Longitudinal associations between psychological and social well‐being: Exploring within‐person dynamics

Abstract

AbstractThis study examines the longitudinal associations between psychological and social well‐being, which represent the private and public dimensions of eudaimonic well‐being, respectively. Data were drawn from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) project (N = 6,453). Participants were assessed at three‐time points, each approximately a decade apart. Both between‐person and within‐person associations between social and psychological well‐being are examined. The results reveal a strong between‐person association, consistent with previous cross‐sectional results. In addition, novel insights are gained by uncovering longitudinal within‐person associations that suggest consistent and coordinated changes in psychological and social well‐being over time. More specifically, deviations from typical levels in one dimension are associated with corresponding deviations in the other dimension after about 10 years, suggesting a reciprocal link. Notably, person‐specific changes in social well‐being are a better predictor of subsequent changes in psychological well‐being, than the other way around. These findings underscore the interdependence of the two facets of eudaimonic well‐being and highlight the importance of considering both dimensions in intervention strategies. Taken together, these findings enrich our understanding of the dynamic nature of eudaimonic well‐being. Please refer to the Supplementary Material section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement.