Romanowski, Eileen (2010) The relationship between Ryff's Factors of Psychological Well-being and the Satisfaction of Basic Psychological Needs. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
Ryff (1989b) developed a six-factor scale to define the elements of Psychological Well-being, namely Autonomy, Positive Relations, Environmental Mastery, Personal Growth, Purpose in Life and Self-Acceptance. This structure, however, has been challenged by a number of researchers and a new three-factor structure proposed which merges the four components of Environmental Mastery, Personal Growth, Purpose in Life and Self-Acceptance. An operational definition of this overarching factor (named EGPS) is yet to be established. However, the components making up this three-factor structure (Autonomy, Positive Relations and EGPS), have been likened to the three Basic Psychological Needs (BPNs) defined within Self-Determination theory (Autonomy, Competence and Relatedness). This study aimed to investigate the relationships between the satisfaction of these BPNs and the three new factors identified within Ryff’s scales of well-being, with a specific focus on the workplace. The study used a convenience sample of 149 full-time employees, recruited from personal networks of those in the research team. Participants completed either an online or pen-and-paper survey package, which included a 54- item version of Ryff’s scales of Psychological Well-being and the Basic Needs Satisfaction at Work Scale (BNSW), as well as a number of questionnaires used by other researchers for related studies. A majority of the sample was female (n = 93) and resided in Australia (n = 134), with the minority of individuals from other countries most likely to have been residents of Dubai. The four scales of Environmental Mastery, Personal Growth, Purpose in Life and Self-Acceptance, created a factor that was distinct from, but highly correlated to, the BNSW measure of Competence (r = .78, p < .001). Preliminary findings also found a strong relationship between Relatedness and Positive Relations (r = .71, p < .001). The two measures of Autonomy had the weakest correlation (r = .32, p < .001). Thus, it was found that the constructs measured by Ryff’s scales and the BNSW scales may be closely related despite bearing distinct differences, particularly in the definition of Autonomy. Moreover, it was found that the EGPS factor may be defined by an underlying factor closely related to the satisfaction of the BPN of Competence. The prospect of continued research in this field with a view towards a clearer definition of Psychological Well-being is indeed exciting. With the continued growth in our understanding of the optimal functioning of individuals, comes the potential to purposefully target and enhance PWB in the workplace. In today’s world, where work plays a major role in society, ensuring well-being in the workplace will go a long way towards maintaining the overall well-being of the population.
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
|---|---|
| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Historic - Faculty of Sciences - Department of Psychology (Up to 30 Jun 2013) |
| Supervisors: | Machin, Tony |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Science (Honours) (Psychology) |
| Date Deposited: | 16 Mar 2026 01:45 |
| Last Modified: | 16 Mar 2026 01:45 |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52708 |
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