RELATIONSHIPS OF ENVIRONMENTAL-FACTORS TO CHANGES IN WELL-BEING

Change in measures of well-being of all subjects of the Community Housing study as a function of change in environment was assessed over a 6-month period. Favorable changes in housing satisfaction were associated with improvement in dwelling-unit ambience; housing satisfaction and functional ability improved with change to a smaller unit, each of these changes occurring independently of a variety of other measures. It was concluded that environment was a significant element in generalized well-being, but that good environmental quality should be thought of as an intrinsic goal in its own right, regardless of whether other measures of psychological and social functioning improve.