Associations between the Importance of Well-Being Domains and the Subsequent Experience of Well-Being

Abstract

Prior cross-sectional research suggests that the importance assigned to well-being domains may be associated with actual self-reported well-being in these same domains. However, cross-sectional data cannot discern directionality, leaving an open question as to whether valuing well-being leads to higher actual well-being or the other way around—higher levels of well-being lead to valuing well-being more. In the present study, we used longitudinal data from 1209 employees to examine the associations between the perceived importance of six well-being domains (emotional health, physical health, meaning and purpose, social connectedness, character strengths, and financial stability) and subsequent well-being in these domains reported approximately 1 year later. Lagged linear regression models demonstrated that valuing character strengths and valuing social relationships were most strongly associated with subsequent well-being. None of the valuations were associated with higher subsequent emotional well-being and only one (importance of physical health) predicted physical health. We also found that higher valuations of character strengths and physical health were associated with lower ratings of subsequent financial stability. A stronger sense of the importance of each well-being domain was predictive of subsequent character strengths. Our findings suggest that living well appears to be achieved by valuing immaterial goods, especially social connectedness and character strengths, as opposed to domains such as financial stability or physical health.

Vitality Revisited: The Evolving Concept of Flourishing and Its Relevance to Personal and Public Health

“…VanderWeele proposes that character strengths are both constitutive of flourishing and causal for factors associated with well-being [ 92 ]. Indeed, longitudinal research shows that placing a high value on character strengths predicts subsequent well-being [ 93 ]. In a recent longitudinal study, an orientation to promote good (consistent thoughts and taking actions that contribute to the good of oneself and others) was positively associated with multiple measures of well-being—including the subsequent life satisfaction and happiness, self-assessed mental health and physical health, social connectedness, and purpose, and meaning in life, as well as a lower risk of anxiety, loneliness, and depression [ 94 ].…”

The Definition of Play: A Measurement Scale for Well-Being Based on Human Physiological Mechanisms

“…For example, Lorber used loneliness, life satisfaction, and mental health as indicators [5]. Weziak-Bialowolska evaluated the relationships between the perceived importance of six well-being domains, including meaning and purpose, social connectedness, emotional health, character strengths, physical health, and financial stability [15]. Yan evaluated kindergarten teachers' happiness based on job satisfaction, life satisfaction, and personal growth [10].…”

“…In recent years, a number of studies have been conducted in various domains, such as loneliness during the pandemic [5], working style [6], housing and urban planning [7], transportation [8], socioeconomics [9], early childhood education [10], school [11], higher education [12], young people [13], and the elderly [14]. For example, in a 2015 study by Weziak-Bialowolska, the concept of well-being was interpreted as a set of domains comprising emotional health, physical health, meaning and purpose, social connections, character strength, and financial stability [15]. Regarding the domain of social welfare, López-Concepción [9] stated that trust in institutions (large corporations, governments, banks) as well as science and technology are making human life healthier, easier, and more comfortable.…”