Guardian:
Happiness study `lets austerity off the hook', psychologists claim
26 December 2016
LSE study led by Labour peer found that failed relationships and physical and mental illness were bigger causes of misery than poverty
Clinical psychologists have raised the alarm over a controversial piece of research led by a Labour peer, with one saying it “lets austerity off the hook” as a cause of mental health problems.
The London School of Economics study led by Lord Richard Layard, published in early December, found that failed relationships and physical and mental illness were bigger causes of misery than poverty. The study, headlined the “Origins of happiness”, made the claim that eliminating depression and anxiety would reduce misery by 20%, while eliminating poverty would only reduce it by 5%.
Associated article
Vox
Origins of happiness: Evidence and policy implications
Andrew Clark, Sarah Fleche, Richard Layard, Nattavudh Powdthavee and George Ward