reviewJournal of Personality and Social PsychologyNov 7, 2011Closed access

Subjective well-being and adaptation to life events: A meta-analysis.

MLMaike LuhmannWHWilhelm HofmannMEMichael EidRERichard E. Lucas

Freie Universität Berlin · University of Chicago · +1 more institution

PubMed
Indexed incrossrefpubmed

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…

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1,379
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Authors

4

Topics & keywords

Topics
Keywords
  • Psychology
  • Relocation
  • Cognition
  • Adaptation (eye)
  • Well-being
  • Meta-analysis
  • Psychological adaptation
  • Developmental psychology
UN Sustainable Development Goals
  • Decent work and economic growth
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