Making a Life Worth Living

The relationship between cerebral asymmetry and measures of psychopathy in a non-clinical sample is moderated by both empathic challenge and biological sex

This study investigated the relationship between psychopathy, as assessed by the Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy (LSRP) scale, and cerebral laterality. EEG recordings from frontal cortex (L3 and L4) were taken during both resting conditions and while viewing a video of an emergency field amputation, used as an empathic challenge. The ratio of alpha power from the two recording site was taken as an index of relative activity in the two hemispheres. Eighty three students from the University subject pool were recruited as participants. Male participants had a significantly higher mean LSRP score than did female participants. While LSRP scores were unrelated to cerebral laterality under resting conditions, there was both a significant linear and quadratic negative relationship between LSRP scores and relative left-hemisphere alpha activity. As alpha activity has been reported to be inversely related to brain or mental activity, a negative relationship can be inferred between LSRP scores and right hemisphere neural activity. The female participants had a much stronger quadratic relationship than did the combined sample, while the male sample showed only weak, non-significant relationships. Our data suggest that the relationship between psychopathy and cerebral laterality may be sexually dimorphic.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Unhealthy Lifestyle in Adolescence: Unforeseen Role of Allostatic Overload and Psychological Well-Being

Unhealthy lifestyle behaviors (ULBs) are common in early adolescence and could be worsened by Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), as well as by specific psychosocial factors, such as stress and unbalanced (i.e., too high or low scores of) psychological well-being (PWB) dimensions. This multi-center study aimed to evaluate how interactions between ADHD symptoms and psychosocial factors associated with ULBs (i.e., Allostatic Overload and multidimensional Psychological Well-Being), considered as moderators, could affect the adoption of ULBs during adolescence. A total of 440 fourteen-year-old adolescents were recruited from six upper secondary schools in Bologna and Rome (Italy) and completed self-report questionnaires on ULBs, ADHD, and psychosocial factors. Relations between ADHD symptomatology and specific ULBs (i.e., impaired sleep, problematic Internet use) were moderated by variables deemed as "negative" (i.e., Allostatic Overload) or "positive" (i.e., PWB dimensions of Self-Acceptance, Personal Growth, Positive Relations, Purpose in Life, Environmental Mastery): when the "negative" moderator is absent and the levels of the "positive" moderators are higher, ULBs decrease among students with lower ADHD symptomatology but increase among students with more severe ADHD. Based on ADHD severity, interventions should aim at promoting a state of euthymia, which consists in balanced PWB dimensions and reflects the optimal level of well-being to fulfill one's own potential and self-realization.

Effects of Geometric Sound on Brainwave Activity Patterns, Autonomic Nervous System Markers, Emotional Response, and Faraday Wave Pattern Morphology

This study introduces Geometric Sound as a subfield of spatial sound featuring audio stimuli which are sonic holograms of mathematically defined 3D shapes. The effects of Geometric Sound on human physiology were investigated through EEG, heart rate, blood pressure, and a combination of questionnaires monitoring 50 healthy participants in two separate experiments. The impact of Geometric Sound on Faraday wave pattern morphology was further studied. The shapes examined, pyramid, cube, and sphere, exhibited varying significant effects on autonomic nervous system markers, brainwave power amplitude, topology, and connectivity patterns, in comparison to both the control (traditional stereo), and recorded baseline where no sound was presented. Brain activity in the Alpha band exhibited the most significant results, additional noteworthy results were observed across analysis paradigms in all frequency bands. Geometric Sound was found to significantly reduce heart rate and blood pressure and enhance relaxation and general well-being. Changes in EEG, heart rate, and blood pressure were primarily shape-dependent, and to a lesser extent sex-dependent. Pyramid Geometric Sound yielded the most significant results in most analysis paradigms. Faraday Waves patterns morphology analysis indicated that identical frequencies result in patterns that correlate with the excitation Geometric Sound shape. We suggest that Geometric Sound shows promise as a noninvasive therapeutic approach for physical and psychological conditions, stress-related disorders, depression, anxiety, and neurotrauma. Further research is warranted to elucidate underlying mechanisms and expand its applications.

Stress Responses Among Individuals with Spiritual Struggles in Hungary: An Experimental Study

Individuals with a Religious or Spiritual Problem (RSP), as defined in the DSM-5, experience distress associated with faith-related moral dilemmas, existential meaning, and transpersonal attitudes toward other people. It is unclear whether a RSP reflects a generally heightened stress reactivity or whether the stress response is confined to religious and spiritual contexts. To elucidate this issue, we measured behavioral and physiological responses during social-evaluative stress (public speaking-Trier Social Stress Test) and in religious/spiritual contexts (Bible reading and listening to sacred music) in 35 individuals with RSP and 35 matched participants. We found no stress reduction in the religious/spiritual context in RSP, as indicated by increased heart rate, saliva cortisol, and relatively higher left than right frontal activity. Religious stimuli evoked physiological stress responses in RSP. Contrary to the physiological parameters, participants with RSP reported less anxiety in the religious/spiritual context. Religious individuals with and without RSP showed similar stress responses during public speaking. Religious individuals without RSP displayed reduced stress responses in the religious/spiritual context. These results indicate that specific physiological distress in religious/spiritual contexts should be considered in the psychological care of RSP.

Brain imaging studies of emotional well-being: a scoping review

This scoping review provides an overview of previous empirical studies that used brain imaging techniques to investigate the neural correlates of emotional well-being (EWB). We compiled evidence on this topic into one accessible and usable document as a foundation for future research into the relationship between EWB and the brain. PRISMA 2020 guidelines were followed. We located relevant articles by searching five electronic databases with 95 studies meeting our inclusion criteria. We explored EWB measures, brain imaging modalities, research designs, populations studied, and approaches that are currently in use to characterize and understand EWB across the literature. Of the key concepts related to EWB, the vast majority of studies investigated positive affect and life satisfaction, followed by sense of meaning, goal pursuit, and quality of life. The majority of studies used functional MRI, followed by EEG and event-related potential-based EEG to study the neural basis of EWB (predominantly experienced affect, affective perception, reward, and emotion regulation). It is notable that positive affect and life satisfaction have been studied significantly more often than the other three aspects of EWB (i.e., sense of meaning, goal pursuit, and quality of life). Our findings suggest that future studies should investigate EWB in more diverse samples, especially in children, individuals with clinical disorders, and individuals from various geographic locations. Future directions and theoretical implications are discussed, including the need for more longitudinal studies with ecologically valid measures that incorporate multi-level approaches allowing researchers to better investigate and evaluate the relationships among behavioral, environmental, and neural factors.

Systematic review registration

https://osf.io/t9cf6/.

Contributions of Eudaimonic Well-Being to Mental Health Practice

Purpose

Synergies between a eudaimonic model of psychological well-being (Ryff, 1989) and mental health practice are examined. The model grew out of clinical, developmental, existential, and humanistic perspectives that emphasized psychological strengths and capacities, in contrast to the focus on emotional distress and dysfunction in clinical psychology.

Design/Approach

Conceptual foundations of the eudaimonic approach are described, along with the six components positive functioning that are used to measure well-being. These qualities may be important in facilitating the recovery experiences, which are of interest in Mental Health and Social Inclusion.

Findings

Four categories of empirical evidence about eudaimonia are reviewed: (1) how it changes with aging, (2) how it matters for health, (3) what are its biological and neurological underpinnings, and (4) whether it can be promoted. Major contemporary forces against eudaimonia are also considered, including ever-widening inequality, the enduring pandemic, and world-wide strife. In contrast, encounters with the arts and nature are put forth as forces for eudaimonia. The relevance of these ideas for mental health research and practice is considered.

Originality

Mental health is often defined as the absence of mental illness. The novelty of the eudaimonic approach is to define mental health as the presence of well-being, assessed with different components of positive functioning.

Practical Implications

Enormous suffering defines our contemporary world. Such realities call for greater attention to factors that undermine as well as nurture the realization of human potential, the core of eudaimonic well-being.

Transition from Paediatric to adult health services: Aspirations and practices of human flourishing

BACKGROUND

Transition from paediatric to adult care is challenging for youths with a chronic condition. Most transition programmes place high value in autonomy and independence. We undertook a qualitative study to: (1) identify the needs and aspirations of youths and (2) better understand the well-being and flourishing of youths.

METHODS

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with youths, parents of youths and healthcare professionals recruited from four clinics. Thematic analysis focused on: (1) perceptions of transition; (2) key aspects of human flourishing during transition; and (3) salient concerns with respect to the transition and dimensions of human flourishing.

RESULTS

54 interviews were conducted. Perceptions of transition clustered around: (1) apprehension about adult care; (2) lack of clarity about the transition process; (3) emotional attachment to paediatric healthcare professionals; (4) the significance of the coinciding transition into adulthood. Fourteen salient concerns (e.g., Knowledge and information about the transition, Parental involvement in healthcare) were identified with corresponding recommendations. Salient concerns related to important dimensions of human flourishing (e.g., environmental mastery, autonomy).

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

The flourishing of youths is affected by suboptimal transition practices. We discuss the implications of our findings for environmental mastery, contextual autonomy, and the holistic and humanistic aspects of transition.

Well-being is associated with cortical thickness network topology of human brain

BACKGROUND

Living a happy and meaningful life is an eternal topic in positive psychology, which is crucial for individuals' physical and mental health as well as social functioning. Well-being can be subdivided into pleasure attainment related hedonic well-being or emotional well-being, and self-actualization related eudaimonic well-being or psychological well-being plus social well-being. Previous studies have mostly focused on human brain morphological and functional mechanisms underlying different dimensions of well-being, but no study explored brain network mechanisms of well-being, especially in terms of topological properties of human brain morphological similarity network.

METHODS

Therefore, in the study, we collected 65 datasets including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and well-being data, and constructed human brain morphological network based on morphological distribution similarity of cortical thickness to explore the correlations between topological properties including network efficiency and centrality and different dimensions of well-being.

RESULTS

We found emotional well-being was negatively correlated with betweenness centrality in the visual network but positively correlated with eigenvector centrality in the precentral sulcus, while the total score of well-being was positively correlated with local efficiency in the posterior cingulate cortex of cortical thickness network.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings demonstrated that different dimensions of well-being corresponded to different cortical hierarchies: hedonic well-being was involved in more preliminary cognitive processing stages including perceptual and attentional information processing, while hedonic and eudaimonic well-being might share common morphological similarity network mechanisms in the subsequent advanced cognitive processing stages.

Exploratory Study on the Clinical use of EEG for the People with Chronic Stroke and Their Correlation with the Neuropsychological Outcome

Objective. To measure the EEG signals of the people with chronic stroke in eyes-closed and eyes-open condition and study their relationship with the cognitive function and mental wellbeing. Methods. The investigators would conduct cognitive and mental wellbeing tests on recruited subjects. Their EEG signal was acquired by the 16-channel EEG system. The absolute power under different frequency bands and EEG indices (delta alpha ratio and pairwise derived brain symmetry index) in different eye conditions was calculated. Pearson's correlation was conducted to investigate the association between the clinical tests and the EEG index. Results. 32 subjects were recruited for the study. There was a significant correlation between the pairwise derived brain symmetry index (pdBSI) in eyes-open condition with the Stroop Test (p = .002), Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test-3 s (p = .008)/2 s (p = .002) and WHO-5 well-being scale (p = .023). Conclusions. There is a significant correlation between the brain symmetry index and the cognitive and wellbeing assessment. Brain symmetry index over the delta frequency has been found to be the most useful parameter relating to the clinical score.Significance:It is recommended to use EEG as an adjunctive neuropsychological assessment in clinics for people with chronic stroke, especially for clients who could not undertake conventional assessments (eg aphasia, attention problem).Highlights: There is a significant correlation between the EEG index and the clinical neuropsychological assessmentPairwise Derived Brain Symmetry index in delta frequency range correlated with most of the neuropsychological outcome.It is feasible for us to adopt EEG as an adjunctive assessment in clinical settings.

Analysis of the Correlation between Frontal Alpha Asymmetry of Electroencephalography and Short-Term Subjective Well-Being Changes

Subjective well-being (SWB) describes how well people experience and evaluate their current condition. Previous studies with electroencephalography (EEG) have shown that SWB can be related to frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA). While those studies only considered a single SWB score for each experimental session, our goal is to investigate such a correlation for individuals with a possibly different SWB every 60 or 30 s. Therefore, we conducted two experiments with 30 participants each. We used different temperature and humidity settings and asked the participants to periodically rate their SWB. We computed the FAA from EEG over different time intervals and associated the given SWB, leading to pairs of (FAA, SWB) values. After correcting the imbalance in the data with the Synthetic Minority Over-sampling Technique (SMOTE), we performed a linear regression and found a positive linear correlation between FAA and SWB. We also studied the best time interval sizes for determining FAA around each SWB score. We found that using an interval of 10 s before recording the SWB score yields the best results.

A systematic review of the neural correlates of well-being reveals no consistent associations

Findings from behavioral and genetic studies indicate a potential role for the involvement of brain structures and brain functioning in well-being. We performed a systematic review on the association between brain structures or brain functioning and well-being, including 56 studies. The 11 electroencephalography (EEG) studies suggest a larger alpha asymmetry (more left than right brain activation) to be related to higher well-being. The 18 Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) studies, 26 resting-state functional MRI studies and two functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) studies identified a wide range of brain regions involved in well-being, but replication across studies was scarce, both in direction and strength of the associations. The inconsistency could result from small sample sizes of most studies and a possible wide-spread network of brain regions with small effects involved in well-being. Future directions include well-powered brain-wide association studies and innovative methods to more reliably measure brain activity in daily life.

Association of meaning in life with preventive healthcare use among Chinese adults: are there age and gender differences?

BACKGROUND

Meaning in life could be of clinical importance in stimulating healthy and preventive behaviors. The study aimed to investigate the association between meaning in life and preventive healthcare use among Chinese adults, and to assess their age and gender differences in the association.

METHODS

A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 1444 adults aged 18-64 years in February 2020 in China. Logistic regression models were employed to examine the association of meaning in life with preventive health checkups and assess their age and gender differences.

RESULTS

The mean score of meaning in life was 5.801 (Standard Deviation = 1.349) out of 7. Each unit increase on the level of meaning in life was associated with 12.2% higher likelihood of using preventive health checkups (any type) (adjusted odds ratio 1.122, 95% confidence interval 1.015-1.241) after adjustment for sociodemographic factors, comorbidity and other psychological health factors. Meaning in life was significantly associated with the uses of X-ray (1.125, 1.010-1.253), B-ultrasound (1.176, 1.058-1.306), and blood testing (1.152, 1.042-1.274). The associations between meaning in life and these types of preventive healthcare increased with age, but there were no gender differences in these associations.

CONCLUSION

Higher meaning in life was independently related to more preventive health checkups. Strategies to strengthen health education and interventions to improve experience of meaning in life might be an important component to increase preventive healthcare use in China.

The scientific value of numerical measures of human feelings

Human feelings cannot be expressed on a numerical scale. There are no units of measurement for feelings. However, such data are extensively collected in the modern world—by governments, corporations, and international organizations. Why? Our study finds that a feelings integer (like my happiness is X out of 10) has more predictive power than a collection of socioeconomic influences. Moreover, there is a clear link between those feelings numbers and later get-me-out-of-here actions. Finally, the feelings-to-actions relationship appears replicable and not too far from linear. Remarkably, therefore, humans somehow manage to choose their numerical answers in a systematic way as though they sense within themselves—and can communicate—a reliable numerical scale for their feelings. How remains an unsolved puzzle.

Human feelings measured in integers (my happiness is an 8 out of 10, my pain 2 out of 6) have no objective scientific basis. They are “made-up” numbers on a scale that does not exist. Yet such data are extensively collected—despite criticism from, especially, economists—by governments and international organizations. We examine this paradox. We draw upon longitudinal information on the feelings and decisions of tens of thousands of randomly sampled citizens followed through time over four decades in three countries (n = 700,000 approximately). First, we show that a single feelings integer has greater predictive power than does a combined set of economic and social variables. Second, there is a clear inverse relationship between feelings integers and subsequent get-me-out-of-here actions (in the domain of neighborhoods, partners, jobs, and hospital visits). Third, this feelings-to-actions relationship takes a generic form, is consistently replicable, and is fairly close to linear in structure. Therefore, it seems that human beings can successfully operationalize an integer scale for feelings even though there is no true scale. How individuals are able to achieve this is not currently known. The implied scientific puzzle—an inherently cross-disciplinary one—demands attention.

Demographic Predictors of Complete Well-Being

This paper examines demographic differences in flourishing, defined as "complete well-being" and consisting of six domains: emotional health, physical health, purpose, character strengths, social connectedness, and financial security. Results are based on a random, cross-sectional sample of 2363 survey respondents drawn from employees of a large, national, self-insured employer based in the United States. We found that well-being across domains tends to increase with age, although there are some variations. Results are similar across most domains for men and women, although women score higher on character strengths, while men had higher scores on financial security. Racial and ethnic differences were striking. Black employees score higher than the reference group (White employees) on the emotional, purpose, and character strengths domains, but considerably lower on financial security. Hispanics also score lower on financial security (though not as low as Blacks), but higher than Whites on purpose, character strengths, and social connectedness. Asians reported higher well-being than Whites across all domains except purpose.

Relevant Variables in the Stimulation of Psychological Well-Being in Physical Education: A Systematic Review

This study is based on the need to explore the different strategies and interventions that seek to develop psychological well-being (PW) in scholars (children and adolescents aged 9–19 years) through physical education and school sports by bearing in mind other variables that can extensively facilitate PW in these students. This study analyzed 504 research works published between 2010 and 2020, and 23 were selected for this review because they met the inclusion criteria. The results showed that the most studied variables were: motivation, academic performance, teaching climate in physical education (PE) teaching styles, parents’ relationships and school environment. The literature review carried out in this study reveals the need to consider PW with other relevant variables, and the importance of doing so from a community approach, in which all systems (parents, school and government) are active participants, and contribute to generate a positive environment for all. Finally, school professionals should be aware of the need to stimulate their students’ PW because government organizations should be interested in promoting such a policy in this population.

Pandemic Policy and Life Satisfaction in Europe

We use data from the COME-HERE longitudinal survey collected by the University of Luxembourg to assess the effects of the policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic on life satisfaction in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Sweden over the course of 2020. Policy responses are measured by the Stringency Index and the Economic Support Index from the Blavatnik School of Government. Stringency is systematically associated with lower life satisfaction, controlling for the intensity of the pandemic itself. This stringency effect is larger for women, those with weak ties to the labor market, and in richer households. The effect of the Economic Support is never statistically different from zero.

Measuring PROMIS® Well-Being in Early Childhood

OBJECTIVE

Expand the current Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS®) well-being measures to early childhood (1-5 years) using best practices from PROMIS and developmental science.

METHODS

Qualitative methods included expert input, literature and measure review, and parent interviews to confirm measure frameworks, item understandability, and developmental appropriateness. Quantitative methods included two waves of field testing and item response theory (IRT)-based psychometric evaluation of reliability and validity, as well as IRT centering and item calibration. Correlational analyses with other PROMIS Early Childhood (EC) Parent Report measures and known-group differences analyses by health status were conducted to evaluate construct validity. All measures were normed to the general U.S. population.

RESULTS

Qualitative results suggested three primary early childhood well-being domains: Positive Affect, Engagement, and Self-Regulation. Quantitative results revealed a unidimensional factor structure for Positive Affect and multidimensional factor structures for Engagement and Self-Regulation, both of which had two factors accounting for >10% of modeled variance reflecting unique unidimensional domains. This resulted in five final PROMIS EC well-being measures: Positive Affect, Engagement-Curiosity, Engagement-Persistence, Self-Regulation-Flexibility, and Self-Regulation-Frustration Tolerance. Correlations and known-groups differences analyses showed robust construct validity across a range of chronic health conditions.

CONCLUSIONS

The new PROMIS EC Parent Report well-being measures offer clinicians and researchers a brief, efficient, and precise way to evaluate young children's well-being. All five measures include only positively valanced item content, which pushes the field to evaluate the presence of children's positive assets rather than the absence of problems.

Education, Income, and Happiness: Evidence From China

Happiness is the continuous joy that people experience when they are satisfied with their lives long term, and is the ultimate goal pursued by all citizens. In this study, we investigate the relationship between education, income, and happiness in the migrant population in China. Using 1,31,186 individuals in the 2012 China Migrants Dynamic Survey (CMDS) as research samples, the estimated results of ordinal logistic regression show that education, including secondary education and higher education, has a significant and direct impact on individual happiness, and that the impact of education on happiness can also be mediated by income as an intermediary mechanism. In addition, factors such as gender, flow distance, flow time, employment status, type of housing, number of children, degree of preference for the city, and degree of discrimination by locals have obvious effects on happiness. This work provides important insights for countries seeking to implement an active education policy in order to increase economic income and thus achieve the development goal of universal happiness among their citizens.

Life Quality in Care Homes: Chinese and Danish Older Adults' Perspectives

The demand for care homes appears to be emerging as a key future trend in response to the burgeoning population of older adults, with the need for care provision increasing accordingly. Life quality, happiness and well-being are important factors associated with the care of older residents. This qualitative study explores how older adults moving into care homes view their life quality, from their own perspectives, in two quite different cultural contexts, Chinese and Danish. Older care residents in Shanghai and Denmark participated in the study by means of semi-structured and in-depth interviews. An interpretive phenomenological analysis approach was used for data analysis. Four interrelated themes were identified: positive transfer; positive environment; positive capability and positive experience. The findings demonstrated that older adults considered their quality of life as the result of a dynamic process. Their pursuit of a harmonious status, centered on "change" as the core value, which encompassed both the simplicities and complexities of life. Both older adult groups cared more about their emotional wellbeing, which focused mainly on positive emotions being stimulated while negative emotions were shunned. In the situations when they were "harmonized" by society systems, there was an important emotional thread which continued throughout their whole life that was strongly associated with life quality which was the relationship with family members - be it in the past, present or future.

The Effect of a Mindfulness-Based Education Program on Brain Waves and the Autonomic Nervous System in University Students

Background: Mindfulness, defined as the awareness emerging from purposefully paying attention to the present moment, has been shown to be effective in reducing stress and, thus, promoting psychological well-being. This study investigated the effects of a mindfulness-based education program on mindfulness, brain waves, and the autonomic nervous system (ANS) in university students in Korea. Methods: This study is a quantitative and experimental research with a single-group pre-post design. Six sessions of mindfulness-based intervention were applied. In total, 42 students completed a mindfulness questionnaire before and after the intervention, and 28 among them completed pre-intervention and post-intervention measures of brain waves and ANS. Results: The level of mindfulness increased in the participants after intervention. Regarding brain waves, the alpha and theta waves increased, but the beta waves decreased. There was no significant difference in the ANS, presenting no change in heart rate variability. Conclusions: We identified the positive effects of the mindfulness-based education program for university students. The findings indicate that this program may help students not only relax, but also generate a mindfulness state in stressful situations, potentially leading to a successful university life. This study can be used as a basis for quality improvement and sustainability of mindfulness-based education programs for university students.

Affect mediates the influence of the "Three Good Things" intervention on depression and well-being

The "Three Good Things" is a self-administered positive psychological intervention that is effective in reducing depressive symptoms and improving well-being; however, there is still little known about its possible underlying mechanisms. I examined the efficacy of the Three Good Things intervention and investigated the mediating role of positive and negative affect in the intervention's effect on depressive symptoms and subjective well-being. Participants were undergraduate students randomly assigned to either the intervention group ( n = 128), who participated in a 16-week trial of the intervention and completed assessment measures, or to the control group (n = 121), who completed assessment measures but not the intervention. The three time points for assessment were Week 1 (baseline), Week 8 (Time 1), and Week 16 (Time 2). The results show that levels of depression and negative affect were lower in the intervention group than in the control group at Time 2, whereas positive affect and subjective well-being were higher. Thus, the intervention can reduce depression and promote well-being by reducing negative affect and improving positive affect.

Determinants of workers' well-being during the COVID-19 outbreak: An exploratory study

Inspired by the Conservation of Resource theory (Hobfoll, 1989), this study investigated the role of a broad set of personal vulnerabilities, social, and work-related stressors and resources as predictors of workers' well-being during the COVID-19 outbreak. Participants were 594 workers in Italy. Results showed that personality predispostions, such as positivity, neuroticism and conscientiousness as well as key aspects of the individuals' relationship with their work (such as job insecurity, type of employment contract or trust in the organization) emerged as factors promoting (or hampering) workers' adjustment during the COVID -19 outbreak. Interactions between stressors and resources were also found and discussed.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-021-02408-w.

Frontal and parietal EEG alpha asymmetry: a large-scale investigation of short-term reliability on distinct EEG systems

EEG resting-state alpha asymmetry is one of the most widely investigated forms of functional hemispheric asymmetries in both basic and clinical neuroscience. However, studies yield inconsistent results. One crucial prerequisite to obtain reproducible results is the reliability of the index of interest. There is a body of research suggesting a moderate-to-good reliability of EEG resting-state alpha asymmetry, but unfortunately sample sizes in these studies are typically small. This study presents the first large-scale short-term reliability study of frontal and parietal EEG resting-state alpha asymmetry. We used the Dortmund Vital Study data set containing 370 participants. In each participant, EEG resting state was recorded eight times, twice with their eyes opened, twice with their eyes-closed, each on two different EEG systems. We found good reliability of EEG alpha power and alpha asymmetry on both systems for electrode pairs. We also found that alpha power asymmetry reliability is higher in the eyes-closed condition than in the eyes-open condition. The frontomedial electrode pair showed weaker reliability than the frontolateral and parietal electrode pairs. Interestingly, we found no population-level alpha asymmetry in frontal electrodes, one of the most investigated electrode sites in alpha asymmetry research. In conclusion, our results suggest that while EEG alpha asymmetry is an overall reliable measure, frontal alpha asymmetry should be assessed using multiple electrode pairs.

From human wellbeing to animal welfare

What does it mean to be "well" and how might such a state be cultivated? When we speak of wellbeing, it is of ourselves and fellow humans. When it comes to nonhuman animals, consideration turns to welfare. My aim herein is to suggest that theoretical approaches to human wellbeing might be beneficially applied to consideration of animal welfare, and in so doing, introduce new lines of inquiry and practice. I will review current approaches to human wellbeing, adopting a triarchic structure that delineates hedonic wellbeing, eudaimonic wellbeing, and social wellbeing. For each, I present a conceptual definition and a review of how researchers have endeavored to measure the construct. Drawing these three domains of research together, I highlight how these traditionally anthropocentric lines of inquiry might be extended to the question of animal welfare - namely by considering hedonic welfare, eudaimonic welfare, and social welfare as potentially distinguishable and complementary components of the broader construct of animal welfare.

Longitudinal Stability of Work-Family Enrichment and its Association with Well-Being and Personality Traits

Are higher levels of work-family enrichment a consequence or manifestation of certain personality traits and individuals' psychological functioning? Using random intercept cross-lagged panel models, this study examined the hypothesized stability of work-to-family enrichment (WFE) and family-to-work enrichment (FWE) over two 10-year intervals, the extent to which the within-person changes of WFE and FWE are associated with personality traits and psychological well-being (PWB), and possible gender differences. In this 20-year, longitudinal data analysis of employed adults (N=535), results indicated the robust nature of the stability of WFE/FWE. Our results suggest that personality traits were not associated with within-person change for either WFE or FWE, but PWB was associated with within-person change. Theoretically and conceptually, our findings provide strong evidence that work-family enrichment is not simply an "optimistic worldview" created by personality and well-being. The within-person results lend strong evidence that interventions that improve psychological well-being will also enhance work-family enrichment.

Impact of Future Work Self on Employee Workplace Wellbeing: A Self-Determination Perspective

This study examines the association between future work self and employee workplace wellbeing by proposing a moderated mediation model. On the basis of the self-determination theory, self-management is identified as the mediator, and person–organization fit is recognized as the moderator in this study. We collected two waves of data from 239 Chinese employees. The results of the analysis revealed that the future work self is related to greater employee workplace wellbeing, and self-management mediates the links between them. We also found that the person–organization fit strengthens the positive relationship between future work self and self-management, and the indirect effect of future work self on employee workplace wellbeing through self-management. The results of this study extend the antecedents of employee workplace wellbeing and highlight the importance of future work self in current work-related output.

Symphony of Well-Being: Harmony Between Neural Variability and Self-Construal

Both neural activities and psychological processes vary over time. Individuals with interdependent self-construal tend to define themselves and adjust their behaviors to social contexts and others. The current research tested the hypothesis that the coordination between interdependent self-construal and neural variability could predict life satisfaction changes in university freshmen. We integrated resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning and self-construal assessment to estimate self-dependent neural variability (SDNV). In the whole-brain prediction, SDNV successfully predicted individuals’ life satisfaction changes over 2 years. Interdependent individuals with higher neural variability and independent individuals with lower neural variability became more satisfied with their lives. In the network-based prediction, the predictive effects were significant in the default mode, frontoparietal control, visual and salience networks. The important nodes that contributed to the predictive models were more related to psychological constructs associated with the social and self-oriented functions. The current research sheds light on the neural and psychological mechanisms of the subjective well-being of individuals from a dynamic perspective.

Neurostructural correlates of hope: dispositional hope mediates the impact of the SMA gray matter volume on subjective well-being in late adolescence

There has been increasing interest in identifying factors to predict subjective well-being in the emerging field of positive psychology over the past two decades. Dispositional hope, which reflects one’s goal-directed tendencies, including both pathway thinking (planning to meet goals) and agency thinking (goal-directed determination), has emerged as a stable predictor for subjective well-being. However, the neurobiological substrates of dispositional hope and the brain-hope mechanism for predicting subjective well-being remain unclear. Here, we examined these issues in 231 high school graduates within the same grade by estimating cortical gray matter volume (GMV) utilizing a voxel-based morphometry method based on structural magnetic resonance imaging. Whole-brain regression analyses and prediction analyses showed that higher dispositional hope was stably associated with greater GMV in the left supplementary motor area (SMA). Furthermore, mediation analyses revealed that dispositional hope mediated the relation between left SMA volume and subjective well-being. Critically, our results were obtained after adjusting for age, sex, family socioeconomic status and total GMV. Altogether, our study presents novel evidence for the neuroanatomical basis of dispositional hope and suggests an underlying indirect effect of dispositional hope on the link between brain gray matter structure and subjective well-being.

The neuroscience of positive emotions and affect: Implications for cultivating happiness and wellbeing

This review paper provides an integrative account regarding neurophysiological correlates of positive emotions and affect that cumulatively contribute to the scaffolding for happiness and wellbeing in humans and other animals. This paper reviews the associations among neurotransmitters, hormones, brain networks, and cognitive functions in the context of positive emotions and affect. Consideration of lifespan developmental perspectives are incorporated, and we also examine the impact of healthy social relationships and environmental contexts on the modulation of positive emotions and affect. The neurophysiological processes that implement positive emotions are dynamic and modifiable, and meditative practices as well as flow states that change patterns of brain function and ultimately support wellbeing are also discussed. This review is part of "The Human Affectome Project" (http://neuroqualia.org/background.php), and in order to advance a primary aim of the Human Affectome Project, we also reviewed relevant linguistic dimensions and terminology that characterizes positive emotions and wellbeing. These linguistic dimensions are discussed within the context of the neuroscience literature with the overarching goal of generating novel recommendations for advancing neuroscience research on positive emotions and wellbeing.

Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory, approach-affect and avoidance-affect

This paper brings together Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory and other perspectives on wellbeing to test predictions about dimensions of affect which are linked to approach motivation or avoidance motivation. Valence and activation are jointly conceptualised as either approach-affect or avoidance-affect through the diagonal axes of an affective circumplex. Across four studies in three different countries, predictions about Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory's Behavioural Activation System, Behavioural Inhibition System and Fight-Flight-Freeze System are found to be supported. Correlations with external variables are shown to depend on a wellbeing measure's emphasis on approach or avoidance, such that affect and external features which both emphasise motivation to approach or to avoid yield substantially larger intercorrelations than do non-concordant pairs. In addition, joining valence with activation is shown to yield correlational benefits as predicted. Implications of our perspective and operationalisation are reviewed, and specific research recommendations are made.

Psychometric Properties of the Psychological Well-being at Work Scale in Gabonese Public Administration

The objective of this article is to corroborate the original Dagenais-Desmarais & Savoie psychological well-being measurement instrument in the civil service in Gabon. This instrument is composed of five factors relating to lived experiences of psychological well-being in the workplace. To adapt it to the civil service in Gabon, 310 civil servants from various ministries completed a measurement tool. This was also done for nomological purposes and to assess job demands, job control, social support, and job satisfaction. Following exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, it appears that the dimensional structure of psychological well-being in the workplace (PWBW) is identical to the initial structure developed by Dagenais-Desmarais and Savoie. Moreover, the metric properties on the PWBW scale of the present research are satisfactory. The analyses confirm all the predictions of the nomological network, reinforcing the validity of the adaptation of the scale developed by Dagenais-Desmarais and Savoie to the world of public service work in Gabon.

Integrating Biosignals Measurement in Virtual Reality Environments for Anxiety Detection

This paper proposes a protocol for the acquisition and processing of biophysical signals in virtual reality applications, particularly in phobia therapy experiments. This protocol aims to ensure that the measurement and processing phases are performed effectively, to obtain clean data that can be used to estimate the users' anxiety levels. The protocol has been designed after analyzing the experimental data of seven subjects who have been exposed to heights in a virtual reality environment. The subjects' level of anxiety has been estimated based on the real-time evaluation of a nonlinear function that has as parameters various features extracted from the biophysical signals. The highest classification accuracy was obtained using a combination of seven heart rate and electrodermal activity features in the time domain and frequency domain.

The importance of sleep and physical activity on well-being during COVID-19 lockdown: reunion island as a case study

BACKGROUND

Lockdown has been one of the major worldwide strategies to control the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Its consequences on the well-being of individuals needs to be better understood. The objective of this work was to evaluate the impact of lockdown on the well-being of a general population and the factors associated with this potential impairment of well-being in a population that has been only lightly affected by COVID-19 such as in Reunion island, an overseas French department.

METHODS

An online survey was proposed to the population of Reunion Island between the 35th and 54th days of lockdown relative to pre- and per-lockdown periods. Well-being was measured by the 5-item World Health Organization Well-Being Index, with some questions about sleep habits (Pittsburgh questionnaire), weekly physical activity (IPAQ), health, and lifestyle.

RESULTS

Four hundred volunteers answered the survey. They reported a 15.7% decrease in well-being (p < 0.001), accompanied by increased anxiety (p < 0.001), decreased weekly physical activity (p < 0.001), delayed and poorer quality sleep (p < 0.001). Multivariate logistical analysis showed that impairment in well-being during lockdown was independently associated with an increase in anxiety (odds ratio (OR): 4.77 (3.26-6.98), p < 0.001), decrease in weekly physical activity (OR: 0.58 (0.43-0.79), p < 0.001), and poor-quality sleep (OR: 0.29 (0.19-0.43), p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggested an impairment in well-being during lockdown, associated with anxiety, lack of physical activity and sleep disruptions. Public policies must consider these factors as levers for improving the well-being of the population in order to effectively combat the spread of COVID-19.

The Science of Meaning in Life

Meaning in life has long been a mystery of human existence. In this review, we seek to demystify this construct. Focusing on the subjective experience of meaning in life, we review how it has been measured and briefly describe its correlates. Then we review evidence that meaning in life, for all its mystery, is a rather commonplace experience. We then define the construct and review its constituent facets: comprehension/coherence, purpose, and existential mattering/significance. We review the many experiences that have been shown to enhance meaning in life and close by considering important remaining research questions about this fascinating topic.

Electroencephalography profiles as a biomarker of wellbeing: A twin study

Alterations to electroencephalography (EEG) power have been reported for psychiatric conditions such as depression and anxiety, but not for mental wellbeing in a healthy population. This study examined the resting EEG profiles associated with mental wellbeing, and how genetics and environment contribute to these associations using twin modelling. Mental wellbeing was assessed using the COMPAS-W Wellbeing Scale which measures both subjective and psychological wellbeing. In 422 healthy adult monozygotic and dizygotic twins aged 18-61 years, we examined the association between mental wellbeing and EEG power (alpha, beta, theta, delta) using linear mixed models. This was followed by univariate and multivariate twin modelling to assess the heritability of wellbeing and EEG power, and whether the association was driven by shared genetics or environment. A significant association between wellbeing and an interaction of alpha, beta, and delta (ABD) power was found (β = -0.33, p < 0.001) whereby a profile of high alpha and delta and low beta was associated with higher wellbeing, independent of depression and anxiety symptoms. This finding was supported by a five-fold cross-validation analysis. A significant genetic correlation (rG = -0.43) was found to account for 94% of the association between wellbeing and the EEG power interaction. Together, this study has identified a novel EEG profile with a common genetic component that may be a potential biomarker of mental wellbeing. Future studies need to clarify the causal direction of this association.

Happiness at Your Fingertips: Assessing Mental Health with Smartphone Photoplethysmogram-Based Heart Rate Variability Analysis

Background: Heart rate variability (HRV) provides essential mental health information for clinical diagnosis, telemedicine, preventive medicine, and public health; however, the lack of a convenient detection method limits its potential. Objective: This study aims to investigate the feasibility and credibility of smartphone photoplethysmogram (PPG)-based HRV analysis for mental well-being and health assessment. Methods: Data were collected from 93 students and university employees in Shenzhen, China. Forty-six percent were male, and the average age was 23.71 years (σ = 4.33). An app recorded a 4-min video of their fingertips and converted the frames into five HRV measures, including the root mean square of successive differences (rMSSD), standard deviation of the normal-to-normal (NN) intervals (SDNN), percentage of successive NN intervals differing by ≥50 ms (pNN50), log high-frequency (HF) HRV, and log low-frequency (LF) HRV. Results: The data verify the positive relationship between mental well-being and HRV measures. Participants with higher Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) scores have a higher rMSSD (p = 0.047), SDNN (p = 0.009), log HF (p = 0.02), and log LF (p = 0.003). Participants who suffer from depression have lower log HF (p = 0.048) and log LF (p = 0.02). Participants in the high-anxiety group have lower pNN50 (p = 0.04) and log HF (p = 0.03). Conclusions: The results of this study validate the feasibility of using the smartphone PPG by demonstrating similar results to previous findings. Our data also support the theorized positive link between mental health and HRV.

Positive Maternal Mental Health, Parenting, and Child Development

While maternal mental health is an important influence on child development, the existing literature focuses primarily on negative aspects of maternal mental health, particularly symptoms of depression, anxiety, or states of distress. We provide a review of the evidence on the potential importance of positive mental health for both mother and child. The evidence suggests that positive mental health is a distinct construct that is associated with improved birth outcomes and potentially with specific forms of parenting that promote both academic achievement and socioemotional function. We review studies that provide a plausible biological basis for the link between positive mental health and parenting, focusing on oxytocin-dopamine interactions. We caution that the evidence is largely preliminary and suggest directions for future research, noting the importance of identifying the operative dimensions of positive maternal mental health in relation to specific outcomes. We suggest that the inclusion of positive maternal mental health provides the potential for a more comprehensive understanding of parental influences on child development.

The longitudinal relationship between changes in wellbeing and inflammatory markers: Are associations independent of depression?

OBJECTIVES

There is a large literature linking inflammation with mental ill health, but a much smaller literature focusing on mental wellbeing. Specifically, it remains unclear whether mental wellbeing is longitudinally and independently associated with inflammation or only via associated changes in mental ill health.

METHODS

This study used data from 8780 adults aged 50+ in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Hedonic wellbeing (both positive affect and life satisfaction) and eudemonic wellbeing (self-realisation and control-autonomy) were measured at data collection waves 2 (2004/05), 4 (2008/09) and 6 (20012/13), along with measures of C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen and white blood cells (WBC). Fixed effects modelling was performed to identify the longitudinal relationship between wellbeing and inflammation, adjusting for time-varying mental ill health and other identified confounders.

RESULTS

Both measured aspects of hedonic wellbeing were associated with lower WBC count, independent of mental ill health. For life satisfaction, this relationship was explained by confounders, whilst for positive affect it persisted. Both measured aspects of eudemonic wellbeing were associated with lower CRP, fibrinogen and WBC, independent of mental ill health. For control-autonomy, this relationship was explained by confounders, whilst for self-realisation it persisted. Results were present in both men and women, although more strongly in men, and were robust to a range of sensitivity analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

This study builds on the strong literature showing a relationship between mental ill health and inflammation by showing that there is also an apparently independent relationship between mental wellbeing, in particular eudemonic wellbeing, and inflammation that is unexplained by socio-economic or other time-constant factors and in some instances persists independent of time-varying confounders.

Association of Cerebral Artery Stenosis With Post-stroke Depression at Discharge and 3 Months After Ischemic Stroke Onset

Background: Post-stroke depression (PSD) is one of the most common complications after stroke, which seriously affects patients' recovery outcome. Although vascular depression has been extensively studied, the relationship between cerebral artery stenosis and PSD has not been clarified so far. Methods: Two hundred ninety-eight patients with ischemic stroke (72 women, 226 men) with computed tomography angiography (CTA) or magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) were included in this study. Cerebral artery stenosis ≥50% was used as the cut-off value. The DSM-V diagnostic criteria of PSD was met and the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD-17) score over 7 at discharge and 3 months after stroke onset was regarded as the primary outcome. The χ²-test, Mann-Whitney U-test, and t-test were used to check for statistical significance. Results: At discharge, Barthel index (p < 0.001), left middle cerebral artery stenosis (p = 0.019), drinking history (p = 0.048), basilar artery stenosis (p = 0.037) were significantly associated with PSD. At 3 months after ischemic stroke onset, Barthel index (p = 0.011), left middle cerebral artery stenosis (p = 0.012), female gender (p = 0.001) were significantly associated with PSD. Conclusions: The findings demonstrated that left middle cerebral artery and basilar artery stenosis are associated with PSD. It was suggested that cerebral artery stenosis was a risk factor of PSD and should be recognized and intervened early. Registration Number: ChiCTR-ROC-17013993.

Life Crafting as a Way to Find Purpose and Meaning in Life

Having a purpose in life is one of the most fundamental human needs. However, for most people, finding their purpose in life is not obvious. Modern life has a way of distracting people from their true goals and many people find it hard to define their purpose in life. Especially at younger ages, people are searching for meaning in life, but this has been found to be unrelated to actually finding meaning. Oftentimes, people experience pressure to have a "perfect" life and show the world how well they are doing, instead of following up on their deep-felt values and passions. Consequently, people may need a more structured way of finding meaning, e.g., via an intervention. In this paper, we discuss evidence-based ways of finding purpose, via a process that we call "life crafting." This process fits within positive psychology and the salutogenesis framework - an approach focusing on factors that support human health and well-being, instead of factors that cause disease. This process ideally starts with an intervention that entails a combination of reflecting on one's values, passions and goals, best possible self, goal attainment plans, and other positive psychology intervention techniques. Important elements of such an intervention are: (1) discovering values and passion, (2) reflecting on current and desired competencies and habits, (3) reflecting on present and future social life, (4) reflecting on a possible future career, (5) writing about the ideal future, (6) writing down specific goal attainment and "if-then" plans, and (7) making public commitments to the goals set. Prior research has shown that personal goal setting and goal attainment plans help people gain a direction or a sense of purpose in life. Research findings from the field of positive psychology, such as salutogenesis, implementation intentions, value congruence, broaden-and-build, and goal-setting literature, can help in building a comprehensive evidence-based life-crafting intervention. This intervention can aid individuals to find a purpose in life, while at the same time ensuring that they make concrete plans to work toward this purpose. The idea is that life crafting enables individuals to take control of their life in order to optimize performance and happiness.

The relationship between sense of a life worth living and local self-governance: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Aging populations are facing increasing health problems, with social conditions often exacerbating such maladies. Although local self-governance might effectively solve these problems, such civic participation can increase citizens' mental and physical fatigue, which, in turn, may decrease their sense of leading productive lives.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between citizens' participation in and perceptions of local self-governance and their sense of life worth living. The study was conducted in Unnan City, which is located in the southeastern part of Shimane Prefecture. A questionnaire measuring local self-governance and participant backgrounds was distributed. Completed questionnaires were collected between March 1 and 31, 2018. A binomial logistic regression model was used.

RESULTS

Of the distributed questionnaires, 38.5% (769/2000) were completed and returned. Responses from women and those over 65 years of age comprised 54.2% (417/769) and 35.1% (270/769) of the completed questionnaires, respectively. Analysis of the data using binomial logistic regression showed that age (≥65), health management, social interaction, learning habits, and interest in local self-governance were significantly correlated with a sense of life worth living (odds ratio for the variables were 0.56 (P = .002), 2.58 (P < .001), 3.05 (P < .001), 2.51 (P < .001), and 1.61 (P = .009), respectively).

CONCLUSION

Promoting local self-governance may lead to a better sense of life worth living for citizens of rural communities. Therefore, when assessing the effectiveness of local self-governance regarding citizens' sense of life worth living, their interest in local self-governance should be taken into consideration.

Measuring change in anhedonia using the "Happy Faces" task pre- to post-repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) treatment to left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD): relation to empathic happiness

We investigated whether repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) would reduce anhedonia in a sample of 19 depressed adults (M_age = 45.21, SD = 11.21, 63% women) randomized to either active or sham rTMS. To track anhedonia, patients completed the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS)¹ and a novel behavioral task called "Happy Faces," which required patients to interpret neutral versus various intensities of positively valenced human facial expressions. Patients had to indicate dichotomously whether any degree of positive emotion was expressed. We expected that more anhedonic patients would struggle most with low intensity happy faces; often incorrectly calling them neutral. Patients also completed a self-report measure of "empathic happiness"-i.e., vicarious joy. Measures were completed pre- to post-treatment. Results indicate rTMS to DLPFC related to improvement in interpretation of subtle forms of happiness in active rTMS patients relative to sham. Furthermore, empathic happiness and anhedonia score were significantly antagonistic across all patients.

The neural correlates of well-being: A systematic review of the human neuroimaging and neuropsychological literature

What it means to be well and to achieve well-being is fundamental to the human condition. Scholars of many disciplines have attempted to define well-being and to investigate the behavioral and neural correlates of well-being. Despite many decades of inquiry into well-being, much remains unknown. The study of well-being has evolved over time, shifting in focus and methodology. Many recent investigations into well-being have taken a neuroscientific approach to try to bolster understanding of this complex construct. A growing body of literature has directly examined the association between well-being and the brain. The current review synthesizes the extant literature regarding the neural correlates of trait-like well-being (i.e., the propensity to live according to one's true nature). Although reported associations between well-being and the brain varied, some notable patterns were evidenced in the literature. In particular, the strongest and most consistent association emerged between well-being and the anterior cingulate cortex. In addition, patterns of association between well-being and the orbitofrontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, superior temporal gyrus, and thalamus emerged. These regions largely comprise the salience and default mode networks, suggesting a possible relationship between well-being and brain networks involved in the integration of relevant and significant stimuli. Various methodological concerns are addressed and recommendations for future research are discussed.