Exploring the Cultural Applicability of Ryff’s Scales of Psychological Wellbeing to a Multi-Cultural Population in the United Arab Emirates
Keywords:
psychological well-being, cultural application, measurement and scalesAbstract
Defining and understanding psychological well-being poses a challenge not only for the general population, clinicians and practitioners, but also for the greater academic psychological community. Part of the challenge stems from the lack of consensus among the community on what constitutes well-being (Diener, Suh, Lucas, & Smith, 1999; Synard & Gazzola, 2017), despite time and resources being devoted to defining, operationalizing, and studying this construct (Diener & Chan, 2011; Lyubomirsky, King, & Diener, 2005; Ryan & Deci, 2017; Ryff, 2014). Further, most of the research and development of these measures has taken place in the West, raising questions about their applicability and use in non-Western contexts. This article offers a brief overview of the two main perspectives on well-being, namely hedonia and eudaimonia, and then focuses on the Scales of Psychological Well-Being (Ryff & Keyes, 1995) and its application in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
References
Anand, K., & Nagle, Y. K. (2016). Perceived stress as predictor of psychological well-being in Indian youth. The International Journal of Indian Psychology 3(4 no. 68), 211-217.
Beier, J. S., & Spelke, E. S. (2012). Infants’ developing understanding of social gaze. Child Development, 82(2), 486-496.
Bornstein, M. H., Suwalsky, J. T. D., & Breakstone, D. A. (2012). Emotional relationships between mothers and infants: Knowns, unknowns, and unknown unknowns. Developmental Psychopathology, 24(1), 113-123.
Brinker, J., & Cheruvu, V. K. (2017). Social and emotional support as a protective factor against current depression among individuals with adverse childhood experiences. Preventive Medicine Reports, 5, 127-133.
Chen, F. F., Jing, Y., Hayes, A., & Lee, J. M. (2012). Two concepts or two approaches? A bifactor analysis of psychological and subjective well-being. Journal of Happiness Studies, 14(3), 1033-1068.
Cheng, S., & Chan, A. C. M. (2005). Measuring psychological well-being in the Chinese. Personality and Individual Differences, 38(6), 1307-1316.
Chirkov, V., Ryan, R. M., Kim, Y., & Kaplan, U. (2003). Differentiating autonomy from individualism and independence: A self-determination theory perspective on internalization of cultural orientations and well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(1), 97-110.
Chirkov, V. I. (2007). Culture, personal autonomy and individualism: Their relationships and implications for personal growth and well-being. In G. Zheng, K. Leung, & J. G. Adair (Eds.), Perspectives and progress in contemporary cross-cultural psychology (pp. 247-263). Retrieved from http://iaccp.org/ebook/xian/PDFs/5_1Chirkov.pdf
Cooke, P. J., Melchert, T. P., & Connor, K. (2016). Measuring well-being: A review of instruments. The Counseling Psychologist, 44(5), 730-757.
Diener, E., & Chan, M. Y. (2011). Happy people live longer: Subjective well-being contributes to health and longevity. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, 3(1), 1-43.
Diener, E., Suh, E. M., Lucas, R. E., & Smith, H. L. (1999). Subjective well-being: Three decades of progress. Psychological Bulletin, 125(2), 276-302.
Diener, E., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2004). Beyond money: Toward an economy of well-being. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 5(1), 1-31.
Diener, E., Tay, L., Heintzelman, S. J., Kushlev, K., Wirtz, D., Lutes, L. D., & Oishi, S. (2017). Findings all psychologists should know from the new science on subjective well-being. Canadian Psychology/Psychologie canadienne, 58(2), 87-104.
Disabato, D. J., Goodman, F. R., Kashdan, T. B., Short, J. L., & Jarden, A. (2016). Different types of well-being? A cross-cultural examination of hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. Psychological Assessment, 28(5), 471-482.
Duncan, G. (2018, September 12). Scan of UAE job market shows how rife discrimination by gender and nationality is. The National, Retrieved from https://www.thenational.ae/uae/government/scan-of-uae-job-market-shows-how-rife-discrimination-by-gender-and-nationality-is-1.769698
Fava, G. A. (2016). Well-being therapy: Current indications and emerging perspectives. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 85, 136-145.
Fatima, S., Sharif, S., & Khalid, I. (2018). How does religiosity enhance psychological well-being? Roles of self-efficacy and perceived social support. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 10(2), 119-127.
Gao, J., & Mclellan, R. (2018). Using Ryff’s scales of psychological well-being in adolescents in mainland China. BMC Psychology, 6(1), 17.
Goodman, F. R., Doorley, J. D., & Kashdan, T. B. (2018). Well-being and psychopathology: A deep exploration into positive emotions, meaning and purpose in life, and social relationships. In E. Diener, S. Oishi, & L. Tay (Eds.), Handbook of well-being (pp. 1-25). Salt Lake City, UT: DEF Publishers. Retrieved from https://www.nobascholar.com/chapters/33
Hamdan-Mansour, A. M., & Marmash, L. (2007). Psychological well-being and general health of Jordanian university students. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 45(10), 31-39.
Hamdan-Mansour, A. M., Arabiat, D. H., Sato, T., Obaid, B., & Imoto, A. (2011). Marital abuse and psychological well-being among women in the southern region of Jordan. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 22(3), 265-273.
Hernandez, D. C., Reitzel, L. R., Wetter, D. W., & McNeill, L. H. (2014). Social support and cardiovascular risk factors among black adults. Ethnicity & Disease, 24(4), 444-450.
Hofstede Insights. (n.d.). Country comparison: United Arab Emirates, India, Egypt, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Philippines. Retrieved from https://www.hofstede-insights.com/country-comparison/
Huta, V., & Waterman, A. S. (2014). Eudaimonia and its distinction from hedonia: Developing a classification and terminology for understanding conceptual and operational definitions. Journal of Happiness Studies, 15(6), 1425-1456.
Ingersoll-Dayton, B., Saengtienchai, C., Kespichayawattana, J., & Aungsuroch, Y. (2004). Measuring psychological well-being: Insights from Thai elders. The Gerontologist, 44(5), 596-604.
Iyengar, S. S., & Lepper, M. R. (1999). Rethinking the value of choice: A cultural perspective on intrinsic motivation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76(3), 349-366.
Jibeen, T., & Khalid, R. (2012). Cross validation of Ryff’s scales of psychological well-being: Translation into Urdu language. The International Journal of Educational and Psychological Assessment, 10(2), 67-91.
Joshanloo, M. (2013). A comparison of Western and Islamic conceptions of happiness. Journal of Happiness Studies, 14, 1857-1874.
Kesebir, P., & Diener, E. (2008). In pursuit of happiness: Empirical answers to philosophical questions. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 3, 117-125.
Krok, D. (2015). The role of meaning in life within the relations of religious coping and psychological well-being. Journal of Religious Health, 54(6), 2292-2308.
Kryza-Lacombe, M., Tanzini, E., & O’Neill, S. (2018). Hedonic and eudaimonic motives: Associations with academic achievement and negative emotional states among urban college students. Journal of Happiness Studies, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-018-9994-y
Lambert, L. (2008). A counselling model for young women in the United Arab Emirates: Cultural considerations. Canadian Journal of Counselling, 42(2), 101-116.
Lambert D’raven, L. L., & Pasha Zaidi, N. (2016). Using the PERMA model in the United Arab Emirates. Social Indicators Research, 125(3), 905-933.
Luoma, J. B., Hayes, S. C., & Walser, R. D. (2007). Learning ACT: An acceptance & commitment therapy skills-training manual for therapists. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, Inc.
Lyubomirsky, S., King, L., & Diener, E. (2005). The benefits of frequent positive affect: Does happiness lead to success? Psychological Bulletin, 131(6), 803-855.
Malla, S. S. (2013). Cross-cultural validity of Ryff’s well-being scale in India. Asia Pacific Journal of Management Research and Innovation, 9(4), 379-387.
Markus, H. R., & Kitayama, S. (2010). Cultures and selves: A cycle of mutual constitution. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 5(4), 420-430.
Mateo, M. M., Cabanis, M., Stenmanns, J., & Krach, S. (2013). Essentializing the binary self: Individualism and collectivism in cultural neuroscience. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 7, 289.
Mehrota, S., Tripathi, R., & Banu, H. (2013). Psychological well-being: Reflections on an elusive construct and its assessment. Journal of the Indian Academy of Applied Psychology, 39(2), 189-195.
Miyamoto, Y., Yoo, J., Levine, C. S., Park, J., Boylan, J. M., Sims, T., … Ryff, C. D. (2018). Cultural and social hierarchy: Self- and other-oriented correlates of socioeconomic status across cultures. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 115(3), 427-445.
Mohammed, E. F., Unher, M., & Sugawara, M. (2010). Psychological well-being: A comparative study between Japanese and Egyptian students. Psychologia, 53, 68-85.
Newman, D. B., & Graham, J. (2018). Religion and well-being. In E. Diener, S. Oishi, & L. Tay (Eds.), Handbook of well-being (pp. 1-12). Salt Lake City, UT (USA): DEF Publishers.
Opree, S. J., Buijzen, M., & van Reijmersdal, E. A. (2018). Development and validation of the psychological well-being scale for children (PWB-c). Societies, 8(18), 1-14.
Rile, L. G., Tan, N. L., Salazar, N. J., & Perez, A. G. O. (2015). Expat university professors state of psychological well-being and academic optimism toward university task in UAE. Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics, 13(3), 28-33.
Rizvi, M. A. K., & Hossain, M. Z. (2017). Relationship between religious belief and happiness: A systemic literature review. Journal of Religious Health, 56, 1561-1582.
Roberson, P. N. E., & Fincham, F. (2018). Is relationship quality linked to diabetes risk and management?: It depends on what you look at. Family Systems & Health, 36(3), 315-326.
Rostosky, S. S., Cardom, R. D., Hammer, J. H., & Riggle, E. D. B. (2018). Brief report: LGB positive identity and psychological well-being. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity, 1-8. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/sgd0000298
Rudy, D., Sheldon, K. M., Awong, T., & Hoon Tan, H. (2007). Autonomy, culture, and well-being: The benefits of inclusive autonomy. Journal of Research in Personality, 41, 983-1007.
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2017). Self-determination theory: Basic psychological needs in motivation, development and wellness. New York, NY (USA): The Guilford Press.
Ryff, C. D. (2013). Eudaimonic well-being and health: Mapping consequences of self-realization. In A. S. Waterman (Ed.), The best within us: Positive psychology perspectives on eudaimonia (pp. 77-98). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Ryff, C. D. (2014). Psychological well-being revisited: Advances in the science and practice of eudaimonia. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 83, 10-28.
Ryff, C. D., & Keyes, C. L. M. (1995). The structure of psychological well-being revisited. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 69(4), 719-727.
Ryff, C. D., Keyes, C. L. M., & Hughes, D. L. (2003). Status inequalities, perceived discrimination, and eudaimonic well-being: Do the challenges of minority life hone purpose and growth? Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 44, 275-291.
Ryff, C. D., Love, G. D., Miyamoto, Y., Markus, H. R., Curhan, K. B., Kitayama, S., … Karasawa, M. (2014). Culture and the promotion of well-being in East and West: Understanding varieties of attunement in the surrounding context. In G. A. Fava & C. Ruini (Eds.), Increasing psychological well-being in clinical and educational settings: Interventions and cultural contexts (pp. 1-19). London, UK: Springer Dordrecht Heidelberg.
Ryff, C. D., & Singer, B. (1996). Psychological well-being: Meaning, measurement, and implications for psychotherapy research. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 65(1), 14-23.
Salem, F. (2009). Family values drive a unified society. Retrieved from http://gulfnews.com/news/uae/general/family-values-drive-a-unified-society-1.545970
Sheldon, J. P., Oliver, D. G., & Balaghi, D. (2015). Arab American emerging adults’ ethnic identity and its relation to psychological well-being. Emerging Adulthood, 3(5), 340-352.
Sheldon, K. M., Elliot, A. J., Ryan, R. M., Chirkov, V., Kim, Y., Wu, C., … Sun, Z. (2004). Self-concordance and subjective well-being in four cultures. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 35(2), 209-223.
Sheldon, K. M. & Ryan, R. M. (2011). Positive psychology and self-determination theory: A natural interface. In V. I. Chirkov, R. M. Ryan, & K. M. Sheldon (Eds.), Human autonomy in cross-cultural context: Perspectives on the psychology of agency, freedom, and well-being (pp. 33-44). Heidelberg, Germany: Springer Dordrecht.
Smallenbroek, O., Zelenski, J. M., & Whelan, D. C. (2017). Authenticity as a eudaimonic construct: The relationships among authenticity, values, and valence. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 12(2), 197-209.
Springer, K. W., Hauser, R. M., & Freese, J. (2006). Bad news indeed for Ryff’s six-factor model of well-being. Social Science Research, 35(4), 1120-1131.
Synard, J., & Gazzola, N. (2017). Happiness, eudaimonia, and other holy grails: What can job loss teach us about ‘one-size-fits-all’ theories of well-being? The Journal of Positive Psychology, 12(3), 246-262.
Tekke, M., & Ismail, N. A. H. (2016). Discovering the self in Islam: Self-striving, self-regards, and neglect. Journal of Education, Health and Community Psychology, 5(1), 1-9.
The Official Portal of the UAE Government. (n.d.). Happiness. Retrieved from https://government.ae/en/about-the-uae/the-uae-government/government-of-future/happiness
Tiberius, V. (2013). Recipes for a good life: Eudaimonism and the contribution of philosophy. In A. S. Waterman (Ed.), The best within us: Positive psychology perspectives on Eudaimonia (pp. 19-38). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
United Arab Emirates: The Cabinet. (n. d.). Her Excellency Ohoud Bint Khalfan Al Roumi. Retrieved from https://www.uaecabinet.ae/en/details/cabinet-members/her-excellency-ohoud-bint-khalfan-al-roumi
United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. (2017). World Population Prospects: The 2017 Revision, UAE. Retrieved from https://population.un.org/wpp/
U. S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. (2005). United Arab Emirates: International Religious Freedom Report 2005. Retrieved from https://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/2005/51612.htm
Velez, B. L., Watson, L. B., Cox, R., & Flores, M. J. (2017). Minority stress and racial or ethnic minority status: A test of the greater risk perspective. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity, 4(3), 257-271.
Villarosa, J. B., & Ganotice, F. A. (2018). Construct validation of Ryff’s psychological well-being scale: Evidence from Filipino teachers in the Philippines. Philippine Journal of Psychology, 51(1), 1-20.
Vitterso, J. (2016). The most important idea in the world: An introduction. In J. Vitterso (Ed.), Handbook of eudaimonic wellbeing (pp. 1-24). Geneva, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing.
Wang, Z., Koenig, H. G., Ma, H., & Shohaib, S. (2016). Religion, purpose in life, social support, and psychological distress in Chinese university students. Journal of Religious Health, 55, 1055-1064.
Weatherhead, S., & Daiches, A. (2015). Key issues to consider in therapy with Muslim families. Journal of Religion and Health, 54(6), 2398-2411.
What does family mean to UAE residents? (2016). Retrieved from https://www.khaleejtimes.com/nation/general/what-does-family-mean-to-uae-residents
World Health Organization. (2014). Mental health: A state of well-being. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/mental_health/en/
Wright, P. R., & Pascoe, R. (2015). Eudaimonia and creativity: The art of human flourishing. Cambridge Journal of Education, 45(3), 295-306.
