IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/chinre/v16y2023i2d10.1007_s12187-022-09999-1.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Opportunities for Happiness and Its Determinants Among Children in China: A Study of Three Waves of the China Family Panel Studies Survey

Author

Listed:
  • Yei-Whei Lin

    (National Chengchi University)

  • Chien-Hsiu Lin

    (National Chengchi University)

  • Chih-Nan Chen

    (National Taipei University)

Abstract

Since 2010, China’s happiness research has extended its focus from adults and youths to the child population, but most of the studies are confined to local samples. Also, the majority are limited to considering psychological background, thus lacking the idea of integrating the capability approach, which has achieved prominence in international child well-being studies. In order to address these shortfalls, for our paper we decided to combine the happiness and capability perspectives with the analytical framework of ‘subjective well-being capability’. Utilising three waves of China Family Panel Survey as a dataset, we map the national profile of child happiness in terms of opportunity. In order to assess each child’s opportunity for happiness, we adopt the MIMIC model for statistical analysis. Our results suggest that children’s opportunities for happiness serve as the latent variable behind various observable domains of such happiness. Also, through application of the capability approach we have identified a series of conversion factors, which have significant impact on a child’s potential happiness. Moreover, there are robust synergies between the different capabilities and happiness opportunities among the children examined. Based on such research findings, we discuss our contribution to China’s child happiness research in theoretical and policy terms.

Suggested Citation

  • Yei-Whei Lin & Chien-Hsiu Lin & Chih-Nan Chen, 2023. "Opportunities for Happiness and Its Determinants Among Children in China: A Study of Three Waves of the China Family Panel Studies Survey," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(2), pages 551-579, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:chinre:v:16:y:2023:i:2:d:10.1007_s12187-022-09999-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s12187-022-09999-1
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s12187-022-09999-1
    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/s12187-022-09999-1?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. Maurizio Pugno, 2015. "Capability and Happiness: A Suggested Integration From a Dynamic Perspective," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 16(6), pages 1383-1399, December.
    2. Tindara Addabbo & Maria Laura Di Tommaso & Anna Maccagnan, 2014. "Gender Differences in Italian Children's Capabilities," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(2), pages 90-121, April.
    3. Kotan, Murat, 2010. "Freedom or happiness? Agency and subjective well-being in the capability approach," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 39(3), pages 369-375, June.
    4. Lau, Maggie & Li, Wanxin, 2011. "The extent of family and school social capital promoting positive subjective well-being among primary school children in Shenzhen, China," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(9), pages 1573-1582, September.
    5. Ingrid Robeyns, 2005. "The Capability Approach: a theoretical survey," Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 6(1), pages 93-117.
    6. Veenhoven, Ruut, 2010. "Capability and happiness: Conceptual difference and reality links," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 39(3), pages 344-350, June.
    7. Carlsson, Fredrik & Lampi, Elina & Li, Wanxin & Martinsson, Peter, 2014. "Subjective well-being among preadolescents and their parents – Evidence of intergenerational transmission of well-being from urban China," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 11-18.
    8. Martin Binder, 2014. "Subjective Well-Being Capabilities: Bridging the Gap Between the Capability Approach and Subjective Well-Being Research," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 15(5), pages 1197-1217, October.
    9. Sabina Alkire, 2005. "Subjective Quantitative Studies of Human Agency," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 74(1), pages 217-260, October.
    10. Xu, Limin & Cheung, Monit & Leung, Patrick & Xu, Yongxiang, 2018. "Migrant child phenomenon in China: Subjective happiness factors for assessing service needs," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 66-73.
    11. Tadashi Hirai & Flavio Comim & Yukio Ikemoto, 2016. "Happiness and Human Development: A Capability Perspective," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(7), pages 1155-1169, October.
    12. Di Tommaso, Maria Laura, 2007. "Children capabilities: A structural equation model for India," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 436-450, June.
    13. Lijun Chen & Di Qi & Dali Yang, 2020. "The Urbanization Paradox: Parental Absence and Child Development in China - an Empirical Analysis Based on the China Family Panel Studies Survey," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 13(2), pages 593-608, April.
    14. Geeta Gandhi Kingdon & John Knight, 2006. "Subjective well-being poverty vs. Income poverty and capabilities poverty?," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(7), pages 1199-1224.
    15. Shenghua Xie & Mia Hakovirta & Yunjiao Gao, 2020. "Perceptions of Household Income and Subjective Well-Being of Children in China," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 13(3), pages 1043-1064, June.
    16. Ingrid Robeyns, 2005. "Selecting Capabilities for Quality of Life Measurement," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 74(1), pages 191-215, October.
    17. Frances Stewart, 2014. "Against Happiness: A Critical Appraisal of the Use of Measures of Happiness for Evaluating Progress in Development," Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(4), pages 293-307, November.
    18. Qingqing Nie & Lili Tian & E. Scott Huebner, 2020. "Relations among Family Dysfunction, Loneliness and Life Satisfaction in Chinese Children: a Longitudinal Mediation Model," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 13(3), pages 839-862, June.
    19. Flavio Comim, 2005. "Capabilities and Happiness: Potential Synergies," Review of Social Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 63(2), pages 161-176.
    20. Erik Schokkaert, 2007. "Capabilities and Satisfaction with Life," Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 8(3), pages 415-430.
    21. Gasper, Des, 2007. "What is the capability approach?: Its core, rationale, partners and dangers," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 335-359, June.
    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. Leonie C. Steckermeier, 2021. "The Value of Autonomy for the Good Life. An Empirical Investigation of Autonomy and Life Satisfaction in Europe," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 154(2), pages 693-723, April.
    2. Karen Hofmann & Dominik Schori & Thomas Abel, 2013. "Self-Reported Capabilities Among Young Male Adults in Switzerland: Translation and Psychometric Evaluation of a German, French and Italian Version of a Closed Survey Instrument," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 114(2), pages 723-738, November.
    3. Edsel Beja, 2014. "Yet, Two More Revisions to the Human Development Index," Forum for Social Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(1), pages 27-39, April.
    4. Matthys, Marie-Luise & Acharya, Sushant & Khatri, Sanjaya, 2021. "“Before cardamom, we used to face hardship”: Analyzing agricultural commercialization effects in Nepal through a local concept of the Good Life," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    5. Maurizio Pugno, 2015. "Capability and Happiness: A Suggested Integration From a Dynamic Perspective," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 16(6), pages 1383-1399, December.
    6. Graham, Carol & Nikolova, Milena, 2015. "Bentham or Aristotle in the Development Process? An Empirical Investigation of Capabilities and Subjective Well-Being," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 163-179.
    7. Nicolai Suppa, 2012. "Does Capability Deprivation Hurt? – Evidence from German Panel Data," Ruhr Economic Papers 0359, Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universität Dortmund, Universität Duisburg-Essen.
    8. Martin Binder, 2014. "Subjective Well-Being Capabilities: Bridging the Gap Between the Capability Approach and Subjective Well-Being Research," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 15(5), pages 1197-1217, October.
    9. Mónica Domínguez-Serrano & Lucía Moral Espín, 2018. "From Relevant Capabilities to Relevant Indicators: Defining an Indicator System for Children’s Well-Being in Spain," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 11(1), pages 1-25, February.
    10. Suppa, Nicolai, 2012. "Does Capability Deprivation Hurt? – Evidence from German Panel Data," Ruhr Economic Papers 359, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    11. Ramzi Mabsout, 2011. "Capability and Health Functioning in Ethiopian Households," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 101(3), pages 359-389, May.
    12. repec:zbw:rwirep:0359 is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Sylvain K Cibangu, 2018. "Misunderstandings of Capability Approach: Towards Paradigm Pluralism," Journal of Social and Development Sciences, AMH International, vol. 9(2), pages 54-72.
    14. Brenda Gladstone & Silvia Exenberger & Bente Weimand & Vincci Lui & Nina Haid-Stecher & Monika Geretsegger, 2021. "The Capability Approach in Research about Children and Childhood: a Scoping Review," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(1), pages 453-475, February.
    15. Susanne Ferschl & Peter Gelius & Karim Abu-Omar & Maike Till & Richard Benkert & Thomas Abel, 2022. "Exploring Well-Being and Its Correlates among Young Men Using Sen’s Capability Approach: Results from the Young Adults Survey, Switzerland (YASS)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-22, January.
    16. Gasper, D.R., 2007. "Problem- and policy-analysis for human development," ISS Working Papers - General Series 18743, International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam (ISS), The Hague.
    17. Antoanneta Potsi & Antonella D’Agostino & Caterina Giusti & Linda Porciani, 2016. "Childhood and capability deprivation in Italy: a multidimensional and fuzzy set approach," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 50(6), pages 2571-2590, November.
    18. Paul Anand & Laurence Roope, 2016. "The development and happiness of very young children," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 47(4), pages 825-851, December.
    19. Antoinette Baujard, 2016. "Welfare economics," Chapters, in: Gilbert Faccarello & Heinz D. Kurz (ed.), Handbook on the History of Economic Analysis Volume III, chapter 42, pages 611-624, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    20. Yei-Whei Lin & Chih-Nan Chen & Kunpeng Zhao, 2020. "The Capability Approach to Adolescent Poverty in China: the Profile, Decomposition and Predictors of Deprivation," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 13(1), pages 255-277, February.
    21. Gasper, D.R., 2006. "What is the capability approach?: its core, rationale, partners and dangers," ISS Working Papers - General Series 19187, International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam (ISS), The Hague.

    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:16:y:2023:i:2:d:10.1007_s12187-022-09999-1. 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.