Short-term dynamic changes in mental well-being under stress: Exploring trajectories with latent growth model analysis

The change patterns of well-being when under stress are contentious issues. The hedonic adaptation theory and sustainable happiness theory suggest divergent patterns, potentially tied to the distinction between hedonic and eudemonic well-being. This study aimed to explore how daily stress and lifetime stress influence short-term change patterns in hedonic and eudemonic well-being. The study involved 241 participants in a 14-day daily diary study. Unconditional and parallel latent growth models were constructed to examine the trajectories of well-being and how daily and lifetime stress influence baseline levels and change rates of well-being. Over the 14 days, a marked decline in both hedonic and eudemonic well-being was observed. Greater daily stress was correlated with lower baseline levels (β= −0.191, p = 0.011, 95%CI = −0.315, −0.067; β= −0.359, p < 0.001, 95%CI = −0.481, −0.238) and a slower decline rate (β= 0.346, p = 0.009, 95%CI = 0.130, 0.562; β= 0.339, p = 0.001, 95%CI = 0.163, 0.515) of both types of well-being. Lifetime stress had a minimal impact on baseline levels (β= −0.025, p = 0.003, 95%CI = −0.039, −0.012) and change rates (β= −0.016, p = 0.336, 95%CI = −0.044, 0.011) of hedonic well-being, aligning with the propositions of hedonic adaptation theory. Conversely, higher lifetime stress was linked to lower baseline levels (β= −0.141, p = 0.042, 95%CI = −0.255, −0.027) and a faster decline (β= −0.198, p = 0.040, 95%CI = −0.356, −0.039) in eudemonic well-being, consistent with the posits of sustainable happiness theory. This study revealed the inconsistent impacts of lifetime stress on hedonic and eudemonic well-being, with changes in eudemonic well-being proving to be more sustainable.