Health, work, and contributing factors on life satisfaction: A study in Norway before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

Family Climate as a Mediator of the Relationship between Stress and Life Satisfaction: A Study with Young University Students

BACKGROUND

The family environment has a significant influence on the personality development of young people and their assessment of life satisfaction. Perceived stress is related to life satisfaction, but this relationship is also influenced by the family context. The present study analysed the impact of perceived stress on life satisfaction and the mediating role of family climate in university students.

METHODS

A sample of 920 university students was recruited for this study. The instruments used included the Perceived Stress Scale, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the Family Social Climate Scale, and socioeducational information was collected.

RESULTS

The results indicate that perceived stress had a significant and positive effect on both conflictive and violent family climates, while life satisfaction was negatively impacted by these negative family climates. Additionally, supportive and cohesive family climates, along with difficulty expressing feelings and opinions, were found to have significant positive effects on life satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings highlight the importance of the family system in shaping individual conditions and how it can regulate the relationship between stress and life satisfaction.

The role of health demands, health resources, and adaptability in psychological strain and life satisfaction

The present study harnessed job demands-resources theory to identify key predictors of psychological strain (feeling overwhelmed by one's problems) and life satisfaction among a sample of 1060 adults randomly selected from the Australian electoral roll. The investigation sought to ascertain: (a) the relative contribution of health demands (e.g., inadequate health treatment) and health resources (e.g., access to helpful health-related information) in predicting psychological strain and life satisfaction, (b) the extent to which a recently proposed personal resource-adaptability-explained variance in wellbeing beyond individuals' health demands and resources, and (c) the role of psychological strain in predicting life satisfaction in the context of these demands and resources. Applying structural equation modelling we found that contextual health demands predicted greater psychological strain, individual health resources and adaptability both predicted lower psychological strain and greater life satisfaction, and psychological strain predicted lower life satisfaction. Notably, the adverse effects of health demands reduced significantly when health resources and adaptability were entered into the modelling. Taken together, the findings offer support for a health demands-resources framework that may be applied to better support individuals to respond to the stressors in their lives and in turn boost their sense of subjective wellbeing.

Quality of life and its influencing factors on children with asthma in China: a comparative study before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

OBJECTIVE

This study compares the level of quality of life (QoL) and its influencing factors on children with asthma before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

The study carried out cross-sectional surveys on children with asthma and their parents in China before and during the epidemic. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, the Family Management Scale for Children with Asthma (FMSCA), and the Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ). Participants from before the epidemic were matched by their propensity score in a 1:1 ratio with individuals from during the epidemic. The level of QoL of children with asthma was subsequently analyzed. Both univariate analysis and multiple linear regression were employed to identify the influencing factors.

RESULTS

Compared to their level before the epidemic, the total score of PAQLQ and its three dimensions decreased during the epidemic. Regression analysis revealed that before the epidemic, the total score of PAQLQ was significantly associated with follow-up visits, attendance of asthma lectures, and the total score of FMSCA (p < 0.05). During the epidemic, the total score of the PAQLQ was significantly associated with three dimensions of the FMSCA (future expectation, children identity, and views of condition), and two classifications of the family management styles (FMS) (enduring and accommodating) (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The QoL of children with asthma deteriorated during the epidemic. Influencing factors changed during the epidemic, with more emphasis on the family environment. Future intervention strategies need to take into account the development of interactions between children and environmental forces.

Health-related exit from employment before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Norway: Analysis of population-wide register data 2013-2021

People with health problems experience various labor market disadvantages, such as hiring discrimination and heightened risk of firing, but the impact of deteriorating economic conditions on health-related labor market mobility remains poorly understood. The strength of the downturn/crisis will most likely make a difference. During minor downturns, when few employees are made redundant, health-related exit may occur frequently since employers prefer to keep those with good health on the payroll. However, during major economic crises, when large-scale downsizing and firm closures abound, there will be less discretionary room for employers. Thus, some mechanisms that usually are damaging for people with health problems (e.g., seniority rules and negative connotations), can be neutralized, ultimately leading to smaller health differentials in labor market outcomes. The current study used population-wide administrative register data, covering the years 2013-2021, to examine health-related exit from employment (to unemployment/social assistance) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Norway. The pandemic spurred a major crisis on the Norwegian labor market and led to a record-high unemployment rate of 10.6 percent in March 2020. Restricting the analytical samples to labor market insiders, linear probability models showed that previous recipients of health-related benefits had a higher unemployment likelihood in the pre-crisis year 2019. The relative importance of poor health changed non-negligibly, however, during the COVID-19 pandemic. When identical statistical analyses were run on the crisis year 2020, health-related exit from employment was dampened. Yet, this labor market equalization was not followed by smaller health differentials in work income in 2021, mainly because people with good health retained or regained decent-paying jobs when the economic conditions improved again. In conclusion, major economic crises can lead to an equalization of labor market disadvantages for people with health problems, but health-related inequalities may reemerge when the economy recovers.

The effect of urban-rural resident basic medical insurance on physical health of the rural older adult in China

Introduction

Urban-Rural Resident Basic Medical Insurance (URRBMI) is an important system for effectively transferring disease risks to the rural older adult. As China experiences rapid aging, maintaining the physical health of the rural older adult is key to achieving the goal of healthy aging.

Methods

The study explores the impact of URRBMI on physical health of the rural older adult in China using the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) data in 2018. Ordinary least square models were used to analyze the relationship between URRBMI and physical health of the rural older adult, and we used instrumental variable method to address the potential endogenous problem.

Results

We find that URRBMI greatly improves physical health of the rural older adult. The heterogeneity analysis indicates that URRBMI contributes more significantly to the rural older adult in eastern areas and the advanced rural older adult. The results also suggested that URRBMI improves physical health of the rural older adult through increasing life satisfaction and enhancing the timeliness of medical services.

Recommendations

This study implies that we need to further improve the participation rate, increase the actual reimbursement ratio and increase financial subsidies for URRBMI in central and western areas, and further integrate the distribution of medical resources to promote physical health of the rural older adult.

Translation and validation of the satisfaction with life scale in the native Quechua (Collao variant) language of southern Perú

Research on life satisfaction in indigenous populations is limited due to language barriers. Therefore, this paper aimed to translate and validate the Life Satisfaction Scale into the original Quechua language (collao variant) of southern Peru. The research was classified as instrumental and transversal and was conducted with the voluntary participation of 242 Quechua adults speaking the collao variant. The instrument that was translated was the 5-item SWLS, previously adapted to Peruvian Spanish. The internal structure was analyzed under an analytical-factorial approach, and the discrimination and difficulty of the items were evaluated from the item response theory (IRT). Expert judgment was favorable for all items (V > 0.70), confirming the 1-dimensional structure of the scale (χ2 = 8.972, df = 5, p = .000; CFI = 0.985; TLI = 0.970 and RMSEA = 0.057), with acceptable reliability (ω = 0.65). All the items of the scale presented adequate discrimination indices; in addition, the results of the evaluation of factorial invariance as a function of gender demonstrated configurational equivalence but an absence of metric invariance. In conclusion, the SWLS translated into Collao Quechua (collao variant) has a stable factorial structure and adequate internal consistency, although it was not possible to completely demonstrate the invariance by gender, it can be used for initial investigations to measure satisfaction with life of the Quechua-speaking indigenous population of southern Peru.

[People with a history of migration in the COVID-19 pandemic : Associations between life satisfaction and indirect socioeconomic effects of the pandemic]

INTRODUCTION

It is not only the risks of SARS-CoV‑2 infection and severe to fatal courses of the disease that are socially unequally distributed, but also job and income losses as a result of the containment measures. People with a history of migration are at increased risk of being affected by such indirect socio-economic effects of the pandemic as well. The aim of this article is to investigate the associations between indirect socio-economic effects of the pandemic and life satisfaction among people with selected citizenships.

METHODS

We analysed data from the multilingual and multimodal interview survey German Health Update Fokus (Gesundheit in Deutschland aktuell: Fokus; GEDA Fokus), which was conducted from November 2021 to May 2022 among people all over Germany with Croatian, Italian, Polish, Syrian or Turkish citizenship. Using multivariable Poisson regression, we analysed associations between sex, age, education, income, German language proficiency and job as well as income losses and life satisfaction.

RESULTS

Of the 4114 participants, 64.4% reported a high life satisfaction. While a higher income showed positive associations with life satisfaction, negative associations were found for lower self-assessed German language proficiency and for job and income losses that are anticipated or have already occurred.

DISCUSSION

This article shows that life satisfaction, which is relevant for multiple health outcomes, is lower among those that are affected by job and income losses. Structural causes of socio-economic disadvantages need to be reduced to address health inequalities and to be better prepared for future crises.

Predicting COVID-19 exposure risk perception using machine learning

BACKGROUND

Self-perceived exposure risk determines the likelihood of COVID-19 preventive measure compliance to a large extent and is among the most important predictors of mental health problems. Therefore, there is a need to systematically identify important predictors of such risks. This study aims to provide insight into forecasting and understanding risk perceptions and help to adjust interventions that target various social groups in different pandemic phases.

METHODS

This study was based on survey data collected from 5001 Norwegians in 2020 and 2021. Interpretable machine learning algorithms were used to predict perceived exposure risks. To detect the most important predictors, the models with best performance were chosen based on predictive errors and explained variances. Shapley additive values were used to examine individual heterogeneities, interpret feature impact and check interactions between the key predictors.

RESULTS

Gradient boosting machine exhibited the best model performance in this study (2020: RMSE=.93, MAE=.74, RSQ=.22; 2021: RMSE=.99, MAE=.77, RSQ=.12). The most influential predictors of perceived exposure risk were compliance with interventions, work-life conflict, age and gender. In 2020, work and occupation played a dominant role in predicting perceived risks whereas, in 2021, living and behavioural factors were among the most important predictors. Findings show large individual heterogeneities in feature importance based on people's sociodemographic backgrounds, work and living situations.

CONCLUSION

The findings provide insight into forecasting risk groups and contribute to the early detection of vulnerable people during the pandemic. This is useful for policymakers and stakeholders in developing timely interventions targeting different social groups. Future policies and interventions should be adapted to the needs of people with various life situations.

Were we happy and we didn't know it? A subjective dynamic and financial assessment pre-, during and post-COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many changes into people's lives. Fear, job insecurity, changes in their financial stability, concerns about their future lives have changed the entire lives of people and have affected the cognitive well-being of individuals. The purpose of the present analysis is to measure how the COVID-19 pandemic, along with financial factors, has affected the perceived level of well-being of individuals. We are also interested whether there are differences between life before COVID-19, life now with COVID-19, and life after the COVID-19 pandemic, in terms of future expectations. To address this objective, we performed an ANOVA approach and a GLM estimate on repeated measures for a large sample (1572 respondents) from 43 worldwide countries, during the period May 2020 and July 2021. Our results show that financial factors reflected by both the size of income and changes in personal or family income affect the levels of happiness. Robustness checks using stress as an alternative estimator for happiness have consolidated our results. Additionally, we find that well-being during COVID-19 compared to the previous period decreased, while in future, people expect to be happier, but not more than in the past when they did not know about the existence of this virus. This is one of the first studies to investigate the relationship between happiness and income before, during, and after COVID-19. These findings are important for policymakers to improve the conditions of living in the areas of health and financial stability.

Exploring the relationship between unemployment perception and health during COVID-19: a comparative study of rural and urban adults in China

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted global economies and individual health. This study uses data from the China Family Panel Data (CFPS) in 2018 (before the pandemic) and 2020 (during the pandemic) to a) estimate the relationships between the perceived risk of unemployment and individuals' mental health, physical health, and health behaviors; and b) explore the variations of these relationships between rural and urban adults in China.

Methods

Ordinary linear regression models or Logit models are employed, depending on the nature (continuous vs. discrete) of the dependent variables.

Results

We find that the perceived risk of unemployment was statistically and positively associated with the risk of depression, and the association was greater for rural adults than for urban adults. Rural-urban variations were observed in various dimensions. For rural adults, the perceived risk of unemployment was statistically and negatively associated with life satisfaction, the probability of gaining weight and becoming obese, the probability of having adequate sleep, and computer-based screen time. These associations were statistically insignificant for urban adults. On the other hand, the perceived risk of unemployment was statistically and negatively associated with self-rated very-good-to-excellent health condition and health-compromising behaviors (e.g., smoking and drinking) for urban adults; but such associations were statistically insignificant for rural adults.

Discussion

These findings suggest that rural and urban adults exhibited different psychological and behavioral responses to the unemployment risk during the COVID-19 pandemic. Public policies aiming to improve health and employment should be strategically designed to address the unique needs of urban and rural populations.

The relationship between subjective well-being and individual characteristics, personality traits, and choice of transport mode during the first lock-down in Milan, Italy

Introduction

Concerning the adverse effect of COVID-19 virus pandemic on subjective well-being and daily travel, this research sought to analyse which personal characteristics, personality traits, and transport modes are related to positive and negative affect, and satisfaction with life during the first lock-down in Milan, Italy.

Method

In the spring of 2020, an online survey was conducted in Milan, and 1025 responses were collected. Then, three Multinomial Ordinal Regression models (MNOR) are carried out to examine the relationship between the data.

Results

Results show that women were more likely to feel fewer positive emotions than men. More physical activity, and income were positively associated with the models. Significant relevance of personality traits with subjective well-being is reported Regarding daily mobility during the pandemic, transport mode after lock-down, satisfaction with public transport, and worry about using public transport were found relevant to subjective wellbeing.

Conclusions

Whereas the feeling of worry about using public transport increased the negative affect. Transport mode during lock-down was not related to subjective well-being, though the preferred mode of transport after lock-down was related to satisfaction with life. Respondents who chose to use private cars more than other modes of transport were more likely to have higher satisfaction with life. Findings are discussed to improve transport and mobility planning during pandemics.

Life satisfaction in UK emerging adults during the COVID-19 pandemic

Current research indicates that young adults are at a higher risk of deteriorating wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to older adults. Drawing upon the Understanding Society COVID-19 survey, this study examined the trajectory of life satisfaction in UK emerging adults from May 2020 to September 2021 with social, health, financial, and demographic factors as covariates. The analytic sample included 880 participants (612 females, 268 males) between the ages of 18-29. Growth curve modelling was used to estimate the trajectory of life satisfaction and examine whether the covariates account for variation in the mean level and/or slopes. The trajectory of life satisfaction declined slightly between May 2020 and January 2021 and then increased to September 2021, aligning with the tightening and easing of UK COVID-19 policies. Greater perceived current financial difficulties, pre-existing mental health and physical health conditions, and higher self-reported loneliness were associated with lower life satisfaction. Being female and living with a romantic partner, more face-to-face social interactions, and higher household income were associated with more life satisfaction. Gender interacted with pre-existing mental health conditions. Women with no pre-existing mental health conditions reported the highest level of life satisfaction, while women with pre-existing mental health conditions reported the lowest level, compared to men who reported a similar level of life satisfaction regardless of their mental health. The findings from the present study contribute toward the current understanding of changes in life satisfaction throughout the pandemic among emerging adults. Implications for intervention are discussed.

Revisiting the link between domain satisfaction and life satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic: Job-related moderators in triadic analysis in dual-earner parents with adolescent children

Introduction

Research has evaluated the impact of COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns on individuals' life satisfaction, but wellbeing interrelations between family members in this context have been less explored. This study examined the spillover and crossover effects of one parent's job satisfaction (JS), satisfaction with family life (SWFaL) and satisfaction with food-related life (SWFoL) on their own, their partner's, and their adolescent children's life satisfaction (LS), and the influence of adolescents' SWFaL and SWFoL on their own and their parents' LS, in dual-earner families with adolescents. The moderating role of job-related variables of both parents were also explored.

Methods

Questionnaires were administered to 860 dual-earner parents with adolescents in two cities in Chile during 2020. Mothers and fathers answered the Overall Job Satisfaction Scale and the three family members answered the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Satisfaction with Family Life Scale and the Satisfaction with Food-related Life Scale.

Results

Using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model and structural equation modeling, we found that fathers' LS was positively associated with their own JS, SWFaL and SWFoL (spillover), and negatively with adolescents' SWFoL (crossover). Likewise, mothers' LS was positively associated with their own JS, SWFaL and SWFoL (spillover), with fathers' and adolescents' SWFaL, and negatively with adolescents' SWFoL. Adolescents' LS was positively associated with their own SWFaL and SWFoL (spillover), and with their fathers' JS, and negatively with their fathers' SWFoL. JS showed gendered patterns in spillover and crossover associations. Parents' type of employment, mothers' working hours and city of residence moderated some spillover and crossover associations for father-mother and parent-adolescent dyads.

Discussion

These findings suggest that, for dual-earner parents with adolescents, improving individuals' LS requires interventions that should be carried out not individually, but at a family level.

Sociodemographic Aspects and Healthy Behaviors Associated With Perceived Life Satisfaction in Health Professionals

BACKGROUND

Life satisfaction is a determining factor for the improvement of mental and physical health. Health care workers are a vulnerable population to suffer alterations in the factors that affect life satisfaction. Determining the influence of these factors on quality of life is important for their proper management.

OBJECTIVE

To examine sociodemographic factors and healthy behaviors influencing life satisfaction in Peruvian professionals.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted with 506 health care workers, who had a mean age of 40.34 years (SD = 10.39). A sociodemographic questionnaire, sleep quality, physical activity, eating habits, and life satisfaction were used. A regression model was fitted with the life satisfaction variable as the dependent variable.

RESULTS

In multivariable analysis, age (β = -.938, P < .01) and perception of poor health status (β = -4.743, P < .001) were found to be associated with lower life satisfaction. On the other hand, higher university education level (β = 1.667, P < .001), absence of smoking (β = 3.202, P < .01), absence of depressive symptoms (β = 3.390, P < .001), interest in daily activities (β = 3.503, P < .05), good sleep quality (β = 1.027, P < .01), a high frequency of physical activity (β = 1.056, P < .01), and healthy eating are variables associated with higher life satisfaction.

CONCLUSION

Sociodemographic aspects such as age and the perception of poor health are associated with lower life satisfaction. On the other hand, healthy behaviors such as absence of smoking, absence of depressive symptoms, interest in daily activities, good quality of sleep, high frequency of physical activity, and a healthy diet were associated with higher life satisfaction.

The Consequences of the Pandemic for Subjective Well-Being: Data for Improving Policymaking

The pandemic has affected people's lives and emotions in profound ways, which governments ignore at their peril. Among the often disregarded consequences of the pandemic, especially in developing countries, are its toll on subjective well-being and its implications for health policymaking. This paper uses a battery of surveys with over 1800 observations collected in 2019 and 2020, which inform on many aspects of subjective well-being before and during the pandemic in Cali, Colombia. The results show a dramatic and widespread reduction in life satisfaction in several dimensions of well-being beyond health, and not just among those directly affected by COVID-19. This analysis focuses on differences in well-being by gender and health status, providing information about gender variances and differences in subjective well-being between those who experienced and those who did not experience physical illness (including the COVID-19 infection) during the pandemic. This analysis aims at contributing to the body of research that studies the consequences of the pandemic for life satisfaction and well-being, in the context of a city experiencing profound social unrest during the pandemic.

Health-related quality of life in parents of adolescents one year into the COVID-19 pandemic: a two-year longitudinal study

AIM

For many adults, their role as a parent is a vital part of their life that may influence their health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and vary with the age of their child. The aim of the present study was to describe and compare sociodemographic and psychological factors, pain and HRQOL in parents of adolescents assessed at baseline and 2 years later,-during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

A longitudinal study of 309 parents from the general Norwegian population was conducted. The parents were chosen based on their adolescent's school belonging and responded to a web-based questionnaire. We used data collected at baseline (T1), when the adolescents were aged 14-15 years (2018/2019), and two years later (T2), in 2021, when the COVID-19 pandemic was ongoing. The response rate was 55%. HRQOL was assessed using RAND-36. Data were analysed using McNemar tests, paired samples t-tests and multiple linear regression analyses.

RESULTS

Of the participants, 82% were mothers and 18% fathers. From T1 to T2, the average pain score increased, 1.6 (95% CI [-1,4; 1.8]) vs 1.8 (95% CI [1,6; 2.0]), the pain interference emotion score increased, 1.6 (95% CI [1.3; 1.9]) vs 1.8 (95% CI [1.5; 2.1]), and a larger proportion reported pain duration > 3 months (44% vs 50%, p = 0.014). The parents were more lonely, 12.8 (95% CI [12.3; 13.3]) vs 13.7 (95% CI [13.2; 14.2]), and reported lower RAND-36 mental component summary (MCS) scores, 52.2 (95% CI [51.3; 53.2]) vs 50.9 (95% CI [49.8; 52.0]). There were no significant associations between gender, sociodemographic factors, psychological factors, pain at T1 and changes in RAND-36 physical component summary (PCS). A positive change in MCS from T1 to T2 was predicted by working part time, B = 5.22 (95% CI [1.05; 9.38]) (ref no paid work) and older age, B = 0.24, (95%CI [-001; 0.42]), and there was a negative change with stress, B = -17.39, (95%CI [-27.42; -7.51]).

CONCLUSION

The parents experienced more pain and were lonelier, and more reported reduced mental HRQOL. However, the changes appear to be of limited clinical significance.

The psychological response and perception of stress during the COVID-19 pandemic in Slovenia: Three-wave repeated cross-sectional study

In addition to COVID-19 being a health threat, its longevity and restrictions act as significant stressors and risk for mental health. In the current study, we take a look at how psychological response, both its positive aspects, for example, mental well-being and life satisfaction, and its negative aspects, for example, anxiety and COVID-19 anxiety, have changed as the pandemic has continued (first three waves in Slovenia). Additionally, we are interested in whether the psychological response is associated with the perception of stress level in waves 2 and 3 as less, equally or more stressful when compared to the stress level in wave 1 and what shapes these perceptions. An online questionnaire battery (COVID-19 stress level comparison, Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale; LAOM Anxiety Scale; Global Life Satisfaction scale; COVID-19 anxiety), with ANOVA and qualitative analysis of the open-ended question on reasons for perceiving wave 2 and wave 3 as more stressful when compared to wave 1, was used on a Slovene convenience adult sample (wave 1: N = 364, 83.5% female; wave 2: N = 987, 85.5% female; wave 3: N = 467, 78.5% female). The findings show (a) a significant increase in COVID-19 anxiety from wave 1 to wave 3, with a peak in wave 2, and a significant decrease in mental well-being from wave 1 to wave 3; (b) the level of anxiety, mental well-being, and life satisfaction differs significantly between individuals who perceive wave 2 and 3 as more stressful compared to individuals who perceive wave 2 and wave 3 as equally or less stressful when compared to wave 1; (c) reasons for perceiving the succeeding waves of the pandemic as more stressful compared to wave 1 are diverse, with some being reported in both succeeding waves (e.g., negative emotional response to the pandemic, negative perceptions of measures). The findings highlight the important role of stress analysis in identifying the support mechanisms for dealing with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Unique Role of Hope and Optimism in the Relationship between Environmental Quality and Life Satisfaction during COVID-19 Pandemic

COVID-19 in Malaysia has significantly affected the higher education system of the country and increased the level of distress among university students. Empirical evidence proposed that environment quality is associated with university students’ life satisfaction during COVID-19. It was found that hope and optimism are linked with greater life satisfaction in general. Although past literature has reported the effects of hope and optimism on life satisfaction, there are limited studies examining the underlying mechanism among Malaysian private university students. Therefore, the current study offers the preliminary understanding of the intervening role of hope and optimism on the relationship between environmental quality and life satisfaction among private university students in Malaysia. A total of 133 private university students in Malaysia were recruited through homogenous convenience sampling. Partial least square structure equation modeling (SmartPLS) was used to analyze the mediation models. The results revealed that only hope mediated the relationship between environmental quality and life satisfaction, but not optimism. Hence, it is proposed that mental health providers should focus on providing hope-related interventions to university students in confronting COVID-19 challenges and ultimately improving life satisfaction.

Work participation, sensory processing and sleep quality in adults with attention deficit hyperactive disorder

BACKGROUND: Although studies have indicated significant effects of attention-deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) on work participation, the mechanism underlying work participation of adults with ADHD is still unclear. OBJECTIVE: Following the World Health Organization’s international classification of functioning, disability, and health concepts, this study compares sensory processing and sleep quality (body functions) with work participation among adults with and without ADHD and examines predictive relationships among adults with ADHD. METHODS: Sixty-nine adults with ADHD and 52 matched controls completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Adult/Adolescent Sensory Profile, the Mini Sleep Questionnaire, and the Occupational Questionnaire. RESULTS: The ADHD group had significantly poorer body functions, sensory processing (i.e., low-registration, sensory-sensitivity, and sensation-avoiding patterns), sleep quality, and work performance compared to the control group (p <  .001). For adults with ADHD, sensory sensitivity accounted for 10.9%, and sleep quality accounted for 22.0%, of the variance in their work performance. CONCLUSIONS: The deficient body functions of adults with ADHD may affect their work performance and therefore should be considered in further research, as well as in clinical applications.

On the Micro-Foundations of Creative Economy: Life Satisfaction and Social Identity

Incorporating the unavoidable changes manifesting in the behavior of individuals as an outcome of evolution at the level of development of the economy and society, we pinpoint a new theoretical background requiring the reconfiguring of the micro-foundations of economic theory regarding the creative economy. We thus set the theoretical micro-foundations of the creative economy where the main microeconomic incentive lies in life satisfaction attainment rather than utility maximization. At the macroeconomic level, we propose the pairing of sustainability with the creative economy. The objective is met through the vehicle of social identity derived from the responses to a questionnaire distributed in Greek society. Through principal components analysis, we locate two sets of variables shaping life satisfaction: the exogenous influences within social identity (state of health, age, and level of education) and the endogenous primary influences within social identity (lending, cultural change, and happiness). Each one of these variables is determined by other interpretative variables. Furthermore, we observe a weakness of economic policy to influence life satisfaction in advanced Western societies, resulting in a paradox of the economic toolkit. Our findings are relevant for policymaking to promote life satisfaction, especially within the creative economy context.

The positive and negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on subjective well-being and changes in social inequality: Evidence from prefectures in Japan

This study aims to specify the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on individual subjective well-being in Japan and to clarify the mechanism generating social inequality of subjective well-being during the crisis. Data were analyzed using fixed effects ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models from the Online Panel Survey of Social Stratification and Psychology in 2020 (SSPW2020-Panel), which was conducted in four waves in June 2020, September 2020, December 2020, and March 2021. The results reveal that COVID-19 spread in a prefecture had differential effects on subjective well-being in prefectures with high infection rates: positive effects for socially advantaged individuals and negative effects for socially disadvantaged individuals. In conclusion, social inequality in Japan, in terms of subjective well-being, has been widened by the COVID-19 pandemic during 2020.

Total Worker Health® and Small Business Employee Perceptions of Health Climate, Safety Climate, and Well-Being during COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic created workplace challenges for employee safety and health, especially in small enterprises. We used linear mixed-effects regression to examine changes in health climate, safety climate, and worker well-being, prior to the pandemic and at two timepoints during it. We also examined whether employees at organizations that had received a TWH leadership development intervention prior to COVID-19 would better maintain pre-pandemic perceptions of climates and well-being. The final study cohort consisted of 261 employees from 31 organizations. No differences were observed in mean outcome scores between the leadership intervention groups at any of the survey timepoints. We combined intervention groups to examine the difference across timepoints. Perceptions of health and safety climates remained stable across all timepoints. However, employee well-being scores declined between the pre-pandemic period and subsequent COVID-19 timepoints. These findings suggest that while small organizations continued to be viewed as supporting employees' health and safety over the course of the pandemic, well-being scores declined, indicating that other factors contributed to decreased well-being. The findings from this study have implications for small business leaders as they navigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health, safety, and well-being on their organizations and employees.