"A Predictive Model of Subjective Well-Being Among Medical and Psychology Students"

Abstract

of people Park [4], neglecting paying attention to the strengths and positive qualities of the individual, such as resilience, optimism, or gratitude Lent [5]. Nowadays, however, there is a substantial trend towards the study of positive psychological processes (e. g. joy, happiness, altruism, or hope) as well as of those factors that make life worth living (e. g. having a sense of purpose and direction in life, goals, or love). The concepts and ideas regarding SWB are being increasingly used to address clinical phenomena, assess organizational climate, and improve quality of social life Diener et al. [6]. Furthermore, there exist solid evidence which indicate that SWB is closely related to success in interpersonal relationships Herbers [7], good work ABSTRACT In recent years, the science of subjective well-being (SWB) has grown significantly. However, the variables that have the greatest impact on this phenomenon are still unknown. From Diener’s SWB theory, the objective of this cross-sectional research was to analyze the relationships between optimism (OP), gratitude (GR), resilience (RE), self-esteem (SE), family support (FS) and friends support (AS) on SWB. Seven scales were applied to 600 Mexican medical and psychology students. Non-probabilistic sampling was used. Structural equations modeling was used to analyze the data. Through maximum likelihood estimation, the model showed a good data fit and was valid for both groups of students. The results are discussed, within the framework of positive psychology, with regard to their practical implications in university contexts. It is concluded that there exists a direct effect of OP, RE, SE, FS, and AS on SWB in both medical and psychology students.