<p>People with positive affect seem to have great advantages in life. Goal achievement, the main cause of well-being for all organisms, seem to be a typical trait of these people. The purpose of this study was to examine (i) what influences positive affect, (ii) the relation between positive affect and goal achievement, and (iii) characteristics of individuals with positive and negative affect. Five individuals with self-rated positive affect and two with negative were interviewed. The responses were classified in fifteen themes. Results showed that positive and negative individuals differed regarding over life time personality type; level of energy, a secure childhood; the base of self-esteem, and attitude. Depending on attitude the informants considered themselves self-fulfilled or not. The factors determining positive affect is in agreement with Lyubomirsky´s theory of primary factors for chronic happiness level. In conclusion, primarily a secure childhood seem to have a significant impact on self-esteem and self-fulfilment, which is the core factor of well-being.</p>

People with positive affect seem to have great advantages in life. Goal achievement, the main cause of well-being for all organisms, seem to be a typical trait of these people. The purpose of this study was to examine (i) what influences positive affect, (ii) the relation between positive affect and goal achievement, and (iii) characteristics of individuals with positive and negative affect. Five individuals with self-rated positive affect and two with negative were interviewed. The responses were classified in fifteen themes. Results showed that positive and negative individuals differed regarding over life time personality type; level of energy, a secure childhood; the base of self-esteem, and attitude. Depending on attitude the informants considered themselves self-fulfilled or not. The factors determining positive affect is in agreement with Lyubomirsky´s theory of primary factors for chronic happiness level. In conclusion, primarily a secure childhood seem to have a significant impact on self-esteem and self-fulfilment, which is the core factor of well-being.

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The present study aimed to investigate the linear association between psychological safety and psychological well-being, and psychological well-being and self-perceived individual and team performance in Swedish youth team sport athletes. A cross-sectional design was used, and data were collected through questionnaires of psychological safety, positive affect, negative affect, vitality, individual performance, and team performance from 131 team sport athletes (93 males, 38 females). The variables were measured using the Team Psychological Safety Scale (TPSS), the Positive and Negative Affect short scale (I-PANAS-SF), the Subjective Vitality Scale (SVS) and a subjective measurement of individual and team performance. Findings from the linear regression analysis showed that negative affect predicted poor team performance. No other significant associations were found. The results from this study are discussed regarding what mechanism may underline the negative affects effect on team performance. Future research could delve deeper into the specific team dynamics that are necessary to cultivate psychological safety. / Denna studie syftade till att undersöka det linjära sambandet mellan psykologisk trygghet och psykologiskt välmående, samt mellan psykologiskt välmående och självupplevd idrottslig prestation, både individuellt och lag, hos svenska ungdomslagidrottare. En tvärsnittsdesign användes och data insamlades genom enkäter om psykologisk trygghet, positiv affekt, negativ affekt, vitalitet, individuellprestation och lagprestation från 131 ungdomslagsidrottare (93 män, 38 kvinnor). Variablerna mättes genom the Team Psychological Safety Scale (TPSS), the Positive and Negative Affect short scale (I-PANAS-SF), the Subjective Vitality Scale (SVS) samt en subjektiv skattning av individuell- och lagprestation. Resultatet av en linjär regressionsanalys visade att negativ affekt förutsa en dålig lagprestation. Vidare hittades inga fler signifikanta associationer. Resultatet från studien diskuteras kring vilka underliggande mekanismer som kan förklara negativ affekts påverkan på lagprestation. Framtida forskning skulle kunna utforska specifika lagdynamiker som är nödvändiga för att kultivera psykologisk trygghet.

An association between inflammation and mood deterioration has been proposed as a potential explanatory mechanism underlying many pathologies. Previous research attributes this consistently reoccurring connection between inflammation and psychopathology that is often reported within the literature, to a relationship between the HPA axis, the body’s stress response system and the immune system. There is evidence of a bidirectional feedback loop between end-products of the immune system and the HPA-axis such as cytokines and cortisol. This is supported by research reporting that components of subjective well-being such as positive affect, optimism and life satisfaction can produce beneficial health outcomes by potentially targeting this feedback loop. The present longitudinal study tested if higher positive affect independently corresponds to lower levels of inflammatory markers Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) and HPA axis marker cortisol. The study further tested if higher subjective well-being decreases levels of IL-6 and CRP as well as cortisol. The study employed a subsample of participants from the Midlife in Japan (MIDJA) Biomarker project (n=174) that underwent testing at two separate time points across a period of 4 years. The data included subjective well-being, positive affect, IL-6, CRP, cortisol, perceived stress, neuroticism and demographic variables. Positive affect was not associated with any inflammatory marker or cortisol. Subjective well-being had no effect on CRP but reduced IL-6 and cortisol even when controlling for all control and demographic variables. It is concluded that subjective well-being may be linked to lower inflammation and HPA axis activity. / Ett samband mellan inflammation och sjukdomsbeteende har föreslagits som en förklaringsmekanism bakom förekomsten av många patologier. Den konsekventa anknytningen mellan inflammation och psykopatologi som många tidigare studier demonstrerat innebär ett samband mellan immunsystemet och HPA-axeln som är den struktur som utgör kroppens svar på stressorer. Det finns tecken på en återkopplingsslinga mellan slutprodukter av det immunologiska systemet och HPA-axeln såsom cytokiner och kortisol. Detta har stöd i tidigare forskning som rapporterat att komponenter av subjektivt välbefinnande så som positiv affekt, optimism och livstillfredställelse kan medföra positiva hälsoutfall genom att potentiellt influera denna återkopplingsslinga. Förevarande longitudinella studie testar om högre positiv affekt leder till lägre nivåer av de inflammatoriska markörerna interleukin-6 (IL-6) och C-reaktivt protein (CRP) samt HPA-axel markören kortisol. Studien testar vidare även om högre subjektivt välbefinnande leder till lägre nivåer av IL-6, CRP och kortisol. Deltagarna är ett subsampel från Biomarkerprojektet (n = 174) inom Midlife in Japan (MIDJA) som genomgick testning vid två separata tidpunkter över en period av 4 år. Data består av subjektivt välbefinnande, positiv affekt, IL-6, CRP, kortisol, upplevd stress, neuroticism samt demografiska variabler. Positiv affekt hade ingen signifikant effekt på någon av de inflammatoriska markörerna eller kortisol. Subjektivt välbefinnande hade inte någon signifikant effekt på CRP men reducerade signifikant IL-6 och kortisol och dessa effekter förblev signifikanta efter kontroll för samtliga kontroll och demografiska variabler. Följaktligen dras slutsatsen att subjektivt välbefinnande kan leda till lägre inflammation och HPA-axel aktivitet.