A Multidimensional Approach to Health and Well-being: Theory, Interventions, and Subjective Meaning

Health and well-being are increasingly understood as multidimensional and dynamic constructs shaped by psychological, social, and contextual factors. This doctoral dissertation adopts an integrative perspective to explore how health and well-being are conceptualized, experienced, and influenced across contemporary contexts. The first chapter provides a critical overview of current theoretical models of health and well-being, highlighting the evolution from biomedical to biopsychosocial and integrative frameworks. It discusses conceptual challenges and emerging perspectives that emphasize subjectivity, contextual embeddedness, and the need for multidimensional approaches. The second chapter examines the role of university psychological counseling in promoting students’ health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. By focusing on a period marked by uncertainty and psychosocial vulnerability, this chapter investigates the impact of counseling interventions on emotional, relational, and self-regulatory dimensions of well-being. The third chapter explores how social and economic determinants shape individuals’ definitions of health and well-being. It analyzes how socioeconomic conditions influence the meanings people attribute to health, highlighting the role of cultural and contextual factors in shaping health and well-being representations. Building on these findings, the fourth chapter investigates the relationship between self-perceived health and subjective well-being, examining how individuals’ self-rated health relates to affective and cognitive components of well-being across generations. It also considers the roles of perceived stress and social support in shaping this relationship. Overall, this thesis contributes to the literature by advancing a multidimensional understanding of health and well-being that integrates theoretical reflection, empirical evidence, and subjective experience. By bridging conceptual models, psychological interventions, and lived perceptions, it offers insights for research, clinical practice, and public health, emphasizing the importance of contextualized and person-centered approaches.