The construct ''quality of life (QoL)'', since the 1980s, when it was
introduced, is being used mainly in the context of health problems.
Areas of one's life that contribute to QoL are good physical and mental
health, efficient cognitive functioning, social support, being able to
meet the requirements of professional life, positive emotions, etc
(Power, 2003). Work on subjective well-being (SWB), on the other hand,
was developed in the context of healthy everyday life; it also has a
history of more than 30 years. During this 30-year period factors that
have an impact on SWB, such as SES, gender, health, age, and religiosity
have been identified (Diener, 2000). A third independent line of
research pertains to what has been called Positive Psychology (Seligman
& Csikszentmihalyi, 2000), that is, an emphasis on human strengths, such
as optimism, hope, wisdom, positive emotions, resilience, etc., which
contribute to positive functioning in life. Recently, SWB has been
associated to human strengths and to the movement of positive psychology
but this did not happen for QoL, possibly because of its emphasis on
people with health problems. However, QoL can be conceived of as a
generic term that pertains to all people, healthy or not. In this sense,
it is closely related to SWB defined as happiness (Diener, 2000). Also,
QoL encompasses positive emotions that go beyond happiness and has the
advantage that it can be applied to many different domains of life such
as interpersonal relations, health-related situations, and professional
and educational strivings. Moreover, the mechanism(s) that underpin QoL
and SWB can be studied in relation to people's goals and strengths of
character, that is, from a positive psychological perspective. Such a
perspective can reveal the specificities of "quality" in the various
domains of life and, specifically, the positive emotions and strengths
that contribute to a happier, healthier, and more successful life, even
in face of adversity. Therefore, despite the differences among the three
theoretical traditions, namely QoL, SWB, and positive psychology, it is
possible to find the common ground they share and each of them can
benefit from notions developed in the others. The aim of the present
book is to bring together these three traditions, show the interactions
of variables emphasized by them, and give an integrative perspective
from the positive psychology point of view. It also aims to extend the
range of life situations in which one can look for quality and which go
beyond the traditional emphasis of QoL on health problems. Thus, the
content of the proposed book covers different age populations (from
children to older adults), healthy and people facing health problems as
well as people facing problems in their interpersonal lives or in their
pursuits. It also discusses factors that contribute to marital
satisfaction, well being in the school context, and things that people
value and cherish. The chapters refer to notions such as happiness,
interest, resilience, wisdom, hope, altruism, optimism, and
spirituality/religiosity that represent unique human strengths. Finally,
it emphasizes the role of goals and motivation that connect SWB with
self-regulation and managing of one's life priorities. To conclude, the
chapters included in the proposed edited book aim at bringing to the
fore new theoretical developments and research on QoL, SWB, and positive
psychology that bridges previously distinct theoretical traditions. The
proposed book covers a broad range of topics, addresses different
theoretical interests and paves the way for a more integrative approach.
Finally, it brings together an international set of authors, from USA,
Europe, Australia, and Asia.
