title: Psychological well-being revisited: advances in the science and practice of eudaimonia.
abstract: This article reviews research and interventions that have grown up around a model of psychological well-being generated more than two decades ago to address neglected aspects of positive functioning such as purposeful engagement in life, realization of personal talents and capacities, and enlightened self-knowledge. The conceptual origins of this formulation are revisited and scientific products emerging from 6 thematic areas are examined: (1) how well-being changes across adult development and later life; (2) what are the personality correlates of well-being; (3) how well-being is linked with experiences in family life; (4) how well-being relates to work and other community activities; (5) what are the connections between well-being and health, including biological risk factors, and (6) via clinical and intervention studies, how psychological well-being can be promoted for ever-greater segments of society. Together, these topics illustrate flourishing interest across diverse scientific disciplines in understanding adults as striving, meaning-making, proactive organisms who are actively negotiating the challenges of life. A take-home message is that increasing evidence supports the health protective features of psychological well-being in reducing risk for disease and promoting length of life. A recurrent and increasingly important theme is resilience - the capacity to maintain or regain well-being in the face of adversity. Implications for future research and practice are considered.
authors.affiliation: University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisc., USA.
authors.forename: Carol D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Ryff
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000639:trends; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D006304:Health Status; D006803:Human Development; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D008603:Mental Health / Q000639:trends*; D008960:Models, Psychological; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010551:Personality; D010684:Philosophy; D011582:Psychological Theory; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D012649:Self Concept; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology