Findings on happiness in Evans & Huxley (2005): study GB 1999

Publication
Author(s)Evans, S.; Huxley, P.J.
TitleAdaptation, Response-shift and Quality of Life Ratings in Mentally Well and Unwell Groups.
SourceQuality of Life Research, 2005, Vol. 14, 1719 - 1732
DOIDOI:10.1007/s 1136-005-1742-I
Investigation
Public18-65 aged, differing in mental health, followed 2 years, UK, 1999-2001
 Good mental health: general public scoring <2 on General Health Questionnaire Moderate mental health: general public scoring >2 on General Health Questionnaire Poor mental health: patients of mental hospital diagnosed as psychotic
 T1:1999, T2: 2001
Survey nameNot available
SampleMixed samples
 Probability samples of people in good and moderate mental health. Non probability sample of people in poor mental health
Respondents N =1912
 Good mental health: 1119, Moderate mental health 749, Poor mental health: 149
Non ResponseNon-response at T1: 83% Drop-out at T2: 50%)
 Dropout at T2 Good+moderate mental health 52%, Bad mental health 46%
AssesmentQuestionnaire: paper
 Mailed questionnaires at T1 and T2
Happiness measure(s) used
Full textSelfreport on single question, asked twice in interview: How do you feel about your life as a whole......? 7 delighted 6 pleased 5 mostly satisfied 4 mixed 3 mostly dissatisfied 2 unhappy 1 terrible Summation: arithmetic mean Name: Andrews & Withey's "Delighted-Terrible Scale" (original version) Also known as Lehman's 'Global life satisfaction'
ClassificationO-DT-u-sqt-v-7-a
Author's labelquality of life
Page in publication1719-32
RemarksT1 happiness
Finding used in
nation ranks		Yes
 On original range 1 - 7On range 0 - 10
Mean4.79
Standard deviation1.06

Correlational findings

Author's label Our subject description
Adaptationshow  Actual realization of lifegoals
Adaptationshow  Change in life-goals, also classified as above ↑
Adaptationshow  Realization of earlier goals, also classified as above ↑
Change family contactshow  Change in family-climate
Change in being a crime victimshow  Change: recently victimized
Change in depressionshow  Change in mental health
Change in depressionshow  Depressive (f31-33), also classified as above ↑
Change in health consultationsshow  Change in health-behavior
Change in health consultationsshow  Change in medical treatment, also classified as above ↑
Change in home ownershipshow  Change in housing
Change in home ownershipshow  Change in possessions, also classified as above ↑
Change in home ownershipshow  House owned or rented, also classified as above ↑
Change in incomeshow  Change in income level
Change in mental health consultationsshow  Actual changes in happiness
Change in mental health consultationsshow  Change in health-behavior, also classified as above ↑
Change in mental health consultationsshow  Change in psychological treatments, also classified as above ↑
Change in mental health consultationsshow  Frequency of use, also classified as above ↑
Change in quality of lifeshow  Earlier mental health
Change in quality of lifeshow  Past happiness ( 1 to 10 years ago), also classified as above ↑
Mental healthshow  Actual changes in happiness
Mental healthshow  Change in conditions for happiness, also classified as above ↑
Mental healthshow  Current general mental health , also classified as above ↑
Mental healthshow  In mental hospital, also classified as above ↑
Mental healthshow  Trend behavioral correlates of happiness, also classified as above ↑