Journal of Happiness and Health

Previous research has established a positive association between COVID-19-related trauma and posttraumatic growth (PTG), but few studies have examined the factors that influence the strength of that relationship. The current study used an electronic survey to investigate the relationship between U.S. adults’ COVID-19-related trauma and PTG and the degree to which their perceived social support and psychological resilience served as moderators of that relationship. Data (n = 378) were gathered through a crowdsourcing platform in April, 2023. Analyses indicated a significant positive relationship between COVID-19-related trauma and PTG. In addition, both perceived social support and psychological resilience were supported as significant moderators of that relationship. Not only did higher levels of each variable predict a stronger relationship between trauma and growth, but they also had an interactive effect where having higher levels of both predicted the strongest relationship of all. This research establishes perceived social support and psychological resilience as key moderators of the relationship between COVID-19-related trauma and PTG. These results hold implications for how future research and therapeutic practice might benefit from focusing on perceived social support and psychological resilience as key factors in the psychological recovery from COVID-19.

Aversion to happiness (AH) is a destructive psychological phenomenon that significantly impacts individuals' well-being. The mediating roles of psychological inflexibility (PI) and psychological vulnerability (PV) in the relationship between AH and life satisfaction (LS) remain an unexplored gap in the literature. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the mediating role of PI and PV in the relationship between AH and LS. A total of 404 participants were included in the study (Mage = 22.32 years, SD = 5.20). Structural equation modeling (SEM) and bootstrap analysis were employed to test the study’s model. The results from SEM revealed that individuals experiencing aversion to happiness exhibited high levels of psychological inflexibility and psychological vulnerability, along with low life satisfaction. The study confirmed the mediating effects of PI and PV in the relationship between aversion to happiness and life satisfaction. These results suggest that reducing psychological inflexibility and psychological vulnerability may help individuals more effectively manage their aversion to happiness, potentially enhancing overall life satisfaction. Based on these findings, mental health professionals are encouraged to implement interventions aimed at boosting life satisfaction and mitigating the impact of risk factors. Specifically, psychological counselors are advised to apply counseling and psychoeducation interventions designed to enhance life satisfaction and address risk factors. Approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) can help reduce psychological inflexibility in individuals who experience aversion to happiness, while cognitive-behavioral therapy techniques can address psychological vulnerability.

A growing body of research provides support for a dual continua model of mental health where psychological distress and wellbeing are separable and related dimensions. This model contrasts with the unipolar model of mental health, which suggests that psychological distress and wellbeing are on opposite ends of the same continuum. The present study expands on the dual continua model of mental health literature within a rural clinical sample. Participants (n = 127) were categorized into 4 groups (higher and lower levels of anxiety and/or depression crossed with high and low levels of life satisfaction) and assessed on wellbeing indicators (gratitude and quality of life). Present results partially supported both the unipolar and dual continua model of mental health models. Specifically, consistent with the dual continua model of mental health, higher levels of psychological distress were not uniformly associated with lower levels of gratitude or quality of life, and conversely, lower levels of distress were not uniformly associated with higher levels of gratitude or quality of life. Consistent with the dual continua model of mental health and unipolar models of mental health, the low distress and high life satisfaction group reported higher levels of both gratitude and quality of life. Results extend the dual continua model of mental health literature in a rural, treatment-seeking sample. The results suggest wellbeing measures should be included when assessing and treating psychological distress in order to holistically treat the individual.

Individuals sometimes experience setbacks that evoke deep feelings of shame, often resulting in self-imposed isolation and intensified self-criticism. In such moments, self-compassion serves as an understanding friend, offering support and enhancing wellbeing. The present study examined the mediating role of self-compassion in the relationship between shame (internal and external) and subjective wellbeing in young adults. Participants were 433 young adults (64% female) aged 18-32 years (M = 20.56, SD = 2.01) from a public university in Türkiye. The initial model showed that external shame negatively predicted self-compassion, and subjective wellbeing. The second model showed that internal shame significantly and negatively predicted self-compassion and was directly associated with subjective wellbeing. Also, self-compassion mediated the link between internal shame and subjective wellbeing. Finally, it is found that self-compassion has a partial mediating role in the relationship between both internal and external shame and subjective wellbeing. The findings suggest that both internal and external forms of shame negatively predict self-compassion, which, in turn, reduces subjective wellbeing in young adults.  The results suggest that self-compassion and shame are promising targets for mental health interventions and research targeting young adults. Using self-compassion-based interventions can improve subjective wellbeing by supporting the development of adaptive coping mechanisms.

The early childcare and education (ECE) workforce shapes the developmental outcomes of children during critical years of growth. Despite facing historically low wages and high demands, the ECE workforce is happier than the general population in the U.S., with happiness levels comparable to Iceland and other top-ranking countries. PERMA, a model that identifies five elements that contribute to flourishing (positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment), can been used to promote wellbeing. This explanatory sequential mixed methods study aimed to investigate the work-related PERMA components that predict happiness levels in the early childhood (ECE) workforce. A hierarchical linear regression revealed that the PERMA components did significantly predict happiness in this sample of ECE staff, R2 = 0.20, F(10,244) = 5.96, p <.001. Engagement, positive emotions, and meaning at work were found to significantly account for the variance in happiness, after controlling for the other variables in the model. Qualitative interviews provided further insight into perceptions of happiness among ECE staff, supporting the value of relationships and meaning in ECE settings. This is the first mixed methods study to assess predictors and perceptions of happiness in the ECE workforce and has important research and practice implications for supporting mental health in this critical population.