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Subjective well-being (SWB) is one of the most important indicators of the quality of life.In Taiwan, research on SWB is heavily influenced by western psychology, which cannot adequately explain the unique phenomnon of SWB in a Chlture culture. llence, this project adopted semi-structured interview and questionaire technyques to explore sources of Chinese SWB and it''s possible correlats.
The interview study found that sources of SWB among Chinese people included "Satisfaction of self-esteem","Interpersonal relationships of family and friends", "Economic affluence", "Job achievement", "Calmness in life", "Downward social comparisons", "control and self-actualization", "Trancedental joy" and "Health". Consequently, an Chinese Happiness Inventory was devised , combining the above mentioned categories and the original OHI (Oxford Happiness Inventory). This new measurement, then, provided a tool for investigating correlats of SWB.
The relational study produced interesting results. First , SWB correlated with higher income, higher extraversion, Iower neuroticism, higher receiving social support, higher giving social support, better subjective mental health, and higher social desirlity. Second, path analysis using LISREL confirmed that extraversion affected SWB directly, but had no indirect effect. Neuroticism affected SWB both directly, and also indirectly through subjective mental health. Finally Similarly, social desirability affected SWB both directly, and also indirectly influent through subjective mental health. Finally, Subjective mental health affected SWB directly.
Major findings of this project were discussed and some suggestions were put forward for future research.
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