Resumen de El papel del optimismo y del apoyo social en el bienestar subjetivo

Rosario Josefa Marrero Quevedo, Mónica Carballeira Abella

• español

  Introducción Identificar los factores que inciden en el bienestar de los individuos ha sido uno de los aspectos psicológicos más estudiados en los últimos años. El bienestar subjetivo se ha definido como la tendencia global a experimentar la vida de modo placentero. Esta valoración que hace el individuo tiene dos componentes: el cognitivo, evaluado por medio de la satisfacción vital, y el afectivo, que se basa en la presencia de emociones positivas y emociones negativas. La investigación previa se ha centrado en analizar los factores que inciden en el bienestar subjetivo, pero se han empleado diversas medidas de bienestar que no han sido directamente comparables. En este estudio se analizan conjuntamente los diversos indicadores de bienestar, con el objetivo de estudiar si el optimismo y el apoyo social inciden de manera similar o diferencial en cada uno de ellos.

  Método Es un estudio transversal con una muestra de conveniencia compuesta por 477 personas entre 18 y 66 años (M=25.66; DT=8.81). Se evalúan distintos componentes del bienestar: satisfacción en áreas específicas como pareja, trabajo/estudios, salud y ocio; satisfacción vital; emociones positivas; emociones negativas y ajuste psicológico. El optimismo disposicional se mide mediante el Test de Orientación Vital Revisado (LOT–R) y el apoyo social por medio del Social Support Questionnaire (SSQ–6).

  Resultados Los resultados indican que las variables sociodemográficas y las relacionadas con la salud no inciden en el nivel de optimismo. El optimismo guarda relación con la mayor parte de los indicadores de bienestar subjetivo. Las personas optimistas están mejor ajustadas psicológicamente, muestran mayor satisfacción con la vida, experimentan más emociones positivas y menos negativas, y además, informan de mayor satisfacción en algunas áreas de su vida, como la pareja y la salud. Por su parte, las personas con mayor percepción de apoyo se sienten más satisfechas con su vida, muestran más satisfacción con la pareja, están más ajustadas psicológicamente y tienen más emociones positivas y menos negativas. Sin embargo, la cantidad de fuentes de apoyo resulta menos relevante para el bienestar. El análisis de las diferencias entre personas optimistas frente a las poco optimistas confirma el patrón descrito, las optimistas tienen mejor ajuste psicológico, mayor satisfacción en áreas vitales (salvo laboral y de ocio), mayor satisfacción con la vida, experimentan más emociones positivas y menos negativas y tienen más apoyo social percibido. Por otra parte, si se analiza el efecto conjunto del optimismo y del apoyo social en el bienestar se observa que las personas con alto optimismo y alto apoyo muestran más emociones positivas, mayor satisfacción con el ocio y con la vida, menos emociones negativas, menor depresión y menor sensibilidad interpersonal que las personas optimistas con escaso apoyo social. Al analizar la capacidad del optimismo y del apoyo social para predecir el bienestar subjetivo se encuentra que estos factores apenas predicen la satisfacción en áreas específicas pero sí predicen cerca de un 30% de la varianza de la satisfacción vital, un 20.2% del ajuste psicológico y alrededor de un 14% de la varianza de las emociones positivas y emociones negativas.

  Discusión y conclusiones En general, los resultados avalan la importancia del optimismo y del apoyo social en los distintos indicadores de bienestar subjetivo. Sin embargo, el peso de estos factores no parece ser el mismo en cada uno de los componentes del bienestar. El optimismo guarda relaciones más estrechas con los indicadores de bienestar que el apoyo social, estando más vinculado a la satisfacción vital, a la depresión y al ajuste psicológico que a la satisfacción en dominios específicos. El optimismo, al ser una expectativa global, probablemente incida más en indicadores generales de bienestar que en índices de satisfacción concretos. Por otro lado, el apoyo social percibido tiene más peso a la hora de predecir la satisfacción en áreas específicas. Tal vez, porque en el momento de valorar situaciones de la vida cotidiana resultan más prominentes los otros, y esto incide directamente en el juicio del individuo acerca de su satisfacción en áreas en las que están implicadas las relaciones interpersonales. En investigaciones futuras se precisa profundizar sobre el significado de los distintos componentes del bienestar y qué otros factores, además del optimismo y el apoyo social, pueden estar incidiendo en el mismo.

• English

  Introduction In recent years, a great deal of research has been carried out to identify the aspects that affect subjective well–being. In these studies, different indicators of well–being have been used. While some studies have used satisfaction with life as an indicator, others have focussed on psychological adjustment, while still in some other cases the focus has been on positive emotions and even physical health, understood as the lack of illness, as contributing to well–being. Nevertheless, these indicators have not been directly comparable. The objective of this study is to analyze whether optimism and social support equally affect or not subjective well–being.

  Subjective well–being has been defined as the global tendency to experience life in a pleasant way. The evaluation that people carry out has two components: a cognitive component, evaluated through life satisfaction, and an affective one, measured through positive and negative affect. Previous research has been centred on analysing the factors which could influence either on positive or negative ways, such as personality, optimism, coping styles, and social support. It has been demonstrated that well–being is determined, in some way, by optimism and social support. However, there has been very little research analysing the relative impact of these variables on the different measures of well–being.

  Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the influence of optimism and social support on the different components of subjective well–being. We have analysed: firstly, the relationships of optimism and social support with well–being; second, whether or not optimists feel more subjective well–being; third, social support together with optimism have an enhancer effect on well–being; and four, optimism and social support can differentially predict the several components of subjective well–being.

  Method This is a cross–sectional study where subjective well–being has been assessed in 477 people from general population between 18 and 66 years old (M=25.66; SD=8.81). The following measures were used: satisfaction with specific life domains (partner, job/studies, health and leisure), life satisfaction, positive emotions, negative emotions, and mental health. Optimism was evaluated through the Life Orientation Test–Revised (LOT–R) and Social Support through the Social Support Questionnaire (SSQ–6).

  Moreover, certain demographic and physical health characteristics were assessed through a semi–structured interview. In order to analyse the relationships among the variables included in the study, we administered partial correlations, controlling for gender. Also, one–way analyses were conducted to discover any differences in well–being between high, medium, and low optimists. Afterwards, U Mann–Whitney was applied in order to analyze whether optimist people with high social support show more well–being than optimist people without social support. Finally, in order to study the capacity of optimism and social support in predicting the different components of well–being, several multiple regression analyses were applied.

  Results Results showed that socio–demographic and physical health variables do not influence optimism. There is a close relationship between optimism and all the measures of subjective well–being, with optimists showing more life satisfaction, fewer psychological symptoms, more positive emotions, less negative emotions, and being more satisfied in several specific life domains, such as partner and health.

  Perceived social support is associated with different signs of well–being, although the extent of the correlation is lower. Participants with more perceived social support show better adjustment, more life satisfaction and partner satisfaction, they have more positive emotions and less negative emotions. There are not significant associations of perceived social support with health satisfaction and with job satisfaction. The amount of social support resources shows low correlations with subjective well–being, particularly with some of the psychological adjustment measures and with life satisfaction.

  When differences between high and low optimists are analysed, similar results are observed. High optimists have less anxiety, depression, interpersonal sensitivity symptoms, and score lower in the strength disorder index than low optimists. Moreover, high optimists experience more positive emotions and less negative ones, report more satisfaction with their partner, with health and with life in general, and have more perceived social support. So, optimism seems to have an influence on most of the well–being components.

  On the other hand, when optimism and social support effect on well–being are analyzed altogether, it can be observed that high optimist people with high social support show more positive emotions, more satisfaction with leisure, more life satisfaction; and less negative emotions, depression and interpersonal sensitivity than high optimists with poor social support.

  Regarding the capacity of optimism and both measures of social support –the perceived social support and the amount of support sources– in predicting the different components of well–being, it has been found that the relevance of optimism and social support in the prediction of well–being depends on which component of it is considered.

  Life satisfaction is predicted by optimism, perceived social support, and the amount of support sources, around 30% of the variance. Mental health is predicted by optimism followed by perceived social support (20.2% of the variance). Positive and negative emotions are predicted by optimism and perceived social support (14% and 12.7% of the variance respectively). Satisfaction with specific life domains is poorly predicted by optimism and perceived social support, except for satisfaction with partner, which is predicted (around 10%) by perceived social support and optimism.

  Discussion and conclusions Overall, the results reveal the importance of optimism and social support on subjective well–being, even though their effect is not the same on the different subjective well–being components. Optimism is more related with well–being than social support. It is more related with life satisfaction, positive affect, negative affect, and psychological adjustment than with satisfaction in specific life domains. Probably, in considering optimism as a global expectation, it could influence to a great extent on general well–being components.

  On the other hand, perceived social support has more influence on satisfaction with specific life domains. This could be due to the fact that in estimating of daily life situations, the others may play a more important role on cognitive judgements of individuals.

  This study is important in identifying the diferential influence of measures, such as optimism and social support, on the components of well–being. Optimism has showed more influence on general indicators of well–being, and perceived social support plays a more important role on specific domains. The amount of social support sources does not seem to have any influence on well–being indicators. Even though, beforehand, optimism seems to be related to a higher extent with well–being than with social support, it has been found that social support interacting with high optimism, can promote some areas of well–being.

  There are, of course, several limitations to the study that must be addressed, such as the fact that it is a descriptive study. Suggesting that optimism and social support may be determinants of well–being, it is equally plausible that certain components of well–being —such as affective components— influence one's level of optimism or social support. Moreover, it could be necessary to take into consideration other variables, such as personality or coping, that could also have an influence on subjective well–being.

  Results are important to implement future interventions which promote subjective well–being through the promotion of optimism and interpersonal relationships.