IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jhappi/v22y2021i3d10.1007_s10902-020-00274-0.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Maturity and Well-Being: The Development of Self-Authorship, Eudaimonic Motives, Age, and Subjective Well-Being

Author

Listed:
  • Lars Bauger

    (University of South-Eastern Norway)

  • Rob Bongaardt

    (University of South-Eastern Norway)

  • Jack J. Bauer

    (University of Dayton)

Abstract

In this article, we investigate psychological maturity and other eudaimonic phenomena to predict subjective well-being (SWB), as well as if age moderate the relationship between psychological maturity and SWB. To assess psychological maturity, we analyzed 223 participants’ narratives of a high point in their life, according to Kegan’s (In over our heads: the mental demands of modern life, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, 1994) theory of adult development and the accompanying subject-object interview guide. In a multiple regression analysis, we found support for our first hypothesis that level of psychological maturity in the narratives significantly predicts SWB when controlling for other eudaimonic phenomena like meaning in life, growth motivation, and authenticity. We found some support for our second hypothesis that age moderated the relation between psychological maturity and SWB, but not in the expected direction. That is, maturity predicted SWB only for those under 60 years old and not for the older age group, but this moderating influence of age on the relation between psychological maturity and SWB was not supported in regression models with a continuous or tripartite age variable. These are novel results as psychological maturity has traditionally not been associated with well-being. We discuss our findings in relation to similar constructs such as autonomy that have traditionally been linked with SWB.

Suggested Citation

  • Lars Bauger & Rob Bongaardt & Jack J. Bauer, 2021. "Maturity and Well-Being: The Development of Self-Authorship, Eudaimonic Motives, Age, and Subjective Well-Being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(3), pages 1313-1340, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:22:y:2021:i:3:d:10.1007_s10902-020-00274-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-020-00274-0
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10902-020-00274-0
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10902-020-00274-0?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Weiting Ng, 2015. "Processes Underlying Links to Subjective Well-being: Material Concerns, Autonomy, and Personality," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 16(6), pages 1575-1591, December.
    2. Andres Fossas, 2019. "Psychological Maturity Predicts Different Forms of Happiness," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 20(6), pages 1933-1952, August.
    3. Heidi A. Wayment & Jack J. Bauer, 2018. "The Quiet Ego: Motives for Self-Other Balance and Growth in Relation to Well-Being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 881-896, March.
    4. Feng Li & Xinwen Bai & Yong Wang, 2013. "The Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE): Psychometric Properties and Normative Data in a Large Chinese Sample," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(4), pages 1-9, April.
    5. Andrew Howell & Karen Buro, 2015. "Measuring and Predicting Student Well-Being: Further Evidence in Support of the Flourishing Scale and the Scale of Positive and Negative Experiences," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 121(3), pages 903-915, April.
    6. Christian Welzel & Ronald Inglehart, 2010. "Agency, Values, and Well-Being: A Human Development Model," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 97(1), pages 43-63, May.
    7. Ana Silva & António Caetano, 2013. "Validation of the Flourishing Scale and Scale of Positive and Negative Experience in Portugal," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 110(2), pages 469-478, January.
    8. Ed Diener & Derrick Wirtz & William Tov & Chu Kim-Prieto & Dong-won Choi & Shigehiro Oishi & Robert Biswas-Diener, 2010. "New Well-being Measures: Short Scales to Assess Flourishing and Positive and Negative Feelings," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 97(2), pages 143-156, June.
    9. Jeromy Anglim & Sharon Grant, 2016. "Predicting Psychological and Subjective Well-Being from Personality: Incremental Prediction from 30 Facets Over the Big 5," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 59-80, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Liying Jiao & Wen Jiang & Zhen Guo & Yue Xiao & Mengke Yu & Yan Xu, 2023. "Good Personality and Subjective Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Three-Wave Longitudinal Study in Chinese Contexts," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 24(2), pages 589-606, February.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Marta Martín-Carbonell & Irene Checa & Martha Fernández-Daza & Yadid Paternina & Begoña Espejo, 2021. "Adaptation and Psychometric Properties of the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE) in the General Colombian Population," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-17, June.
    2. Begoña Espejo & Irene Checa & Jaime Perales-Puchalt & Juan Francisco Lisón, 2020. "Validation and Measurement Invariance of the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE) in a Spanish General Sample," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-15, November.
    3. Vicente Prado-Gascó & Virginia Romero-Reignier & Patricia Mesa-Gresa & Ana Belén Górriz, 2020. "Subjective Well-Being in Spanish Adolescents: Psychometric Properties of the Scale of Positive and Negative Experiences," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-16, May.
    4. Andrew Howell & Karen Buro, 2015. "Measuring and Predicting Student Well-Being: Further Evidence in Support of the Flourishing Scale and the Scale of Positive and Negative Experiences," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 121(3), pages 903-915, April.
    5. Chua Bee Seok & Getrude Cosmas & Shazia Iqbal Hashmi & Carmella Ading, 2022. "Psychometric and Gender Invariance Analysis of the Flourishing Scale in the Malaysian Context," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(2), pages 21582440221, May.
    6. M. Pilar Matud & Mª José Pino & Juan Manuel Bethencourt & D. Estefanía Lorenzo, 2023. "Stressful Events, Psychological Distress and Well-Being during the Second Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic in Spain: A Gender Analysis," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 18(3), pages 1291-1319, June.
    7. Jesus Alfonso D. Datu, 2018. "Flourishing is Associated with Higher Academic Achievement and Engagement in Filipino Undergraduate and High School Students," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 27-39, January.
    8. Isabella Romano & Mark A. Ferro & Karen A. Patte & Ed Diener & Scott T. Leatherdale, 2020. "Measurement Invariance of the Flourishing Scale among a Large Sample of Canadian Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-15, October.
    9. Hezhi Chen & Zhijia Zeng, 2023. "Seeking Pleasure is Good, but Avoiding Pain is Bad: Distinguishing Hedonic Approach from Hedonic Avoidance Orientations," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 24(7), pages 2377-2393, October.
    10. Ana Junça-Silva, 2022. "Friends with Benefits: The Positive Consequences of Pet-Friendly Practices for Workers’ Well-Being," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-10, January.
    11. Wenjie Li & Linting Zhang & Chengcheng Li & Ningzhe Zhu & Jingjing Zhao & Feng Kong, 2022. "Pursuing Pleasure or Meaning: A Cross-Lagged Analysis of Happiness Motives and Well-being in Adolescents," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(8), pages 3981-3999, December.
    12. Isabell Koinig, 2022. "Picturing Mental Health on Instagram: Insights from a Quantitative Study Using Different Content Formats," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-11, January.
    13. Berezan, Orie & Krishen, Anjala S. & Agarwal, Shaurya & Kachroo, Pushkin, 2018. "The pursuit of virtual happiness: Exploring the social media experience across generations," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 455-461.
    14. Guanyu Liu & Linda M. Isbell & Michael J. Constantino & Bernhard Leidner, 2022. "Quiet Ego Intervention Enhances Flourishing by Increasing Quiet Ego Characteristics and Trait Emotional Intelligence: A Randomized Experiment," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(7), pages 3605-3623, October.
    15. Anna Parola & Jenny Marcionetti, 2022. "Positive Resources for Flourishing: The Effect of Courage, Self-Esteem, and Career Adaptability in Adolescence," Societies, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    16. Aiste Dirzyte & Živilė Sederevičiūtė-Pačiauskienė & Jolita Šliogerienė & Aivaras Vijaikis & Aidas Perminas & Lukas Kaminskis & Giedrius Žebrauskas & Kęstutis Mačiulaitis, 2021. "Peer-to-Peer Confirmation, Positive Automatic Thoughts, and Flourishing of Computer Programming E-Learners," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-24, October.
    17. Leonie C. Steckermeier, 2021. "The Value of Autonomy for the Good Life. An Empirical Investigation of Autonomy and Life Satisfaction in Europe," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 154(2), pages 693-723, April.
    18. Bryant Pui Hung Hui & Anise M. S. Wu & Nicolson Y. F. Siu & Ming-Lun Chung & Ngai Pun, 2019. "The Effects of Need Satisfaction and Dissatisfaction on Flourishing among Young Chinese Gamers: The Mediating Role of Internet Gaming Disorder," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-14, November.
    19. Inês Mendonça & Franz Coelho & Paulo Ferrajão & Ana Maria Abreu, 2022. "Telework and Mental Health during COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-23, February.
    20. Melikşah Demir & Andrew Haynes & Marlyn Sanchez & Jennifer C. Parada, 2019. "Personal Sense of Uniqueness Mediates the Relationship Between Compassion for Others and Subjective Well-Being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 20(6), pages 1751-1773, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:22:y:2021:i:3:d:10.1007_s10902-020-00274-0. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.