Psichologijos_zurnalas_21.indd


International Journal of Psychology:  
Biopsychosocial Approach 2017 / 21 
Issn 1941-7233 (Print), Issn 2345-024x (Online) 
https://doi.org/10.7220/2345-024x.21 

Editorial

6

EdItorIAl NotE

Ryan and Deci describe well-being as “a complex construct that 
concerns optimal experience and functioning. Current research on well-
being has been derived from two general perspectives: the hedonic ap-
proach, which focuses on happiness and defines well-being in terms of 
pleasure attainment and pain avoidance; and the eudaimonic approach, 
which focuses on meaning and self-realization and defines well-being in 
terms of the degree to which a person is fully functioning” (Ryan, Deci, 
2001, p.141). Thus, the topics in the special issue focus on the concept 
of well-being and its relationship to the underlying themes of optimal 
human functioning at the individual, group and institutional level.  

The special issue of the International Journal of Psychology: A Biopsy-
chosocial Approach covers a broad spectrum of original research articles 
highlighting well-being and its correlates which would contribute to the 
more fulfilling lives of both the individual and the society. 

Kristina Kovalčikienė in her article Towards The Well-Being Of Voca-
tional Teachers: The Role Of Personality Characteristics analyses teachers’ 
professional identity, which consists of distinct aspects of expertise (sub-
ject matter experts, didactical experts, and pedagogical experts) in rela-
tion to personality characteristics. The results of the study contribute to 
a better understanding of the importance that personality traits have to 
the teachers’ well-being.

Two other articles utilize the European Social Survey data which ex-
plores their well-being related interests. Ligita Šarkutė relates well-being 
to political issues in her article Does Political Activism Induce Subjective 
Wellbeing: Evidence From ESS Data. Some of the most interesting findings 
presented in her article involved the strongest positive statistically signifi-
cant correlations between the indicators of political activism and items of 
community wellbeing and supportive relationships. 

Andrius Šmitas and Loreta Gustainienė discuss health-related as-
pects in their article How Do Different Emotional, Cognitive And Social 
Health Indicators Relate To Health Behaviour? The Case Of Lithuania. The 

https://doi.org/10.7220/2345-024X.21


77

data of their study confirms earlier findings that not only personal (emo-
tional and cognitive) but also social aspects of health can affect health 
behaviour. Authors present interesting insights regarding the well-being 
of Lithuanian male and female citizens.

Rasa Markšaitytė, Kristina Žardeckaitė-Matulaitienė, Laura Šeibokaitė 
and Auksė Endriulaitienė (article The Importance Of Social Trust For The 
Prediction Of Well-Being Of Lithuanians And Lithuanian Emigrants) found 
that emotional and social well-being of non-migrants was explained by 
higher general trust in people, higher trust in institutions and higher lev-
els of family income. Thus, social aspects prove to be of critical impor-
tance for Lithuanian people.

Loreta Gustainienė, Miglė Burauskaitė and Kristina Klemenytė dis-
covered another way to discuss well-being, i.e. from the perspective 
of positive ageing (article The Role Of Psychosocial Factors In Self-Rated 
Successful Aging In A Sample Of Lithuanian Elderly People). In their study, 
social factors of self-rated successful aging were predicted by higher 
level of intellectual social activity and learning, having a job and a higher 
number of grandchildren; psychological factors were related to higher 
level of life satisfaction, younger subjective age identity, better self-rated 
health and healthier eating habits.

We express sincere gratitude to the contributors of this issue and 
hope that their publications will facilitate research in the area of positive 
psychology thus providing the resources required to utilize the findings 
for the sake of the society’s well-being.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Loreta Gustainienė
Editor of the Special Issue


	TO WARDS THE WELL-BEINGOF VOCATIONAL TEACHERS: THE ROL EOF PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS
	DOES POLITICAL ACTIVISM INDUCESUBJECTIVE WELLBEING:EVIDENCE FRO M ESS DATA
	HOW DO EMOT IONAL, COGNITIVEAND SOCIAL HEALT H RESOURCESRELATE TO HEALT H BEHAVIOUR?THE CASE OF LITHUANIA
	THE IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL TRUSTFOR THE PREDICTION OF WELL-BEINGOF LITHUANIANS AND LITHUANIANEMIGRANTS
	THE ROL E OF PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTOR SIN SELF-RATED SUCCESSFUL AGINGIN A SAMPLE OF LITHUANIAN ELDERLYPEOPLE
	CONTRIBUTOR S
	REVIEWERS
	INSTRUCTIONS FOR AUTHORS