and a positive attitude towards the virtual influencer while the display of sadness and lust are recommended to be avoided. • The virtual human's Instagram posts conveyed a higher frequency and intensity of positive (vs. negative) emotions. • Perceived emotional intelligence, anthropomorphism and authenticity mediated the relationship stimulated by emotional cues. • Users responded more favorably when the virtual human displayed happiness (vs. sadness and lust) in Instagram posts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives : This study examined the frequency and impact of traumatic events on the mental health of older African American and Black Caribbean adults. Methods : The current study used data from the National Survey of American Life of 1,135 African American and 426 Black Caribbean adults aged 50 and older. Analysis examined the impact of traumatic events on both positive (i.e., happiness and life satisfaction) and negative (i.e., depressive symptoms, psychological distress, and 12-month anti-depressant use) domains of mental health. Results : Findings indicate that approximately 80% of older African Americans and Black Caribbeans reported experiencing a traumatic event at some point in their lifetime. Among African Americans assaultive violence was associated with more depressive symptoms, lower levels of life satisfaction, and lower levels of happiness. This was not the case among Black Caribbeans. Conclusions : These findings provide preliminary insight in mental health outcomes for older African American and Black Caribbean adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on the relationship between religious practice and life satisfaction usually points to the existence of a positive association; with spiritual and social networks in the congregation being considered as important aspects intervening in the relationship. This paper follows a domains-of-life approach to provide insight into the relationship between religious practice and life satisfaction; seven domains of life are considered: Family, Friends, Economic, Free time, Health, Occupation, and Spiritual. By following a domains-of-life approach it is possible to consider how this association takes place through many facets in a person's life. The methodology allows mapping out the links between religious practice and life satisfaction; in fact, the relationship between religious practice and life satisfaction depends on the importance each domain has in explaining life satisfaction, as well as on the role religious practice plays in explaining domain satisfaction. Empirical research relies on information from a representative survey of the adult non-Hispanic white population in the United States. It is shown that the most important link between religious practice and life satisfaction takes place through the economic domain, followed by the spiritual and family domains of life. The friendship, occupation, and health domains have a minor but statistically significant role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The longitudinal associations of primary and secondary control with two distinct aspects of happiness including hedonic/subjective and eudaimonic/psychological well-being had not been fully studied. The present study aimed to contribute to the literature by examining these associations and their age differences. Using data from the second and third waves of the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS; N = 4963, aged 28 to 84 at baseline), the present study conducted structural equation modeling analyses to examine whether one primary control strategy (persistence in goal striving) and two secondary control strategies (positive reappraisals and lowering aspirations) predicted residualized changes in the latent constructs of subjective well-being (SWB) and psychological well-being (PWB) and whether there were age differences in these associations. The results indicate that persistence in goal striving and lowering aspirations overall predicted changes in PWB while none of the control strategies did for SWB, but some age differences were found. Whereas these differences somewhat varied for the outcomes of SWB and PWB, the findings indicate tendencies for older individuals compared to younger individuals of more negative (or less positive) associations of persistence in goal striving and more positive (or less negative) and more negative associations of positive reappraisals and lowering aspirations, respectively, with these outcomes. The present study suggested potential directions of future research aimed at further examining the role of primary and secondary control for happiness and exploring potential interventions to promote happiness, for example, by modifying primary and/or secondary control for adults of different ages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on self-determination theory, the current research examined the effect of team identification on spectators' energy and happiness. Most importantly, this research attempted to identify a key underlying mechanism of why and when sport spectatorship enhances spectators' happiness by adapting energy, a new concept to the sport management literature. The results indicate that spectators with high team identification reported a greater level of happiness than those with low team identification only when their team won the game. When the supported team lost the game, spectators with both high and low team identification experienced similar levels of happiness. Furthermore, this study proposed a moderated mediation effect of vitality to provide evidence for the anticipated underlying mechanism. The results of the moderated mediation test indicated that a feeling of vitality mediated the effect of team identification on happiness, but only in the winning game condition. In contrast, in the losing game condition, a feeling of vitality did not mediate the effect of team identification on happiness. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined how the triarchic model of grit (i.e., perseverance of effort, consistency of interests, and adaptability to situations) is related to cultivation of genuine happiness, loneliness, and COVID-19 anxiety in American (n = 643) and Filipino (n = 546) undergraduate students. It also explored whether grit had indirect effects on such social and well-being outcomes via relatedness needs satisfaction and meaning in life. Results of structural equation modeling demonstrated that whereas all grit dimensions were linked to increased relatedness needs satisfaction and meaning in life in the United States, only consistency and adaptability were associated with such constructs in the Philippines. Meaning in life was related to increased cultivation of happiness and reduced loneliness in both societies. Relatedness needs satisfaction was associated with higher happiness as well as decreased COVID-19 anxiety and loneliness in the United States and the Philippines. Finally, evidence supported indirect effects of of selected grit's dimensions on mental health outcomes via relatedness needs satisfaction and meaning in life in both settings. This research complements existing literature on the relational and psychological benefits of staying gritty in different societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines whether accountability to God is positively associated with four measures of psychological well-being—happiness, mattering to others, dignity, and meaning—among US adults. It also tests the possibility that prayer moderates these associations. Data from the 2017 Values and Beliefs of the American Public Survey (n = 1251) were analyzed using multivariate regression. Findings provided support for an association between accountability to God and mattering to others, dignity, and meaning in fully controlled models, and for happiness when religious controls were excluded. They also showed that these relationships were stronger among those who prayed frequently compared with those who did not. Overall, these findings shed light on a new concept—accountability to God—including its association with psychological well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is breastfeeding "success"? In this article, we challenge the traditional biomedical definition, instead centering visions of success described by breastfeeding mothers themselves. Using semi-structured interviews, quantitative surveys, and written narratives of 38 first-time mothers in the United States, we describe five common pathways through the first-year postpartum, a taxonomic distinction far more complex than a success–failure dichotomy: sustained breastfeeding, exclusive pumping, combination feeding, rapid weaning, and grinding back to exclusivity. We also explore the myriad ways in which mothers define and experience breastfeeding success, and in the process uncover the ways that cultural narratives—especially intensive mothering —color those experiences. Finally, we discuss how these experiences are shaped by infant feeding pathway. In doing so, we discover nuance that has gone unexplored in the breastfeeding literature. These findings have implications for supporting, promoting, and protecting breastfeeding in the United States and other high-income countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Major life events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, affect psychological and physiological health. Social support, or the lack thereof, can modulate these effects. The context of the COVID-19 pandemic offered a unique opportunity to better understand how dogs may provide social support for their owners and buffer heightened symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression and contribute to happiness during a major global crisis. Participants (768 pet dog owners and 767 potential pet dog owners) answered an online survey, including validated depression, anxiety, happiness psychometric scales, attitude to and commitment towards pet, and perceived social support. Potential pet dog owners were defined as individuals who did not own a dog at the time of the survey but would be very or extremely interested in owning one in the future. Dog owners reported having significantly more social support available to them compared to potential dog owners, and their depression scores were also lower, compared to potential dog owners. There were no differences in anxiety and happiness scores between the two groups. Dog owners had a significantly more positive attitude towards and commitment to pets. Taken together, our results suggest that dog ownership may have provided people with a stronger sense of social support, which in turn may have helped buffer some of the negative psychological impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been growing research interest in loneliness and wisdom in recent decades, but no cross-cultural comparisons of these constructs using standardized rating measures in older adults, especially the oldest-old. This was a cross-sectional study of loneliness and wisdom comparing middle-aged and oldest-old adults in Cilento, Italy and San Diego, United States. We examined loneliness and wisdom, using the UCLA Loneliness Scale Version 3 (UCLA-3) and San Diego Wisdom Scale (SD-WISE), respectively, in four subject groups: adults aged 50-65 and those ≥90 years from Cilento, Italy (N = 212 and 47, respectively) and San Diego, California, USA (N = 138 and 85, respectively). After controlling for education, there were no significant group differences in levels of loneliness, while on SD-WISE the Cilento ≥90 group had lower scores compared to the other three groups. There was a strong inverse correlation between loneliness and wisdom in each of the four subject groups. Loneliness was negatively associated while wisdom was positively associated with general health, sleep quality, and happiness in most groups, with varying levels of significance. These results largely support cross-cultural validity of the constructs of loneliness and wisdom, and extend previous findings of strong inverse correlations between these two entities. Loneliness has become a growing public health problem, and the results of our study suggest that wisdom could be a protective factor against loneliness, although alternative explanations are also possible. Research on interventions to reduce loneliness by enhancing wisdom in older adults is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large body of work has linked marital quality to the health and well-being of older adults, but there is a lack of agreement on how to best measure dimensions of marital quality. Drawing on a stress-process life course perspective, we construct a typology of marriage type that captures the synergistic relationship between positive and negative marital qualities and health. Using data from Wave 1 (2005/2006) and Wave 2 (2010/2011) of the NSHAP survey from the United States, we examine the association between supportive, aversive, ambivalent, and indifferent marriages for older adults that remained married over the study period on multiple indicators of well-being (depression, happiness, and self-rated health; N = 769 males and 461 females). Results suggest that older adults in aversive marriages reported lower happiness (men and women) and physical health (men). There was less evidence that those in ambivalent and indifferent marriages reported worse well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychologists typically conceptualize a good life either in terms of hedonic (e.g. life satisfaction, positive affect) or eudaimonic well-being (e.g. meaning, fulfillment of potential). In the current research, we explored another form of a good life: the psychologically rich life. In Study 1, we conducted a 14-day daily diary study (N = 203). In Study 2, we compared Chinese studying in the United States (N = 97) with Chinese studying in China (N = 169). In Study 3, we conducted a 12-week weekly survey study among Americans studying abroad (N = 43) and Americans studying in the United States (N = 100). In Study 4, we recruited students who had studied abroad (N = 84) and their friends (informants) who did not (N = 76). Study 1 showed that participants who scored higher in a psychologically rich life were more likely to take a short trip during the 14-day period. In Studies 2 to 4, those who studied abroad reported higher levels of a psychologically rich life than those who did not. Unusual experiences such as study abroad were consistently associated with higher levels of psychological richness, whereas they were not consistently associated with life satisfaction, positive affect, and meaning in life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We discuss the cultural power of changes in nation-level residential mobility. Using a theoretically informed analysis of mobility trends across the developed world, we argue that a shift from a culture full of people moving their residence to a culture full of people staying in place is associated with decreases, among its residents, in individualism, happiness, trust, optimism, and endorsement of the notion that hard work leads to success. We use the United States as a case study: Although the United States has historically been a highly-residentially mobile nation, yearly moves in the United States are halved from rates in the 1970s and quartered from rates in the late 19th century. In the past four decades, the proportion of Americans who are stuck in neighborhoods they no longer wish to live in is up nearly 50%. We discuss how high rates of mobility may have originally shaped American culture and how recent declines in residential mobility may relate to current feelings of cultural stagnation. Finally, we speculate on future trends in American mobility and the consequences of a society where citizens increasingly find themselves stuck in place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was not supported or funded by any grants. No financial interest or benefit has arisen from the direct application of this research. All data for this study are stored at the University of Colorado at Boulder via hardcopies, SAS and Excel spreadsheets. Character strengths are central to Positive Psychology. Peterson and Seligman developed a classification of strengths identifying 24 character strengths assumed to be important to well-being. Yet, few studies have comprehensively investigated the implications of possessing the character strengths. In this study 759 college students completed the Values in Action Inventory of Strengths scale (VIA-IS) to test the relationship between character strengths and various measures of well-being. The well-being measures included: satisfaction with life, happiness, resiliency, positive and negative affect, physical health, GPA, SAT/ACT scores, physical health, depression, anxiety, eating problems, alcohol consumption, drug use, and risky behaviors. Character strengths were most strongly related to positive measures of well-being (e.g., zest/enthusiasm); the next highest relationship was with the four measures of academic achievement, but there was only moderate relationships to psychopathology and very low association to physical health. Implications of the major findings and recommendations for future research were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sarcasm is widely used, but its complexities are not well understood. Sarcastic utterances can have multiple nuanced meanings depending on individual differences of the speaker, listener, and the sociocultural context. The current study examined the views of 344 adults ages 31-55 in the United States, Mexico, and China. We used an online survey to ask participants to self-report how frequently they used sarcasm, under what circumstances, and for what reasons. They also completed the Hofstede Value Survey Module (HVSM) based on Hofstede's six dimensions of culture: Individualism/Collectivism, Power Distance, Uncertainty Avoidance, Masculinity/Femininity, Long Term Orientation, and Indulgence/Restraint. Respondents from the U.S. and Mexico, countries higher in Individualism and lower in Power Distance, reported more sarcasm use than respondents from China, a country higher in Power Distance and Collectivism. The most common reasons to use sarcasm in all three countries were "to be funny" and "to have fun with friends." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary purpose of this study was to examine physical activity, nutritional intake, and psychological well-being differences between youth with visual impairments and their siblings residing in the same household. A secondary purpose was to examine the relationship between physical activity behavior and psychological well-being among youth with visual impairments. A sample of 22 dyads of youth with visual impairments and siblings completed this study. Data were collected through parent-reported demographic and psychological well-being questionnaires, nutritional intake questionnaires, and accelerometry. Data were analyzed descriptively and inferentially, examining proportion difference using McNemar's z-test, and mean differences using multivariate analyses of variance. Siblings without visual impairments had higher but not significantly higher daily average moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (d = 0.46), significantly higher prosocial score (d = 0.63), and lower but not significantly lower difficulty scores (d = 0.39), than youth with visual impairments. Small, not statistically significant, nutritional intake differences between siblings were found. Differences in physical activity and nutritional habits between those with visual impairments and their siblings were not significant, supporting the environmentally driven nature of these variables. Associations between physical activity and well-being were not apparent in this study but may be partially explained by low participant physical activity. Youth with visual impairments and the siblings may be influenced by the same familial factors and molded in a similar fashion by parenting behaviors regarding health-related behaviors. In this study, youth with visual impairments engaged in similar physical activity and nutritional behaviors to their siblings without visual impairments. Efforts to improve health-related behaviors among those with visual impairments may be most effective at the family level. Small subsets of youth with visual impairments gain mental health benefits from physical activity engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary objective of this cross-sectional study was to examine the associations of self-reported health, happiness, marital happiness, frequency of sexual activity, and number of partners from a multinational survey of individuals who are consensually non-monogamous (CNM) or open to being CNM, completed in 2012 with 4062 respondents. We compared data from this survey with the 2010–2014 US General Social Surveys (GSS). This study explored these variables and their predictors by gender (including 612 non-binary-gendered CNM individuals), marital status, number of partners, sexual frequency, age, education, and income and were broken down by behavioral sexual orientation, marital status, and other relevant categories. Respondents in our CNM sample generally reported being as healthy (sometimes healthier; e.g., all respondents M–W Z = 7.66, p <.001, η2 = 0.007), happy (frequently happier; e.g., multiple-partnered Z = 15.43, p <.001, η2 = 0.069), happy in their marriages (in some cases happier; e.g., multiple-partnered females Z = 2.61, p =.009, η2 = 0.067), and reported having more frequent sexual activity (e.g., all Z = 29.54, p <.001, η2 = 0.094) with more partners (e.g., all Z = 60.75, p <.001, η2 = 0.393) compared to corresponding individuals within the GSS. This study contributes to knowledge about commonalities and differences between the general population and those who are CNM regarding health, happiness, and happiness in marriage, including differences in optimal number of sexual partners and sexual frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Describe and compare levels of happiness, psychological well-being, perceived stress, and health behaviors of university students. Participants: Thai university students were selected (N = 478) during November 2016 using random cluster sampling. Methods: A health and well-being questionnaire was constructed, translated from English to Thai, back-translated, and pilot tested. Descriptive and chi-square statistics were calculated for study variables. Results: Thai male students had lower happiness and psychological well-being than Thai female students. Overall, Thai students had lower happiness and higher perceived stress than US/UK samples. Thai male students reported greater alcohol and tobacco use than Thai female students. Overall, Thai students reported inadequate diet (57%), poor sleep quantity/quality (67%) and depressive symptoms (40%). Conclusions: These preliminary results identify specific areas of concern in the health and well-being of Thai university students. Further analyses are needed to shed light on the factors contributing to these increased health risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is experienced differently across individuals, and older adults' different life experiences lead to a variety of ways of coping. The present study explores older adults' reports of what about the pandemic is stressful, and what brings joy and comfort in the midst of stress. Research Design and Methods An online survey asked 825 U.S. adults aged 60 and older to complete questionnaires assessing 3 psychological well-being indicators: perceived stress, negative affect, and positive affect. Participants also responded to open-ended questions about what was stressful and what brought joy or comfort at the time of the survey. A mixed-method approach first qualitatively analyzed the open-ended responses, content analysis identified themes most frequently reported, and quantitative analysis examined the associations between various stressors and joys and the psychological well-being indicators. Results Qualitative analysis revealed 20 stress categories and 21 joy/comfort categories. The most commonly reported stressors were confinement/restrictions, concern for others, and isolation/loneliness; the most commonly reported sources of joy/comfort were family/friend relationships, digital social contact, and hobbies. Demographic comparisons revealed variations in experience. Independent t tests revealed stress from concern for others, the unknown future, and contracting the virus to be significantly associated with poorer psychological well-being; faith, exercise/self-care, and nature were associated with more positive psychological well-being. Discussion and Implications Results are discussed in the context of stress and coping theory, highlighting the importance of understanding the unique stress experience of each individual for effective distress intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although most individuals who experience suicidal thoughts will never attempt suicide and the majority of those who survive a suicide attempt will neither re-attempt nor die by suicide, little is known about salutary outcomes among previously suicidal individuals. The present study examined levels of happiness and meaning in life among 997 US military personnel, of whom 23% had experienced suicide ideation and 4% had made a suicide attempt during their lives. Happiness and meaning in life were significantly reduced among participants with a history of suicidal thoughts and/or behaviors. Happiness and meaning in life were significantly higher among those participants whose last suicidal thought was further in the past. In less than 1 year after their last suicidal thought, the majority of previously suicidal participants reported average to above average happiness and meaning in life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Positive life experiences are potentially-rewarding events and behaviors, such as social and romantic interactions, experiences of relaxation and physical comfort, time spent in nature, and other leisure activities. To date, there is limited evidence linking positive life experiences to long-term health outcomes. The current study used data from N = 1243 participants in the Midlife Development in the US Study Biomarker Project to examine whether greater frequency of a range of different positive experiences and greater level of enjoyment of these experiences was linked to survival over a 12- to-16-year period in Cox proportional hazards models. The potential mediating roles of positive affect, depression, perceived stress, and an allostatic load index of physiological dysregulation in these associations were also examined. Greater frequency of positive experiences and greater enjoyment of positive experiences were both associated with a reduced hazard of mortality over the 12- to 16-year period. Models assessing a single mediator showed that both associations were mediated by decreased depression and decreased perceived stress, but not by positive affect or allostatic load. In supplementary multi-mediation models, depression was the only significant mediator of the frequency-survival and enjoyment-survival associations. Positive life experiences may confer long-term survival benefits, partially through lessening depressive symptomatology. • Positive life experiences may confer health and survival benefits. • Greater frequency of positive experiences was linked to long-term survival. • Greater enjoyment flowing from positive experiences conferred a survival benefit. • Lower depression and perceived stress may link positive experiences to survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author discusses the courageous action of young plaintiffs in the Held versus Montana landmark decision as pro-fossil laws demonstrably threatened their rights, health and future as of 2023. Topics covered include the call out of the case on psychiatrists' obligation to link ethical duties to global warming, and the idea that climate abuse is child abuse. Also noted is the need for psychiatrists to use the legal system to address the institutional betrayal of the youth.

Although watchful watching has been recommended as a means of reducing unnecessary use of antibiotics, nonadherence has frequently been observed. Drawing from appraisal theories of emotion, this study (n = 579) examined (a) the factors that shape pediatric caregivers' emotional experiences in the medical contexts and (b) the influence of emotions on (non)adherence behavioral intentions. Caregivers reported more intense negative emotions and less intense positive emotions following watchful waiting advice versus receiving an antibiotic prescription. The differences were mostly driven by false beliefs about antibiotics' effectiveness. Emotional responses predicted intentions to adhere to watchful waiting advice (e.g., counterargue and seek another healthcare provider), with anger being the most consistent determinant of these outcomes. Improving antibiotic stewardship can be achieved by educational efforts to correct false beliefs and by training healthcare providers to manage caregiver emotions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Given the importance of ethnic culture in family caregiving and recent Chinese immigrant population growth, this study explored effects of multiple filial piety traits—filial expectation, self-rated filial performance, and filial discrepancy—on psychological well-being of Chinese immigrants who care for older parents (adult-child caregivers) in the United States. Methods: This study used cross-sectional data from 393 Chinese immigrant adult-child caregivers in the Greater Chicago area from the 2012–2014 Piety study. Multivariate negative binomial and linear regression analyses tested effects of filial expectation, self-rated filial performance, overall filial discrepancy, and discrepancies in six filial domains (respect, bringing happiness, care, greeting, obedience, and financial support) on psychological well-being indicators: depressive symptoms and stress. Results: Adult-child caregivers reported high filial expectation and self-rated performance, and expectation was higher than performance. High filial expectation and self-rated performance were significantly associated with better psychological well-being; Overall filial discrepancy and two emotional-support domain discrepancies (respect, greeting) were associated with poor psychological well-being. Conclusions: Findings suggest that filial expectation, self-rated filial performance, and filial discrepancy are important in shaping Chinese adult-child caregivers' psychological well-being. Researchers and practitioners should incorporate these aspects of filial piety in future research and intervention development for this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: For promoting mental health and well-being of individuals, it is important to investigate its association with personal values. However, in Eastern Asian countries, no study has yet investigated the association between personal values in adolescence and mental health and well-being in adulthood. To fill that research gap, we conducted a cross-sectional study based on two online surveys of working populations in Japan and the United States. Methods: A total of 516 workers from each of the two countries, aged 30–49 years, completed a questionnaire that measured personal values in adolescence, current psychological distress, health-related quality of life, and subjective well-being (satisfaction and happiness). Personal values were measured by items based on Schwartz's theory of basic values and people's commitment to those ten values. Multiple group path analysis was performed to examine the associations between personal values in adolescence and health-related outcomes, grouped by country. Results: Care, graduating from school, and commitment to values were associated with better mental health and well-being in Japanese participants. Belief and challenging were associated with better mental health and well-being in US participants. On the other hand, financial success was associated with poor mental health and well-being in Japanese participants. Avoiding causing trouble and positive evaluation were associated with poor mental health and well-being in the US participants. Conclusions: Certain personal values and commitment to those values in adolescence may be associated with mental health and well-being in adulthood. To address the limitations of this study, future studies should use a longitudinal design and investigate the interactions among the types of personal values and commitment to the values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]