The power of positive emotions: it's a matter of life or death--subjective well-being and longevity over 28 years in a general population.

OBJECTIVE

This study longitudinally examined Subjective Well-Being (SWB) and its components, namely, Positive Feelings (PF, including global life satisfaction [GLS]), domain life satisfaction [DLS], and positive affect [PA]) as well as Negative Feelings (NF) as predictors of longevity in a general population.

DESIGN

Data from the Alameda County Study over 28 years (1965-1993, N = 6856) were analyzed with multivariate Cox Proportional Hazard Models.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Longevity, evaluated by risks of all-cause, natural-cause, and unnatural-cause mortality.

RESULTS

After demographic and baseline health covariates were controlled, SWB, PF, GLS, and DLS significantly predicted lowered risks of all-cause and natural-cause mortality (Relative Risk per unit predictor increase [RR] ranged .904-.989, p values ranged .000-.05). SWB, PF, and GLS also significantly predicted lowered risk of unnatural-cause mortality (RR ranged .862-.961, p values ranged .014-.05). These associations seemed partially or completely mediated by social networks. The associations were also found separately in younger (<55 in age) and/or older (>or=55) subsamples, and were especially salient in the healthy subsample. However, NF showed no associations with the mortality outcomes.

CONCLUSION

SWB and its various positive components, but not NF, significantly predict longevity in the general population.