A National University of Singapore (NUS) study found that Singaporeans are less happy today than they were five years ago, but those with a more balanced outlook on life are generally more satisfied. .
The 2022 Quality of Life Survey also found that from 2016 to 2022, Singaporeans enjoyed life less and felt a decreased sense of accomplishment, control and purpose.
The survey was conducted between June and July 2022 among 1,905 Singaporeans aged 21 to 79. This is the third and latest edition of the longitudinal study, with previous editions conducted in 2011 and 2016.
The average satisfaction rating for overall quality of life was 4.38 in 2022, compared to 4.81 in 2016 and 4.83 in 2011. A higher index indicates higher satisfaction.
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Acknowledging the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the well-being of Singaporeans, NUS researchers asked respondents to reflect on the past two years of the pandemic (from mid-2020 to mid-2022). . Survey in 2022.
The study found that there is a correlation between high income and happiness, although this is not always the case. There were exceptions where people with higher household incomes reported lower levels of happiness than people with lower household incomes.
The study asked participants about the importance of nine values: a sense of belonging, excitement, enjoyment and pleasure in life, warm relationships with others, self-actualization, being respected, a sense of accomplishment, security, and self-esteem. asked to rank. .
Singaporeans consistently ranked “excitement” as the lowest priority across three surveys conducted in 2011, 2016 and 2022.
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These findings were published Thursday in the book “ Singapore’s happiness and well-being – beyond economic prosperity.
The book was written by Associate Professor Siok Kuan Tambyah, Honorary Research Fellow Tan Soo Jiuan and PhD candidate Yuen Wei Lun from NUS Business School.
In the book’s conclusion, the authors write: “While the results of the 2022 Quality of Life Survey reveal a bleak picture of Singaporeans’ declining well-being, there are some larger lessons that we hope readers will glean from this book.
“One of the most important things to note is that while there are some well-established routes to increasing life satisfaction and emotional well-being, there is also room for different routes to happiness. That’s it.
“By understanding what truly makes us happy, we can all cultivate and incorporate positive thinking and habits into our daily lives that increase our happiness.”