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Inequality, material well-being, and subjective well-being: Exploring associations for children across 15 diverse countries

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  • Main, Gill
  • Montserrat, Carme
  • Andresen, Sabine
  • Bradshaw, Jonathan
  • Lee, Bong Joo

Abstract

Children's material well-being, and the levels of wealth and inequality in societies within which children live, are important factors in determining outcomes. However, less is known about the extent to which these factors have an impact children's subjective well-being, especially in an internationally comparative context. This study draws on data from the Children's Worlds survey, an international study of child subjective well-being, to explore links between national level indicators of wealth and inequality (GDP and Gini coefficients), individual indicators of material well-being (the material resources children report having access to), and subjective well-being. The survey covers 15 diverse countries covering the continents of Europe, Asia, Africa and South America, with samples of at least 3000 per country, ages 8, 10 and 12. Analysis takes the form of a multilevel, varying intercepts and slopes model, examining the association between financial and material resources and inequality and subjective well-being across and between countries. Findings suggest that material resources that children report are significantly associated with subjective well-being, while indicators of financial resources and inequality at the national level are not. While a significant association between material resources and subjective well-being is found across the whole sample, the magnitude of this association, and the association between school- and country-level material resources, varies markedly. Within different countries, the strongest material resources-related predictor of overall subjective well-being may be either at the individual, school or country level.

Suggested Citation

  • Main, Gill & Montserrat, Carme & Andresen, Sabine & Bradshaw, Jonathan & Lee, Bong Joo, 2019. "Inequality, material well-being, and subjective well-being: Exploring associations for children across 15 diverse countries," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 3-13.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:97:y:2019:i:c:p:3-13
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2017.06.033
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    7. Shamrova, Daria & Lampe, Joana, 2020. "Understanding patterns of child material deprivation in five regions of the world: A children’s rights perspective," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
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    9. Mari Barrance, Rhian & May Hampton, Jennifer, 2023. "The relationship between subjective well-being in school and children’s participation rights: International evidence from the Children’s Worlds survey," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    10. Carla González-García & Alba Águila-Otero & Carme Montserrat & Susana Lázaro & Eduardo Martín & Jorge Fernandez del Valle & Amaia Bravo, 2022. "Subjective Well-Being of Young People in Therapeutic Residential Care from a Gender Perspective," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 15(1), pages 249-262, February.
    11. Shan Jiang & Lin Wang & Yuhang Cheng, 2023. "Unrevealing the Mediating Mechanisms Between Material Deprivation and Children’s Life Satisfaction: Empirical Evidence from the International Survey of Children’s Well-Being," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 18(2), pages 893-914, April.
    12. Daphna Gross-Manos & Jonathan Bradshaw, 2022. "The Association Between the Material Well-Being and the Subjective Well-Being of Children in 35 Countries," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 15(1), pages 1-33, February.
    13. Cho, Esther Yin-Nei & Yu, Fuk-Yuen, 2020. "A review of measurement tools for child wellbeing," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).

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