Changing Societies & Personalities, 2022 Vol. 6, No. 4, pp. 841–857 https://doi.org/10.15826/csp.2022.6.4.206 Received 25 June 2022 © 2022 Elena N. Volkova, Anna Yu. Akimova, Accepted 16 November 2022 Oksana M. Isaeva Published online 30 December 2022 envolkova@yandex.ru anna_ak@rambler.ru oisaeva@hse.ru ARTICLE Assessment of the Psychological Well-Being of Russian Youth With the PERMA-Profiler Elena N. Volkova Psychological Institute of the Russian Academy of Education, Moscow, Russia Anna Yu. Akimova National Research University Higher School of Economics, Russia Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, Minin Nizhny Novgorod State Pedagogical University, Russia Oksana M. Isaeva National Research University Higher School of Economics, Russia ABSTRACT This article presents the results of a survey of the psychological well-being of Russian youth based on the Russian version of the PERMA-Profiler. The survey was conducted at the beginning of 2021 and covered 11,811 respondents (males = 29.2%, females = 70.8%) aged 18–35 (49.2%, aged 18–22; 22.3%, aged 23–30; and 28.5%, aged 31–35) living in the central part of Russia. The survey’s results indicate that the country perform properly in terms of youth well-being. The scores of Russian respondents are significantly higher than the results reported by Butler and Kern for the UK, Greece, Korea, Italy, and the USA in their study of 2016 (this sample is referred to as a total sample). The Russian respondents scored higher compared to the total sample in the scales of Positive emotions and Relationships. The research data show different indicators of well-being in groups differing by gender, age, education, social, marital and parental status, living conditions, and income level. We also found some peculiar age- and gender-related differences regarding well-being in the Russian sample, which also distinguishes it from the total sample. The research results can be used in programs intended to improve the psychological well-being of Russian youth. https://changing-sp.com/ 842 Elena N. Volkova, Anna Yu. Akimova, Oksana M. Isaeva Introduction Well-being, happiness, and prosperity are closely interrelated phenomena associated with the most positive experiences of young people. These phenomena have recently attracted increased scholarly attention in such fields as psychology, pedagogy, and social studies. The Russian government has considered young people’s well-being as an important factor contributing to the country’s innovation performance and invested funds in the creation of comfortable living and working conditions, as well as in opportunities for socialization and self-realization. These tasks were identified as the key priorities in most federal programs and projects for young people. There is evidence that a high level of human well-being and its main components ensure the positive functioning of an individual and promote personal self-realization (Bradburn, 1977/2019; Seligman, 2011; Sheldon et al., 2017). Well-being is defined both as an objective indicator, e.g., assessment of the quality of the external living conditions in a city, district, country, etc. and as a subjective indicator, “an assessment made by the subjects themselves of how close their life as a whole is to the most desirable state” (Osin & Leontiev, 2020). Attempts were made to systematize the main methodological approaches to the study of the well-being of adolescents and youth (see, for example, Antonova et al., 2018; Byzova & Perikova, 2018; Galazhinsky et al., 2019; Karapetyan & Glotova, 2018). There are several approaches to defining well-being. For instance, adherents of the subjective (hedonistic) approach believe that the main goal of human existence is the pursuit of positive emotions and pleasures (Diener et al., 2010). In hedonistic terms, well-being is understood as achievement of pleasure and avoidance of dissatisfaction. Subjective well-being is also influenced by interpersonal comparisons. Positive emotions have a direct impact on the degree of individual psychological stability, which, in turn, leads to an increase in the level of life satisfaction. The generalized characteristic of well-being in the logic of this approach is life satisfaction as achievement of pleasure and the feeling of happiness. Within this approach, the above- cited studies examine various aspects of young people’s well-being: for example, the impact of the modernization of Russian society on the social well-being of young people, KEYWORDS well-being, psychological well-being, PERMA, PERMA-Profiler, Russian youth ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This work was supported by the Russian Scientific Foundation (RSF), project No 22-28-20262. The authors are grateful for assistance in data collection Ministry of Education, Science and Youth Policy of the Nizhny Novgorod Region and personally to Natalya Alexandrovna Polyashova and Svetlana Olegovna Anufrieva. Changing Societies & Personalities, 2022, Vol. 6, No. 4, pp. 841–857 843 the relationship between the subjective quality of life and the perception of happiness in young people, young people’s vision of their future in terms of subjective well-being, as well as the characteristics of emotional well-being, happiness, and life satisfaction, including gender-specific aspects of well-being, etc. (Antonova et al., 2018; Byzova & Perikova, 2018; Galazhinsky et al., 2019; Karapetyan & Glotova, 2018). Another approach that can be described as psychological (or eudemonistic) considers well-being as the development of individuality and sense of agency, acquisition of a personal identity, and self-realization. Proponents of this approach assess well-being by looking at personal predictors of happiness and associate well- being with living a rich, full, and meaningful life (Ryan et al., 2019; Seligman, 2011). This approach highlights the ideas prevailing among modern young people about personal psychological well-being and strategies for achieving it. In this vein, particular consideration is given to the relationship between moral aspects and psychological well-being as well as the dependence of psychological well-being on social status. Some aspects of emotional and personal well-being of students are also analyzed (Ryan et al., 2019; Ryff, 2019; Seligman, 2011). One of the most common models used in this approach is the PERMA model of well-being developed and presented by M. Seligman in his book Flourishing: A New Understanding of Happiness and Well-Being—And How to Achieve Them (2011). Well-being Theory, or PERMA model, proposes five pillars of well-being: Positive emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment. To qualify as an element of well-being, each component must meet the following three criteria: first, it should contribute to well-being; second, it should be pursued for its own sake; and, third, it should be defined and measured independently from other components (Seligman, 2011). Let us consider each of these components in more detail. ● Positive emotion refers to the affective component or feeling well, in combination with positive appraisal. ● Engagement refers to a deep psychological connection to a particular activity, organization or cause. It is the psychological state where individuals are absorbed in a task implying interest, intense involvement, effort, and immersion. ● Relationships refers to the perception of the quantity and quality of social connections. It implies the belief that one is cared for, loved, and valued. Social relationships have been considered the core element of well-being, and their impact on optimized functioning has been extensively studied. ● Meaning, which is closely linked to the sense of purpose, has been defined as the “ontological significance of life from the point of view of the individual”, or the feeling of belonging and serving something larger than the self (Seligman, 2011). Meaning provides a sense that one’s life matters. It has been associated with better physical health, reduced mortality risk, and higher life satisfaction. ● Accomplishment is the last component of PERMA model and refers to success and mastery. Accomplishment encompasses both external indicators and internal goals. Although accomplishment can be defined in objective terms, this model places the main emphasis on the way people perceive their accomplishments. https://changing-sp.com/ 844 Elena N. Volkova, Anna Yu. Akimova, Oksana M. Isaeva In 2016, Australian researchers J. Butler and M. L. Kern (2016) developed a diagnostic tool (PERMA-Profiler) based on M. Seligman’s PERMA model and demonstrated its high reliability and validity. These authors, following in Seligman’s footsteps, discussed the concept of “flourishing” as a state of stable balance manifested in a high level of emotional, psychological, and social well-being. This questionnaire was adapted for various countries, including England, Greece, Korea, Italy, and the USA (Ascenso et al., 2018; Choi et al., 2019; Giangrasso, 2021; Pezirkianidis et al., 2021; Ryan et al., 2019; Umucu et al., 2020). In 2021, a Russian version of this questionnaire was developed by O. M. Isaeva, A. Yu. Akimova, and E. N. Volkova (Isaeva et al., 2022). All of the above-cited studies have demonstrated the advantages of the questionnaire’s structure, its reliability and validity (Butler & Kern, 2016). This article presents the results of a survey of the psychological well-being of Russian young people conducted at the beginning of 2021 and based on the application of the PERMA-Profiler questionnaire. Method The PERMA-Profiler questionnaire includes 23 statements, 15 of which are related to the five elements of psychological well-being: Positive emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment. The rest of the statements are additional indicators (Negative emotions, Health, Loneliness, and Happiness) needed to gain a fuller picture of well-being (Butler & Kern, 2016). Each statement was rated by the respondents on an 11-point Likert scale from 0 (“never”, or “minimum”) to 10 (“always”, or “maximum”). The data obtained were processed in accordance with the questionnaire key. To make data collection more convenient and to build a larger sample, a Google form was developed and subsequently disseminated through the Internet (social media VK1, e-mail, etc.) among young people in Central Russia. The study was anonymous and it was carried out on a voluntary gratuitous basis. The potential respondents were informed about the purpose of the study and they agreed to participate in the survey in exchange for receiving feedback about the survey results. In addition to the questions of the PERMA-Profiler questionnaire, the Google form included questions about the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents: age, gender, social status, education, marital status, and income level. It took the respondents 10–15 minutes to fill in the Google form. The results were processed by using descriptive statistics, frequency analysis and difference analysis. The statistical analysis was carried out with the help of Microsoft Office Excel 2010 and IBM SPSS STATISTICS 26. 1 VK (short for its original name VKontakte) is a Russian online social media and social networking service. https://vk.com VK™ is a trademark of VK.com Ltd. https://vk.com Changing Societies & Personalities, 2022, Vol. 6, No. 4, pp. 841–857 845 Sample The sample comprised young people aged 18–35. This age group was chosen to gather more information about the psychological well-being of young people of active age, i.e., able to make independent career choices, to take decisions concerning additional education, starting a family, etc. The Google forms that were left incomplete or contained obviously inaccurate answers were excluded from further analysis. As a result, 11,811 Google forms were filled by young people aged 18–35 from Central Russia. The representativeness of the study sample was ensured by the random selection method. Information on the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents is presented in Table 1. Table 1 Socio-Demographic Characteristics of the Sample Indicator name Indicator value Abs. % Total sample size 11,811 100.0 Gender Males 3,444 29.2 Females 8,367 70.8 Age groups 18–22 5,811 49.2 23–30 2,631 22.3 31–35 3,369 28.5 Social status Student 5,637 47.7 Employed 6,174 52.3 Education Student 3,468 29.4 Secondary 2,721 23.0 Secondary vocational 1,506 12.8 Higher 4,116 34.8 Marital status Married (legally or civilly) 4,958 42.0 Unmarried 6,853 58.0 Having children None 7,294 61.8 One child 2,006 17.0 Two or more children 2,511 21.2 https://changing-sp.com/ 846 Elena N. Volkova, Anna Yu. Akimova, Oksana M. Isaeva Indicator name Indicator value Abs. % Living conditions Alone 1,767 15.0 With a family (spouse, children) 4,842 41.0 With relatives 4,538 38.4 Other options 664 5.6 Income level Non, unemployed 4,036 34.2 Up to 20 thousand rubles 3,829 32.4 20–40 thousand rubles 3,123 26.4 More than 40 thousand rubles 823 7.0 Results The data from the PERMA-Profiler questionnaire were processed according to the key. Then we determined the descriptive statistical indicators of general psychological well-being, values of the main scales (Positive emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment), and additional scales (Negative emotion, Health, Loneliness, and Happiness). Mean values, standard deviations, confidence intervals for each of the listed indicators are shown in Table 2. Table 2 Descriptive Statistics of the PERMA-Profiler (N = 11,811) Scale name M SD 95% confidence interval min max General well-being 7.16 1.52 7.13 7.19 Positive emotion 7.31 1.79 7.27 7.34 Relationships 7.14 1.98 7.10 7.18 Engagement 7.05 1.61 7.02 7.08 Meaning 7.08 1.85 7.04 7.11 Accomplishment 7.15 1.56 7.12 7.18 Negative emotion 5.77 1.86 5.73 5.80 Health 6.71 1.95 6.67 6.74 Loneliness 4.47 2.77 4.42 4.52 Health 7.40 2.11 7.36 7.44 Note: M = mean value; SD = standard deviation Table 1 Continued Changing Societies & Personalities, 2022, Vol. 6, No. 4, pp. 841–857 847 The mean values of the main scales of the questionnaire are within the range of 7.05–7.31. The highest mean value (7.40) and the lowest mean value (4.47) were determined on the Happiness and Loneliness scales, respectively. The respondents presented their assessments on all the scales by assigning them values from 0 to 10. Figure 1 shows the survey’s results in comparison with the results of the total sample (for more on the total sample, see Butler & Kern, 2016). J. Butler and M. L. Kern (2016) provide descriptive characteristics of the scales of Positive emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, Accomplishment, Negative emotions, Health, and General well-being. The total sample included people aged 18–65, from different countries of the world (the UK, Greece, Korea, Italy, and the USA), with different levels of education and social status (N = 31,966). The level of general well-being shown by our research sample was significantly higher than in the total sample (t-test = 10.10; confidence level p = .00). In addition, the values of the scales Positive Emotions, Relationships and Negative emotions in the research sample were also significantly higher than in the total sample (for all the scales, the differences are significant at p = .00 according to the t-test criterion). The values of the scales Engagement, Accomplishment, and Health in the research sample were lower than in the total sample (on these scales, the differences are significant at p = .00 according to the t-test criterion). On the scale Meaning, no differences were found between the research sample and the total sample (t-test = 1.02, p = .31). Statistically significant differences were determined in the values of the PERMA-Profiler scales among the respondents with different socio-demographic characteristics. The results of the comparison of the mean values and statistical significance of differences are shown in Table 3. Figure 1 Mean Values With Standard Deviation of the PERMA-Profiler Scales in the Research Sample and the Total Sample 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 P os iti ve e m ot io n R el at io ns hi ps E ng ag em en t M ea ni ng A cc om pl is hm en t N eg at iv e em ot io n P hy si ca l h ea lth O ve ra ll w el l-b ei ng Research sample Total sample https://changing-sp.com/ 8 4 8 E lena N . Volkova, A nna Yu. A kim ova, O ksana M . Isaeva Table 3 Comparison of the Mean Values of the PERMA-Profiler Scales Among the Groups of the Respondents With Different Socio-Demographic Characteristics (N = 11,811) Characteristics General well-being Positive emotion Relationships Engagement Meaning Accomplishment Negative emotion Health Loneliness Happiness Gender Male 7.01 7.07 6.90 7.12 6.92 7.04 5.32 6.93 4.65 7.02 Female 7.22 7.40 7.24 7.03 7.14 7.19 5.95 6.61 4.40 7.56 t 6.94 9.04 8.64 2.80 5.92 4.88 16.92 8.23 4.51 12.60 p .00*** .00*** .00*** .01** .00*** .00*** .00*** .00*** .00*** .00*** Age groups 18–22 7.08 7.26 7.04 7.07 6.93 7.05 5.75 6.75 4.72 7.23 23–30 7.22 7.37 7.25 7.00 7.17 7.21 5.82 6.69 4.33 7.53 31–35 7.25 7.33 7.23 7.05 7.25 7.27 5.75 6.63 4.14 7.61 F 15.98 3.78 14.84 1.64 36.11 23.97 1.14 4.11 51.88 40.18 p .00*** .02* .00*** .19 .00*** .00*** .32 .02* .00*** .00*** Social status Student 7.06 7.25 7.02 7.06 6.91 7.03 5.75 6.75 4.74 7.21 Employed 7.25 7.36 7.25 7.04 7.23 7.26 5.78 6.66 4.22 7.58 t 6.72 3.52 6.33 0.57 9.16 8.17 .76 2.38 10.32 9.70 p .00*** .00*** .00*** .57 .00*** .00*** .45 .02** .00*** .00*** Education Student 7.03 7.24 6.97 7.06 6.88 6.95 5.74 6.75 4.73 7.20 Secondary 7.11 7.26 7.10 7.03 6.99 7.15 5.76 6.73 4.69 7.25 Secondary vocational 7.16 7.37 7.22 6.88 7.12 7.06 5.70 6.68 4.34 7.63 Higher 7.30 7.37 7.28 7.12 7.29 7.35 5.83 6.67 4.15 7.59 F 21.17 4.79 16.60 8.09 33.55 44.84 2.51 1.28 35.33 33.06 p .00*** .00*** .00*** .00*** .00*** .00*** .06 .28 .00*** .00*** C hanging S ocieties & P ersonalities, 2022, Vol. 6, N o. 4, pp. 841–857 8 4 9 Characteristics General well-being Positive emotion Relationships Engagement Meaning Accomplishment Negative emotion Health Loneliness Happiness Marital status Married 7.36 7.47 7.53 7.05 7.31 7.28 5.81 6.64 3.96 7.79 Unmarried 7.02 7.19 6.85 7.05 6.91 7.05 5.74 6.75 4.84 7.13 t 12.06 8.52 18.70 0.01 11.64 7.80 2.13 2.90 17.31 16.9 p .00*** .00*** .00*** .99 .00*** .00*** .03* .00*** .00*** .00*** Children None 7.07 7.22 7.01 7.06 6.94 7.07 5.74 6.72 4.72 7.19 One child 7.28 7.40 7.30 7.06 7.26 7.26 5.75 6.67 4.17 7.66 Two or more children 7.34 7.49 7.39 7.02 7.33 7.30 5.86 6.69 3.98 7.83 F 37.88 23.91 42.75 0.57 53.91 28.34 4.08 .62 82.22 104.98 p .00*** .00*** .00*** .57 .00*** .00*** .02* .54 .00*** .00*** Living conditions Alone 6.93 7.02 6.71 6.96 6.90 7.03 5.73 6.64 5.08 6.98 With a family 7.39 7.51 7.50 7.08 7.35 7.34 5.79 6.65 3.90 7.82 With relatives 7.04 7.22 6.94 7.07 6.89 7.02 5.74 6.80 4.79 7.17 F 63.09 41.32 101.29 3.55 61.34 40.24 2.41 5.72 122.55 116.71 p .00*** .00*** .00*** .01** .00*** .00*** .06 .00*** .00*** .00*** Income level None/Unemployed 7.00 7.20 6.97 7.01 6.82 6.95 5.76 6.69 4.69 7.17 Up to 20 thous. rubles 7.06 7.21 7.08 6.90 6.99 7.02 5.91 6.53 4.48 7.40 20–40 thous. rubles 7.35 7.44 7.32 7.16 7.34 7.39 5.68 6.77 4.19 7.60 More than 40 thous. rubles 7.71 7.77 7.59 7.56 7.75 7.83 5.48 7.36 4.36 7.82 F 72.86 32.64 34.02 45.67 87.38 112.52 16.22 42.71 19.12 36.39 p .00*** .00*** .00*** .00*** .00*** .00*** .00*** .00*** .00*** .00*** Note: t = t-test for independent samples; F = Fisher’s test (ANOVA); p = difference confidence level; * р ≤ .05; ** р ≤ .01; *** р ≤ .001. Table 3 Continued https://changing-sp.com/ 850 Elena N. Volkova, Anna Yu. Akimova, Oksana M. Isaeva Comparison of the PERMA-Profiler scores in the groups of respondents (see Table 3) showed the following results: ● female respondents had higher scores of general well-being in comparison with male respondents; ● respondents aged 23–30 and 31–35 had higher scores than those aged 18–22; ● the employed versus students; ● respondents with higher education versus all the others; ● the respondents who are officially or civilly married versus those who are not married; ● the respondents with one, two or more children versus childless respondents; ● the respondents living with their families (spouse, children) versus all the others; ● the respondents with an income above 40 thousand rubles versus all the others. Some interesting results were also found for the rest of the scales of the PERMA- Profiler questionnaire: (a) In the group of male respondents, higher scores were observed on the scales Engagement, Health, and Loneliness. On the other scales, female respondents showed significantly higher values. (b) Among the respondents of different age groups, there were no significant differences in the scales Engagement and Negative emotions. Among the other age groups, the respondents aged 18–22 had the highest scores on the scales Health and Loneliness and the lowest scores on all the other scales not listed above. (c) Respondents with higher and secondary vocational education scored the highest on the scales of Positive emotion, Relationships, and Happiness. On the scales Negative Emotions and Health, the scores in the groups with different levels of education did not vary statistically. (d) Married respondents had higher scores on all the scales, except for Health and Loneliness. On the Engagement scale, there was no difference between married and unmarried respondents. (e) Respondents with two or more children had the highest scores on all the scales, except for Loneliness. On the scales Engagement and Health, no differences were found between the groups of childless respondents and respondents with children. (f) Respondents living with a spouse and children scored the highest on all the scales, excluding Loneliness and Negative emotions. On the scale Loneliness, this group of respondents scored the lowest among all the survey participants. (g) Respondents with an income above 40 thousand rubles had the highest values on all the scales, excluding Loneliness and Negative emotions. On the scale Negative emotions, this group showed the minimum value in comparison with all the others. On the scale Loneliness, the maximum value was observed in the group of respondents without their own income, and the minimum value, in the Changing Societies & Personalities, 2022, Vol. 6, No. 4, pp. 841–857 851 group of respondents with an income of 20–40 thousand rubles. Interestingly, participants with an income above 40 thousand rubles accounted for only 7% of the total sample. To determine the influence of sociodemographic characteristics on the psychological well-being of young people, a multiple regression analysis was carried out (Table 4). Table 4 Values of Standardized Regression Coefficients in the Model of the Relationship of Psychological Well-Being of Youth With Socio-Demographic Characteristics Characteristics β p R2Adj F pF Age –0.099 0.000 0.029 45.120 0.000 Gender 0.056 0.000 Social status –0.090 0.000 Education 0.046 0.011 Marital status 0.101 0.000 Children 0.037 0.014 Living conditions 0.019 0.061 Income level 0.156 0.000 Note: β – standardized coefficient; p = difference confidence level for β; R2Adj – corrected multiple determination coefficient; F = Fisher’s test (ANOVA); pF is the level of statistical significance of the model. Although the value of the multiple determination coefficient is small (R2 Adj = 0.029), the constructed variable relationship model is valid (F = 45.120; pF = 0.000). The resulting regression model showed the role played by such characteristics as gender, age, social status, education, marital status, children, and income level (r ≤ 0.05 for the standardized β coefficients corresponding to these characteristics) as elements of the empirical model of the psychological well-being of Russian youth. Discussion In the study, all the scores fell within the average range, which signifies the achievements of Russia in terms of youth well-being. If we compare these results with those of Butler & Kern’s survey (2016), we will see that Russian respondents have scored higher in the scales of Positive emotions and Relationships. We found that, in comparison with the total sample, young Russian people to a greater extent have a positive attitude towards their life, are optimistic about the future, and strive to create and maintain trusting relationships with others. Relationships and positive emotions are prioritized by Russian respondents in their sense of well-being. It should be noted that these components of psychological well-being are conducive to active https://changing-sp.com/ 852 Elena N. Volkova, Anna Yu. Akimova, Oksana M. Isaeva and positive functioning of a person. The dominance of certain indicators (experience of joy and pleasure on a daily basis, feeling of self-worth, and support of close people) in the structure of psychological well-being correlates with higher self-esteem and self-efficacy. Higher levels in these indicators are associated with better professional performance, a more developed sense of autonomy and ability to take responsibility for one’s choices and actions (Leontiev, 2000; Ryan & Deci, 2017). Positive emotions, acceptance, and recognition on the part of other people are crucial for the development of independence, one’s ability to cope with difficult situations and consider emerging problems as challenges and opportunities for growth (Fredrickson, 2001; Meyer & Maltin, 2010; Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000). Our research sample showed higher values in Negative emotions in comparison with the total sample, which can be explained by the importance of the emotional component in the well-being of Russian youth in general, i.e., in the entire range of negative and positive values. This is consistent with the opinion of J. Butler and M. L. Kern (2016) who pointed out that it is necessary to take into account both positive and negative elements of the spectrum of mental health. In the light of the above, we can explain the lower, in comparison with the total sample, values in the scales Engagement and Accomplishment by the lesser importance of goal-setting and goal achievement as well as the satisfaction from goal achievement in the respondents’ sense of well-being. In addition, our respondents showed lower values in the scale Health, which means that they attach less importance to health. The latter may be explained by their young age or by specific characteristics of the Russian sample. This assumption requires further consideration in future studies. The sense of meaning in life, the feeling of life’s importance and fullness are equally significant for Russian youth and respondents from Butler & Kern’s sample (2016). The scores in the Russian sample in Engagement and Accomplishment were lower than in the total sample. This set of characteristics—engagement in activities, striving for achievements, finding meaningful pursuits—reflects the introjected nature of psychological well-being determined by the processes that are similar to those that determine the intrinsic motivation for this or that activity. It can be supposed that having interest in a particular activity, a desire to achieve certain goals and the satisfaction derived from their achievement have a weaker impact on the psychological well-being of Russian youth than positive emotions and relationship satisfaction. Our respondents’ lower scores in Health might signify that they attach less significance to health as a source of psychological well-being. This tendency is confirmed by other studies performed on Russian samples (Antonova et al., 2018; Tsvetkova & Antonova, 2010). Our study has demonstrated that respondents with different socio-demographic characteristics (age, gender, social status, education, marital and parental status, living conditions, income) tend to have different indicators of well-being. All of these characteristics are important factors shaping the well-being of Russian youth. The respondents aged 23–30 and 31–35, with a higher education, employed, married, with Changing Societies & Personalities, 2022, Vol. 6, No. 4, pp. 841–857 853 children and a monthly income above 40 thousand rubles tend to enjoy higher levels of well-being than the others. The lowest levels of well-being were observed for the groups of respondents aged 18–22, with secondary education or lower, unmarried, childless, and with a low income (20 thousand rubles or less). It should be noted that the age- and gender-related differences in well-being among Russian respondents agree with the data provided by J. Butler and M. L. Kern (2016): in their study, in the group of male respondents in the total sample, the general indicator of well-being (7.11) was higher than among the female respondents (6.91). In the age group 18–24, the indicator of well-being (7.12) was higher than in the age group 25–34 (6.94). In our research sample, female respondents showed higher levels of well- being than male respondents. Similarly, respondents in the age groups 23–30 and 31–35 had higher levels of well-being compared with the age group 18–22. Such correlations may be associated with the peculiarities of the mentality of Russian youth, their life-meaning orientations, their satisfaction with activities in various spheres, attitudes to the present and future. Regression analysis has brought to light different effects of sociodemographic characteristics on the psychological well-being of Russian youth. We found that the most important factors are income (β = 0.156; p = 0.000), marital status (β = 0.101; p = 0.000), age (β= –0.099; p = 0.000), and social status (β= –0.090; p = 0.000). These characteristics can be considered as predictors of the psychological well-being of Russian youth. In an ideal model, a fulfilled person in Russia is young (aged 23–30), married, and has a well-paying job. The fact that Russian respondents attach higher significance to positive emotions and support of close people and give less significance to engagement and achievement signifies the prevalence of the social and adaptive personality type over the active and independent type. These characteristics should be seen as a response to the progressive trend of social development rather than as a response to the demands of today’s increasingly accelerated and globalized world. On the other hand, although to a lesser extent, the psychological well-being of Russian youth is determined by gender (β = 0.056; p = 0.000), education (β = 0.046; p = 0.011), having children and their number (β = 0.037; p = 0.014). It should be noted that having children and a certain level of education are the characteristics that result from one’s life choices and the ability to take responsibility for them. The theory of self-determination considers freedom of choice and responsibility as signs of internal motivation of activity (Ryan & Deci, 2000). From this perspective, the strength of the characteristics corresponding to one’s readiness to make choices and take responsibility for them will not only serve as predictors of psychological well-being but also as indicators of intrinsic motivation. The psychological well-being of a young person can be achieved in different ways. For some, what matters the most is to establish positive, fulfilling relationships with other people, to have the ability to receive feedback from close people and use it for self-improvement. For others, access to education, their professional activity, and the satisfaction from goal achievement are more important. https://changing-sp.com/ 854 Elena N. Volkova, Anna Yu. Akimova, Oksana M. Isaeva It can be assumed that constructive and positive communication, on the one hand, and internal motivation to engage in a certain activity, on the other, are the essential conditions for the psychological well-being of young people. In each case, these mechanisms will coexist in the general field of meaningful and dynamic parameters. However, each person has their own formula of well-being with a unique ratio of elements and their hierarchy. This finding confirms the self-determination theory’s postulate about the diversity of positive opportunities for personal growth and fulfillment. In the psychological sense, well-being can be seen as an integral indicator that corresponds to each individual’s positive psychological functioning and ability to experience happiness and life satisfaction. Well-being manifests itself through the satisfaction with one’s life and the availability/awareness of the resources necessary to achieve happiness and life satisfaction. We found that modern Russian youth tend to achieve well-being primarily through communication rather than through engagement in activities (professional development, education). Conclusion This study assesses the well-being of Russian youth aged 18–35 by using the adapted PERMA-Profiler, based on Seligman’s PERMA model. The results are generally consistent with the data on psychological well-being for different countries. However, some interesting peculiarities were detected: for example, young Russian adults have shown a higher level of general well-being and its components (Positive emotion and Relationships) in comparison with the total sample. The research data show different indicators of well-being for different groups of respondents (age, gender, education, social, marital and parental status, living conditions, and income). We also found some peculiar age- and gender-related differences regarding well-being in the Russian sample, which distinguishes it from the total sample. By applying regression analysis methods, we built a model of psychological well- being of Russian youth and identified the following predictors: a high level of income, having one’s own family with one or more children, age of 18–22, employment, and educational attainment. In their pursuit of well-being, young Russian adults tend to prioritize communication over activity. Our findings can be used in programs intended to improve the psychological well- being of Russian youth. The limitation of this study is that the data were collected only in Central Russia. In order to generalize the results, it would be desirable to collect the data from other Russian regions as well. Comparative analysis of indicators of psychological well-being in other age groups may be one of the avenues for further research. Other promising areas might include the study of well-being in persons belonging to different professional and social groups, with different psychological characteristics, etc. More research on these characteristics is necessary to gain a more detailed understanding of the factors and determinants of psychological well-being of Russian youth. Changing Societies & Personalities, 2022, Vol. 6, No. 4, pp. 841–857 855 References Antonova, N. A., Eritsian, K. Iu., & Tsvetkova, L. A. (2018). 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