Relation of hassles and personality to subjective well-being.

Abstract

We examined three personality variables-locus of control, assertiveness, and meaning in life-as possible moderators of the relation between stressors and subjective well-being. Results from a sample of 160 students suggested that any moderating effects were not extensive and were mainly limited to the locus of control variable with female subjects. Replication of the study on a sample of 120 com munity members found no significant moderating effects. Chronic daily stressors (hassles) were found to have a direct effect on well-being reports. Among the personality variables, meaning in life consistently predicted positive well-being, and internal locus of control and assertiveness had direct but somewhat less consistent effects. Consideration is given to possible explanations for the pattern of results, and implications for the structure of well-being are discussed.The quest to determine what makes people happy has led to investigations in a number of diverse areas. Objective life circumstances have been found, with few exceptions, to be inconsequential predictors of well-being (Andrews & Withey, 1976;Campbell, Converse, & Rodgers, 1976; Diener, 1984;Kammann, 1983). Kammann (1983) has argued for the need to understand the processes that bridge the gap between objective life circumstances and well-being. Concerns of this nature have led researchers to consider the role of a range of variables such as personality factors and social support in influencing different adaptational outcomes. These outcome measures vary, but they commonly focus on psychological symptoms, well-being, or health. Antonovsky (1979) proposed that an underlying personality dimension, sense of coherence, allows a person to cope with stressors effectively, procuring good health. Kobasa (1979) argued that a general personality dimension, hardiness, moderates the effect of stressful life events on physical health. Lazarus and his colleagues (Folkman, 1984;Lazarus & DeLongis, 1983;Lazarus & Folkman, 1984) proposed that cognitive appraisal and coping mediate stress and stress-related adaptational outcomes. Witmer, Rich, Barcikowski, and Mague (1983) suggested that psychosocial characteristics influence the cognitive appraisal process, mediating the transaction between life stressors and stress responses. A number of authors have suggested that social support acts as a buffer against the impact of life events on mental health (Cohen & Wills, 1985;Thoits, 1982). These theoretical views have been supported by a range of empirical findings. Kobasa and her colleagues (Kobasa, 1982;Kobasa, Maddi, & Courington, 1981;Kobasa &Puccetti, 1983) have shown that the hardy personality has an important influence on the relation between stressors and health status. In a prospective study, Kobasa, Maddi, and Kahn (1982) found that hardiness functions to moderate the effect of stressful life events on illness, with prior illness controlled. Locus of control has

Factor Structure, Reliability, and Convergent Validity of the Engagement in Meaningful Activities Survey for Older Adults

“…The largest relationship was found between the EMAS and the PIL. The PIL has been found to effectively represent the construct of meaning and life purpose (Reker & Fry, 2003); it has demonstrated positive relationships with indicators of activity (Gerwood, 1995;Weinstein & Xie, 1995) and is commonly associated with measures of psychosocial well-being (Ulmer, Range, & Smith, 1991;Zika & Chamberlain, 1987, 1992. The finding of a positive correlation between the PIL and the EMAS highlights an intimate relationship between perceptions of activity meaningfulness and a sense of meaning and purpose in life.…”

Busca e cura de sentido para a vida

“…Para Zica e Chamberlain (1987, 1992 ter sentido na vida é um forte preditor do bem-estar psicológico. Ter significado na vida é perseguir objectivos de valor, sentindo ao mesmo tempo uma vida em plenitude (cf.…”

The role of life meaning in psychotherapy

“…Meaning in life has been positively associated with self-esteem (Krause, 2003;Halama & Dĕdová, 2007;Scannell et al, 2002;Steger & Frazier, 2005;Weismann & Hannich, 2008), optimism (Krause, 2003;Steger & Frazier, 2005), positive attitude (Reker & Cousins, 1979), ego strength (Shek, 1992), self-image (Shek, 1992), self-efficacy (Weismann & Hannich, 2008), internal locus of control (Zika & Chamberlain, 1987), extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness (Mascaro & Rosen, 2005), and assertiveness (Zika & Chamberlain, 1987). Finally, a negative association was found between meaning in life and neuroticism (Francis & Hills, 2008;Mascaro & Rosen, 2005).…”

“…Other researchers have found support for a positive association between meaning in life and positive affect, and a negative association between meaning in life and negative affect (Chamberlain & Zika, 1988b;King et al, 2006;Zika & Chamberlain, 1987.…”

“…Researchers have found meaning in life to be positively associated with happiness (Debats, 1996;Fleer, Hoekstra, Sleijfer, Tuinman, & Hoekstra-Weebers, 2006;Scannell, Allen, & Burton, 2002), and life satisfaction (Chamberlain & Zika, 1988b;Halama & Dĕdová, 2007;Langeland, Wahl, Kristoffersen, Nortvedt, & Hanestad, 2007;Zika & Chamberlain, 1987. Krause (2003) found that there is a positive association between life satisfaction and "religious meaning", which is the "…process of turning to religion in an effort to find a sense of purpose in life, a sense of direction in life, and a sense that there is a reason for one's existence" (p. S160).…”