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What Is Wellbeing?
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What Is Wellbeing?

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Mental Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2023) | Viewed by 19495

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Aaron Jarden

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centre for Wellbeing Science, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
Interests: positive psychology; wellbeing; wellbeing assessment; wellbeing conceptualization; applied positive psychology; ethics
Ms. Annalise Roache

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centre for Wellbeing Science, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
Interests: coaching; wellbeing; wellbeing conceptulaization; ethics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Wellbeing is a new hot topic across the social sciences, from psychology, to economics, to sociology, to health, to communication and media, to public policy and beyond. The rapid and phenomenal growth of the field of positive psychology (Kim, Doiron, Warren, and Donaldson, 2018; Rusk and Waters, 2013) has contributed to stimulating interest in wellbeing more broadly. Across most disciplines, from a publishing perspective in any case, it seems that many are taking a wellbeing originated lens to their field of work. Beyond academia and in popular culture (at least in the West), wellbeing is also more central in various dialogues, with acknowledgment that wellbeing (in contrast to illbeing) is important to everyone; e.g., when parents are asked what they most want for their children, wellbeing is usually present in their answers, and also usually top of the list. 

However, clear and useful definition and conceptualization of what wellbeing is remains scarce, and unagreed upon; both within and across disciplines. Different disciplines define wellbeing differently, if they define it at all. Additionally, some of the research to date points to vast differences in how laypeople, in contrast to academics, conceptualise wellbeing. We see conceptualising and clearly defining wellbeing is an essential first step in the successful development of any wellbeing theory, policy, or intervention, and at the base of any scientific attempt to measure or improve wellbeing. As such, a comprehensive and socially relevant research approach needs to be established to better understand what wellbeing is and what it means to people. Therefore, we cordially invite papers for this Special Issue addressing these issues and topics, especially those combining a high academic standard coupled with a practical focus on wellbeing.  New research papers, reviews, and case reports are welcome to this issue. Papers dealing with new approaches to understanding wellbeing are also welcome. Other manuscript types accepted include methodological papers, position papers, brief reports, and commentaries. As an interdisciplinary effort, we will accept manuscripts from different disciplines across the sciences.

Dr. Aaron Jarden
Ms. Annalise Roache
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • wellbeing
  • well-being
  • conceptualization
  • definition
  • interdisciplinary

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Editorial

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4 pages, 268 KiB  
Editorial
What Is Wellbeing?
by Aaron Jarden and Annalise Roache
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(6), 5006; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph20065006 - 12 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3728
Abstract
The human interest in ‘wellbeing’ dates back thousands of years, with complex indigenous understandings [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue What Is Wellbeing?)

Research

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14 pages, 347 KiB  
Article
The Garden and the Orchestra: Generative Metaphors for Conceptualizing the Complexities of Well-Being
by Tim Lomas and Tyler J. VanderWeele
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(21), 14544; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph192114544 - 05 Nov 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2151
Abstract
Our understanding of well-being, and related concepts such as health and flourishing, is shaped by the metaphors through which we think about such ideas. Current dominant metaphors—including a pyramid, ladder, and continuum—all have various issues. As such, this paper offers two other metaphors [...] Read more.
Our understanding of well-being, and related concepts such as health and flourishing, is shaped by the metaphors through which we think about such ideas. Current dominant metaphors—including a pyramid, ladder, and continuum—all have various issues. As such, this paper offers two other metaphors which can better do justice to the nuanced complexities of these notions, namely, a garden and an orchestra. Through these metaphors, this paper articulates a comprehensive framework for conceptualizing and appreciating the nature of well-being (and associated concepts), which it is hoped will generate further insights and research into these valued and sought-after phenomena. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue What Is Wellbeing?)
24 pages, 2102 KiB  
Article
An Adaptive Motivation Approach to Understanding the ‘How’ and ‘Why’ of Wellbeing
by Reuben D. Rusk
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(19), 12784; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph191912784 - 06 Oct 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2009
Abstract
A new model provides insight into the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of wellbeing to better understand the ‘what’. Informed by evolutionary psychology and neuroscience, it proposes that systems for adaptive motivation underpin experiential and reflective wellbeing. The model proposes that the brain learns to [...] Read more.
A new model provides insight into the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of wellbeing to better understand the ‘what’. Informed by evolutionary psychology and neuroscience, it proposes that systems for adaptive motivation underpin experiential and reflective wellbeing. The model proposes that the brain learns to predict situations, and errors arise between the predictions and experience. These prediction errors drive emotional experience, learning, motivation, decision-making, and the formation of wellbeing-relevant memories. The model differentiates four layers of wellbeing: objective, experiential, reflective, and narrative, which relate to the model in different ways. Constituents of wellbeing, human motives, and specific emotions integrate into the model. A simple computational implementation of the model reproduced several established wellbeing phenomena, including: the greater frequency of pleasant to unpleasant emotions, the stronger emotional salience of unpleasant emotions, hedonic adaptation to changes in circumstances, heritable influences on wellbeing, and affective forecasting errors. It highlights the importance of individual differences, and implies that high wellbeing will correlate with the experience of infrequent, routine, and predictable avoidance cues and frequent, varied, and novel approach cues. The model suggests that wellbeing arises directly from a system for adaptive motivation. This system functions like a mental dashboard that calls attention to situational changes and motivates the kinds of behaviours that gave humans a relative advantage in their ancestral environment. The model offers a set of fundamental principles and processes that may underlie diverse conceptualisations of wellbeing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue What Is Wellbeing?)
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15 pages, 2217 KiB  
Article
The Fertility of a Concept: A Bibliometric Review of Human Flourishing
by Manuel Cebral-Loureda, Enrique Tamés-Muñoz and Alberto Hernández-Baqueiro
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(5), 2586; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19052586 - 23 Feb 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 5588
Abstract
Human flourishing is a thriving concept, whose use has greatly increased among academic researchers from a variety of fields, from the arts and humanities and psychology to the social and environmental sciences and economics. To better understand the concept’s success, this work proposes [...] Read more.
Human flourishing is a thriving concept, whose use has greatly increased among academic researchers from a variety of fields, from the arts and humanities and psychology to the social and environmental sciences and economics. To better understand the concept’s success, this work proposes a bibliometric review, in which statistical methods and data mining were used to analyze 1829 documents, chosen from the Scopus database by searching the term “human flourishing”. Through cluster and network analyses, the study shows the concept’s evolution and composition, as well as its current tensions and trends, in which the predominantly psychological approach is being compensated with social concerns and the search for justice. Furthermore, the concept’s strong philosophical roots provide it with abstract richness and great fertility, which can be seen in keywords, such as virtue or eudaimonia. This bibliometric review proved to be useful for this type of study, despite the limitations imposed by the characteristics of the Scopus database itself. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue What Is Wellbeing?)
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Other

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10 pages, 2165 KiB  
Brief Report
Mental Balance in 116 Nations: Where It Is Experienced and Valued
by Mohsen Joshanloo
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(19), 12457; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph191912457 - 30 Sep 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1923
Abstract
Mental balance, defined as a sense of tranquility resulting from inner peace and harmonious interactions with the external environment, is an important but largely overlooked aspect of well-being. Using data from the Gallup World Poll (N = 121,207), this study developed a global [...] Read more.
Mental balance, defined as a sense of tranquility resulting from inner peace and harmonious interactions with the external environment, is an important but largely overlooked aspect of well-being. Using data from the Gallup World Poll (N = 121,207), this study developed a global index of mental balance and a measure of preference for mental balance (as opposed to excitement) across 116 countries. The study examined the global and regional distribution of these two variables and their intercorrelations with a variety of social, economic, cultural, and well-being variables. The results showed that, whereas national wealth and sociopolitical context were the strongest predictors of experiencing mental balance, these variables were not associated with preference for mental balance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue What Is Wellbeing?)
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7 pages, 536 KiB  
Brief Report
Do Cross-Group Differences in Life Satisfaction Reflect Measurement Bias or True Differences in Life Satisfaction? Evidence from a Dutch National Sample
by Mohsen Joshanloo
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(18), 11687; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph191811687 - 16 Sep 2022
Viewed by 1183
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine measurement invariance of the Dutch version of the Satisfaction with Life Scale between groups based on gender, age, education, perceived difficulty of the survey, perceived clarity of the survey, and national background. A nationally representative [...] Read more.
The purpose of this study was to examine measurement invariance of the Dutch version of the Satisfaction with Life Scale between groups based on gender, age, education, perceived difficulty of the survey, perceived clarity of the survey, and national background. A nationally representative Dutch sample was used (N = 5369). Multiple-groups confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to test measurement invariance. Full metric and scalar invariance were supported for all groups studied. These results indicate that the items of the scale are understood and answered similarly by all groups. Therefore, the 5 items of the Satisfaction with Life Scale measure the same construct in all groups. In other words, the differences in the life satisfaction scores are indicative of actual differences in life satisfaction rather than measurement artifacts and biases. This means that the levels of life satisfaction can be meaningfully compared between groups in The Netherlands. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue What Is Wellbeing?)
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