International Journal of Happiness and Development (11 papers in press)

Regular Issues

• Happiness as an Unmet Reality in Pakistan: Discourses of Divorced & Separated Individuals  
  by Saira Batool, Rabia Ali 
  Abstract: This research paper highlights the dilemmas associated with the social construction of marriage versus the ideation of marriage as a modern symbol of unity in contemporary Pakistan. The paper draws on the narratives of sixteen divorced and separated men/women. These findings reveal that women experience marriage differently compared to men. Marital happiness for women is attained in their willingness to act in subordinate and submissive roles due to the hegemonic masculinity of men. The marriage contract in Pakistani society gives an upper hand to men and women are expected to be obedient and respectful. In this study, based on their personal experiences all divorced and separated women considered happiness in marriage merely a temporary situation. Defying the patterns of obedience had led to unhappiness and dissatisfaction in their marital relationships. The major problem had been the inability to accept the ground realities of marriage in its practical form in contrast to their perception of marriage as a romantic and happy relationship. When the ground realities didnt meet their expectations; their relations came to an end leading to social stigma and emotional dilemmas. These findings suggest the need to rethink marriage as a complex and evolving institution in contemporary Pakistan.
  Keywords: Happiness; Divorce; Separation; Marriage; Imagination; Qualitative Methods.
  
  
• Impact of work-life balance on employees well-being in selected manufacturing sectors in Kerala  
  by Jyoti Kamboj, Eronimus A, Sreedha K. Nambiar 
  Abstract: In Keralas manufacturing sector, employees often experience increased stress levels, diminished job satisfaction, and a decline in overall well-being due to the imbalance between work and personal lives. The demanding nature of their work and long hours often interfere with family time and personal pursuits, leading to strained relationships and health issues. This study utilises the JD-R Model to explore how WLB affects employees well-being. The study collected data from 203 employees in selected manufacturing industries in Kerala and is analysed through SEM-AMOS. The results found strong positive relationships between WLB and each dimension of well-being. Specifically, employees with better WLB experience improved physical health, psychological well-being, stronger social relationships, and financial stability. The findings underscore the importance of WLB in enhancing employee welfare and organisational effectiveness in manufacturing industries. We provide valuable insights for organisations, employees, policymakers, and government to foster a healthier and more productive workforce.
  Keywords: WLB; work-life balance; physical well-being; psychological wellbeing; social well-being; financial well-being.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJHD.2024.10068066
   
  
• Financial inclusion and financial well-being among youth: a systematic scoping review  
  by Avnner Chardles Wellfren, Roslaini Abdul Jalil, Nelson Lajuni, Izaan Azyan Abdul Jamil 
  Abstract: This research aimed to comprehensively explore the relationship between financial inclusion and financial well-being among youth, focusing on financial inclusion. Employing a systematic scoping review methodology, this study examined a broad spectrum of scholarly works to identify existing knowledge gaps and provide insightful recommendations for future research. The research findings suggested that financial inclusion exhibited an inconsistent direct effect on financial well-being; however, it played a notable role as a supplementary factor. It is imperative to acknowledge that the effective utilisation of financial inclusion necessitated the cultivation of appropriate skills, attitudes, and behaviours to fully harness its potential advantages in enhancing financial well-being. These results serve as a foundational reference for future research, offering insights into the current state of the topic. Lastly, the study aimed to raise awareness within communities and government agencies about the importance of enhancing the social well-being and happiness of young people.
  Keywords: financial inclusion; financial well-being; financial wellness; happiness; young people; review; systematic scoping review.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJHD.2024.10068067
   
  
• Dynamic transformations: unravelling the linkages between shifting MPI patterns and economic growth variables in Himachal Pradesh  
  by Ritesh Singh 
  Abstract: Study recognises poverty as complex phenomenon but it can be measured on the basis of three dimensions; Health, Education and Living Standards. There are various indicators of these dimensions of MPI. A change in MPI rate has been observed between two national reports 20152016 and 20192020 published by NITI Aayog. MPI in urban areas of Himachal Pradesh has increased over the period of time which is an eye opener to the government and needs to be taken care of. The Cooking Fuel is the most deprived indicator over the time period. Although MPI in rural areas has fallen but still its intensity is very high. Multiple Linear Regression model shows that there is positive statistical significant relationship between MPI, HCR and Intensity. Spearmans Rank Correlation shows that out of various different development indicators of Himachal Pradesh; Total Food Grain and Government Jobs have positive correlation with MPI whereas Agriculture Societies and Secondary Sector have negative correlation with MPI.
  Keywords: poverty; deprivation; development indicators; rural; urban; regression; correlation.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJHD.2024.10068663
   
  
• COVID-19 impact on Coventry residents mental wellbeing  
  by Velina Hristova, Wenyu Han, Kaloyan Haralampiev, Tim Healey, Ivo Vlaev 
  Abstract: The present study examined different factors that affected Coventry residents mental wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 4162 respondents from the Household Survey of Coventry City Council were included in the data analysis. The short version of the WarwickEdinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (SWEMWBS) and a COVID-19-related worry score were used for the purpose of the study. The results indicated that the most significant influence on residents mental wellbeing was the extent to which members of the household worried about COVID-19. Furthermore, there was a significant association between the mental wellbeing score and factors such as general health condition and alcohol consumption. Participation in social and cultural activities (in person and online), visiting park or open space, involving in everyday activities, attendance of pubs and clubs when COVID restrictions were lifted, enjoying live music in person and virtually, were all positively related to improved mental wellbeing.
  Keywords: mental wellbeing; worry score; COVID-19; social and cultural engagement; Coventry city.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJHD.2024.10069172
   
  
• The role of todays education on the association between womens employment and fertility in Turkey  
  by Dogan Hatun 
  Abstract: Low fertility is a global issue, affecting both developed and developing countries where opportunity cost of fertility for working women is an outstanding factor. Education plays a very strong role on fertility decline but present study focuses on the role of womens employment on fertility decline and investigates whether the role of education still existing on the association between womens employment and fertility. Using data from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) for Turkey from 1993, 1998, 2003, 2008, 2013, and 2018, the study runs a series of Poisson regression analyses for each year. Overall, findings show that womens employment and education are independently associated with married womens number of children. In conclusion, changing socio-economic structures made women choose their career over their fertility regardless of their social status (measured through education); thus, Turkish government should focus on pronatalist policies to ease the cost of fertility and childrearing for employed women to control fertility decline.
  Keywords: fertility decline; opportunity cost; employed women; education; pronatalist policies.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJHD.2025.10070126
   
  
• Examining the nexus of political ideology and social trust: a study in T  
  by Sacit Hadi Akdede, Şansel Özpinar 
  Abstract: This paper mainly investigates the relationship between political view/ideology and social trust by using survey data conducted in 2011 in the three most populous cities in T
  Keywords: social trust; political ideology; socio-economic variables; Türkiye; ordered probit.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJHD.2025.10070182
   
  
• Alexithymia and compulsive online shopping: the role of emotion regulation  
  by Feyruz Usluoğlu, Resul Çakır, Esra Öztürk 
  Abstract: With the increase in online financial transactions following the pandemic, internet shopping has gained immense momentum, providing convenience and encouraging compulsive shopping behaviours. The purpose of this study is to determine whether difficulties in emotion regulation influence the association between alexithymia and compulsive online shopping. Furthermore, the study investigates the moderating influence of age and includes gender as a covariate. Surveys were conducted with 597 participants through convenience sampling. The findings reveal that alexithymia strongly predicts difficulty in emotion regulation, and both factors have a direct positive effect on compulsive online shopping. While gender was not a significant factor, age moderated the indirect effect of alexithymia on compulsive shopping via emotion regulation difficulties. These findings suggest that mental health interventions targeting emotional awareness and regulation may help individuals reduce compulsive online shopping behaviours. Age-specific strategies could further enhance the effectiveness of these interventions, offering tailored support to different demographic groups.
  Keywords: compulsive online shopping; alexithymia; difficulty in emotion regulation; behavioural addiction; consumer behaviour.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJHD.2025.10070317
   
  
• Happiness, sanctions, and institutional quality in developing countries  
  by Karim Eslamloueyan, Hamid Kahromi 
  Abstract: There is a gap in the literature on how institutional quality influences happiness in sanctioned developing countries. To fill this gap, we estimate a set of dynamic panel data models for 56 developing countries from 2005 to 2022 using a system-generalised method of moments. Our approach allows us to examine the interaction effect between institutions and sanctions on happiness. We find that lower political risks, more democratic accountability, better socioeconomic conditions, improved bureaucracy quality, less corruption, and fewer ethnic tensions reduce the harmful effect of sanctions on happiness. Furthermore, military intervention in politics worsens the adverse effects of sanctions. We find that a robust social support system increases happiness during sanctions. Inflation and access to the internet decrease happiness. As a robustness check, estimating the model using a comprehensive institutional quality index comprising political, financial, and economic sub-indicators confirms our findings. These findings hold implications for policymakers in developing economies.
  Keywords: developing countries; happiness; sanctions; institutions; military in politics; social support; internet; COVID-19; dynamic panel data model; GMM; generalised method of moments.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJHD.2025.10070429
   
  
• Psychological detachment from work and work stress: eudaimonic and hedonic well-being mediation influences  
  by Daniel A. Cernas-Ortiz, Arun Madapusi 
  Abstract: Psychological detachment is a work/work-stress recovery strategy that is presumed to reduce stress and improve employee health and happiness. However, psychological detachment could increase stress when it diminishes employees eudaimonic (i.e., self-actualisation and fulfilment) and/or hedonic (i.e., pleasure) well-being. This research studys objective is to test the mediating effects of eudaimonic and hedonic well-being on the relationship between psychological detachment and work stress. Data were collected through a three-week longitudinal survey in Mexico. The data were analysed using the PROCESS Macro in SPSS. The results indicate that psychological detachment is positively related to work stress through a negative influence on eudaimonic well-being. The mediating effects of hedonic well-being were non-significant. The findings suggest that psychological detachment is not a one-size-fits-all solution to recover from work stress; alternative recovery strategies need to be tailored to help specific individuals maintain health and happiness.
  Keywords: work stress; psychological detachment; employee well-being; eudaimonic well-being; hedonic well-being; happiness at work; recovery strategies.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJHD.2025.10070593
   
  
• Nurturing psychological well-being through an online positive psychological intervention: a PERMA model approach  
  by Isabella Meneghel, Valeria Cruz-Ortíz, Marisa Salanova, Margarita Tarragona 
  Abstract: This study examines the effects of an online positive psychological intervention (OPPI) on psychological well-being, stress, and burnout levels in an international sample, using a randomised controlled trial design while controlling for initial resilience levels. After a six-week intervention based on the PERMA model (Seligman, 2011), participants showed increased psychological well-being and reduced burnout levels compared to the control group. No significant effects were found for stress and the exhaustion dimension of burnout. The interventions impact remained significant three months after completion of the program for two dimensions of burnout (i.e., cognitive and emotional impairment) and several aspects of psychological well-being (i.e., positive emotions, meaning, accomplishment, and happiness). Resilience emerged as a significant covariate for the relationship, meaning, and accomplishment dimensions. These findings inform practical applications of online PERMA-based interventions across workplaces, education, public health, and therapeutic settings, effectively emphasising structured support to enhance adherence, reduce burnout, and improve overall well-being.
  Keywords: OPPIs; online positive psychological interventions; PERMA model; psychological well-being; Pemberton happiness index; burnout; stress.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJHD.2025.10071801