Psychological well-being (PWB) is a framework of positive functioning. Two professors at the University of Wisconsin published an article in 1995 that revealed the six unique factors of psychological well-being. Here they are:
1. Autonomy
Autonomy is the ability to act according to an internal compass. The actions of autonomous individuals are not dictated by the majority. Autonomy in the context of PWB is not contrariness for its own sake. Rather, knowledgeable autonomy is earned by dialectical thinking, i.e., thoroughly analyzing the proposition at hand (the thesis) as well as the relevant counter propositions (the antitheses). At the end of the process of intelligently comparing and contrasting, an informed conclusion (the synthesis) emerges. Persons with autonomy are informed by facts and contexts empirically determined, and their professed beliefs are not membership cards in tribal groups.
2. Environmental Mastery
Environmental mastery is competence derived from awareness of opportunities in the environment and then using those opportunities to meet one’s needs. The competencies can be basic activities of daily living, or they can result in artistic and intellectual achievements. Persons strong in this attribute approach the environment with awe and courage.
3. Personal Growth
People who value personal growth may be somewhat satisfied with their current knowledge, skills, and abilities but look forward to enhancing them. These people live not only for today; but also for tomorrow. Further, they don’t celebrate their past achievements; yesterday’s accomplishments are gifts to which the donors relinquish all claim.
4. Positive Relations with Others
Persons with PWB have people in their lives whom they trust. Persons with PWB have empathy and warm feelings towards all of their fellow humans. Yes, this includes the people they don’t personally know. Dunbar’s number is relevant here because it proposes that each human is capable of about 150 stable personal relationships, but a good life requires a much larger community. “How large?” you ask. One hundred million is too small a number. ((I admit that when I first heard that number, I was surprised. I urge you to study not only Professor Krugman’s column but also the Charlie Stroll essay he references.))
5. Purpose in Life
This factor concerns having goals that are bigger than ourselves. It is expected that our goals evolve as our we inhabit different stages of life. How are personal growth and purpose in life related? The former is individual and the latter is social. Empathy, a key component in emotional intelligence, inspires purpose in life.
6. Self-Acceptance
People with self-acceptance value themselves realistically in failure and in success. They especially acknowledge the life episodes that have overwhelmed them. Just as self-accepting people do not relive past triumphs, they do not beat themselves up over past setbacks. Of course, self-accepting people periodically analyze the setbacks to learn from their mistakes and to atone for the harm they may have caused.
Endnote
Psychological well-being is not to be mistaken for subjective well-being (SWB) which is defined as the momentary experiencing of joy along with the absence of pain and anxiety. Attempting to increase one’s happiness, a dispositional trait, by increasing SWB, a momentary state, is sometimes a trap. Subjective well-being is a withdrawal from the happiness bank while psychological well-being is a deposit. Exhausting one’s happiness bank account is self-destructive.
Good mental health,
Dr. Michael DeCaria
The featured image is a white ash tree (Fraxinus americana) that lives two houses to the east of me. Here a south wind buffets the tree just hours before the first cold front of fall. (Photo by the author)