RESEARCHERS at Yale University have suggested that while having a higher income is linked to greater life satisfaction, it can also result in higher self-reported levels of stress.
In a study, exploring the relationships between income, life satisfaction and stress, focusing on individuals living in the United States, they reported also that people living in households with yearly incomes above approximately $63,000 were more likely to experience stress.
Their findings, published in Communications Psychology, found that people who reported having more favourable lifestyles, for instance fulfilling their basic needs, eating healthier, exercising, socializing often and having a good support network, were found to have greater life satisfaction.
The aim of the new study by Karthik Akkiraju and his colleague Narasimha D. Rao was to dig deeper into the previously reported associations between income, life satisfaction and stress.
Specifically, the researchers wished to determine whether some lifestyle factors could partially explain the higher stress levels experienced by some individuals, particularly those with better-paying jobs.
The data analyzed by Akkiraju and Rao was collected as part of the Gallup Daily Poll. This is a national survey that collected responses from more than 2.05 million adults living in the U.S., during a 10-year period that spanned from 2008 to 2017.
The results of this recent study suggested that once individuals start earning enough to cover their basic needs, socialize and look after their health, they tend to become more susceptible to stress again when their income rises above a certain level.
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This could be associated with job-related factors, such as greater responsibilities and risks, a poorer work-life balance or other lifestyle factors.
Akkiraju, the first author of the paper, responded:”Stress is something we all experience or have heard others complain about. It is even prevalent among those who would typically be considered affluent. Of course, earlier works have hinted that stress is unique in its behavior compared to other positive and negative-affective emotions.
“We found that individuals with lifestyle factors that one could reasonably assume to be desirable have a turning point at a lower income
“Predictably, these life conditions have overall lower stress compared to those without these desirable conditions. However, paradoxically, they are also more likely to see their stress levels rise sooner as their incomes grow.”
For decades, psychologists and social scientists have been trying to understand what contributes to people’s mental health, happiness, and overall well-being. Their efforts have already helped design numerous social and therapeutic interventions that support personal growth and positively influence lives.
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