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Behavioral Sciences
Special Issues
Understanding Well-Being in Daily Life
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Understanding Well-Being in Daily Life

A Special Issue of Behavioral Sciences (ISSN 2076-328X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2026) | Viewed by 3314

Editors

Dr. Helen Keyes

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Psychology and Sport Science, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge CB1 1PT, UK
Interests: public wellbeing; road user safety; education; behaviour changes
Dr. Eimear Lee

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Psychology and Sport Science, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge CB1 1PT, UK
Interests: stress; wellbeing

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, the pursuit of understanding well-being has evolved beyond broad theoretical frameworks to explore how everyday behaviours such as physical activities, hobbies, routines, and leisure time activities can shape individual and collective health and quality of life. With World Health Organization Member States prioritising mental health promotion and prevention strategies, it is essential to better understand how behaviour scientists can enable people to thrive in their daily life using evidence-based approaches. We invite submissions describing research that speaks to improving well-being at individual, community, and population levels, providing valuable insights into the promotion of healthy behaviours.

This Special Isse aims to provide fresh insights into the interplay between the way we live our daily lives and how this underpins well-being in real-world settings. We aim to highlight research that provides evidence that is both theoretically robust and of practical relevance. Original empirical studies, systematic reviews, and interdisciplinary approaches are especially encouraged. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to a growing body of knowledge that not only deepens our theoretical understanding but also offers practical implications for enhancing well-being and quality of living in diverse communities. 

Dr. Helen Keyes
Dr. Eimear Lee
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Behavioral Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • well-being
  • quality of life
  • behaviour change
  • lifestyle
  • mental health
  • physical environment
  • routines
  • stress reduction

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

26 pages, 7760 KB  
Article
Network Structure of Nomophobia, Fear of Missing Out, Mindful Attention, and Happiness Among University Students
by Mahmood Salim Almaawali, Gomaa Said Mohamed Abdelhamid, Muna Al-Bahrani, Yousef Abu Shindi, Yusen Zhai, Manal Al-Fazari and Suhail Al-Zoubi
Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(9), 1613; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16091613 - 9 Sep 2026
Abstract
Nomophobia, fear of missing out (FoMO), mindful attention, and happiness are interconnected psychological constructs, yet their interdependencies remain poorly understood, particularly in Arab-speaking contexts. Using network analysis (EBICglasso), this cross-sectional study examined these associations in 462 Omani college students across a 56-node, four-community [...] Read more.
Nomophobia, fear of missing out (FoMO), mindful attention, and happiness are interconnected psychological constructs, yet their interdependencies remain poorly understood, particularly in Arab-speaking contexts. Using network analysis (EBICglasso), this cross-sectional study examined these associations in 462 Omani college students across a 56-node, four-community network. Centrality indices (strength, expected influence) and bridge expected influence were calculated, with stability assessed via bootstrapping and gender differences examined using the Network Comparison Test. Results revealed strong within-community connections and notable cross-community links. Mindful attention showed positive associations with nomophobia and FoMO but negative associations with happiness. Happiness and mindful attention emerged as the most central constructs, while FoMO and mindful attention showed the strongest bridge associations across network communities. Stability coefficients exceeded the recommended 0.50 threshold, and no significant gender differences emerged in network structure or global strength. These findings highlight the complexity of the associations among mindful attention, nomophobia, FoMO, and happiness and suggest that the role of mindful attention may vary across contexts. The identified central and bridge constructs warrant further investigation as potential areas of focus in future digital well-being research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Well-Being in Daily Life)
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17 pages, 301 KB  
Article
Volunteering Predicts Mixed Outcomes on Subjective Wellbeing
by Helen Keyes, Sarah Gradidge, Caoimhe Ryan and Eimear Mary Lee
Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(9), 1610; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16091610 - 9 Sep 2026
Abstract
This study explored whether engaging in volunteering predicted subjective wellbeing and loneliness, above and beyond known sociodemographic predictors. Secondary data from 7146 adults from the Taking Part 2019–2020 survey (UK household survey of participation in culture and sport) were analysed. Hierarchical regressions were [...] Read more.
This study explored whether engaging in volunteering predicted subjective wellbeing and loneliness, above and beyond known sociodemographic predictors. Secondary data from 7146 adults from the Taking Part 2019–2020 survey (UK household survey of participation in culture and sport) were analysed. Hierarchical regressions were used to explore whether engaging in volunteering (yes/no) predicts subjective wellbeing variables (a sense that life is worthwhile, happiness, life satisfaction and anxiety) and loneliness. Gender, age group, Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD), health and employment status were included as covariates. Volunteering significantly and positively predicted a sense that life is worthwhile, although with small variance explained, and was also unexpectedly associated with greater anxiety. These relationships were observed above and beyond the variance explained by the known sociodemographic predictors. Our study provides some support for the idea that volunteering may be linked to greater wellbeing, in terms of life being worthwhile, but offers a note of caution about the potential negative relationship with anxiety. Based on our findings, we suggest that volunteering is not necessarily linked to greater hedonic wellbeing but may instead be linked to greater eudaimonic wellbeing, that is, a sense that life is worthwhile. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Well-Being in Daily Life)
23 pages, 939 KB  
Article
Psychometric Evaluation of the Lithuanian Version of the Revised Compound Psychological Capital Scale (CPC-12R) and Its Associations with Nature Exposure and Physical Activity
by Migle Baceviciene, Vaiva Balciuniene and Rasa Jankauskiene
Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(8), 1454; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16081454 - 21 Aug 2026
Viewed by 215
Abstract
Psychological capital (PsyCap), comprising optimism, hope, self-efficacy, and resilience, is an important positive psychological resource associated with well-being and adaptive functioning. The present study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Lithuanian version of the revised Compound Psychological Capital Scale (CPC-12R) and [...] Read more.
Psychological capital (PsyCap), comprising optimism, hope, self-efficacy, and resilience, is an important positive psychological resource associated with well-being and adaptive functioning. The present study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Lithuanian version of the revised Compound Psychological Capital Scale (CPC-12R) and to examine its associations with nature exposure and physical activity. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1255 Lithuanian adults aged 18–70 years (mean age 39.51 ± 13.84 years), and 64.4% were women. The total sample was randomly divided into exploratory (n = 628) and confirmatory factor analysis (n = 627) subsamples. Exploratory factor analysis supported a two-factor structure separating optimism from the remaining CPC-12R dimensions, whereas confirmatory factor analysis supported the theoretically expected second-order model comprising optimism, hope, self-efficacy, and resilience as first-order factors reflected by a higher-order PsyCap construct. The second-order model demonstrated good fit (robust CFI = 0.963, robust TLI = 0.952, robust RMSEA = 0.074, SRMR = 0.042) and strict measurement invariance across gender and place-of residence groups. Internal consistency was satisfactory to good for all subscales (McDonald’s ω = 0.79–0.85) and excellent for the total scale (ω = 0.93). Evidence of convergent validity was demonstrated through positive associations with self-esteem and life satisfaction and negative associations with psychological distress and poorer mental health. Furthermore, PsyCap explained a small but significant proportion of additional variance in mental health difficulties beyond self-esteem, life satisfaction, and psychological distress. PsyCap was positively associated with nature exposure, physical activity in nature, and leisure-time exercise. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that greater nature exposure and more frequent physical activity in nature were independently positively associated with PsyCap after accounting for sociodemographic characteristics, whereas leisure-time exercise was not. Overall, the findings support the reliability and validity of the Lithuanian CPC-12R, particularly its total score, although the EFA results suggest caution when interpreting the four subscale scores separately. The cross-sectional findings further identify engagement with natural environments as a meaningful behavioural correlate of PsyCap. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Well-Being in Daily Life)
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15 pages, 1226 KB  
Article
Understanding Well-Being in Daily Life: Informal Social Support, Depression Risk, and Life Satisfaction Among Chinese Older Adults with Disabilities
by Xinzhe Wang, Chenrui Zhang, Wenhu Xu, Shiyu Chen and Gong Chen
Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(7), 1216; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16071216 - 17 Jul 2026
Viewed by 583
Abstract
Against the backdrop of population aging, the well-being of older adults with disabilities in daily life and its underlying mechanisms has increasingly become an important research topic. Using data from the 2020 wave of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), this [...] Read more.
Against the backdrop of population aging, the well-being of older adults with disabilities in daily life and its underlying mechanisms has increasingly become an important research topic. Using data from the 2020 wave of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), this study focuses on 509 individuals aged 60 and above with disabilities. It incorporates informal social support, depression risk, and life satisfaction into a unified analytical framework, and employs ordered Logit models, binary Logit models, and the KHB decomposition method to examine their interrelationships and underlying mechanisms. The results show that: (1) informal social support is positively associated with the life satisfaction of older adults with disabilities; (2) informal social support is negatively associated with depression risk; and (3) depression risk is negatively associated with life satisfaction and plays a significant mediating role in the relationship between informal social support and life satisfaction, accounting for 23.25% of the total effect. From a daily life perspective, this study reveals that the well-being of older adults with disabilities is not solely derived from institutional resource provision, but is generated and sustained through ongoing social interactions and relational networks. The study therefore deepens our understanding of the everyday and relational dimensions of subjective well-being in later life. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Well-Being in Daily Life)
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22 pages, 1287 KB  
Article
An Exploratory Investigation of the Influence of Setting and Meaning on Emotion Responses to Virtual Reality Environments
by David Anthony Redmond, Brendan Rooney and Pamela Gallagher
Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(7), 1195; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16071195 - 15 Jul 2026
Viewed by 566
Abstract
The route to wellbeing is often divided into hedonic (pleasure or relaxation) and eudaimonic (meaning or growth) pathways. Positive technology is a growing research area which aims to use technology to facilitate engagement in wellbeing-supporting activities. While virtual reality (VR) is increasingly used [...] Read more.
The route to wellbeing is often divided into hedonic (pleasure or relaxation) and eudaimonic (meaning or growth) pathways. Positive technology is a growing research area which aims to use technology to facilitate engagement in wellbeing-supporting activities. While virtual reality (VR) is increasingly used to support day-to-day wellbeing, the mechanisms underlying these effects remain unclear and VR research typically determines success based on outcomes. This leaves a gap whereby the processes which facilitate outcomes are less understood. This exploratory study examined the relative effects, on participant emotion responses (N = 35), of hedonic (nature vs. urban setting) and eudaimonic (personally meaningful vs. not personally meaningful) VR environments. Results showed that the level of personal meaning associated with an environment influenced emotion outcomes and visual setting did not. Notably, meaningful environments elicited a “mixed-emotional” state, increasing both positive and negative emotional responses. The results highlight the potential for short, personalised virtual experiences to elicit emotionally complex responses that are theoretically consistent with eudaimonic processes like meaningful reminiscence. Results are discussed in relation to the relative influence of hedonic and eudaimonic stimuli to be explored in future research that builds on these findings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Well-Being in Daily Life)
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19 pages, 305 KB  
Article
“Share Your Trauma… and Make It Funny”: Comedy as Catharsis and Community-Building in LGBTQ+ Mental Wellbeing and Resilience
by Anthony J. Gifford, Robert J. Beck, Daragh T. McDermott and Keeley Abbott
Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(7), 1059; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16071059 - 26 Jun 2026
Viewed by 683
Abstract
LGBTQ+ individuals experience disproportionately high rates of mental health challenges, driven largely by exposure to stigma, discrimination, and minority stress. In response, there is growing interest in creative, community-based interventions that support wellbeing. This study evaluates “LGBTQteehee!”, a 10-week stand-up comedy programme designed [...] Read more.
LGBTQ+ individuals experience disproportionately high rates of mental health challenges, driven largely by exposure to stigma, discrimination, and minority stress. In response, there is growing interest in creative, community-based interventions that support wellbeing. This study evaluates “LGBTQteehee!”, a 10-week stand-up comedy programme designed to promote mental wellbeing and resilience among LGBTQ+ individuals. N = 6 participants took part in post-intervention qualitative data collection via focus group and semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Two overarching themes were identified: “Standing up Together: A Queer Ensemble” and “Comedy as Catharsis”, each comprising two subthemes. The first theme captured the importance of community, highlighting “Where Comedy Meets Community” and “Where Safety Takes Centre Stage”, emphasising the role of belonging, diversity, and psychological safety. The second theme reflected the transformative potential of comedy, with “Performing (Queer) Resilience” and “Taking the Mic and Owning the Moment” illustrating how participants reframed lived experience into empowering narratives and reported increased confidence and self-expression. Findings suggest that the benefits of the intervention extend beyond humour alone, instead reflecting the interplay between social connection and identity-affirming narrative expression. Participants described how having a space to talk openly about their mental health and receive support from others contributed to their perceptions of both individual and collective resilience. These findings suggest that community-based comedy interventions may offer accessible and identity-affirming spaces through which LGBTQ+ individuals can explore wellbeing, belonging, and resilience. Whilst further evaluation is required, the findings contribute to growing discussions regarding the role of arts-based approaches in supporting LGBTQ+ mental health and wellbeing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Well-Being in Daily Life)
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