Religion and Subjective Well-Being in Ghana

In defining well-being, social scientists have dedicated a significant amount of scholarly energy over the past three decades; however, what constitutes well-being and how to measure it continues to be the source of considerable debate (Camfield, 2004). The general definition of well-being is captured by McAllister (2005, p. 2) as:

"More than the absence of illness or pathology […with] subjective (self-assessed) and objective (ascribed) dimensions. It can be measured at the level of individuals or society [and] it accounts for elements of life satisfaction that cannot be defined, explained or primarily influenced by economic growth."

Generally, three major approaches to well-being can be discerned from the literature. The first approach focuses on basic and universal needs that are supposed to meet individuals’ life needs for survival (Baumeister & Leary, 1995). The second approach projects...