associations between world assumptions and well-being in brazilian adolescents
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Associations between World Assumptions and Well-being in
Brazilian adolescents
Jorge Castellá SarrieraEveline Favero
Ângela Carina ParadisoTiago Zanatta Calza
Livia Bedin
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS, Brazil)Grupo de Pesquisa em Psicologia Comunitária (GPPC)
IntroductionIntroduction The research presented here is part of a research project: “Quality of Life
and Well-Being in Adolescence”, which was funded by the Brazil Government´s, Ministry of Science and Tecnology, Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq).
The map below shows the cities which took part of the study in Brazil
IntroductionIntroduction The world assumptions concept derives from the
Assumptive World Theory A conceptual system developed during lifetime that provides
us with expectations about the world and about ourselves
This system is represented by general assumptions that drive our thoughts, reflect and guide our interactions
Janoff-Bulman (1992)
IntroductionIntroduction
Personal Well-Being
Conceptualized as feeling good or not, along the life cycle overall, not in occasional moments of life
Can be understood as a reciprocal relationship between internal aspects (psychological) and its external interactions with other people and the context (psychosocial)
Casas (2010); Cummins, Eckersley, Pallant, Van Vugt & Misajon (2003)
IntroductionIntroduction
Most research on world assumptions has been conducted with adults who have experienced traumatic events
Arnoso et al., (2010, in press); Elklit et al., (2007); Jeavons & Godber (2005);
Harris & Valentiner (2002); Magwaza (1999); Mikkelsen & Einarsen (2002)
In a smaller proportion studies were conducted with adolescents, being even less common studies that assess relations between world assumptions and well-being
Bègue & Muller (2006); Calhoun & Cann (2011);
Feist, Bodner, Jacobs, Miles & Tan (1995)
IntroductionIntroduction
Aim of this study:
To assess the relations between world assumptions and personal well-being of Brazilian adolescents
MethodMethod
Participants
1.589 adolescents from five cities in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (the state capital city and four other smaller cities of similar size)
Ages ranged between 12 and 16 years old, with a mean of 14.13 (SD = 1.26)
MethodMethodInstruments
World Assumptions Scale (WAS) Originally consisting of 32 items measured with a 5-point Likert-
type scale (from 1 = “strongly disagree” to 5 = “strongly agree”) Janoff-Bulman (1992)
In this study it was used a reduced 16-items version of the WASPáez, Arroyo and Fernández (1995)
The WAS was measured by an 11-point Lickert-type scale labeled only at the extremes (from 0 = never to 10 = always). The increase in points on the scale is based on the idea that the measurement of aspects related to well-being can be better assessed by scales with more choice points
Cummins (2003)
MethodMethod
Instruments
World Assumptions Scale (WAS), adapted by Páez et al. (1995), consists of six factors:
Benevolence of world and people: “If you look closely, you will see that the world is full of goodness.”
Self-Worth: “I am very satisfied with the kind of person I am.” Justice: “Generally people deserve what they get in this world.” Luck: “I am luckier than most people.” Random: “Bad events are distributed to people at random.” Ilusion of control: “I usually behave in ways that are likely to
maximise good results for me.”
MethodMethodInstruments
Personal Well-being Index (PWI)
Assessment of people’s satisfaction with general aspects of life
The PWI consists of seven items: satisfaction with health, living standards, what one has achieved in life, security, the groups of people one is part of, security about the future and the relationships one has with others
Cummins et al. (2003)
In this study, the PWI’s Cronbach’s Alpha was 0.78
ResultsResults
Factor Alpha
Benevolence of world and people (items 03, 12, 15)
0.68
Self-Worth (items 10, 14) 0.81
Justice (04, 06, 07) 0.47
Luck (05, 16) 0.60
Randomness (02, 08) 0.45
Ilusion of control (01, 09, 11, 13) 0.47
Variance Explained 60.8%
Table 1. Exploratory Factors Analysis with Varimax Rotation of World Assumptions Scale (WAS), Alpha Coefficients and Variance Explained in this Study
ResultsResults
Personal Well-being
Variable B Std Error Beta t Sig 95% C.I. for B
Constant 46.658 1.968 23.714 0.000 [42.799, 50.518]
Self-Worth 1.592 0.140 0.28 11.393 0.000 [1.318, 1.867]
Luck 0.893 0.133 0.17 6.700 0.000 [0.631, 1.154]
Illusion of Control
1.082 0.199 0.14 5.426 0.000 [0.691, 1.473]
Benevolence of World and People
0.773 0.168 0.12 4.612 0.000 [0.444, 1.101]
Justice 0.809 0.199 0.10 4.072 0.000 [0.419, 1.199
Randomness 0.187 0.132 0.03 1.419 0.156 [-0.072, 0.446]
R²aj.= 0,25
Table 2. WAS Factors Associated with Adolescents’ Personal Well-being
DiscussionDiscussion
The results confirm the hypothesis that world assumptions are associated with well-being (Feist et al., 1995)
According to the results, Self-Worth is a contributor to the well-being of adolescents. This result underscores the results of other studies as Smedema, Catalano, Ebener (2010) where feelings of positive self-worth were found to be positively associated with subjective well-being
This idea reinforces the importance of a positive self-concept that can lead adolescents to engage in appropriate behaviors, and maximize successful outcomes (Janoff-Bulman, 1992) thus contributing to the positive feelings of well-being
Luck is linked to Self-Worth. We tend to measure ourselves as having more luck than most people within our particular world (Calhoun & Cann, 1994; Janoff-Bulman,1992)
Janoff-Bulman (1992) also found in college students that they underestimate the likelihood of negative events happen and overestimate the positive events - what Weinstein and Lachendro (1982) called "unrealistic optimism"
DiscussionDiscussion
Related to Illusion of Control, Janoff-Bulman (1992) argues that the illusion of self-control is adaptive and not only positive emotions derive from it, but it also can improve the motivation to explore the world and engage in new behaviors, which is positive for adolescents
According to Jeavons and Godber (2005), to believe in Benevolence of the world protects people from stress and anxiety, which could indirectly contribute to the well-being promotion.
DiscussionDiscussion
DiscussionDiscussion
Related to Justice we tend to do, theoretically, a selective assessment of events which leads us to believe that certain events "make sense" (Janoff-Bulman, 1992) and thus interpret our world as meaningful
According to Lerner´s Just World Theory, people have a need to believe in a just world because we feel deeply threatned by the possibility that negative events, if random, could happen to us (Lerner, 1980)
Contributions Contributions
This study emphasizes the importance of world assumptions as a predictor of Well-Being in adolescents
These results reinforce the importance of psychosocial interventions that aim to strength the self-control and assertiveness
This study contributes to test the use of WAS with adolescents, since the scale was designed for use with adult populations
ReferencesReferences Arnoso, M., Bilbao, M A., Páez, D., Iraurgi, I., Kanyangara, P., Rimé, B., Sales, P. P., & Martín-Beristain, C. (2010).
Violencia colectiva y creencias básicas sobre el mundo, los otros y el yo. Impacto y reconstrucción. In D. Paez, C. Martin Beristain, J. L. Gonzalez & J. De Rivera (Eds.), Superando la violencia colectiva y construyendo cultura de paz. Madrid: Fundamentos (in press).
Bègue, L., Muller, D. (2006). Belief in a just world as moderator of hostile attributional bias. British Journal of Social Psychology, 45, 117-126. doi: 10.1348/014466605X37314
Calhoun, L.G., & Cann, A. (1994). Differences in assumptions about a just world: ethnicity and point of view. The Journal of Social Psychology, 134 (6), 765-770.
Casas, F. (2010). El bienestar personal: Su investigación en la infancia y la adolescencia. Encuentros en Psicología Social, 5(1), 85-101.
Cummins, R. (2003). Normative life satisfaction: Measurement issues and homeostatic model. Social Indicators Research, 64(2), 225–256. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/27527122
Cummins, R., Eckersley, R., Pallant, J., van Vugt, J., & Misajon, R. A. (2003). Developing a national index of subjective wellbeing: The Australian Unity Wellbeing Index, Social Indicators Research, 64(2), 159–190. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/27527119.
Elklit, A., Shevlin, M., Solomon, Z., & Dekel, R. (2007). Factor structure and concurrent validity of the world assumptions scale. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 20(3), 291–301. doi: 10.1002/jts.20203
Feist, Gregory J., Tood E. Bodner, Jacobs, J. F., Miles, M., & Tan, V. (1995). Integrating top-down and botton-up structural models of Subjective Well-Being: A longitudinal investigation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 68(1), 138-150.
ReferencesReferences Harris, H.N., & Valentiener, D.P. (2002). World assumptions, sexual assault, depression, and fearful attitudes
toward relationships. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 17(3), 286-305. doi: 10.1177/0886260502017003004 Janoff-Bulman, R. (1992). Shattered assumptions: Towards a new psychology of trauma. New York: Free Press. Jeavons, S., & Godber, T. (2005). Worl Assumptions as a measure of meaning in rural road crash victims.
Australian Journal Rural Health, 13, 226-231. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1584.2005.00706.x Lerner, M. J. (1980). The belief in a just world. New York: Plenum. Magwaza, A.S. (1999). Assumptive world of traumatized South Africans adults. The Journal of Social
Psychology, 139(5), 622–630. Retrieved from: http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.library.ucsb.edu:2048/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=2448639&site=ehost-live
Mikkelsen, E. G., & Einarsen, S. (2002). Basic assumptions and symptoms of post-traumatic stress among victims of bullying at work. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 11(1), 87–111. doi: 10.1080/13594320143000861
Páez, D.; Arroyo, E.; & Fernández, I. S. (1995). Catástrofes, situaciones de riesgo y factores psicosociales. Mapfre Seguridad, 57, 43-55.
Smedema, S.M., Catalano, D., Ebener, D.J. (2010). The relationship of coping, self-worth and subjective well-being: a structural equation model. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 53 (3), 131-142. doi:10.1177/0034355209358272
Weinstein, N. D., & Lachendo, E. (1982) Egocentrism as a source of unrealistic optimism. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 8, 195-200.
World Assumptions
01. Misfortune is least likely to strike worthy, decent people 02. Bad events are distributed to people at random 03. The good things that happen in this world far outnumber the bad 04. Generally people deserve what they get in this world 05. I am basically a lucky person 06. People’s misfortunes result from mistakes they have made 07. People don’t really care what happens to the next person 08. Life is too full of uncertainties that are determined by chance 09. I almost always make an effort to prevent bad things from happening to me 10. I have a low opinion of myself 11. Through our actions we can prevent bad things from happening to us 12. Most people are basically good and kind 13. I usually behave in ways that are likely to maximise good results for me 14. I am very satisfied with the kind of person I am 15. If you look closely enough, you will see that the world is full of goodness 16. I am luckier than most people
Associations between World Assumptions and Well-being in
Brazilian adolescentsJorge Castellá Sarriera
Eveline FaveroÂngela Carina Paradiso
Tiago Zanatta CalzaLívia Bedin
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS, Brazil)Grupo de Pesquisa em Psicologia Comunitária (GPPC)
Website: www.ufrgs.br/gppcE-mail: gppc@ufrgs.br
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