IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/chinre/v13y2020i4d10.1007_s12187-019-09699-3.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Relation Between children’s Participation in Daily Activities, Their Engagement with Family and Friends, and Subjective Well-Being

Author

Listed:
  • Shazly Savahl

    (University of the Western Cape)

  • Sabirah Adams

    (University of Cape Town)

  • Maria Florence

    (University of the Western Cape
    University of the Western Cape)

  • Ferran Casas

    (Universitat de Girona)

  • Mulalo Mpilo

    (University of the Western Cape)

  • Deborah Isobell

    (University of the Western Cape)

  • Donnay Manuel

    (University of the Western Cape)

Abstract

The study aimed to ascertain the relation between children’s participation in daily activities, engaging with family and friends and their subjective well-being (SWB); and to ascertain the extent to which the nature of the relation differs across three age groups (8, 10 and 12), gender, and geographical context (urban and rural). The study used data from Wave 2 of the South African Children’s Worlds Study conducted with a random sample of 3284 children between the ages of 8 to 12-years. Three scales measuring children’s daily activities, engagement with family and friends, and their SWB using the Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale were used. Data were analysed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling; with group comparisons assessed by means of multi-group structural equation modelling. The study found a significant relation between children’s engagement with family and friends and participation in daily activities and their SWB; with the combined influence of engagement with family and friends and participation in daily activities explaining 31% of the variance in SWB. Engagement with family and friends contributed a higher explained variance in SWB than participation in daily activities. Multi-group analysis revealed the tenability of metric invariance across age and gender, which allowed for meaningful comparisons by correlation and regression coefficients. Across geographical contexts scalar invariance was tenable allowing for meaningful comparisons across correlations, regression coefficients, and latent means. While the findings of the study suggest that children’s time use is an important factor influencing their SWB, researchers, practitioners and policy makers should consider the diversity of ‘childhoods’ in South Africa, especially as it relates to the historical ‘situatedness’ of the macro-factors of poverty, deprivation, and social inequality, and how this impacts children’s access to and the nature of their daily activities.

Suggested Citation

  • Shazly Savahl & Sabirah Adams & Maria Florence & Ferran Casas & Mulalo Mpilo & Deborah Isobell & Donnay Manuel, 2020. "The Relation Between children’s Participation in Daily Activities, Their Engagement with Family and Friends, and Subjective Well-Being," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 13(4), pages 1283-1312, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:chinre:v:13:y:2020:i:4:d:10.1007_s12187-019-09699-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s12187-019-09699-3
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s12187-019-09699-3
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s12187-019-09699-3?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ed Diener, 2006. "Guidelines for National Indicators of Subjective Well-Being and Ill-Being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 7(4), pages 397-404, November.
    2. repec:pri:crcwel:wp97-01-harding is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Putnick, Diane L. & Bornstein, Marc H., 2015. "Is child labor a barrier to school enrollment in low- and middle-income countries?," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 112-120.
    4. William Meredith, 1993. "Measurement invariance, factor analysis and factorial invariance," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 58(4), pages 525-543, December.
    5. Shazly Savahl & Ferran Casas & Sabirah Adams, 2016. "Validation of the Children’s Hope Scale Amongst a Sample of Adolescents in the Western Cape Region of South Africa," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 9(3), pages 701-713, September.
    6. Shazly Savahl & Ferran Casas & Sabirah Adams, 2017. "Children’s Subjective Well-being: Multi-Group Analysis Among a Sample of Children from Two Socio-Economic Status Groups in the Western Cape, South Africa," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 10(2), pages 473-488, June.
    7. E. Huebner & Gary Alderman, 1993. "Convergent and discriminant validation of a children's life satisfaction scale: Its relationship to self- and teacher-reported psychological problems and school functioning," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 30(1), pages 71-82, September.
    8. Ersado, Lire, 2005. "Child Labor and Schooling Decisions in Urban and Rural Areas: Comparative Evidence from Nepal, Peru, and Zimbabwe," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 455-480, March.
    9. Giovanni Busetta & Maria Gabriella Campolo & Antonino Di Pino, 2019. "Children’s Use of Time and Well-Being in Italy," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 12(3), pages 821-845, June.
    10. Haridhan Goswami, 2012. "Social Relationships and Children’s Subjective Well-Being," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 107(3), pages 575-588, July.
    11. Casas, Ferran & González, Mònica, 2017. "School: One world or two worlds? Children's perspectives," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 157-170.
    12. Leena Haanpää & Mirka Kuula & Mia Hakovirta, 2019. "Social Relationships, Child Poverty, and Children’s Life Satisfaction," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 8(2), pages 1-13, January.
    13. Letizia Mencarini & Silvia Pasqua & Agnese Romiti, 2014. "Children’s time use and family structure in Italy," CHILD Working Papers Series 27, Centre for Household, Income, Labour and Demographic Economics (CHILD) - CCA.
    14. Rossarin Gray & Aphichat Chamratrithirong & Umaporn Pattaravanich & Pramote Prasartkul, 2013. "Happiness Among Adolescent Students in Thailand: Family and Non-Family Factors," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 110(2), pages 703-719, January.
    15. Shannon Suldo & E. Huebner, 2004. "The Role of Life Satisfaction in the Relationship between Authoritative Parenting Dimensions and Adolescent Problem Behavior," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 66(1), pages 165-195, April.
    16. Sabirah Adams & Shazly Savahl, 2017. "Children’s Discourses of Natural Spaces: Considerations for children’s Subjective Well-Being," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 10(2), pages 423-446, June.
    17. Rees, Gwyther, 2017. "Children's activities and time use: Variations between and within 16 countries," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 78-87.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Shazly Savahl & Sabirah Adams & Ferran Casas & Maria Florence, 2023. "Children’s Interactions with Family and Friends in Constrained Contexts: Considerations for Children’s Subjective Well-Being," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 18(1), pages 321-339, February.
    2. Aline Lopes Moreira & Maria Ângela Mattar Yunes & Célia Regina Rangel Nascimento & Lívia Maria Bedin, 2021. "Children’s Subjective Well-Being, Peer Relationships and Resilience: An Integrative Literature Review," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(5), pages 1723-1742, October.
    3. José D. Urchaga & Raquel M. Guevara & Antonio S. Cabaco & José E. Moral-García, 2020. "Life Satisfaction, Physical Activity and Quality of Life Associated with the Health of School-Age Adolescents," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-13, November.
    4. Ana Blasco-Belled & Mònica González-Carrasco & Ferran Casas, 2023. "Filling the 8-Year-Old Gap in the Study of Well-Being: Cross-Cultural Assessment and Validation of a Subjective Well-Being Measure Across 19 Countries," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(3), pages 1363-1380, June.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Shazly Savahl & Sabirah Adams & Ferran Casas & Maria Florence, 2023. "Children’s Interactions with Family and Friends in Constrained Contexts: Considerations for Children’s Subjective Well-Being," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 18(1), pages 321-339, February.
    2. Lin Wang & Yuhang Cheng & Shan Jiang & Ziyao Zhou, 2023. "Neighborhood Quality and Subjective Well-being Among Children: A Moderated Mediation Model of Out-of-school Activities and Friendship Quality," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(4), pages 1607-1626, August.
    3. Shazly Savahl & Ferran Casas & Sabirah Adams, 2017. "Children’s Subjective Well-being: Multi-Group Analysis Among a Sample of Children from Two Socio-Economic Status Groups in the Western Cape, South Africa," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 10(2), pages 473-488, June.
    4. Claudia Raats & Sabirah Adams & Shazly Savahl & Serena Isaacs & Habib Tiliouine, 2019. "The Relationship Between Hope and Life Satisfaction Among Children in Low and Middle Socio-Economic Status Communities in Cape Town, South Africa," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 12(2), pages 733-746, April.
    5. Susana Marques & J. Pais-Ribeiro & Shane Lopez, 2011. "The Role of Positive Psychology Constructs in Predicting Mental Health and Academic Achievement in Children and Adolescents: A Two-Year Longitudinal Study," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 12(6), pages 1049-1062, December.
    6. Irina V. Leto & Svetlana V. Loginova & Aleksandra Varshal & Helena R. Slobodskaya, 2021. "Interactions between Family Environment and Personality in the Prediction of Child Life Satisfaction," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(4), pages 1345-1363, August.
    7. Rees, Gwyther, 2017. "Children's activities and time use: Variations between and within 16 countries," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 78-87.
    8. Carmel Proctor & P. Linley & John Maltby, 2009. "Youth Life Satisfaction: A Review of the Literature," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 10(5), pages 583-630, October.
    9. Bibiana Ramos Santos & Jorge Castellá Sarriera & Lívia Maria Bedin, 2019. "Subjective Well-Being, Life Satisfaction and Interpersonal Relationships Associated to Socio-Demographic and Contextual Variables," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 14(3), pages 819-835, July.
    10. Shannon Suldo & E. Huebner, 2006. "Is Extremely High Life Satisfaction During Adolescence Advantageous?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 78(2), pages 179-203, September.
    11. Jaejin Ahn & Joan P. Yoo, 2022. "Patterns of Time Use among 12-Year-Old Children and Their Life Satisfaction: A Gender and Cross-Country Comparison," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 15(5), pages 1693-1717, October.
    12. Ni, Xiaoli & Li, Xiaoran & Wang, Yuping, 2021. "The impact of family environment on the life satisfaction among young adults with personality as a mediator," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    13. Anne M. Gadermann & Martin Guhn & Kimberly A. Schonert-Reichl & Shelley Hymel & Kimberly Thomson & Clyde Hertzman, 2016. "A Population-Based Study of Children’s Well-Being and Health: The Relative Importance of Social Relationships, Health-Related Activities, and Income," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 17(5), pages 1847-1872, October.
    14. Svetlana Ignatjeva & Zhanna Bruk & Tatiana Semenovskikh, 2020. "Reflective Component in the Structure of Children’s Subjective Well-Being," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 13(2), pages 609-634, April.
    15. Siew Yap & Rozumah Baharudin, 2016. "The Relationship Between Adolescents’ Perceived Parental Involvement, Self-Efficacy Beliefs, and Subjective Well-Being: A Multiple Mediator Model," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 126(1), pages 257-278, March.
    16. Jose Marquez & Gill Main, 2021. "Can Schools and Education Policy Make Children Happier? A Comparative Study in 33 Countries," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(1), pages 283-339, February.
    17. Abou, Pokou Edouard, 2016. "Does the Unavailability of Educational Resources in Schools Determine Child Labor in Sub-Saharan Africa? A Micro-econometric Analysis from Cȏte d’Ivoire," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 5(2).
    18. Lue Fang & Mantak Yuen & Eric Fung & Jiahong Zhang & Serene Chan & Florence Wu, 2022. "Life Satisfaction of Gifted and Average Adolescents in Hong Kong: Validation of the Chinese Brief Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale (BMSLSS)," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(2), pages 751-761, April.
    19. Savahl, Shazly & Tiliouine, Habib & Casas, Ferran & Adams, Sabirah & Mekonen, Yehualashet & Dejene, Negussie & Benninger, Elizabeth & Witten, Heidi, 2017. "Children's subjective well-being in Africa: A comparative analysis across three countries," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 31-40.
    20. Hanita Kosher, 2023. "The Relation Between Children's Participation in Their Daily life and Their Subjective Well-Being," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(5), pages 1827-1850, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:chinre:v:13:y:2020:i:4:d:10.1007_s12187-019-09699-3. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.