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.
