Ad Bergsma, Ruut Veenhoven, Margreet ten Have, Ron de Graaf
In: Journal of Happiness Studies (2011) 12:793–806, DOI 10.1007/s10902-010-9227-5
ABSTRACT
Quality of life is often measured using questions about happiness. This method presumes that
respondents are able to judge their life. Research suggest that this is typically the case, but this is
not to say that everybody can. In that context one may doubt whether people with a mental
disorder can judge their life adequately. Happiness can be rejected as a indicator for quality of
life for people with mental disorders, because of affective and cognitive distortions.
We therefore checked the validity of happiness and satisfaction measures in the context of
mental disorders. Psychiatric diagnoses were determined at baseline and at 12 and 36 months
follow-up in a representative sample (N = 7,076) of the Dutch population, using a full
Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Respondents indicated how often they had felt
happy during the past month and how satisfied they were with their lives in general.
The measurements have a satisfactory concurrent, ecological and predictive validity for
people with mental disorders. Though the level of happiness is lower among the people with
mental disorders, conditions for happiness and contentment appear to be similar.
Keywords: Happiness - Mental disorders - Life satisfaction - Quality of life -Validity of
happiness measure - Positive mood - Mood disorder - Anxiety disorder - Substance abuse disorder