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Robert A. CumminsPresident, ISQOLS

and

Australian Centre on Quality of Life

Deakin University

Subjective Wellbeing and National Policy

http://www.deakin.edu.au/research/acqol

Quality of Life

Objective QOL Subjective Wellbeing[happiness]

Objective Conditionse.g. Physical wealth, health, etc

Subjective Perceptionse.g. Satisfaction with wealth, health, etc

?

Subjective Wellbeing

A positive state of mind that involves the whole life experience

How do we measure it?

• Standard of living

• Health

• Achieving in life

• Relationships

• Safety

• Community connectedness

• Future security

• Spirituality/Religion

How satisfied are you with your-----?

Personal Wellbeing IndexInternational Wellbeing Group (2006)

http://www.deakin.edu.au/research/acqol

We code all data to lie on a range from

0 100

Complete

dissatisfaction

Complete

satisfaction

In 2000

Deakin University and Australian Unityformed a partnership

Purpose: to create a quarterly index of subjective wellbeing for the Australian

population.

As an adjunct to the traditional economic indicators such as GDP

The Australian Unity Wellbeing Index Surveys

Geographically representative sample

N = 2,000

Telephone interview

#1: April 2001

------------

#21: May 2009

Personal Wellbeing Index2001 - 2009

73.6

76.5

k

>S11

>S2, S4, S5

hg

Scores above this line are

significantly higher than S1

fedcba

Survey

Date

Major events

preceding survey

i j72

73

74

75

76

77

Strength

of

satisfaction

Maximum = 76.3

Current = 75.6

Minimum = 73.2

This represents a 3.0 percentage point variation

Essential for Policy Relevance

To establish the SWB normal range using population sample mean scores as data

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

76.4

73.4

SubjectiveWellbeing

Very satisfied

Very dissatisfied

N = 21 survey mean scoreMean = 74.90

Standard deviation = 0.75Normal range = 73.4 – 76.4

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

76.4

73.4

SubjectiveWellbeing

Very satisfied

Very dissatisfied

Group mean score is too low

Policy relevance: group mean scores can be compared against the SWB

normal range

Normal range

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

76.4

73.4

SubjectiveWellbeing

Very satisfied

Very dissatisfied

Group mean score

Policy relevance: group mean scores can be compared against the SWB

normal range

A group at this level needs

more resources

Normal range

The normative range can be used to identify geographic regions at risk

New South Wales

Above average Below averageAverage

The Personal Wellbeing Index can be used to determine the optimal size of towns

Personal Wellbeing Index

•Standard of living

•Health

•Achieving in life

•Relationships

•Safety

•Community connectedness

•Future security

•Spirituality/Religion

How satisfied are you with your-----?

Each domain has its own normal range

PWI Normal range for the domain ofCommunity Connection

Normal range

72.3

68.8

64

66

68

70

72

74

76

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Town/City Size

SWB

Community connection

Normal range

72.3

Largest Smallest

68.8

74.1

71.0

72.0

70.5

72.7

73.0

73.8

73.3

74.5

75.2

74.2 74.2

75.1

64

66

68

70

72

74

76

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Town/City Size

PWI

Normal range

72.3

Largest Smallest

68.8

74.1

71.0

72.0

70.5

72.7

73.0

73.8

73.3

74.5

75.2

74.2 74.2

75.1

64

66

68

70

72

74

76

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Town/City Size

PWI

30,000to

40,000

Community connection

The normal range can be used to measure the effect of policy on the SWB of the

population

Report 19.1

SWB vs geographic areas rated on----

% of people not born in Australia

% of people not born in Australia

76.5

73.6

Normal

range

76.5

76.6

76.1

76.2

75.175.2

76.4

76.3

76.6

74.6

76.0

75.3

74.8

74.8

74.6

75.174.9

74.5

72.5

70

71

72

73

74

75

76

77

4.74-

5.99

6.00-

6.99

7.00-

7.99

8.00-

8.91

9.00-

9.85

10.00-

10.78

11.00-

11.88

12.00-

12.89

13.00-

13.89

14.00-

15.98

16.00-

17.72

18.00-

19.46

20.00-

21.61

22.00-

23.70

24.00-

26.98

27.00-

29.92

30.00-

34.52

35.00-

39.23

40.00-

55.20

% not born in Australia

PWI

Levelof

satisfaction 73.6

76.5

79.3

76.175.5

81.5 81.5

72.3

68.1

73.6

75.5

73.9

71.8

76.9

75.2

68.8

65

70

75

80

85

PWI Living

Standard

Health Achieving Relations Safety Community Future

Security

Normal ranges for domains

<6% not born in Australia

Levelof

satisfaction 73.6

76.5

79.3

76.175.5

81.5 81.5

72.3

68.1

73.6

75.5

73.9

71.8

76.9

75.2

68.8

72.2

76.1

81.180.4

73.9

77.4

76.574.1

65

70

75

80

85

PWI Living

Standard

Health Achieving Relations Safety Community Future

Security

<6% not born in Australia

Levelof

satisfaction 73.6

76.5

79.3

76.175.5

81.5 81.5

72.3

68.1

73.6

75.5

73.9

71.8

76.9

75.2

68.8

72.2

76.1

81.180.4

73.9

77.4

76.574.1

65

70

75

80

85

PWI Living

Standard

Health Achieving Relations Safety Community Future

Security

36-40% not born in Australia

Levelof

satisfaction 72.3

81.581.5

75.576.1

79.3

76.5

73.6

68.8

75.2

76.9

71.8

73.9

75.5

73.6

68.1

73.474.5

77.8

75.6

78.7 77.5

68.3

70.4

65

70

75

80

85

PWI Living

Standard

Health Achieving Relations Safety Community Future

Security

40-55% not born in Australia

72.3

81.581.5

75.576.1

79.3

76.5

73.6

68.8

75.2

76.9

71.8

73.9

75.5

73.6

68.1

72.072.5

74.9

74.1

76.6 74.4

66.468.0

65

70

75

80

85

PWI Living

Standard

Health Achieving Relations Safety Community Future

Security

Levelof

satisfaction

Summary

1. The measurement of Subjective Wellbeing is simple, quick, reliable and valid

2. A crucial aspect for policy usefulness is to establish a normal range for each country.

3. Areas of disadvantage can be identified by reference to the normal range

4. Data from the Personal Wellbeing Index can be analysed either in combination or as separate domains

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