Press release
Lausanne, 19 November 2024 - An international team of four researchers from the LIVES Centre have studied the impact of critical events in life and their influence on well-being in old age. Using data from the Swiss Household Panel, the study shows that it is not just the number of such events that counts, but also their concentration over time. A high density of critical events, whether personal, professional or family-related, exerts a lasting negative influence on life satisfaction, over and above the already known effects of socio-demographic characteristics or life circumstances.
To measure this life events concentration, Chiara L. Comolli (University of Bologna), Danilo Bolano (University of Firenze, Firenze), Laura Bernardi (University of Lausanne) and Marieke Voorpostel (FORS) have developed a new tool: the concentration index (CI), which takes into account not only the number of events experienced but also their temporal spacing. By analysing retrospective data from the Swiss Household Panel, the study shows that critical events that occur closer together in time deplete people's resources to a greater extent, having a lasting impact on their well-being.
Women more resilient than men
One of the notable results of the study concerns gender differences. Although women experienced, on average, more critical events than men, they were also more resilient in the face of the temporal concentration of these events. While men show an almost linear decline in life satisfaction as CI increases, the negative impact seems to diminish for women when CI is very high. This female resilience could be explained by more frequent exposure to concentrated critical events over the course of their lives, which would prepare them to better manage these challenges.
Marked social inequalities
Socio-economic background also plays a decisive role. Men from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds felt the negative effects of the concentration of critical events more strongly than those from more privileged backgrounds. For women, on the other hand, social background showed no significant impact on the relationship between CI and long-term well-being.
An innovative approach to life-course assessment
This research shows that simply counting critical events is insufficient to understand their impact on quality of life. By including factors such as the temporal spacing and context of events, this study offers a new perspective on inequalities in the face of life's challenges and their lasting repercussions.
These findings underline the importance of a multi-dimensional approach to analysing life trajectories and suggest ways of developing policies and support tailored to the most vulnerable groups.
Contact and information
Chiara Ludovica Comolli - Associate Professor of Demography at the University of Bologna, University of Bologna - chiara.comolli@unibo.it
Article published
Chiara L. Comolli, Danilo Bolano, Laura Bernardi, Marieke Voorpostel (2024-05). Concentration of Critical Events Over the Life Course and Life Satisfaction Later in Life. Advances in Life Course Research, 61, 100616.
Since 2011, the LIVES Centre (Swiss Centre of Competence in Life Course and Vulnerability Research) has been studying the effects of the economy and society on the development of situations of vulnerability through longitudinal and comparative studies. Its aim is to gain a better understanding of the emergence and evolution of vulnerability, as well as the ways in which it can be overcome, in order to encourage the emergence of innovative socio-political measures. The LIVES Centre is hosted by the Universities of Lausanne and Geneva. It comprises a network of some 250 researchers from a variety of disciplines throughout Switzerland and abroad.