title: Subjective well-being and adaptation to life events: a meta-analysis.
abstract: Previous research has shown that major life events can have short- and long-term effects on subjective well-being (SWB). The present meta-analysis examines (a) whether life events have different effects on affective and cognitive well-being and (b) how the rate of adaptation varies across different life events. Longitudinal data from 188 publications (313 samples, N = 65,911) were integrated to describe the reaction and adaptation to 4 family events (marriage, divorce, bereavement, childbirth) and 4 work events (unemployment, reemployment, retirement, relocation/migration). The findings show that life events have very different effects on affective and cognitive well-being and that for most events the effects of life events on cognitive well-being are stronger and more consistent across samples. Different life events differ in their effects on SWB, but these effects are not a function of the alleged desirability of events. The results are discussed with respect to their theoretical implications, and recommendations for future studies on adaptation are given.
authors: Department of Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany. luhmann@uchicago.edu
authors: Maike
authors: M
authors: Luhmann
authors: Wilhelm
authors: W
authors: Hofmann
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Eid
authors: Richard E
authors: RE
authors: Lucas
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001601:Bereavement; D004243:Divorce / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D036801:Parturition / Q000523:psychology; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012179:Retirement / Q000523:psychology; D014478:Unemployment / Q000523:psychology