Förtätning anses vara eftersträvansvärt och hållbart i dagens stadsbyggnad, i och med de fördelar täthet medför, och i Stockholm syns en trend med områden där det byggs både högre och tätare än tidigare. Även om förtätning innebär fördelar medför det flera utmaningar där avvägningar behöver göras mellan olika kvalitéer. Därför är syftet med denna undersökning att studera utmaningar med förtätning som kan komma att påverka människors välbefinnande ifall de inte prioriteras. Litteraturstudier har utförts för att samla information om kopplingen mellan täthet och välbefinnande samt de studerade utmaningarna kring ljusförhållanden, grönområden och ytor för barn. Dessa utmaningar valdes ut eftersom de var återkommande i den offentliga debatten om förtätning. Därefter utfördes en jämförelse mellan Hagastaden och Liljeholmskajen, vilka båda förtätas genom omexploatering, där både kvalitativa och kvantitativa förtätningsaspekter undersöktes med grund i teorin. Resultaten visade att Liljeholmskajen var tätare än Hagastaden utifrån de kvantitativa måtten på områdesnivå men att Hagastaden var tätare på kvartersnivå. De visade även att liknande strategier använts vid förtätning i båda områdena men att de studerade täthetsmåtten kan förstås på olika sätt. Undersökningen visade dessutom att det är betydande att se till både hårda och mjuka element vid bestämmelse av täthet samt att kvalitativa mått ibland säger mer än kvantitativa. Vidare pekade resultaten i studien på att de undersökta utmaningarna kan påverka välbefinnande negativt om dessa inte hanteras på ett bra sätt i planeringen, där barn riskerar att beröras mest i både Hagastaden och Liljeholmskajen. Studien kom fram till tre kriterier att ta hänsyn till vid avvägningen mellan förtätning och de tre utmaningarna. Dessa kriterier innefattar; att vid förtätning ha en stor skillnad mellan högsta och lägsta våningsantal för att främja goda ljusförhållanden, att vid utformning av grönområden fokusera på varierad natur och vegetation samt att vid ytor för barn fokusera på förskolegårdar, där dessa ska vara tillräckligt stora och inkludera en betydande mängd vegetation. / Densification is considered to be desirable and sustainable in urban planning today, based on the advantages that follow and in Stockholm a current trend can be seen with both higher and more densified blocks. The fact that cities grow more compact is causing challenges which has to be taken in to account in urban planning in order to not jeopardize important qualities. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to study the challenges that come with densification and how it may affect social well-being. To examine the connection between density and wellbeing, literature studies were performed to collect information. Those studies also included theories about the three challenges that this paper came to focus on, so as light conditions, green spaces and areas made for children. These specific challenges were selected since they were recurrent in the public debate considering densification. Furthermore, a comparison between the former brownfields Hagastaden and Liljeholmskajen was made, which studied both qualitative and quantitative aspects in densification based on the theories. The results in this paper showed that Liljeholmskajen appeared to be more compact than Hagastaden based on the quantitative perspective in the restricted area, but Hagastaden on the other hand was more compact at a block level. Another result proved by the paper was that similar strategies in densification has been used in both areas, but also that the studied dimensions of densification has been practiced in different ways. The study also showed the importance of considering both hard and soft elements when determining density and that the qualities of a built environment can be more important when assessing density over quantity. Furthermore, the paper showed that challenges with densification could have a bad impact on social well-being, if not being considered in urban planning, and that children are the ones most affected by densification in both Hagastaden and Liljeholmskajen. In the discussion, the paper ended up with three criterias which can be included in urban planning in order to encourage social well-being in densified areas. These criterias included; to consider a great difference between the highest and lowest building regarding number of floors to promote good lightning conditions, to include varied nature and vegetation when developing green spaces and when it comes to areas made for children, to focus on the yards belonging to kindergartens, where these should be large enough and include a great amount of vegetation.

As one of the most important emotional goals pertaining to humankind, achieving happiness has been the central focus of scientists, philosophers, and the general population alike since the beginning of recorded history. This study strove to examine the association of body image satisfaction and relationship quality as it relates to happiness. Four hundred college-age participants completed the Subjective Happiness Scale, the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (Appearance Scales), and the Network of Relationships Inventory (Relationships Quality Version) for close friendships of the same-sex and opposite-sex. Statistical analysis indicated that while body image satisfaction was significantly correlated with happiness, quality of interpersonal relationships was not. The results of this study emphasize the importance of one’s satisfaction with one’s body in the cultivation and maintenance of subjective well-being and the need to examine other potential predictors of happiness.

The purpose of this study is to augment the existing literature concerning the relationship between marital status, gender, social networks, and cohort effect on dimensions of subjective well-being for women. Multiple dimensions of subjective well-being are examined. Multiple regression and logistic regression are employed to examine the effects of marital status, social networks, and cohort effects on the dependent variables that tap the dimensions of subjective well-being. The analysis controls for age, race, education, income, religious attendance and region of residence. The findings report some inconsistency in regards to the current literature. Social networks and support are found to be the most constant independent predictor of subjective well-being. While the effects of being divorced and separated, as well as cohort membership, are not as consistent, the findings are notable and should be addressed in future research addressing subjective well-being.

Background: Doctoral attrition has been the subject of significant research over the past several years (Bair & Haworth, 2004; Cohen & Greenberg, 2011; Gardner, 2008; Lovitts, 2001). Prior research on doctoral students has focused on substantive differences in the Ed.D. and Ph.D. in education degree programs, rather than on potential differences among the students themselves. Purpose: To assess whether there are baseline differences in motivation and subjective well-being among the three groups of doctoral students in education: Ed.D. and Ph.D. students, part-time enrolled and full-time enrolled students, and first-year and secondyear students. Setting: University of Central Florida, College of Education Subjects: First-year and second-year students drawn from all three doctoral programs offered in the College, including Education, Ed.D., Education, Ph.D., and Educational Leadership, Ed.D. Data Collection and Analysis: A 131-item electronic survey to assess student motivation and subjective well-being was distributed to all 142 enrolled first-year and second-year doctoral students, of which 28.2% responded (n = 40). Cumulative motivation and separate subjective well-being scores were calculated for each participant, and MannWhitney tests were performed to compare the distribution of student scores within each group (Ed.D. and Ph.D., part-time enrolled and full-time, and first-year and second-year). Findings: No statistically significant differences were found in motivation and subjective well-being among the three groups of students. However, some findings on measures of motivation did approach statistical significance between Ed.D. and Ph.D. students. iv Conclusions: These findings may demonstrate that relative well-being and similar levels of intrinsic motivation exist among several groups of doctoral students. Recommendations for future research include an increase in the sample size by expanding the study to multiple institutions offering doctoral programs in education, as well as a modification of the instruments from ordinal scales to Likert-type instruments

This study explored the acceptability of Relationship-Centered Communication Partner Training (RC-CPT) for couples impacted by aphasia. Three couples participated in the program across two sessions. Surveys were administered to assess outcome measures of their marital relationship and communication confidence before and after participation in RC-CPT. The quantitative findings were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Overall, participants generally maintained or experienced improvements in accessibility, responsiveness, engagement, conflict, conflict resolution, and communication within their marriage after participating in RC-CPT. Additionally, individuals with aphasia demonstrated enhanced communication confidence scores. During the third session, couples completed a semi-structured interview to share their experiences with the program. The interviews were transcribed orthographically and coded using reflexive codebook analysis. Reflexive codebook analysis of the semi-structured interviews revealed four prominent themes: (I) "Impact on Communication," (II) "Impact on Relationship," (III) "Impact on Psychosocial Well-Being," and (IV) "Feedback for Future Development". The convergence of the quantitative and qualitative data revealed that couples indicated positive changes in their communication, relationship, and psychosocial well-being. These findings suggest that RC-CPT has the potential to effectively address both communicative and psychosocial impacts of aphasia on couples. Moreover, this study highlights the promise of RC-CPT as a relationship-centered counseling tool, warranting further exploratory and experimental research.

The impact of family structure on children’s outcomes is a highly debated topic in literature on the family. This research made an attempt to engage in this debate by testing the family process perspective. Theorists who favor this perspective believe that the effects of family structure on children can be mediated by the family processes occurring within families, such as the quality of parent-child relationships. The psychological wellbeing of children from six family structures were compared. After controlling for family processes and background variables the majority of the effects of family structure on children’s psychological well-being disappeared. Only children from stepfamilies had significantly lower levels of psychological well-being than children from intact homes. Stepfamilies, however, are a very complex family form and this research could not account for the possible unique processes occurring within stepfamilies. Finally, children from divorced homes did not have significantly lower levels of psychological well-being even before family processes and background variables were controlled. Overall, this research shows support for the family process perspective. / Master of Science

The circular economy (CE) is increasingly recognized as a pivotal driver for achieving sustainability. Nonetheless, it has been criticized for neglecting the social dimension of sustainability. While job creation is often touted as a significant social benefit of the CE, there is a conspicuous gap in discussions about the quality of the jobs it generates. By drawing on organizational behavior theory, this study investigates the quality of jobs in the CE with a specific focus on meaningfulness. The research questions explore the key factors contributing to job meaningfulness in CE roles, the impact of heightened awareness of the CE on workers' perceived meaningfulness, and the mechanisms through which such awareness affects meaningfulness. To address these questions, a pre-test post-test quasi-experimental study was conducted, involving employees from two CE companies in the United States. The study assessed factors such as autonomy, skill variety, co-worker relations, knowledge of the CE, perceived social impact, perceived social worth, and experienced job meaningfulness. An intervention was then implemented on a treatment group, consisting of a five-minute training video explaining the CE concept, its benefits, and the role of workers in the CE. The findings reveal that the video intervention effectively increased employees' perception of task significance, perceived social impact, experienced meaningfulness, and awareness of the CE's impact on society and environment, as well as their perception of their contribution to the CE, the organization's contribution to the CE, and the societal value of the CE. This study highlights the importance for CE companies to provide employees with general training on the CE. Additionally, it provides initial evidence of the potential of a CE to increase human well-being, especially when considered from the eudemonic perspective of what gives life meaning rather than purely economic measures of well-being. / Master of Science / This study looks at the kind of jobs created by the circular economy (CE) and how they affect sustainability and well-being. The CE is about making the best use of resources and, as a consequence, to reducing waste, but it has been criticized for not paying enough attention to how it affects people's lives and jobs. This research focuses on understanding what makes a job in the CE meaningful and how CE knowledge may affect how workers feel about their jobs. To do this, employees at two CE companies in the U.S. were studied. The research looked at how much control employees have over their work tasks, the variety of skills that are demanded by their work, and how they get along with their co-workers, as well as their familiarity with the concept of the CE. The sampled workers were separated into two groups (treatment and control). The treatment group watched a video that explained what the CE is and how their work contributes to it and to a better world. The study found this video made these workers feel that their work had a bigger impact and that their jobs were more meaningful. It also made them see the CE as something that helps society and the environment. The main research contribution is that companies in the CE should give their employees training and lessons about what the CE is. By doing so, workers may increase their experienced meaningfulness on the job, which could enhance an individual's overall happiness and productivity at work. This research also shows the need for discussions on sustainability and the CE to include what gives meaning to our lives when we are thinking of human well-being.

This dissertation is structured in such a way as to gradually home in on the true theory of welfare. I start with the whole field of possible theories of welfare and then proceed by narrowing down the options in a series of steps. The first step, undertaken in chapter 2, is to argue that the true theory of welfare must be what I call a partly response independent theory. First I reject the entirely response independent theories because there are widely-shared intuitions suggesting that some psychological responses are indeed relevant to welfare. Then I reject the entirely response dependent theories because there are other central intuitions suggesting that our welfare is not determined solely by our psychological responses. Thus I reach the preliminary conclusion that welfare must involve some response independent (or objective) component. The next step is to consider the most promising theories in the partly response independent category. In particular, I formulate, refine and ultimately reject what seem to be the main monistic theories that have been proposed in this category. In chapter 4, I reject the Adjusted-Enjoyment Theories of Welfare because they cannot account for the claim that a life containing no pleasure or pain can still contain a positive amount of welfare (e.g. if it’s a particularly successful life). Then in chapters 5-7, I discuss Desire Satisfaction theories of welfare. I argue that even the most promising of these theories – e.g. Worthiness Adjusted Desire Satisfactionism – are problematic because they cannot accommodate the claim that a life containing no success with respect to worthwhile projects can still contain a positive amount of welfare (e.g. if it’s a particularly pleasant life). Finally, I suggest that in order to accommodate the intuitions that led to the rejection of all these other theories of welfare, what is needed is a multi-component theory. In the final chapter, I formulate a multi-component theory that is particularly promising. Not only does it avoid the problems of the monistic theories discussed earlier, but, by incorporating a number of novel mathematical devices, it avoids problems that undermine several other initially promising multi-component theories of welfare.

Välbefinnande är ett mångdimensionellt begrepp som rymmer flera olika förklaringsmodeller. Tidigare forskning har visat att välbefinnandet i relation till krig är komplicerat och grundar sig i individuella och kontextuella skillnader. Föreliggande studie syftade till att belysa vilka faktorer som haft en inverkan på välbefinnandet hos kvinnliga krigsflyktingar från Bosnien. Totalt ingick 6 kvinnor i undersökningen. Studien har kvalitativ karaktär och tematisk analys användes som analysmetod. Resultatet visade att både coping såväl som olika aspekter av KASAM var framträdande för gott välbefinnande. Både emotionellt fokuserad och problemfokuserad coping har använts i bearbetningsprocessen. Den förstnämnda användes i samtliga fall först och efter en viss tid, när nya strukturer börjat formas i deltagarnas liv, blev den sistnämnda mer framträdande. Slutsatsen visade att det finns en relation mellan copingstrategier, KASAM och välbefinnande samt att flera faktorer ligger bakom valet av strategi. Studien har kunnat fylla en kunskapslucka med tanke på att det enbart finns ett mindre antal genomförda undersökningar kring den valda målgruppen.

This thesis examines daylight utilization in Nordic home environments without artificial lighting. One of the aims is to save energy and create healthy living spaces that fully harness daylight benefits. The research question focuses on how to effectively use daylight as the sole illumination source for functional, comfortable, and aesthetically pleasing homes. Existing guidelines overlook the importance of daylight in homes and fail to consider human preferences, resulting in a research gap. To address this, this thesis conducts an analysis of three existing buildings and presents a design project that specifically focuses on building orientation, openings, and materials. Daylight calculations are conducted based on the proposed design. The key findings emphasize that a home without artificial light can be easily achieved during the summer months through strategic room placement, incorporation of skylight windows, and utilization of various window types. Material selection is crucial in creating a comfortable atmosphere while maximizing daylight transmission for optimal lighting. These findings highlight the importance of considering unique daylight conditions in Nordic countries and aligning designs with individual preferences. The study contributes by emphasizing the need for optimal daylight solutions that enhance energy efficiency, well-being, and user satisfaction in home environments.