Psychological Wellbeing

Psychological wellbeing means feeling good and functioning well in your daily life, and it is more than the absence of mental illness. The idea joins positive feelings and satisfaction with life to deeper features of daily functioning, such as engagement and contribution.^[1][2]

Psychological wellness and psychological welfare mean the same thing in everyday use. In research, the term also names a specific model of functioning well.

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What Is Psychological Wellbeing?

The World Health Organization describes mental health as a state of wellbeing. In that state people cope with the stresses of life, realise their abilities, learn, work well and contribute to their community.^[1]

Wellbeing therefore has two parts. One is feeling good, in the sense of contentment and satisfaction with how things are; the other is functioning well: purpose, growth and good relationships.

More Than Happiness: Feeling Good and Functioning Well

Wellbeing science has two broad traditions. The first is hedonic wellbeing, a word that means feeling good: plenty of positive feeling, few negative feelings, and satisfaction with your circumstances.^[2]

The Satisfaction With Life Scale, developed by Diener and colleagues, measures that part. It asks about global life satisfaction, meaning your life taken as a whole, rather than passing feelings.^[8]

The second tradition is eudaimonic wellbeing: the word means functioning well, and Ryan and Deci describe it as living in full accord with your potential. A full account of wellbeing therefore reaches beyond feelings and life satisfaction.^[2]

Wellbeing is not the same as happiness. Happiness describes how you feel now, while wellbeing asks the wider question of how your life is working overall.

The Six Dimensions of Psychological Wellbeing (Ryff's Model)

In 1989 the psychologist Carol Ryff proposed a wider model of psychological wellbeing, drawing on developmental, clinical, existential and humanistic psychology. It names six dimensions of functioning well.^[2]

Many studies have replicated this six-factor structure, and others have challenged it. Ryff and colleagues also built reliable questionnaires that measure the six dimensions.^[2][4]

Wellbeing and Mental Health: More Than the Absence of Illness

Wellbeing and mental illness are not opposites. They are separate dimensions, and their components can and do coexist.^[4]

A person can carry no diagnosis and still feel empty and stuck, while another lives with a diagnosed condition and functions with real strength. Corey Keyes described complete mental health as high wellbeing without signs of disorder.^[4]

A person can be unwell without being ill. The model takes that experience seriously: low wellbeing is real without a diagnosis attached to it, and it deserves attention.

Psychological wellbeing shows positive associations with physical health. Researchers also study resilience, meaning the capacity to regain wellbeing after adversity.^[3] The WHO names poverty, violence and inequality as strains on mental health.^[1]

How Psychological Wellbeing Is Measured

Researchers measure wellbeing with validated questionnaires, meaning ones tested to check they measure what they claim to. These are research and clinical tools, not self-diagnosis tests.

• Ryff Scales of Psychological Well-Being: widely used in research on the six dimensions above.^[2]
• Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS): measures both feeling good and functioning well. There are 14-item and 7-item versions, validated for ages 11 up to adults of 74. Government agencies and the NHS use it in surveys and evaluation.^[7]
• WHO-5 Well-Being Index: a wellbeing measure whose research literature has been systematically reviewed.^[6]
• Satisfaction With Life Scale: assesses global life satisfaction, the feeling-good part of wellbeing.^[8]
• Mental Health Continuum (Keyes): assesses psychological, social, and emotional wellbeing.^[2]

Scores describe a moment, not a fixed identity, and a qualified professional can help you interpret them.

What Supports Psychological Wellbeing

No activity guarantees wellbeing, though research does point to factors associated with it.

• Meaningful activity: In one study, volunteering was linked with more positive emotion, and was less effective at reducing negative feelings or distress. That is one study's association, not a rule.^[5]
• Optimism: Optimism is associated with higher wellbeing.^[3]
• How you handle emotions: Reappraisal means rethinking a difficult situation. It is associated with better wellbeing than suppressing feelings.^[3]
• Relationships: Deep, trusting connections are one of Ryff's six dimensions.^[2]
• Skills and settings: Social and emotional skills, quality education, safe communities, and decent work are protective.^[1]

When Low Wellbeing Needs Support: Getting Help

Low wellbeing that persists deserves attention. It can also accompany a mental health condition.^[4]

Talking therapy offers a setting in which to think about what is happening. A professional can help you make sense of persistent low mood, worry or emptiness, and support and change are both possible.

TherapyRoute lists mental health professionals in many countries. Our guide on how to find the right therapist is a practical starting point.

Common Questions

Is psychological wellbeing the same as mental health?

They are closely linked, not identical. The WHO defines mental health itself as a state of wellbeing. The language of mental health also covers conditions, treatment and care.^[1]

Is psychological wellness or welfare the same thing?

In everyday use, yes: wellness, welfare and wellbeing usually mean the same thing. In research, psychological wellbeing usually means Ryff's six-dimension model.^[2]

Can psychological wellbeing be improved?

Wellbeing shifts with time, circumstances and support, and research links certain skills and activities with better wellbeing. No method guarantees a result, and persistent low wellbeing deserves professional attention.

Related Terms

• Mental Wellness - Closely related concept focusing on mental health
• Life Satisfaction - Key component of psychological wellbeing
• Happiness - Related emotional state and wellbeing outcome

This article is for general information and is not a substitute for professional assessment or care. If this is affecting your life, consider reaching out to a qualified mental health professional.

References

1. [1] World Health Organization. Mental health: strengthening our response. who.int/news-room/fact-sheets
2. [2] Heintzelman, S. J. (2018). Eudaimonia in the Contemporary Science of Subjective Well-Being. In Diener, Oishi and Tay (Eds.), Handbook of Well-Being. DEF Publishers. nobascholar.com
3. [3] Ryff, C. D. (2014). Psychological Well-Being Revisited: Advances in the Science and Practice of Eudaimonia. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 83(1), 10-28. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4241300
4. [4] Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry (2017). Positive Psychology. 10th edition. Wolters Kluwer.
5. [5] Yeung, J. W. K., Zhang, Z., & Kim, T. Y. (2018). Volunteering and health benefits in general adults: cumulative effects and forms. BMC Public Health, 18, 8. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5504679
6. [6] Topp, C. W., Ostergaard, S. D., Sondergaard, S., and Bech, P. (2015). The WHO-5 Well-Being Index: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 84(3), 167-176. doi.org/10.1159/000376585
7. [7] University of Warwick. Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS). warwick.ac.uk/services/innovations/wemwbs
8. [8] Diener, E., Emmons, R. A., Larsen, R. J., and Griffin, S. (1985). The Satisfaction With Life Scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 49(1), 71-75. doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa4901_13

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This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health care. For concerns about psychological wellbeing or mental health, please consult with qualified mental health professionals.