Cheerfulness and life satisfaction mediated by self-esteem and behavioral activation: A serial mediation model. (1st November 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lau, Chloe; Chiesi, Francesca; Hofmann, Jennifer; Ruch, Willibald; Saklofske, Donald H.
• Is Part Of: Personality and individual differences. Volume 166(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-11-01
• Subjects: Cheerfulness -- Self-esteem -- Behavioral activation -- Life satisfaction -- Serial mediation -- Humor; Personality -- Periodicals; Individuality -- Periodicals; Individuality -- Periodicals; Personality Development -- Periodicals; Personnalité -- Périodiques; Individualité -- Périodiques; 155.205
• DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2020.110175
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0191-8869

Abstract

Abstract: The benefits of cheerfulness, as a mood state and personality trait, are widespread in the literature concerning subjective well-being and physical health. While robust findings in the literature have shown positive affect and more positive, lighthearted uses of humor are associated with self-esteem, no study has investigated the role of self-esteem and behavioral activation in the trait cheerfulness and well-being association. The present study bridges this gap through testing a double mediation path model in a sample of undergraduate students ( N = 391) on the effects of self-esteem and behavioral activation on the trait cheerfulness and life satisfaction association. As predicted, self-esteem and behavioral activation, both independent and serially, mediated the positive association between cheerfulness and life satisfaction (SWL). These results suggest that trait cheerfulness predicts higher self-esteem and behavioral activation, which subsequently predicts SWL. Pairwise comparisons amongst the three indirect effects suggest that trait cheerfulness predicting self-esteem and subsequently SWL was significantly larger than the other two effects. Overall, these results provide new insight that may advance a coherent and multifaceted theoretical framework on the pathways in which cheerfulness may enhance psychological well-being.