This book is a primer for practitioners and researchers striving to incorporate the assessment of human strengths, resources, and fulfillment into their work. Contributors examine the scientific underpinnings and practical applications of measures of hope, optimism, self-efficacy, problem-solving, locus of control, creativity, wisdom, courage,…

Research shows that subjective indices of social integration are related to general well-being. In order to study the relationship between social interaction and well-being, 31 healthy Caucasian adults, with a mean age of 73 years, were given two questionnaires. The first contained eleven subjective social interation variables and was derived from…

Problems with assessment of the quality of life of individuals with intellectual disabilities are cited. The Comprehensive Quality of Life Scale-Intellectual Disability is described as a scale that measures both objective and subjective data, uses simple language, tests for competence in using Likert scales, and covers the full range of quality of…

This study attempted to operationalize, measure, and increase happiness among five adults with profound mental and physical disabilities. Happiness indices were defined and observed. Most preferred stimuli-produced increases in happiness indices, and practitioner ratings of participant happiness coincided with observed indices. Discussion focuses…

Rubin and Peplau's Just World Scale is based on the belief that a just world is a unidimensional construct in which individual beliefs are polarized according to immanent justice or ultimate justice. To investigate the effect of personal style on just world view, 109 male and female college students (who previously had completed the Just World…

A 1981 mail survey revealed evaluations by 701 Alabama farmers of recent life experiences in farming and expectations for life quality in the future as a function of farm structural characteristics were more important determinants of well-being than were farm structure dimensions. (NEC)

Psychological well-being has been shown to be significantly influenced both by daily and major life events. The impact of two types of daily events on reports of physical and mental well-being was investigated in a multiple-time measurement design. Demand events which occur independently of one's volition, and desire events which arise from one's…

Models of well being and human functioning have traditionally been based on empirical studies done with children and young adults. As part of an ongoing research program to develop and test a model of effective functioning and positive health in older adults, 31 elderly individuals (7 males, 24 females), with a mean age of 73.58 years, completed…

Examines 218 black migrant farm workers to determine applicability of Index of General Well-Being, compare level of mental health with that of the general population, and assess and identify variations in subjective well-being. Finds lifestyle, social support, housing conditions, age, sex, and education influence subjective well-being. Discusses…

Summarizes the responses of 311 Australian and 250 Nepalese university students to the Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Discovers a moderate inverse relationship between depressive symptoms and life satisfaction among the Australian students. Discusses possible reasons for this. (MJP)

The role of research in an applied field can be seen in terms of its relevance and use to practitioners. However, it can seem that much, or at least some, educational research currently being undertaken has become focused on the agenda and expressed in the terms of the ideology of governmental department and agencies. Specifically, how meaningful…