Suffering and Capabilities in Chile

In Sen´s and Nussbaum´s capability theory, subjective wellbeing or suffering as usually measured is a functioning, i.e. a realization or state of being. This mental and emotional state is a result of different factors including the capabilities that each individual enjoyed to pursue her life projects. The chapter examines the factors associated with different indicators of suffering - negative affect, depressive symptoms, scale of suffering and life dissatisfaction- using a unique Chilean survey conducted by UNDP to evaluate subjective well being in Chile. These factors include different variables considered in the literature such as sex, age, civil status, labor status, personality, recent negative or positive events, etc., as well as individual capabilities. By doing so, the paper provides a novel empirical assessment of the relationship between suffering and capability deprivation. The results suggest that some capabilities are more related to suffering than others.