IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jlands/v13y2024i9p1364-d1464155.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Quality of Life and Attachments to Rural Settlements: The Basis for Regeneration and Socio-Economic Sustainability

Author

Listed:
  • Aleksandra Tešin

    (Department of Geography, Tourism and Hotel Management, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia)

  • Aleksandra S. Dragin

    (Department of Geography, Tourism and Hotel Management, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
    Department of Business Organization, Marketing and Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences and Law, University of Jaén, Campus Las Lagunillas, 23071 Jaén, Spain)

  • Maja Mijatov Ladičorbić

    (Department of Geography, Tourism and Hotel Management, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia)

  • Tamara Jovanović

    (Department of Geography, Tourism and Hotel Management, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia)

  • Zrinka Zadel

    (Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management, University of Rijeka, 51410 Opatija, Croatia)

  • Tamara Surla

    (Department of Geography, Tourism and Hotel Management, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia)

  • Kristina Košić

    (Department of Geography, Tourism and Hotel Management, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia)

  • Juan Manuel Amezcua-Ogáyar

    (Department of Business Organization, Marketing and Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences and Law, University of Jaén, Campus Las Lagunillas, 23071 Jaén, Spain)

  • Alberto Calahorro-López

    (Department of Business Organization, Marketing and Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences and Law, University of Jaén, Campus Las Lagunillas, 23071 Jaén, Spain)

  • Boris Kuzman

    (Institute of Agricultural Economics, Volgina 15, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia)

  • Vladimir Stojanović

    (Department of Geography, Tourism and Hotel Management, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia)

Abstract

Balanced territorial development and improving living conditions have become the focus of rural development policies. As the number of young people moving to cities or other countries is increasing, rural settlements face serious demographic disbalances and aging societies. Quality of life and place attachment are both key variables in enhancing the social and economic capacities of rural and undeveloped communities and reducing youth out-migration. However, this topic remains underexplored, especially among younger generations, who are critical for further socio-economic sustainability. Thus, the main goal of this study was to explore young residents’ perceptions about quality of life, level of attachment to their rural homes, and their interrelationship. This study was conducted among 299 participants in rural areas of Serbia and Croatia. The results identified two quality of life factors: (1) satisfaction with the quality of infrastructure and (2) satisfaction with culture and education. Three attachment factors were extracted, among which place identity was the strongest. Additionally, the influence of quality of life and socio-demographic characteristics on place attachment was confirmed. These results provide new insights that could be very useful in creating strategies and initiatives for rural planning and strengthening rural areas’ social, economic, and environmental sustainability.

Suggested Citation

  • Aleksandra Tešin & Aleksandra S. Dragin & Maja Mijatov Ladičorbić & Tamara Jovanović & Zrinka Zadel & Tamara Surla & Kristina Košić & Juan Manuel Amezcua-Ogáyar & Alberto Calahorro-López & Boris Kuzma, 2024. "Quality of Life and Attachments to Rural Settlements: The Basis for Regeneration and Socio-Economic Sustainability," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-19, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:13:y:2024:i:9:p:1364-:d:1464155
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/9/1364/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/9/1364/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Paulina Rodríguez-Díaz & Rocío Almuna & Carla Marchant & Sally Heinz & Roxana Lebuy & Juan L. Celis-Diez & Pablo Díaz-Siefer, 2022. "The Future of Rurality: Place Attachment among Young Inhabitants of Two Rural Communities of Mediterranean Central Chile," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, January.
    2. Yuqing Geng & Mukasar Maimaituerxun & Han Zhang, 2022. "Coordinated interactions between economy and atmospheric environment: temporal–spatial comparisons from China," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(12), pages 13887-13916, December.
    3. Leonardo Casini & Fabio Boncinelli & Caterina Contini & Francesca Gerini & Gabriele Scozzafava, 2019. "A Multicriteria Approach for Well-Being Assessment in Rural Areas," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 143(1), pages 411-432, May.
    4. Ann E. Theodori & Gene L. Theodori, 2015. "The influences of community attachment, sense of community, and educational aspirations upon the migration intentions of rural youth in Texas," Community Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(4), pages 380-391, October.
    5. Pengyan Wang & Xiaofei Qin & Yurui Li, 2021. "Satisfaction Evaluation of Rural Human Settlements in Northwest China: Method and Application," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-13, August.
    6. Viccaro, Mauro & Romano, Severino & Prete, Carmelina & Cozzi, Mario, 2021. "Rural planning? An integrated dynamic model for assessing quality of life at a local scale," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    7. Zang, Yuzhu & Liu, Yansui & Yang, Yuanyuan & Woods, Michael & Fois, Francesca, 2020. "Rural decline or restructuring? Implications for sustainability transitions in rural China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    8. Geza, W. & Ngidi, M. S. C. & Slotow, R. & Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe, 2022. "The dynamics of youth employment and empowerment in agriculture and rural development in South Africa: a scoping review," Papers published in Journals (Open Access), International Water Management Institute, pages 1-14(9):504.
    9. Shuchang Li & Wei Song, 2023. "Research Progress in Land Consolidation and Rural Revitalization: Current Status, Characteristics, Regional Differences, and Evolution Laws," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-24, January.
    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. Inna V. Miroshnichenko & Olga V. Doroshenko & Maria V. Tereshina & Vadim N. Rakachev & Elena V. Morozova & Mikhail V. Golub & Laura A. Shpiro, 2024. "Analysing Rural Development Models Based on Intangible Assets and Socio-Economic Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-28, December.
    2. Aleksandra S. Dragin & Tamara Surla & Maja Mijatov Ladičorbić & Tamara Jovanović & Zrinka Zadel & Milena Nedeljković-Knežević & Aleksandra Tešin & Juan Manuel Amezcua-Ogáyar & Alberto Calahorro-López , 2024. "Exploring the Link Between Openness and Entrepreneurial Capacity in Young People: Building Resilient and Sustainable Rural Territories," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-17, November.
    3. Maja Mijatov Ladičorbić & Aleksandra S. Dragin & Tamara Surla & Aleksandra Tešin & Juan Manuel Amezcua-Ogáyar & Alberto Calahorro-López & Vladimir Stojanović & Zrinka Zadel & Kristina Košić & Olja Mun, 2024. "Towards Healthy and Sustainable Human Settlement: Understanding How Local Communities Perceive and Engage with Spa Tourism Development Initiatives in Rural Areas," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-19, November.
    4. Shanshan Jia & Peiyao Li & Wenxiao Jia & Xiaorui Chen, 2025. "Rates and Patterns of Town Expansion in China’s 17 Shrinking Tourism-Type Counties," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-19, February.

    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. Viccaro, Mauro & Romano, Severino & Prete, Carmelina & Cozzi, Mario, 2021. "Rural planning? An integrated dynamic model for assessing quality of life at a local scale," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    2. Ningning Liu & Qikang Zhong & Kai Zhu, 2024. "Unveiling the Dynamics of Rural Revitalization: From Disorder to Harmony in China’s Production-Life-Ecology Space," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-28, April.
    3. Min Zhao & Qi Chen & Jun Zhang & Qianwen Xu & Peng Li, 2025. "Spatial Characteristics and Factors Influencing the Rural Development Level of Chinese Counties on the Basis of Point Data," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-25, March.
    4. Xiaojuan Yang & Weiwei Li & Ping Zhang & Hua Chen & Min Lai & Sidong Zhao, 2023. "The Dynamics and Driving Mechanisms of Rural Revitalization in Western China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-26, July.
    5. Rolf Sternberg & David Breitenbach, 2023. "Youth Entrepreneurship in Germany: Empirical Evidence on the How, the Why, the How Many, the Who and the When," Economies, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-30, June.
    6. Chi, Yuan & Liu, Dahai & Wang, Jing & Wang, Enkang, 2020. "Human negative, positive, and net influences on an estuarine area with intensive human activity based on land covers and ecological indices: An empirical study in Chongming Island, China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    7. Ying Lu & Walter Timo de Vries, 2023. "Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Rural Development in China over the Past 40 Years," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-20, May.
    8. Geng, Yuqing & Liu, Liwen & Chen, Lingyan, 2023. "Rural revitalization of China: A new framework, measurement and forecast," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    9. Primrose Madende & Johannes I. F. Henning & Henry Jordaan, 2023. "Accounting for Heterogeneity among Youth: A Missing Link in Enhancing Youth Participation in Agriculture—A South African Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-22, March.
    10. Zhixiu Li & Shixi Cheng & Lin Xiao & Yangyang Wei & Tianchuan Fang, 2025. "Sustainability Benefit Evaluation and Optimization of Rural Public Spaces Under Self-Organization Theory," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-34, January.
    11. Guang Han & Ping Zhai & Liqun Zhu & Kongqing Li, 2023. "Economic Incentives, Reputation Incentives, and Rural Residents’ Participation in Household Waste Classification: Evidence from Jiangsu, China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-15, October.
    12. Xiuling Ding & Qian Lu & Lipeng Li & Apurbo Sarkar & Hua Li, 2023. "Does Labor Transfer Improve Farmers’ Willingness to Withdraw from Farming?—A Bivariate Probit Modeling Approach," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-27, August.
    13. Jinliu Chen & Paola Pellegrini & Haoqi Wang, 2022. "Comparative Residents’ Satisfaction Evaluation for Socially Sustainable Regeneration—The Case of Two High-Density Communities in Suzhou," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-16, September.
    14. Qian, Qian & Wang, Junbang & Zhang, Xiujuan & Wang, Shaoqiang & Li, Yingnian & Wang, Qinxue & Watson, Alan E. & Zhao, Xinquan, 2022. "Improving herders’ income through alpine grassland husbandry on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    15. Yanjun Wang & Yanjun Chen & Wang Zhang & I-Chen Chao & Hang Li, 2024. "The Impact of Rural Tourism on Rural Culture Evidence from China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-19, November.
    16. Ellis, Gary & Jiang, Jingxian & Locke, Darlene & Snider, Cari, 2021. "Youth program activity impacts: A model of camp activities, psychological needs, and immersion," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    17. Julia Weiss & Livio Ferrante & Mariano Soler-Porta, 2021. "There Is No Place like Home! How Willing Are Young Adults to Move to Find a Job?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-20, July.
    18. Kaoutare Amini Alaoui & Hassan Radoine, 2024. "Evolution of Landscapes and Land Cover in Old Villages of Ziz Oasis (East Morocco) and SWOT Analysis for Potential Sustainable Tourism," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-19, April.
    19. Francisco Simões & Antonella Rocca & Rui Rocha & Carlos Mateus & Elena Marta & Jale Tosun, 2021. "Time to Get Emotional: Determinants of University Students’ Intention to Return to Rural Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-12, May.
    20. Annalina Sarra & Eugenia Nissi, 2020. "A Spatial Composite Indicator for Human and Ecosystem Well-Being in the Italian Urban Areas," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 148(2), pages 353-377, April.

    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:gam:jlands:v:13:y:2024:i:9:p:1364-:d:1464155. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.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.