Loving where you live has a close connection with your wellbeing, University of Otago researchers say. "There was a clear relationship between one's sense of belonging to New Zealand and mental health," the authors said. The researchers said their findings suggested further research should be done on how to establish a sense of place, work which could benefit members of minority communities and recent migrants. Feeling accepted as a person would probably lead to forging a connection with a home country, which in turn aided wellbeing, the researchers said. "Acceptance helps to satisfy core social motives like belonging, control, self-esteem and meaning.

Source: Otago Daily Times July 18, 2019 16:30 UTC