Comparative Perspectives

The paper is based on a multi-dimensional poverty analysis carried out by the Center for Poverty Analysis in 2013. The idea of mental well-being is an important concept in this field. There are several studies that indicate that income and happiness are not linked above very low levels of income, and therefore there has been an increasing interest among both researchers and policymakers in the non material dimensions of well-being. A module developed by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative using subjective indicators as well as psychological or mental health indicators was piloted in the Badulla District of Sri Lanka. This module explores how men and women experience non material well-being in different ways. It provides a rich data set that measures and understands the various dimensions of mental well-being in a Sri Lankan context.

The publication is available in English, Sinhala and Tamil