Developing nations and developing surveys: Measuring inner wellbeing in Zambia and India, 2010-2013.

The authors summarize the results of a programme of research that w undertaken concerning domains of inner wellbeing as experienced by individuals in villages within two nations in the global South

Abstract

In this paper chapter, the authors summarize the results of a programme of research that w undertaken concerning domains of inner wellbeing (i.e., individuals' feelings and thoughts about what they can do and be) as experienced by individuals in villages within two nations in the global South (i.e., Zambia and India). Results of confirmatory factor analyses for Zambia at Time 1 (in 2010, n = 361) and for India at Time 1 (in 2011, n = 287) indicated that, although they had expected seven to eight inter-correlated domains to emerge, inner wellbeing was best regarded as a uni-dimensional construct. However, after they engaged in intensive reflection and extensive reconceptualization and measurement of inner wellbeing, results for Zambia Time 2 (in 2012, n = 344) and for India Time 2 (in 2013, n = 335) indicated that inner wellbeing was best regarded as a multidimensional construct with seven inter-correlated domains (i.e., economic confidence, agency/participation, social connections, close relationships, physical/mental health, competence/self-worth, and values/meaning). Implications for the conceptualization and measurement of inner wellbeing within the global South, and for theoretical and methodological issues concerning wellbeing in general, are discussed.

Citation

Gaines, S.; White, S. Developing nations and developing surveys: Measuring inner wellbeing in Zambia and India, 2010-2013. In: Toward Sustainable Development through Nurturing Diversity. International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology (IACCP), (2012) ISBN 978-0-620-60283-9

Developing nations and developing surveys: Measuring inner wellbeing in Zambia and India, 2010-2013.

Published 1 January 2012