Further evidence in support of psychological flexibility as a model of eudaimonic activity

Abstract

Recent research demonstrated that associations between psychological flexibility (PF) and subjective well-being are mediated by psychological need satisfaction, in accordance with conceiving PF as a model of eudaimonic activity. The current studies tested whether such relationships persist even when controlling for alternative operationalizations of eudaimonic activity. In Study 1 (N = 289 undergraduates), need satisfaction mediated associations between Psy-Flex scores and both positive affect and life satisfaction when controlling for scores on the Flourishing Scale or Questionnaire for Eudaimonic Well-Being. Similar findings emerged in Study 2 (N = 283 undergraduates) when controlling for scores on the Multidimensional Existential Meaning Scale; these findings were then replicated using a pre-existing data set. We discuss PF in relation to the Eudaimonic Activity Model and Self-Determination Theory.