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Understanding Well-Being in the Ghanaian Context: Linkages between Lay Conceptions of Well-Being and Measures of Hedonic and Eudaimonic Well-Being

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore the measurement and conceptualisation of well-being within the Ghanaian socio-cultural setting. In addition to testing the structural validity of two commonly used well-being scales, the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ) among Ghanaian adults, we explored Ghanaian people’s lay conceptualisations of well-being. We also established to what extent the integration of quantitative and qualitative findings will support the distinction of hedonic and eudaimonic dimensions in the Ghanaian context. A concurrent mixed-method design was implemented involving 420 employed individuals living in urban areas (mean age = 41.32; SD = 9.59; 230 men and 178 women). Data was analysed using structural equation modelling, thematic analysis, and descriptive statistics. Our findings demonstrated that the SWLS and MLQ had good psychometric properties. The lay understanding of well-being referred to emotional stability, sustenance and relational well-being and thus comprised of psychological, material, subjective and relational dimensions. Lay conceptualisations of well-being in the Ghanaian context reflect the understanding of well-being as multidimensional and as a relatively holistic phenomenon with overlapping categories where the simultaneous fulfilments of needs of the individual and others are intertwined with hedonic and eudaimonic notions. The interface of quantitative and qualitative data also portrays that hedonic and eudaimonic dimensions of well-being could not be clearly distinguished in the Ghanaian context. Our findings indicate that there is a continuous need to test and refine prevailing theoretically assumptions of well-being against prevailing contextual needs.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Education and Skills Development Unit, Human Sciences Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa

    Angelina Wilson Fadiji

  2. Africa Unit for Transdisciplinary Health Research, North West University, Potchefstroom Campus, Potchefstroom, South Africa

    Angelina Wilson Fadiji & Marie P. Wissing

  3. Reviews and Evaluation, National Research Foundation, South Africa

    Leana Meiring

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  1. Angelina Wilson Fadiji
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Appendices

Appendix 1

Table 4 Well-being conceptualisation and accompanying codes among high scoring participants on the Satisfaction with Life Questionnaire
Full size table

Appendix 2

Table 5 Well-being conceptualisation with emerging codes and sub-themes
Full size table

Appendix 3

Meaning in Life Questionnnaire (Steger et al., 2006)

Please take a moment to think about what makes your life feel important to you. Please respond to the following statements as truthfully and accurately as you can, and also please remember that these are very subjective questions and that there are no right or wrong answers. Please answer according to the scale below:

  1. 1.

    Absolutely untrue

  2. 2.

    Mostly untrue

  3. 3.

    Somewhat untrue

  4. 4.

    Can’t say true or false

  5. 5.

    Somewhat true

  6. 6.

    Mostly true

  7. 7.

    Absolutely true

  • 1. I understand my life’s meaning. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

  • 2. I am looking for something that makes my life feel meaningful. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

  • 3. I am always looking to find my life’s purpose. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

  • 4. My life has a clear sense of purpose. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

  • 5. I have a good sense of what makes my life meaningful. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

  • 6. I have discovered a satisfying life purpose. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

  • 7. I am always searching for something that makes my life feel significant. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

  • 8. I am seeking a purpose or mission for my life. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

  • 9. My life has no clear purpose. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

  • 10. I am searching for meaning in my life. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Satisfaction with Life (Diener et al., 1985)

Below are five statements that you may agree or disagree with. Indicate your agreement with each item marking the corresponding number on the scale (1 - strongly disagree; 7 - strongly agree).

In most ways my life is close to my ideal.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

The conditions of my life are excellent.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

I am satisfied with my life.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

So far I have gotten the important things I want in life.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

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Wilson Fadiji, A., Meiring, L. & Wissing, M.P. Understanding Well-Being in the Ghanaian Context: Linkages between Lay Conceptions of Well-Being and Measures of Hedonic and Eudaimonic Well-Being. Applied Research Quality Life 16, 649–677 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-019-09777-2

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