Does Valuing Happiness Lead to Well-Being?

Happiness has become one of the most important life goals worldwide. However, does valuing happiness lead to better well-being? This study investigates the effect of valuing happiness on well-being using a population-based longitudinal survey of Dutch adults (N = 8,331) from 2019 to 2023. Random-intercept cross-lagged panel models indicated that those who valued happiness generally exhibited higher well-being as manifested by life satisfaction, more positive affect, and less negative affect. However, increases in valuing happiness did not result in changes in life satisfaction one year later, and had mixed emotional consequences (i.e., increasing both positive and negative affect). Additional analyses using fixed effects models indicated that valuing happiness had contemporaneous positive effects on well-being. These findings indicate that endorsing happiness goals may have immediate psychological benefits but not necessarily translate into long-term positive outcomes.