A Demonstration of Set-Points for Subjective Wellbeing

Cummins, Robert A.; Li, Ning; Wooden, Mark; Stokes, Mark A.

doi:10.1007/s10902-013-9444-9

Cited by 179 publications

(86 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…Cummins put forth and demonstrated a theory of homeostasis that posits humans have a ‘set-point’ with respect to subjective well-being, with set-points normally ranging from 70 to 90, with a mean score of 80 on a standard 0–100 point range [64, 65]. If a group population mean drops to between 51 and 69, it may represent homeostatic failure.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Three-year trajectories of global perceived quality of life for youth with chronic health conditions

et al. 2016

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PurposeObjectives of this longitudinal study were to examine 3-year trajectories of global perceived quality of life (QOL) for youth with chronic health conditions, as obtained from youth and parent reports, and to identify personal and environmental factors associated with the trajectory groups for each perspective.MethodsYouth with various chronic conditions aged 11–17 years and one of their parents were recruited from eight children’s treatment centers. Latent class growth analysis was used to investigate perceived QOL trajectories (separately for youth and parent perspectives) over a 3-year period (four data collection time points spaced 12 months apart). Multinomial logistic regression was employed to identify factors associated with these trajectories.ResultsA total of 439 youth and one of their parents participated at baseline, and 302 (69 %) of those youth/parent dyads completed all four data collection time points. Two QOL trajectories were identified for the youth analysis: ‘high and stable’ (85.7 %) and ‘moderate/low and stable’ (14.3 %), while three trajectories were found for the parent analysis: ‘high and stable’ (35.7 %), ‘moderate and stable’ (46.6 %), and ‘moderate/low and stable’ (17.7 %). Relative to the ‘high and stable’ groups, youth with more reported pain/other physical symptoms, emotional symptoms, and home/community barriers were more likely to be in the ‘moderate and stable’ or ‘moderate/low and stable’ groups. Also, youth with higher reported self-determination, spirituality, family social support, family functioning, school productivity/engagement, and school belongingness/safety were less likely to be in the ‘moderate and stable’ or ‘moderate/low and stable’ groups, compared to the ‘high and stable’ groups.ConclusionFindings suggest that youth with chronic conditions experience stable global perceived QOL across time, but that some individuals maintain stability at moderate to moderate/low levels which is related to ongoing personal and environmental influences. Potential benefits of universal strategies and programs to safeguard resilience for all youth and targeted interventions to optimize certain youths’ global perceived QOL are indicated.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11136-016-1353-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Three-year trajectories of global perceived quality of life for youth with chronic health conditions

et al. 2016

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“…Indeed, the most important idea about SWB may be that it is typically positive (Cummins, 2010). Whereas most people evaluate their life experience as positive (Cummins, Li, Wooden, & Stokes, 2014), SWB as a construct incorporates the full range of well-being from very low to neutral to very high. In this manner, SWB reports can be sensitive to subtle changes above as well as below the neutral point.…”

Section: Critiquementioning

confidence: 99%

Quality of life in children: A critical examination of concepts, approaches, issues, and future directions

Wallander

Koot

2016

Clinical Psychology Review

204

194

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• Children deserve to experience a good quality of life (QOL).• We examine three main approaches for understanding children's QOL.• Issues and opportunities in research on children's QOL are discussed.• We conclude social indicators and subjective well-being best capture children's QOL.• QOL should be a universal indicator when we intend to advance well-being of children. a b s t r a c t a r t i c l e i n f o The quality of children's life is important both as an investment in the future of our society and because children constitute an important group of themselves and deserve to experience well-being presently. Quality of life (QOL) has been conceptualized and studied in children for several decades, but with disparate approaches that have rarely been discussed jointly with application to children in general. Here we describe and critically examine the three main approaches to children's QOL: health-related QOL (HRQOL), social indicators, and subjective wellbeing (SWB). Although this is not a review of instruments per se, we illustrate these approaches by describing their most prominent measures. Issues and opportunities in research on children's QOL are then discussed related to conceptual clarity, content specification, range of experience, subjective and objective perspectives, development in childhood, reporting source, and malleability of QOL. Finally, directions for advancing children's QOL are considered. We highlight the benefits of focusing on social indicators and SWB, rather than HRQOL, when representing this concept for children in general, the need for applying more sophisticated research strategies, and using QOL as a universal indicator of success whenever we intend to advance the well-being of children through intervention, programs, and policy.

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“…Subjective QoL is a multidimensional concept that measures satisfaction with various life domains (Lehman, 1996;Reininghaus et al, 2012). It has been argued that, among adults, subjective well-being is remarkably stable (Baird, Lucas, & Donnellan, 2010;Cummins, 2010;Cummins, Li, Wooden, & Stokes, 2014;Diener, Suh, Lucas, & Smith, 1999). The set-point theory, for example, assumes that well-being tends to fluctuate around a stable level; negative events might cause well-being to decline momentarily after which it returns to its previous level (Cummins, 2010;Cummins et al, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It has been argued that, among adults, subjective well-being is remarkably stable (Baird, Lucas, & Donnellan, 2010;Cummins, 2010;Cummins, Li, Wooden, & Stokes, 2014;Diener, Suh, Lucas, & Smith, 1999). The set-point theory, for example, assumes that well-being tends to fluctuate around a stable level; negative events might cause well-being to decline momentarily after which it returns to its previous level (Cummins, 2010;Cummins et al, 2014). Longitudinal studies on the other hand, have shown that life events can have a strong effect on adults' subjective well-being, although the actual impact depends on the type of life event (Luhmann, Hofmann, Eid, & Lucas, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stability and change in subjective quality of life of adolescents in secure residential care

Barendregt

Laan

Bongers

et al. 2015

The Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology

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Subjective quality of life (QoL) is an outcome measure often used in the field of psychiatry. While upcoming strength-based rehabilitation theories place strong emphasis on subjective QoL, it has hardly ever been investigated in adolescents with severe psychiatric problems who are admitted to secure residential care. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the stability and change of subjective QoL of adolescents with severe psychiatric problems. Additionally, the effect of discharge and re-entering society on subjective QoL was studied. In a four-wave longitudinal study, the subjective QoL of 172 male adolescents with severe psychiatric problems was examined. Five subjective QoL domains remained stable over time, while five other domains changed. A decrease in satisfaction with family relations and social participation was observed for discharged adolescents. These results warrant for continuing guidance of adolescents in order for them to positively adapt to a new life outside secure residential care.

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A Demonstration of Set-Points for Subjective Wellbeing

Cited by 179 publications

References 42 publications

Three-year trajectories of global perceived quality of life for youth with chronic health conditions

Three-year trajectories of global perceived quality of life for youth with chronic health conditions

Quality of life in children: A critical examination of concepts, approaches, issues, and future directions

Stability and change in subjective quality of life of adolescents in secure residential care

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