Daily Hassles, Uplifts, Quality of Life, and Affectivity – A Predictive Study on Middle-aged Population of India

Background: Middle age is regarded as a pivotal period in life. Multiple changes are observed in the various domains of life during this transitional phase. Aim and Objectives: Understanding the microevents, daily hassles and uplifts, and their implications on the affectivity and quality of life (QOL) of middle-aged adults would provide a better understanding of midlife psychology. Materials and Methods: A sample of 268 adults between 40 - 60 years of age was drawn using convenience sampling from Gujarat, India. Data were collected using a brief participant demographic sheet and psychometric scales such as the daily Hassles and Uplifts Scale, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and WHOQOL-BREF. The data were analyzed using cross-tabulation, Spearman correlation, and multiple regression stepwise method. Results: The results suggest that the majority of participants experience the average level of daily hassles, 38.4%, and uplifts, 61.6%, with some notable gender differences. Daily hassles shared an inverse relationship with positive and negative affectivity. Both daily hassles and uplifts significantly impacted the QOL of middle-aged adults. Conclusion: The negative association of daily uplifts with QOL suggests future research to use an intervention-based approach to bring awareness of daily uplifts in the middle-aged population. This study will help develop insights into the importance of overlooked microevents in the lives of middle-aged adults, emphasizing the need to focus on the uplifting experiences of life to improve the QOL. This study is a pioneering attempt to assess daily hassles and uplifts with regard to affective states and QOL of middle-aged Indian adults.