The Six-Factor Model of Psychological Well-Being

Just as we believe there’s no one right way to live an alcohol-free or an alcohol-reduced life, here at Reframe we believe that there’s no one right framework from which to approach your journey. We’re just here to give you the information, and you can choose which pieces jive with you and which do not. With that in mind, let’s dig into Carol Ryff’s Six-Factor Model of Psychological Well-Being, and see how it feels for you.

What is the Six-Factor Model of Psychological Well-Being?

This theory was developed by researcher and psychologist, Dr. Carol Ryff, in 1989, and expanded in 2014 to reflect current research and theory. The framework outlines 6 different factors of living a good life and having psychological well-being, contentment, and happiness. By diving into each of these factors and determining how balanced you are in each of them in a given moment, you can better understand where you need to focus your time and attention so that you can live a life of overall well-being.

According to this theory, a well-balanced life scores well on these 6 factors, both in challenging and rewarding life circumstances. So in essence, the theory posits that when we have overall psychological well-being and high scores on this 6-factor model, we feel well when things are going great and even when things maybe aren’t going so great.