Hedonic and eudaemonic well-being were distinguished as two distinct types of mental well-being whose associations with demographic factors remain relatively independent of symptoms of mental illness.
Cross-Sectional (n=7,293)
Mental well-being consists of hedonic and eudaemonic components that can remain present even in the presence of mental suffering.
BACKGROUND: Mental well-being underpins many aspects of health and social functioning, and is economically important. AIMS: To describe mental well-being in a general population sample and to determine the extent to which mental well-being and mental illness are independent of one another. METHOD: Secondary analysis of a survey of 7293 adults in England. Nine survey questions were identified as possible indicators of mental well-being. Common mental disorders (ICD-10) were ascertained using the Revised Clinical Interview Schedule (CIS-R). Principal components analysis was used to describe the factor structure of mental well-being and to generate mental well-being indicators. RESULTS: A two-factor solution found eight out of nine items with strong loadings on well-being. Eight items corresponding to hedonic and eudaemonic well-being accounted for 36.9% and 14.3% of total variance respectively. Separate hedonic and eudaemonic well-being scales were created. Hedonic well-being (full of life; having lots of energy) declined with age, while eudaemonic well-being (getting on well with family and friends; sense of belonging) rose steadily with age. Hedonic well-being was lower and eudaemonic well-being higher in women. Associations of well-being with age, gender, income and self-rated health were little altered by adjustment for symptoms of mental illness. CONCLUSIONS: In a large nationally representative population sample, two types of well-being were distinguished and reliably assessed: hedonic and eudaemonic. Associations with mental well-being were relatively independent of symptoms of mental illness. Mental well-being can remain even in the presence of mental suffering.
Weich et al. (Thu,) conducted a cross-sectional in Mental well-being and mental illness (n=7,293). Hedonic and eudaemonic well-being were distinguished as two distinct types of mental well-being whose associations with demographic factors remain relatively independent of symptoms of mental illness.