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Subjective Well-being, Parental Figures, and Quality of Family Relations: A Study of the International Questionnaire on Child Welfare among Chilean 12-year-olds

Author

Listed:
  • Valentina Vallejo-Correa

    (Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez)

  • Juan C. Oyanedel

    (Universidad Andres Bello)

  • Francisca Pérez Cortés

    (Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez)

Abstract

This article studies the importance of parental figures’ presence and family relationship quality in the construction of subjective child well-being, which is a protective factor for mental health. The BMSLSS (Brief Multidimensional Students' Life Satisfaction Scale) questionnaire was applied to a random sample of 827 boys and girls enrolled in seventh grade, from the regions of Valparaíso, Concepción and Santiago, Chile. Participants of both genders reported high levels of well-being. The majority of them live in a single home (89.1%), with an average of three caregivers and two family economic providers. We also found positive and significant associations between the presence of parental figures and well-being. Family relationship quality is a variable which also significantly explains well-being levels when children live in a single house. These results suggest that it is necessary to explore intra-family attachment characteristics in order to identify and enhance family settings, as these have a significant effect on children’ well-being.

Suggested Citation

  • Valentina Vallejo-Correa & Juan C. Oyanedel & Francisca Pérez Cortés, 2025. "Subjective Well-being, Parental Figures, and Quality of Family Relations: A Study of the International Questionnaire on Child Welfare among Chilean 12-year-olds," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 18(3), pages 937-953, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:chinre:v:18:y:2025:i:3:d:10.1007_s12187-025-10222-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s12187-025-10222-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jaime Alfaro & Javier Guzmán & Catalina García & David Sirlopú & Fernando Reyes & Jorge Varela, 2016. "Psychometric Properties of the Spanish Version of the Personal Wellbeing Index-School Children (PWI-SC) in Chilean School Children," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 9(3), pages 731-742, September.
    2. Julie Seligson & E. Huebner & Robert Valois, 2003. "Preliminary Validation of the Brief Multidimensional Students' Life Satisfaction Scale (BMSLSS)," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 61(2), pages 121-145, February.
    3. Lili Tian & Dushen Wang & E. Huebner, 2015. "Development and Validation of the Brief Adolescents’ Subjective Well-Being in School Scale (BASWBSS)," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 120(2), pages 615-634, January.
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