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

This 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.