Stability and change in life satisfaction in Japan before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

The outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) significantly impacted individuals' daily lives and may provide meaningful implications for well-being. This study examined how individuals' well-being changed before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and explored the potential risk and protective factors for well-being. A total of 15,574 Japanese adults aged 15 to 89 years participated in baseline online surveys in February 2019 or February 2020 (n = 10,293 in the 2019 sample and n = 5,281 in the 2020 sample). Both samples were followed up in 2021 and 2022. Well-being was indexed as a single-item indicator of life satisfaction. Piecewise growth models demonstrated that life satisfaction typically remained stable before and during the pandemic. Risk and protective factors for life satisfaction were consistent across samples overall. Individuals perceiving better economic satisfaction and self-rated health following the pandemic and without a support network before the pandemic showed greater increases in life satisfaction after the outbreak. Our findings suggest that most individuals' well-being did not deteriorate following the pandemic but that some individuals might have lost or even gained resources for life satisfaction. To better understand resilience and well-being, researchers should consider how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed multiple aspects of daily lives.