Self-reported well-being of women and men with intellectual disabilities in England.
We investigated the association between indicators of subjective well-being and the personal characteristics, socioeconomic position, and social relationships of a sample of 1,273 English adults with intellectual disabilities. Mean overall happiness with life was 71% of the scale maximum, a figure only marginally lower than typically reported among the general population. Variation in subjective well-being was strongly and consistently related to indicators of socioeconomic position and, to a lesser extent, social relationships. For women, being single was associated with greater well-being on all indicators. For men, there was no association between marital status and well-being. Relationships with friends who also had intellectual disabilities appeared to be protective against feeling helpless.
Emerson
Eric
E
Lancaster University, UK. eric.emerson@lancaster.ac.uk
Hatton
Chris
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006240:Happiness; D006306:Health Surveys; D006380:Helplessness, Learned; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012847:Single Person / Q000523:psychology; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012931:Social Environment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors