Martin Seligman's multidimensional theory of psychological well-being, PERMA (positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment), was empirically tested on a sample of Australian male students (age 13-18). Researchers selected a subset of theoretically relevant items from an extensive well-being assessment. Four of the fiver PERMA elements emerged from a factor analysis, along with two ill-being factors.
This research study assessed whether antecedent and response-focused emotion regulation had any divergent associations with likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease. Increases in antecedent-focused emotion regulation strategies (reappraisal) were associated with lower cardiovascular disease risk, and increases in response-focused emotion regulation strategies (suppression) were associated with higher cardiovascular disease risk.
This article presents the development and validation of two new measures of psychological well-being: the Comprehensive Inventory of Thriving (CIT) and the Brief Inventory of Thriving (BIT). These measures were developed to measure a broad range of psychological well-being constructs and represent a holistic view of positive functioning, as well as to predict important health outcomes.
Positive psychological well-being, especially optimism, protects against the incidence, and somewhat against the progression, of cardiovascular disease through a broad array of mechanisms, according to this extensive literature review.
Research suggests that optimistic individuals are more likely to live a healthier and longer life. However, more longitudinal studies are necessary to learn more about when, why, how and for whom optimism plays a role in good health and whether interventions that enhance optimism will yield health benefits.
