Subjective Feeling of Happiness and Social Determinants of Quality of Life

Abstract

The aim of the study was to develop an integrated conceptual synthesis of the relationships between individual experiences of well-being, assessments of living conditions, and social-environmental factors, while distinguishing their direct, mediated, and context-dependent associations. The study was conducted in September 2026 in the format of an integrative review of 25 English-language peer-reviewed scientific articles from 2022–2025, which covered data from European countries, Ukraine, China, Japan, the United States of America, South Africa, Guatemala, the Philippines and other national contexts. The reviewed scientific material was systematically organized into five analytical blocks. The findings indicated that material resources and economic status are associated with higher levels of well-being, although these relationships vary with initial income, perceived inequality, security, fairness, and perceived position in the social hierarchy. In one of the included meta-analyses, the average positive effect of cash transfers was d = 0.13, supporting the importance of material resources while also indicating that financial resources alone do not fully explain well-being. The synthesis found that support, trust, participation, and family and neighbourhood ties are positively associated with well-being, particularly when they provide meaningful inclusion, reciprocity, and access to assistance; loneliness, social exclusion, and unemployment are negatively associated with well-being. The spatial environment was also found to be relevant, although its associations with well-being depend on safety, housing status, and access to local resources. The integrated interpretation of the results produced a three-level conceptual structure in which structural-resource conditions interact with interpersonal relationships through individuals’ subjective assessments of their social position. These findings support integrated approaches to improving well-being that combine material support with measures to strengthen community participation, improve access to assistance, and reduce inequality and social exclusion.