Older adults experience better affective well-being in solitude: The moderating role of goal for conflict de-escalation

Older adults report greater affective well-being in solitude than younger adults, but prior findings are based on correlational designs. We aim to examine age differences in affective well-being in solitude using an experimental design and to examine conflict de-escalation as a potential mechanism. In Study 1, 207 participants were randomly assigned to either a solitude or a social interaction condition. In Study 2, 128 participants were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: solitude-escalation, solitude-de-escalation, interaction-escalation, and interaction de-escalation. After a 15-min solitude or social interaction period, they reported their affective experiences. In Study 1, older (vs. younger) adults reported more positive affect overall. This age-related difference was greater in the solitude (vs. social interaction) condition; older adults reported less negative affect than younger adults in the solitude, but not the social interaction, condition. In Study 2, older (vs. younger) participants reported more high-arousal positive affect in the solitude-escalation condition. This difference was not significant in conflict de-escalation conditions. Our studies provide causal evidence of the relationship between solitude and affective well-being and advance our understanding of motivations that explain why older adults maintain better affective well-being in solitude.

The Role of Resilience in the Relationship between Sociodemographic, Clinical Characteristics, and Social Support among Breast Cancer Patients in Serbia

BACKGROUND

The management of breast cancer treatments within the limitations of family, social, and professional life is emotionally burdening and negatively affects physical, psychological, and social well-being, reducing the overall quality of life of patients and their families.

METHODS

This cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study was conducted from March to August 2023 at the "Dr. Radivoj Simonović" General Hospital in Sombor. A total of 236 breast cancer patients participated in this study. The research was conducted using the following instruments: a questionnaire on sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients, the Berlin Social-Support Scales-for assessing social support-and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-for assessing resilience. This study aimed to determine the predictors and levels of social support and resilience of breast cancer patients. We also wanted to examine whether resilience is a mediator between patients' sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and levels of social support.

RESULTS

The total average value of social support was 3.51 ± 0.63, while on the resilience scale, the respondents achieved a total average score of 52.2 ± 9.63. Perceived and actually received social support of breast cancer patients were positively correlated with resilience [p < 0.01], while no statistically significant correlations were found for the need for support and satisfaction. The sets of predictors can significantly predict their effects on all types of perceived social support (emotional social support: 9%; perceived instrumental social support: 9%) and all types of received social support (actually received emotional social support: 8%; actually received instrumental social support: 7%; actually received informational social support: 8%). There is a potential mediating role of resilience in relation to sociodemographic factors, clinical characteristics, and the need for support.

CONCLUSION

This study confirms that a strong connection exists between social support and resilience. However, the analysis did not confirm the mediating role of resilience between the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics on the one hand and social support on the other.

[Effects of the COVID-19-Pandemic on the AffectiveWell-Being of Preschool Children]

The aim of this study was to determine the predictive value of corona-specific variables and post-traumatic stress symptoms associated with the COVID-19-pandemic, considering sociodemographic data and health-related quality of life, on the affective well-being of preschool children and to identify predictors of positive and negative affect. A secondary analysis of third-party assessment data by parents of three- to six-year-old preschool children from the Tyrolean COVID-19 Children's Study at two measurement time points (123 records at t₁ in summer 2020; 467 records at t₂ in winter 2020/21) was conducted. To answer the research question hierarchical multiple regression analyses were performed.The largest part of the variance explanation of affective well-being was explained by health-related quality of life: while self-esteem and psychological well-being were measurement-time-independent, effects of physical well-being, preschool, family, and friends were only significant in winter. Coronaspecific variables caused additional variance explanation due to subjective threat experience in winter; post-traumatic stress symptoms had an effect at both measurement-times. In times of crisis children's self-esteem, psychological well-being, and post-traumatic stress symptoms should be considered.Measurement-time-dependent results suggest that the pandemic course plays a decisive role regarding the influence on children's affective well-being. Everyday life and routines must be redefined accordingly and communicated to the children.

Fear of COVID-19 and Fear of Earthquake: Multiple Distressing Events and Well-Being in Croatia

People in Croatia have recently experienced two major earthquakes in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic, which are possible sources of increased fear. In order to capture and understand the effects of the simultaneously occurring threatening events, the aims of this study were threefold. First, we aimed to examine the psychometric properties and factor structure of the Croatian version of the Fear of COVID-19 scale (FCV-19S). Second, bearing in mind that there is a lack of instruments for measuring fear of earthquakes, the study aimed to develop and examine the psychometric properties the Fear of Earthquake Scale (FES), as a version of FCV-19S, modified for the earthquake experience. Finally, the study aimed to examine differences in well-being indicators (life satisfaction, positive and negative affect) between four groups of participants who either had/did not have COVID-19 disease or had experienced/did not have experienced earthquake. The study was conducted among 1136 participants adults who took part in the fourth year of the Croatian longitudinal study on well-being. Among them, N = 665 participants experienced earthquake and responded to additional questions regarding that experience. The analyses demonstrated valid psychometric properties and one-factorial structure of FCV-19S and FES scales. The findings showed that people who went through earthquake experience (vs. those without earthquake experience and COVID-19 infection) reported higher negative affect and lower positive affect, indicating that people in Croatia seem to have been more fearful of earthquakes than COVID-19 pandemic. Findings suggest the long-term negative effects of earthquake on fear and well-being in comparison to COVID-19 pandemic.

The relationship between well-being and HbA1c in adults with type 1 diabetes: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Diabetes has been associated with psychological problems, which in turn have been related to poorer glycemic control (glycosylated hemoglobin [HbA1c]). On the contrary, psychological well-being constructs have been associated with superior medical outcomes, including better HbA1c.

AIM

The main objective of this study was to systematically review the existing literature about the relationships between subjective well-being (SWB) and HbA1c in adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D).

METHODS

Comprehensive searches were conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Medline, time restricted to 2021, for studies examining the link between HbA1c and the cognitive (CWB) and affective (AWB) components of SWB. A total of 16 eligible studies were selected according to the inclusion criteria, of which 15 measured CWB and 1 AWB.

RESULTS

Of the 15 studies included, 11 showed a relationship between CWB and HbA1c, with a higher level of HbA1c being related to poorer CWB. The other four studies did not find any significant association. Finally, the only study examining the relationship between AWB and HbA1c found a marginally association between these variables in the expected direction.

CONCLUSION

The overall data suggest that CWB is negatively related to HbA1c in this population, but these results are inconclusive. This systematic review offers clinical implications, such as the possible evaluation, prevention, and treatment of the problems associated with diabetes through the study and training of the psychosocial variables that may directly influence SWB. Limitations and future lines of investigation are discussed.

Stressor anticipation and subsequent affective well-being: A link potentially explained by perseverative cognitions

Anticipatory stress can prospectively and negatively influence diverse outcomes, including cognitive performance and emotional well-being. It has been suggested that perseverative cognitions (e.g., worry, rumination) during the anticipation period constitute a key mechanism driving these effects. The present study investigated the temporal dynamics among stressor anticipation, perseverative cognitions, and affective well-being. To accurately test the suggested mechanism, we focused on how these dynamics unfold within individuals over time. To that end, we analyzed data from an ecological momentary assessment study in an ethnically diverse sample (N = 243, 25-65 year olds, 68.7% Hispanic or non-Hispanic Black; 14 days, 5 measurement occasions per day) using dynamic structural equation modeling. Anticipating an upcoming stressor was linked to higher levels of perseverative cognitions approximately 3 hours later. At times when individuals reported higher levels of recent perseverative cognitions than typical for them, they also reported higher levels of negative affect and lower levels of positive affect. Mediational modeling indicated that perseverative cognitions accounted for the persistent effects of previous stressor anticipation on negative as well as positive affect several hours later. These findings suggest that perseverative cognitions may play an important role in explaining the detrimental effects of anticipatory stress on subsequent emotional well-being. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Facing the Post-Pandemic Challenges: The Role of Leadership Effectiveness in Shaping the Affective Well-Being of Healthcare Providers Working in a Hybrid Work Mode

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought new challenges to the medical industry, including hybrid work, in which specialists can perform some of their duties remotely, in addition to physical contact with patients and their teams. Hybrid work provides opportunities, but also generates difficulties (e.g., accurate long-distance diagnosis); therefore, there is a need to ensure the well-being of healthcare workers, especially in the context of leadership strategies. As there is little research on leadership practices in remote and hybrid medical worker management, this study analyses the relationship between certain behavioural strategies and competencies of leaders and the affective well-being of hybrid employees. The research was conducted among a group of employees (N = 135) from seven countries who provide healthcare in a hybrid model. The correlations between the variables showed the statistical significance of all leadership strategies introduced into the model and focused on building involvement (employee empowerment and team orientation), creating a shared vision, defining clear goals and strategies, promoting adaptability (change management, promotion of organisational learning and patient focus), managing consistency through shared values, agreement and effective coordination, as well as competencies such as communicativeness, credibility, self-development and digital readiness. Despite the significance of all the relationships, the linear regression showed that the variability of affective well-being was explained mainly by the adaptability leadership strategy. The results of the study expand the knowledge on the competencies of healthcare leaders, and shed new light on the management of medical employees performing remote and hybrid work. Because such research into well-being has not been published to date, the analysis begins an important discussion on redefining leadership in the healthcare sector, taking into account the digital transformation.

The Impact of Psychological Capital on Well-Being of Social Workers: A Mixed-Methods Investigation

Social workers are often faced with long working hours, high job demands, and poor work-life balance, which can have detrimental effects on their well-being. It is therefore important to identify the protective factors that enable social workers to flourish and thrive. Psychological capital (PsyCap) is conceptualized as a higher-order core construct that encompasses hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism. This study aims to investigate the impact of PsyCap on social workers' well-being and explore the underlying mechanisms of this relationship. It expands the literature by adopting a multifaceted model of well-being, accounting for the temporal order of variables, including a qualitative component, and examining the effects of PsyCap in an at-risk occupation. A two-wave prospective survey with a three-month interval was conducted with a sample of 400 full-time social workers in Hong Kong, followed by individual in-depth interviews. The quantitative results showed that PsyCap was positively associated with job satisfaction and positive affect, and negatively associated with negative affect and psychological and physical distress. The qualitative results showed that the components of PsyCap share problem-focused processes with cognitive, conative, and affective functions. The theoretical and practical implications are discussed in relation to the social services industry.

General Health and Resilience of Breast Cancer Patients: The Mediator Role of Affective Well-Being

A considerable percentage of breast cancer patients present adequate psychological adjustment and do not become distressed after a breast cancer diagnosis, or, if they do, they manage to recover quickly, which is reflected in their general health. This study aims to determine the role of some psychological mechanisms that affect psycho-oncological adjustment, specifically, resilience and well-being, in a sample of 109 breast cancer patients. For this purpose, participants completed questionnaires on general health, resilience, and well-being (life satisfaction and affect). Correlation analyses and a multiple mediation model were carried out. The results revealed that Pearson correlations between all variables showed strong associations between general health scores and positive and negative affect scores, and moderate associations with life satisfaction and resilience scores. Furthermore; in the mediation model, the total percentage of variance explained by the overall model was 55% (R² = 0.55), where resilience was associated with positive and negative affect, and that influenced general health. These results show that affective well-being is especially relevant in breast cancer patients in terms of its mediating role in resilience, making it clear that an appropriate intervention focused on managing patients' affective status can have a favorable impact on their overall health.

Reviewing the role of positive classroom climate in improving English as a foreign language students' social interactions in the online classroom

The teacher and learners are cooperatively involved in the creation of a positive climate in an L2 class. In the online language learning environment today, teachers can make the best use of technology, multimedia learning, and accessibility of learners to create a supportive and effective climate. In this productive climate, the teacher and learners can have multiple forms of social interaction which can improve language learners' communicative skills. Not only can the teacher expect better learning outcomes, but s/he can also ensure students' wholehearted attendance in, attention to, and participation in class activities. A positive class climate and the consequent better social interactions can also enhance learners' affective well-being. For example, higher self-esteem leads to lower levels of anxiety and better emotional health. This study aims to review the contribution of a positive classroom climate to the improvement of students' social interaction in the online L2 classroom. To do this, the findings of the relevant studies have been presented and their implications for the construction of a positive online L2 classroom climate have been provided. Suggestions are made on how to help teachers create a positive climate in online L2 classes and how to pave the way for more effective social interactions between teachers and students and among students. Also, implications are provided for L2 teachers, researchers, and trainers, especially in the post-pandemic era.

Partner Pain and Affect in the Daily Lives of Older Couples

OBJECTIVES

The susceptibility of older adults' affect to fluctuations in their own health (within-person health sensitivity) indicates how they handle everyday health challenges. In old age, affective well-being is often increasingly influenced by close others, yet it is unknown whether older adults' affect is additionally susceptible to fluctuations in their spouse's health (within-partnership health sensitivity) and the extent to which age and relationship satisfaction moderate such associations.

METHODS

Parallel sets of multi-level actor-partner interdependence models are applied to self-reported health (feelings of pain/discomfort) and positive and negative affect, obtained 6 times a day over 7 consecutive days from two independent samples, the Berlin Couple Dynamics Study (N= 87 couples; Mage= 75 years; M relationship length= 46 years) and the Socio-Economic Panel Couple Dynamics Study (N= 151 couples; Mage= 72 years; M relationship length= 47 years).

RESULTS

Husbands and wives had lower positive affect and higher negative affect in moments when they reported more pain (within-person health sensitivity) and when their respective spouse reported more pain (within-partnership health sensitivity). Tests for moderation suggest that within-person, but not within-partnership, health sensitivity is lower at older ages and higher with more satisfying relationships.

DISCUSSION

These findings empirically illustrate lifespan notions that close relationships shape time-varying health-affect links and thus underscore the theoretical and practical utility of examining social contextual antecedents of older adults' everyday affective well-being.

Drammatic breaks: Break recovery experiences as mediators between job demands and affect in the afternoon and evening

The present study focused on within-workday recovery, which has received less scholarly attention than has recovery outside work. We examined six break recovery experiences (detachment, relaxation, autonomy, mastery, meaning and affiliation) as possible mediators between daily emotional job demands, positive and negative affect both in the afternoon and in the evening. We conducted a one-work week diary study (N = 107) among Finnish schoolteachers with three daily measurements per workday. Most participants (88%) were women, and the average age was 50 years. The data were analysed with multilevel path modelling. Regarding daily afternoon affect, both low break detachment and low break meaning mediated the relationship between high daily emotional demands and low afternoon positive affect and high afternoon negative affect. Regarding daily evening affect, only low break meaning mediated the relationship between high daily emotional demands and low evening positive affect. In addition, afternoon positive and negative affect did mediate the relationships between break detachment and meaning and positive and negative evening affect. Our findings offer new insights into the interplay of daily job demands, break recovery experiences and affective well-being. Despite detachment, meaning, which has received limited research attention as a recovery experience, seems to play an important role in within-workday recovery. Our study also suggests that successful break recovery can benefit employees' affective well-being in the evening.

Improving Millennial Employees' OCB: A Multilevel Mediated and Moderated Model of Ethical Leadership

In the field of organizational behavior, the influence of leadership in organizations and the organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) of employees have always been two hot topics studied by scholars. However, previous studies have mainly examined the OCB of baby boomers and Generation Xers. With millennials now entering the workforce, they will highly likely not take the initiative to engage in OCB due to their different values. Scholars have found that millennials respond well to ethical leadership. Although this statement has a theoretical basis, empirical research regarding this topic is still insufficient. Thus, this study explores whether ethical leadership can effectively promote millennials' OCB. Moreover, the mediating effect of group-level ethical climate and individual-level affective well-being, and the moderating effect of individual-level moral identity, were examined. The study hypotheses were verified based on 384 valid questionnaires collected from 61 teams using Mplus 8.3. The results showed that (1) ethical leadership was a positive predictor of millennials' OCB; (2) ethical climate and affective well-being partially mediated the relationship between ethical leadership and OCB; and (3) moral identity moderated the relationship between ethical leadership and affective well-being and the indirect impact of ethical leadership on OCB. These findings provide empirical support for applying social learning theory, social information processing theory, and conservation of resources (COR)theory. This research also provides several managerial implications through which managers can more effectively improve the OCB of millennial employees.

The Efficacy of Principle-Based Correctional Counseling for Improving the Self-Control and Mental Health of People Incarcerated for Sexual Violence

This study is the first to test the efficacy of principle-based correctional counseling (PBCC) for improving the self-control and mental health of people incarcerated for sexual violence (SV). A total of 132 males incarcerated for SV were assigned to a treatment group that received cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) supplemented with intensive PBCC and a waitlist control group that received only CBT. Results using paired t-tests and an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to control for pretest scores showed that compared with the control group, treatment participants showed a significant increase in affective well-being and a significant decrease in low self-control, depression, anxiety, and anger.

Emotion Regulation Ability: Test Performance and Observer Reports in Predicting Relationship, Achievement and Well-Being Outcomes in Adolescents

This paper examines emotion regulation defined as one of the components of emotional intelligence ability and tests how emotion regulation predicts academic achievement, relationship quality, and affective well-being outcomes in adolescents. Specifically, we examine two ways of measuring emotion regulation ability—using performance test scores and through knowledgeable informant observations (teachers). While previous research supports the predictive validity of performance on ability tests of emotion regulation observer reports of emotion regulation have not received much empirical attention. In a sample of high school students, we test whether performance-tested and observer-assessed emotion regulation ability predict a range of outcomes beyond the Big Five personality traits and gender and whether the two measures of emotion regulation ability predict outcomes independently. Our hypotheses are supported for outcomes of relationship quality and academic achievement, but not for affective well-being outcomes. We discuss the implications for assessment of emotion regulation ability and the nature of outcomes predicted by emotion regulation ability.

Perceived Social Support and Its Effects on Changes in the Affective and Eudaimonic Well-Being of Chilean University Students

The beginning of university life can be a stressful event for students. The close social relationships that they can experience can have positive effects on their well-being. The objective of this paper is to estimate the effect of perceived social support on the changes of the hedonic and eudaimonic well-being of Chilean university students during the transition from the first to the second academic year. Overall, 205 students participated (63.90% men and 36.09% women) with an average age of 19.14 years (SD = 1.73), evaluated during their first academic year (2017) and the succeeding one (2018). For the evaluation of perceived social support, the Spanish version of the Perceived Social Support Questionnaire "MSPSS" was used, and PERMA-profiler was used to measure hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. Changes through the time of hedonic well-being and social support and the correlations between the variables were analyzed. Changes in the perception of social support were analyzed according to four categories of hedonic well-being. The prediction of social support for eudaimonic well-being was evaluated. Results indicated that the perception of students' social support did not change over time. Statistically significant differences were found in hedonic well-being scores in the two measurements, being significantly higher in the first measurement than in the second one. More than 50% of the participants presented a positive balance of affections. The perception of social support is associated with the two types of well-being. Students who had a high balance of affections had a greater perception of general social support than the groups of positive evolution of affections and a low balance of affections. In the case of the friends and family support dimensions, the perception in the high-balance group of affections concerning the low-scale group is greater. Improving the perception of social support increases the eudaimonic well-being of university students. The perception of support that students had during the beginning of their university life benefits their general well-being, which contributes to their mental health.

Students' Personality Contributes More to Academic Performance than Well-Being and Learning Approach-Implications for Sustainable Development and Education

The present study aimed to describe the predictive role of personality dimensions, learning approaches, and well-being in the academic performance of students. In total, 602 students participated in this cross-sectional study and completed a set of questionnaires assessing personality, learning approach, and well-being. Two indexes were calculated to assess affective and non-affective well-being. The results partially support the hypotheses formulated. Results revealed that personality temperament and character dimensions, deep learning approach, and affective well-being were significant predictors of academic performance. A deep approach to learning was a full and partial mediator of the relationship between personality and academic performance. The results improve the understanding of the differential contribution of personality, type of learning approach, and type of well-being to academic performance. Comprehending that personality is the strongest predictor of academic performance, after controlling the type of learning approach and the type of well-being, informs school policies and decision-makers that it is essential to encourage personality development in adolescents to improve academic performance. These results also have implications for educational policies and practices at various levels, including an emphasis on the role of well-being as an educational asset. Understanding the links between personality, well-being, and education is essential to conceptualize education as a vital societal resource for facing current and future challenges, such as sustainable development.

Examining five pathways on how self-control is associated with emotion regulation and affective well-being in daily life

OBJECTIVE

Self-control is positively connected to well-being, but less is known about what, on the mechanistic level, explains this association. We hypothesized five pathways how this connection could be explained by emotion regulation, that is, by facilitating (a) strategy effectiveness, (b), adaptive strategy selection, (c) situation selection, (d) strategy variability, or (e) social sharing.

METHOD

To explore these pathways, we integrated two ambulatory assessment data sets (N = 250 participants, N = 22,796 observations) that included assessments of participants' emotions and their emotion regulation efforts.

RESULTS

We found that self-control was positively associated with affective well-being. Moreover, momentary but not trait self-control was associated with favoring adaptive and interpersonal strategy selection and less emotion regulation in general as well as with increased variability across strategies. However, these emotion regulation facets could not sufficiently explain the association between self-control and affective well-being.

CONCLUSIONS

Our main conclusion is that emotion regulation is not a mediator of the strong relation between self-control and affective well-being. Instead, we found evidence for the affective benefits of employing ways of emotion regulation that are less taxing mentally, which we discuss in light of current knowledge about self-control and emotion regulation.

Association between Subjective Well-Being and Frequent Dental Visits in the German Ageing Survey

The relationship between subjective well-being (SWB) and frequent attendance is understudied. This study used data from a large German sample of non-institutionalized individuals aged 40+ in 2014 (n = 7264). SWB was measured using the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Number of self-reported dental visits in the past twelve months was used to measure the utilization frequency of dental services. Individuals with at least four dental visits in the preceding year (highest decile) were defined as frequent dental visits. Robustness checks were performed using alternative cut-offs to define frequent dental visits. Multiple logistic regressions showed that frequent dental visits (highest decile) were associated with less satisfaction with life [OR: 0.89, 95%-CI: 0.80–0.99] and higher negative affect [OR: 1.41, 95%-CI: 1.22–1.64], whereas it was not significantly associated with positive affect. Both associations depended on the cut-off chosen to define frequent dental visits. The present study highlights the association between SWB (particularly negative affect and low life satisfaction) and frequent dental visits. Further studies evaluating patients’ motivation for high dental service use are necessary to check the robustness of our findings.

Bridging the Gap between Affective Well-Being and Organizational Citizenship Behavior: The Role of Work Engagement and Collectivist Orientation

Workplace well-being has received considerable attention over the past decade. Relative to the positive relationship between affective well-being and in-role performance, the relationship between affective well-being and extra-role performance has received little empirical attention. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among affective well-being, work engagement, collectivist orientation, and organizational citizenship behavior. Specifically, we tested this model with a sample of 264 employees from a telecom company in China. We found that: (1) affective well-being was the positive predictor of organizational citizenship behavior (B = 0.482, p < 0.001); (2) work engagement mediated the relationship between employee affective well-being and organizational citizenship behavior (indirect effect = 0.330, p < 0.001); and (3) collectivist orientation moderated the relationship between affective well-being and work engagement (B = 0.113, p < 0.01) and affective well-being and organizational citizenship behavior (B = 0.084, p < 0.05). Our discussion highlights the benefits of understanding the role of work engagement and cultural values with regard to the relationship between affective well-being and organizational citizenship behavior.

The interplay of genetic and environmental factors in shaping well-being across the lifespan: Evidence from the serotonin transporter gene

BACKGROUND

Converging evidence suggests that well-being plays an important role in promoting and maintaining mental health across the life span. It has been shown that well-being has a considerable heritable component, but little is known about the specific genes involved.

METHODS

In this study, we investigated a healthy sample (N = 298) that was genotyped for the serotonin transporter-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR). We hypothesized that 5-HTTLPR gene variation would influence well-being, and additionally investigated interaction effects with age and the environmental influence of early life stress (ELS).

RESULTS

Using multiple regression, our results showed a significant three-way interaction between genotype, ELS, and age. Exploration of this interaction showed that young subjects had decreased levels of well-being if they were exposed to ELS and homozygous for the short variant of 5-HTTLPR. This relationship was reversed in old age: subjects that were exposed to ELS and carried the long variant of 5-HTTLPR had decreased levels of well-being.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicate that genetic and environmental factors have joint effects on well-being that are susceptible to profound changes across the life span.

Stress-Preventive Management Competencies, Psychosocial Work Environments, and Affective Well-Being: A Multilevel, Multisource Investigation

The Management Competencies for Preventing and Reducing Stress at Work framework represents one of the few tailored models of leadership for work stress prevention purposes, but it has never been empirically evaluated. The aim of this study was to investigate whether supervisors’ stress-preventive management competencies, as measured by the Stress Management Competencies Indicator Tool (SMCIT), are related to employees’ affective well-being through psychosocial work environmental factors. To this end, multilevel structural equation modelling (MSEM) was developed and tested, including data provided by both supervisors and employees. Supervisors (n = 84) self-assessed their stress-preventive management competencies (i.e., being respectful and responsible, managing and communicating existing and future work, reasoning and managing difficult situations, and managing the individual within the team) with a previously validated reduced version of the SMCIT. The supervised employees (n = 584) rated job content (e.g., job demands) and work context (e.g., role clarity) psychosocial factors and their job-related affective well-being. Supervisors’ job-related affective well-being was also included in the tested model. The results revealed that the stress-preventive competencies factor was related to employees’ affective well-being through the psychosocial work environment only when the latter was operationalized by means of contextual work factors. Supervisors’ affective well-being was related to their stress-preventive competencies, but it was not related to employees’ affective well-being. We discuss the implications of the results obtained.

Adult Children Living With Aging Parents: The Association Between Income and Parental Affect

This study examined the moderating effect of parental income on the association between parent-child coresidence and parental affect. Secondary analysis was conducted with data from the ORANJ BOWL panel, a representative sample of adults in New Jersey, aged 50 to 74 years ( N = 5,688). Results indicated that income had a significant moderating effect on the association between the adult child's residential status and parents' positive and negative affect. Among parents with coresident adult children, an observed decline in positive affect and rise in negative affect were amplified as parental income level increased, suggesting differential strains on parental well-being across income levels.

Teachers' Affective Well-being and Teaching Experience: The Protective Role of Perceived Emotional Intelligence

Teaching is a highly emotional and demanding profession. Developing emotional well-being among teachers will benefit not only the teachers themselves, but also their students. Previous studies have shown the protective role of emotional intelligence (EI) as well as inconsistencies in the years of teaching experience variable on positive and negative work-specific variables. The aim of the present study was to analyze how EI and years of teaching experience are related to affective well-being in teachers. Further, we analyze the moderator role of perceived EI on the link between level of teaching experience and affective well-being. For these purpose, 524 teachers from different Spanish public schools took part in the study. They first completed the Trait Meta-Mood Scale-24 (TMMS-24) for measuring perceived EI, which evaluates three scales: Attention to one’s Feelings (Attention), Emotional Clarity (Clarity), and Mood Repair (Repair). Secondly, they completed the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) for affective well-being, which measures Positive Affect (PA) and Negative Affect (NA). Finally, teachers indicated their years of teaching experience. The results revealed that teaching experience and attention variables are counterproductive in determining lower PA and higher NA, respectively. Clarity and Repair appeared to be a significant determinant of PA and NA, with higher Clarity and Repair determining higher PA and lower NA. Moderator analyses showed how teaching experience significantly decreased PA in teachers who had average or low levels of Repair, but not for those with higher levels of this variable, emphasizing the important role of Repair as a protector of affective well-being in teachers. Limitations and future areas for research are discussed.

Emotional Intelligence Mediates the Relationship between Age and Subjective Well-Being

Individuals' Subjective Well-being (SWB) increases as they grow older. Past literature suggests that emotional intelligence may increase with age and lead to higher levels of SWB in older adults. The primary purpose of the present study was to test whether emotional intelligence would mediate the relationship between age and SWB. A total of 360 Chinese adults (age range: 20 to 79 years old) participated in this study. They filled out questionnaires that assessed their age, life satisfaction (The Satisfaction with Life Scale), affective well-being (The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule), and emotional intelligence (The Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale). Using Structural Equation Modeling, the mediation model was supported, χ(2) (75) = 194.21, p < .01; RMSEA = .07; CFI = .91. Emotional intelligence partially mediated the relationship between age and life satisfaction, and fully mediated the relationship between age and affective well-being. The findings suggest that older adults may use their increased emotional intelligence to enhance their SWB.

Importance of change appraisal for employee well-being during organizational restructuring: findings from the Finnish paper industry's extensive transition

The global recession has forced the Finnish forest industry to carry out major restructuring activities. Employees have faced different kinds of restructuring, mainly aimed at reducing staff and production. Many studies have shown the negative consequences of restructuring on employee well-being by using negative, ill-health indicators. Our aim is to examine the extent to which change appraisal influences both the negative and positive aspects of work-related well-being among employees who continue working in the organization after the restructuring process. We also examine the role of different actors (top management, immediate supervisor, employees themselves) in how the change is appraised. The study investigated blue-collar employees working in the Finnish forest industry during a period of extensive transition (2008-2009). All six participating factories underwent restructuring between baseline and the follow-up survey (n=369). After adjustment for gender, age and baseline well-being, negative change appraisal increased the risk of experiencing more stress and less work enjoyment. Negative change appraisals thus also damaged the positive, motivational aspects of employee well-being. The results showed the importance of offering employees the opportunity to participate in the planning of changes related to their work as regards positive change appraisal.

Emotional aging: a discrete emotions perspective

Perhaps the most important single finding in the field of emotional aging has been that the overall quality of affective experience steadily improves during adulthood and can be maintained into old age. Recent lifespan developmental theories have provided motivation- and experience-based explanations for this phenomenon. These theories suggest that, as individuals grow older, they become increasingly motivated and able to regulate their emotions, which could result in reduced negativity and enhanced positivity. The objective of this paper is to expand existing theories and empirical research on emotional aging by presenting a discrete emotions perspective. To illustrate the usefulness of this approach, we focus on a discussion of the literature examining age differences in anger and sadness. These two negative emotions have typically been subsumed under the singular concept of negative affect. From a discrete emotions perspective, however, they are highly distinct and show multidirectional age differences. We propose that such contrasting age differences in specific negative emotions have important implications for our understanding of long-term patterns of affective well-being across the adult lifespan.