“Out of comfort zone” as a Predictor of Well-being and Life Satisfaction in Youth

Abstract

Getting out of your comfort zone is a core concept in positive psychology. This research tries to add to the literature of positive psychology, which focuses on getting out of your comfort zone, by adding a novel stretch of youth trying to get out of your comfort zone. The present study aimed at examining the impact of behavioural stretch interventions, which were performed outside of one's comfort zone, on the subjective well-being of youth. The study was divided into two phases. Participants in the study were divided into two groups and were randomly placed in either of the groups - the experimental group and the control group. In study 1, the experimental group was instructed to engage in one out-of-the-comfort-zone activity other than maintaining their routine, while the control group maintained their normal routine. They were assessed on changes in DASS-21 (Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), and the Subjective Well-Being Scale (SWB). In study 2, a similar intervention was administered, though the experimental group had to keep the resolutions out of their comfort zone for the new year. The participants were analysed on the basis of the Big Five Factor Inventory, the Procrastination Scale, and the Subjective Well-Being Scale to allow a comparison between both studies. Despite being strongly supported by theoretical evidence, both studies yielded statistically insignificant results across all standardized measures. Key Words: Comfort Zone, well-being, youth, experimental study