The construct ''quality of life (QoL)'', since the 1980s, when it
was introduced, is being used mainly in the context of health
problems. Areas of one's life that contribute to QoL are good
physical and mental health, efficient cognitive functioning, social
support, being able to meet the requirements of professional life,
positive emotions, etc (Power, 2003). Work on subjective well-being
(SWB), on the other hand, was developed in the context of healthy
everyday life; it also has a history of more than 30 years. During
this 30-year period factors that have an impact on SWB, such as
SES, gender, health, age, and religiosity have been identified
(Diener, 2000). A third independent line of research pertains to
what has been called Positive Psychology (Seligman &
Csikszentmihalyi, 2000), that is, an emphasis on human strengths,
such as optimism, hope, wisdom, positive emotions, resilience,
etc., which contribute to positive functioning in life. Recently,
SWB has been associated to human strengths and to the movement of
positive psychology but this did not happen for QoL, possibly
because of its emphasis on people with health problems. However,
QoL can be conceived of as a generic term that pertains to all
people, healthy or not. In this sense, it is closely related to SWB
defined as happiness (Diener, 2000). Also, QoL encompasses positive
emotions that go beyond happiness and has the advantage that it can
be applied to many different domains of life such as interpersonal
relations, health-related situations, and professional and
educational strivings. Moreover, the mechanism(s) that underpin QoL
and SWB can be studied in relation to people's goals and strengths
of character, that is, from a positive psychological perspective.
Such a perspective can reveal the specificities of "quality" in the
various domains of life and, specifically, the positive emotions
and strengths that contribute to a happier, healthier, and more
successful life, even in face of adversity. Therefore, despite the
differences among the three theoretical traditions, namely QoL,
SWB, and positive psychology, it is possible to find the common
ground they share and each of them can benefit from notions
developed in the others. The aim of the present book is to bring
together these three traditions, show the interactions of variables
emphasized by them, and give an integrative perspective from the
positive psychology point of view. It also aims to extend the range
of life situations in which one can look for quality and which go
beyond the traditional emphasis of QoL on health problems. Thus,
the content of the proposed book covers different age populations
(from children to older adults), healthy and people facing health
problems as well as people facing problems in their interpersonal
lives or in their pursuits. It also discusses factors that
contribute to marital satisfaction, well being in the school
context, and things that people value and cherish. The chapters
refer to notions such as happiness, interest, resilience, wisdom,
hope, altruism, optimism, and spirituality/religiosity that
represent unique human strengths. Finally, it emphasizes the role
of goals and motivation that connect SWB with self-regulation and
managing of one's life priorities. To conclude, the chapters
included in the proposed edited book aim at bringing to the fore
new theoretical developments and research on QoL, SWB, and positive
psychology that bridges previously distinct theoretical traditions.
The proposed book covers a broad range of topics, addresses
different theoretical interests and paves the way for a more
integrative approach. Finally, it brings together an international
set of authors, from USA, Europe, Australia, and Asia.
General
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