With and without mental disorders, low levels of positive mental health are associated with limitations in daily life and with an economic burden in developed countries. We aimed to assess the correlates and predictors of high levels of well-being (WB) in Keyes' model of mental health. A four-year longitudinal population-based study was administered, in Montreal, Canada. At baseline, 1828 participated in wave 1, and 1303 in wave 2. WB was measured by the Mental Health Continuum Short Form, and data were collected by direct interviews. 17 variables were correlated with WB. Seven variables were predictors of having excellent WB. Stress/coping variables like ability to handle difficult problems or having the personal ability to deal with stress showed the strongest effects (respectively, OR = 1.790, 95% CI 1.232-2.601, OR = 2.118, CI 95% 1.324-3.387). This study underscores the importance of testing a multidimensional model accounting for a spectrum of relevant variables relating to WB.
Keywords: Mental Health; Population-based study; Predictors; Well-being.