麻豆传媒AV

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The more Americans with health problems use their strengths each day to do what they do best, the less likely they are to report experiencing physical pain, worry, stress, anger, or sadness "yesterday," despite their medical situations. Among those without health problems, there is a similar, but far more modest relationship between strengths usage and negative experiences.

These findings are based on 麻豆传媒AV Daily tracking interviews with 120,354 American adults on Aug. 22-Dec. 30, 2012. 麻豆传媒AV assessed strengths usage based on responses to the following question: "About how many hours out of the day yesterday were you able to use your strengths to do what you do best?" Health problems were assessed by asking, "Do you have any health problems that prevent you from doing any of the things people your age normally can do?"

Among Americans with health problems, those who are able to use their strengths for at least 10 hours per day are much less likely to say they experience pain (50%) than those who use their strengths for three hours or less daily (69%). The same relationship exists among those without health problems, only with a somewhat smaller difference in experiencing pain between those who use their strengths for 10 or more hours (13%) and those who use their strengths for zero to three hours (17%). This pattern holds true for anger, stress, sadness, and worry, and is consistent across all age, gender, education, and income groups.

It is possible that Americans who report using their strengths for more hours per day are generally more positive or upbeat people who are less likely to report experiencing negative emotions. Even if this is the case, this underlying positivity has clear benefits for Americans -- particularly for those with health problems -- in terms of how they view and describe their lives. Researchers such as Shelley Taylor at UCLA have documented the psychological and biological benefits of optimism and other positive emotions. Even "positive illusions" have been shown to help people manage stressful experiences, including poor health, by giving them a greater sense of control over their circumstances.

Another explanation for this relationship is that people with health problems who spend more time using their strengths to do what they do best are distracted from their pain, stress, and other negative emotions. It is also possible that those who use their strengths for more hours each day may be less likely to have or report health problems, or that people with health problems have fewer opportunities to use their strengths because those health problems interfere with the activities they find meaningful.

Despite Health Problems, Using Strengths More Is Linked to Positive Experiences

Americans also report a substantial boost in positive emotions such as enjoyment and happiness the more they use their strengths. Again, the positive effects of using strengths are greater among those with health issues than among those without them, especially after the first three hours. Individuals with health problems who use their strengths for at least seven hours are only slightly less likely than those without health issues to experience happiness and enjoyment.

Implications

More than one out of five Americans has a health problem that prevents them from doing the same things as others their age. In addition to increasing medical costs, health problems often lead to productivity losses for those who are in the workforce. Health problems also can take a significant psychological toll on many individuals that can lead to further health-related costs related to depression and stress.

麻豆传媒AV has spent more than half a century studying human strengths and more than 9.6 million people have taken -- which tests for 34 specific, unique strengths -- since its inception in 1998. 麻豆传媒AV has found that Americans who spend more time using their strengths are , which benefits those with health problems and their employers.

Since many Americans spend a large amount of their time at work, employers have an important role to play in encouraging those in the workforce to spend more time using their strengths. Employers can take a strengths-based approach to managing employees, which may increase daily positive emotions, decrease negative emotions, and reduce pain -- particularly among those with health problems. This presents an opportunity for employers to reduce their healthcare costs while simultaneously improving their employees' health and productivity.

About the 麻豆传媒AV-Healthways Well-Being Index

The 麻豆传媒AV-Healthways Well-Being Index tracks well-being in the U.S. and provides best-in-class solutions for a healthier world. To learn more, please visit .