IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/ariqol/v20y2025i2d10.1007_s11482-025-10436-y.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Predictors of Family Happiness in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study in Hong Kong

Author

Listed:
  • Aderonke ODETAYO

    (Tung Wah College)

  • Daniel Tan Lei SHEK

    (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University)

  • Ken Hok Man HO

    (La Trobe University)

  • Daphne Sze Ki CHEUNG

    (Deakin University
    Deakin University
    The Hong Kong Polytechnic University)

  • Summer Cho Ngan SIU

    (Hong Kong Metropolitan University)

  • Jasmine CHEUNG

    (Tung Wah College)

  • Elaine Hoi Yee CHOW

    (Tung Wah College)

  • Shun CHAN

    (Tung Wah College)

  • Jenny Hiu Wai TSE

    (Tung Wah College)

  • Jessie Kaur DHALIWAL

    (Tung Wah College)

  • Vivian Ching Man PANG

    (Tung Wah College)

  • Anson Chui Yan TANG

    (Tung Wah College)

  • Lorna Kwai Ping SUEN

    (Tung Wah College)

  • Simon Ching LAM

    (Tung Wah College)

Abstract

Numerous research studies have reported that COVID-19 adversely affects individual mental well-being, but studies on the effect of the pandemic on family well-being have been sparse. Given that happiness is an essential determinant of quality of life, we examined the predictors of family happiness during COVID-19 in this study based on a convenience sampling of 2,971 Hong Kong residents between April 2021 and March 2022. Results showed that those between 35 and 54 years were happier than those between 19 and 34. Family happiness correlated with age, individual happiness, family solidarity, family resources, family mental health, and the COVID-19 impact. Individual happiness and family factors also consistently predicted family happiness regardless of the severity of the pandemic. Findings suggest that individual happiness and several family factors shape family happiness. Fostering supportive measures and care within families is essential to improve family happiness.

Suggested Citation

  • Aderonke ODETAYO & Daniel Tan Lei SHEK & Ken Hok Man HO & Daphne Sze Ki CHEUNG & Summer Cho Ngan SIU & Jasmine CHEUNG & Elaine Hoi Yee CHOW & Shun CHAN & Jenny Hiu Wai TSE & Jessie Kaur DHALIWAL & Viv, 2025. "Predictors of Family Happiness in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study in Hong Kong," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 20(2), pages 833-850, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:ariqol:v:20:y:2025:i:2:d:10.1007_s11482-025-10436-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s11482-025-10436-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11482-025-10436-y
    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/s11482-025-10436-y?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

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Talita Greyling & Stephanie Rossouw & Tamanna Adhikari, 2021. "A Tale of Three Countries: What is the Relationship Between COVID‐19, Lockdown and Happiness?," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 89(1), pages 25-43, March.
    2. Hideaki Sakawa & Fumio Ohtake & Yoshiro Tsutsui, 2015. "Activity, Time, and Subjective Happiness: An analysis Based on an Hourly Web survey," ISER Discussion Paper 0926, Institute of Social and Economic Research, The University of Osaka.
    3. Ka Lin, 2016. "Social Quality and Happiness—An Analysis of the Survey Data from Three Chinese Cities," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 11(1), pages 23-40, March.
    4. Ruut Veenhoven, 2009. "How Do We Assess How Happy We Are? Tenets, Implications and Tenability of Three Theories," Chapters, in: Amitava Krishna Dutt & Benjamin Radcliff (ed.), Happiness, Economics and Politics, chapter 3, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    5. Wilai Napa & Jumpee Granger & Siranee Kejkornkaew & Pornsiri Phuagsachart, 2020. "Family happiness among people in a Southeast Asian city: Grounded theory study," Nursing & Health Sciences, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 22(2), pages 292-299, June.
    6. Bonny Yee-Man Wong & Tai-Hing Lam & Agnes Yuen-Kwan Lai & Man Ping Wang & Sai-Yin Ho, 2021. "Perceived Benefits and Harms of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Family Well-Being and Their Sociodemographic Disparities in Hong Kong: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-14, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Ewa Małgorzata Szepietowska & Ewa Zawadzka & Sara Filipiak, 2022. "Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and the Sense of Gains and Losses during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An International Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-19, March.
    2. Sakari Kainulainen, 2022. "Concurrent Assessments of Individuals’ Affect and Contentment and the Correlation of these Estimates to Overall Happiness at Specific Moments," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(5), pages 3151-3174, October.
    3. Andrew E. Clark & Anthony Lepinteur, 2022. "Pandemic Policy and Life Satisfaction in Europe," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 68(2), pages 393-408, June.
    4. Bobo H. P. Lau & Mike K. T. Cheung & Lucian T. H. Chan & Cecilia L. W. Chan & Pamela P. Y. Leung, 2021. "Resilience in the Storm: Impacts of Changed Daily Lifestyles on Mental Health in Persons with Chronic Illnesses under the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-14, May.
    5. Uğur Çalişkan & Dogan Gursoy & Özgür Özer & Oscar Hengxuan Chi, 2022. "Effects of Tourism on Local Residents’ Quality of Life, Happiness and Life Satisfaction: Moderating Role of the COVID-19 Risk Perceptions," Journal of Tourism, Sustainability and Well-being, Cinturs - Research Centre for Tourism, Sustainability and Well-being, University of Algarve, vol. 10(4), pages 274-291.
    6. Martinique Cordeiro & Prudence Kwenda & Miracle Ntuli, 2020. "Crime and Life Satisfaction: Evidence from South Africa - Gauteng Province," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 15(3), pages 715-736, July.
    7. Wei-Jie Gong & Bonny Yee-Man Wong & Sai-Yin Ho & Agnes Yuen-Kwan Lai & Sheng-Zhi Zhao & Man-Ping Wang & Tai-Hing Lam, 2021. "Family E-Chat Group Use Was Associated with Family Wellbeing and Personal Happiness in Hong Kong Adults amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-13, August.
    8. Aiko Kikkawa & Martino Pelli & Lennart O. Reiners & Douglas Rhein, 2024. "The state of well-being of older people: a comparative study across developing Asia," The Japanese Economic Review, Springer, vol. 75(4), pages 563-609, December.
    9. Kohnert, Dirk, 2022. "Are Africans happy? 'Return to laughter' in times of war, famine and misery," EconStor Preprints 301063, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    10. Jana Majerova & Lubica Gajanova & Margareta Nadanyiova & Anita Kolnhofer Derecskei, 2021. "Intrinsic Motivation Sources as Pillars of Sustainable Internal Marketing Communication in Turbulent Post-Pandemic Times," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-17, August.
    11. Mingming Ma & Shun Wang & Fengyu Wu, 2024. "Lockdown, Infection, and Expressed Happiness in China," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 25(4), pages 1-29, April.
    12. Sarracino, Francesco & Greyling, Talita & O'Connor, Kelsey J. & Peroni, Chiara & Rossouw, Stephanie, 2024. "Trust predicts compliance with COVID-19 containment policies: Evidence from ten countries using big data," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    13. Eran Feitelson & Pnina Plaut & Eli Salzberger & Deborah Shmueli & Alex Altshuler & Michal Ben-Gal & Fabian Israel & Yonat Rein-Sapir & Danielle Zaychik, 2022. "The Effects of COVID-19 on Wellbeing: Evidence from Israel," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-17, March.
    14. Kerianne Lawson, 2022. "Electricity outages and residential fires: Evidence from Cape Town, South Africa," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 90(4), pages 469-485, December.
    15. Niyati Jain & T. V. Raman, 2022. "A partial least squares approach to digital finance adoption," Journal of Financial Services Marketing, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 27(4), pages 308-321, December.
    16. Shirley Man-Man Sit & Wei-Jie Gong & Sai-Yin Ho & Agnes Yuen-Kwan Lai & Bonny Yee-Man Wong & Man-Ping Wang & Tai-Hing Lam, 2022. "A Population Study on COVID-19 Information Sharing: Sociodemographic Differences and Associations with Family Communication Quality and Well-Being in Hong Kong," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-11, March.
    17. Debraj Kalyan Roka, 2019. "GDP Growth and Income Paradoxical Relation to Happiness in China and South Asian countries," International Journal of Science and Business, IJSAB International, vol. 3(4), pages 61-85.
    18. Jantsch, Antje & Buchenrieder, Gertrud & Dufhues, Thomas & Möllers, Judith, 2024. "Social Comparisons Under Pandemic Stress: Income Reference Groups, Comparison Patterns, and the Subjective Well-Being of German Students," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 25, pages 1-24.
    19. Amanina Abdur Rahman & Ruut Veenhoven, 2018. "Erratum to: Freedom and Happiness in Nations: A Research Synthesis," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 13(2), pages 457-459, June.
    20. Lancée, Sascha & Veenhoven, Ruut & Burger, Martijn, 2017. "Mood during commute in the Netherlands," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 195-208.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:ariqol:v:20:y:2025:i:2:d:10.1007_s11482-025-10436-y. 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.