Satisfaction and distress in a community: a test of the effects of life events.
A household survey of 537 residents was conducted to test conflicting hypotheses about the correlates of life events derived from three general models of well-being: an equilibrium, a life crisis, and a positive mental health model. Consistent with the predictions of a positive mental health approach, positive life events were correlated with both reports of distress and satisfaction. Further, positive and negative events were intercorrelated; the distress effects of positive events could be accounted for to a large extent by the negative events associated with them. The findings suggest that community studies need to assess the potentially positive as well as stressful effects of life events.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003156:Community Mental Health Services; D003419:Crisis Intervention; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012928:Social Desirability; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology