IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jhappi/v16y2015i4p813-837.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Subjective Wellbeing of ‘At-Risk’ Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Australian Adolescents

Author

Listed:
  • Adrian Tomyn
  • Robert Cummins
  • Jacolyn Norrish

Abstract

Quantitative comparisons of subjective wellbeing (SWB) between samples of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian adolescents are scarce. This paper contributes to this literature by studying adolescents ‘at-risk’ of disengaging, or who have already disengaged, from school, their families or society. A three-group cross-sectional comparative design was employed, comparing Indigenous (N = 3,187) and non-Indigenous (N = 14,522) ‘at-risk’ adolescents with a mainstream sample of Victorian high-school students (N = 1,105). Age and gender differences in SWB within the three groups were also explored. All participants completed the Personal Wellbeing Index—School Children (PWI-SC), which measures SWB. Mean SWB was significantly higher in the mainstream sample than in both the Indigenous and non-Indigenous ‘at-risk’ groups. However, within the at-risk adolescents, the Indigenous sample scored higher than the non-Indigenous. In the mainstream sample, male and female SWB did not significantly differ, whereas males scored higher than females in both at-risk groups—with males scoring higher on all seven PWI-SC domains. Finally, in all three samples, a decline in SWB from early to mid-adolescence was observed. This suggests that mid-adolescence is a challenging time for all young people as they approach adulthood. The implications of this research for educational and government policy concerning youths in Australia is discussed. For example, the importance of obtaining normative data that will assist in the identification of young people who are most at-risk for experiencing low personal wellbeing and who are in the greatest need of support. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015

Suggested Citation

  • Adrian Tomyn & Robert Cummins & Jacolyn Norrish, 2015. "The Subjective Wellbeing of ‘At-Risk’ Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Australian Adolescents," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 16(4), pages 813-837, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:16:y:2015:i:4:p:813-837
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-014-9535-2
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1007/s10902-014-9535-2
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10902-014-9535-2?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. Robert Cummins, 2010. "Subjective Wellbeing, Homeostatically Protected Mood and Depression: A Synthesis," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 11(1), pages 1-17, March.
    2. Bruce Headey & Elsie Holmström & Alexander Wearing, 1984. "Well-being and ill-being: Different dimensions?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 14(2), pages 115-139, February.
    3. Robert Cummins, 1995. "On the trail of the gold standard for subjective well-being," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 35(2), pages 179-200, June.
    4. Robert Cummins & Ning Li & Mark Wooden & Mark Stokes, 2014. "A Demonstration of Set-Points for Subjective Wellbeing," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 183-206, February.
    5. Bruce Headey & Elsie Holmström & Alexander Wearing, 1984. "The impact of life events and changes in domain satisfactions on well-being," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 15(3), pages 203-227, October.
    6. Joar Vittersø & Fredrik Nilsen, 2002. "The Conceptual and Relational Structure of Subjective Well-Being, Neuroticism, and Extraversion: Once Again, Neuroticism Is the Important Predictor of Happiness," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 57(1), pages 89-118, January.
    7. Adrian Tomyn & Matthew Fuller Tyszkiewicz & Robert Cummins, 2013. "The Personal Wellbeing Index: Psychometric Equivalence for Adults and School Children," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 110(3), pages 913-924, February.
    8. Robert Cummins, 1998. "The Second Approximation to an International Standard for Life Satisfaction," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 43(3), pages 307-334, March.
    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. Loreto Leiva & Betzabé Torres-Cortés & Andrés Antivilo-Bruna, 2022. "Adverse Childhood Experiences and Mental Health: When Well-Being Matters," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 15(2), pages 631-655, April.
    2. Gerry Redmond & Jasmine Huynh & Vanessa Maurici, 2018. "How Big is the Gap in Wellbeing between Marginalised and Non-Marginalised Young People as They Approach Adolescence? Evidence from a National Survey of 9–14 Year Old Australians," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 11(2), pages 459-485, April.
    3. Mònica González-Carrasco & Ferran Casas & Ferran Viñas & Sara Malo & M. Eugènia Gras & Lívia Bedin, 2017. "What Leads Subjective Well-Being to Change Throughout Adolescence? An Exploration of Potential Factors," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 10(1), pages 33-56, March.
    4. Mònica González-Carrasco & Ferran Casas & Sara Malo & Ferran Viñas & Tamar Dinisman, 2017. "Changes with Age in Subjective Well-Being Through the Adolescent Years: Differences by Gender," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 18(1), pages 63-88, 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. Adrian Tomyn & Jacolyn Norrish & Robert Cummins, 2013. "The Subjective Wellbeing of Indigenous Australian Adolescents: Validating the Personal Wellbeing Index-School Children," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 110(3), pages 1013-1031, February.
    2. Adrian Tomyn & Melissa Weinberg & Robert Cummins, 2015. "Intervention Efficacy Among ‘At Risk’ Adolescents: A Test of Subjective Wellbeing Homeostasis Theory," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 120(3), pages 883-895, February.
    3. Genevieve Sovereign & Benjamin R. Walker, 2021. "Mind, Body and Wellbeing: Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory and Self-cultivation Systems as Wellbeing Influencers," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 1-20, January.
    4. Adrian Tomyn & Matthew Fuller Tyszkiewicz & Jacolyn Norrish, 2014. "The Psychometric Equivalence of the Personal Wellbeing Index School-Children for Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Australian Adolescents," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 43-56, February.
    5. Lufanna Lai & Robert Cummins & Anna Lau, 2013. "Cross-Cultural Difference in Subjective Wellbeing: Cultural Response Bias as an Explanation," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 114(2), pages 607-619, November.
    6. Lufanna Lai & Robert Cummins, 2013. "The Contribution of Job and Partner Satisfaction to the Homeostatic Defense of Subjective Wellbeing," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 111(1), pages 203-217, March.
    7. Chia-Huei Wu & Ying-Mei Tsai & Lung Chen, 2009. "How do Positive Views Maintain Life Satisfaction?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 91(2), pages 269-281, April.
    8. Kimina Lyall & George Youssef & Antonina Mikocka-Walus & Subhadra Evans & Robert A. Cummins, 2023. "Exploring Evidence for Mindfulness and Subjective Wellbeing Homeostatic Resilience Buffering Depression and Stress Symptoms Associated with Inflammatory Bowel Disease," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 24(5), pages 1663-1682, June.
    9. Robert Cummins & Ning Li & Mark Wooden & Mark Stokes, 2014. "A Demonstration of Set-Points for Subjective Wellbeing," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 183-206, February.
    10. Nele Van Hecke & Claudia Claes & Wouter Vanderplasschen & Jessica De Maeyer & Nico De Witte & Stijn Vandevelde, 2018. "Conceptualisation and Measurement of Quality of Life Based on Schalock and Verdugo’s Model: A Cross-Disciplinary Review of the Literature," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 137(1), pages 335-351, May.
    11. Robert A. Cummins, 2018. "Subjective Wellbeing as a Social Indicator," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 135(3), pages 879-891, February.
    12. Adrian Tomyn & Matthew Fuller Tyszkiewicz & Robert Cummins, 2013. "The Personal Wellbeing Index: Psychometric Equivalence for Adults and School Children," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 110(3), pages 913-924, February.
    13. Robert Cummins & Helen Nistico, 2002. "Maintaining Life Satisfaction: The Role of Positive Cognitive Bias," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 3(1), pages 37-69, March.
    14. Gemma Simons & David S Baldwin, 2021. "A critical review of the definition of ‘wellbeing’ for doctors and their patients in a post Covid-19 era," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 67(8), pages 984-991, December.
    15. Tanja Capic & Ning Li & Robert A. Cummins, 2018. "Confirmation of Subjective Wellbeing Set-Points: Foundational for Subjective Social Indicators," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 137(1), pages 1-28, May.
    16. Robert Cummins, 2010. "Subjective Wellbeing, Homeostatically Protected Mood and Depression: A Synthesis," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 11(1), pages 1-17, March.
    17. R. Gargiulo & Mark Stokes, 2009. "Subjective Well-Being as an Indicator for Clinical Depression," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 92(3), pages 517-527, July.
    18. Ingrid Nielsen & Russell Smyth & Qingguo Zhai, 2010. "Subjective Well-Being of China’s Off-Farm Migrants," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 11(3), pages 315-333, June.
    19. Adrian Tomyn & Robert Cummins, 2011. "Subjective Wellbeing and Homeostatically Protected Mood: Theory Validation With Adolescents," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 12(5), pages 897-914, October.
    20. Vinod Mishra & Ingrid Nielsen & Russell Smyth, 2014. "How Does Relative Income and Variations in Short-Run Wellbeing Affect Wellbeing in the Long Run? Empirical Evidence From China’s Korean Minority," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 115(1), pages 67-91, January.

    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:jhappi:v:16:y:2015:i:4:p:813-837. 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.