Concept of Well-Being among Young Women in NCR, India: A Case Study

Abstract

There is a change in the roles of young women in society, their responsibilities have been shifting and so are their concerns. It is important to understand the factors that contribute to their well-being. Well-being can be understood as a phenomenon that leads to a state of equilibrium or satisfaction, which can be influenced by various dimensions like physical, emotional, social, cognitive, and moral functioning. Individuals endeavor to work for their passion, compassion and life satisfaction, from which well-being emerges. However, the perceptions as well as the concept of well-being or wellness is different to every individual and is subjective. The present research study attempted to find out the perceptions of well-being among young women.  Young adulthood is known to be a stage of various transitions in term of work, career, identity, social groups, opportunities, goals etc., leading to disequilibrium and uncertainty. Thus, understanding about well-being in this age is important. The study was conducted with a sample of 20 young women (age 18-24 years) residing in Delhi-NCR. It revealed that both external factors (food, shelter, livelihood, safety, education, employability) and internal factors (happiness, self-esteem, empathy, satisfaction, resilience, adaptation) together contributed to overall well-being and well-balanced life. As a consequence of COVID-19 the young women faced many challenges and also discovered their strengths.