IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/soinre/v149y2020i2d10.1007_s11205-019-02251-4.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Household Assets, the Role of Government Assistance, and Depression Among Low-Income Families in Shanghai

Author

Listed:
  • Shiyou Wu

    (Arizona State University)

  • Mimi V. Chapman

    (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

  • Meihua Zhu

    (East China University of Science and Technology)

  • Xiafei Wang

    (Syracuse University)

Abstract

As China’s economy is rapidly changing from a planned to a capitalist economy, many families find themselves financially struggling. In some cases, conflicting values and attitudes may contribute to mental health challenges such as depression that would lead to further feelings of helplessness and immobilization. Using a random sample of 1006 low-income households from Pudong District of Shanghai, China, this study aims to examine the relationships between household assets, beliefs about government as the primary way to improve economic circumstances and self-reported depressive symptoms. In addition, this study investigates the mediation effects of beliefs that government is the best change agent for improved life circumstances on the relationship between household assets and depression. We found those who indicated that government was the main means for attaining a better life had significantly higher depression levels whereas higher numbers of household assets were associated with lower depression levels. We also found that viewing government as the most important change agent only partially mediated the relationship between household assets and depression (p

Suggested Citation

  • Shiyou Wu & Mimi V. Chapman & Meihua Zhu & Xiafei Wang, 2020. "Household Assets, the Role of Government Assistance, and Depression Among Low-Income Families in Shanghai," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 149(2), pages 571-584, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:149:y:2020:i:2:d:10.1007_s11205-019-02251-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-019-02251-4
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11205-019-02251-4
    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/s11205-019-02251-4?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. Ssewamala, F.M. & Han, C.-K. & Neilands, T.B. & Ismayilova, L. & Sperber, E., 2010. "Effect of economic assets on sexual risk-taking intentions among orphaned adolescents in Uganda," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 100(3), pages 483-488.
    2. Chang-Keun Han & Song-Iee Hong, 2011. "Assets and Life Satisfaction Patterns Among Korean Older Adults: Latent Class Analysis," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 100(2), pages 225-240, January.
    3. Deon Filmer & Kinnon Scott, 2012. "Assessing Asset Indices," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 49(1), pages 359-392, February.
    4. Song-Iee Hong & Chang-Keun Han, 2014. "Asset Impacts on Life Satisfaction in an Asset-Rich Country: Focusing on Older Adults in Singapore," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 118(1), pages 125-140, August.
    5. Ssewamala, Fred M. & Han, Chang-Keun & Neilands, Torsten B., 2009. "Asset ownership and health and mental health functioning among AIDS-orphaned adolescents: Findings from a randomized clinical trial in rural Uganda," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 69(2), pages 191-198, July.
    6. Shiyou Wu & Mathieu R. Despard & Gina Chowa, 2017. "The Role of Parents in Introducing Children to Financial Services: Evidence from Ghana-YouthSave," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 38(3), pages 453-462, September.
    7. Wan, Guanghua (ed.), 2008. "Inequality and Growth in Modern China," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199535194.
    8. Wang, Donggen & Chai, Yanwei, 2009. "The jobs–housing relationship and commuting in Beijing, China: the legacy of Danwei," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 17(1), pages 30-38.
    9. Timo Zumbro, 2014. "The Relationship Between Homeownership and Life Satisfaction in Germany," Housing Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(3), pages 319-338, April.
    10. Williams Shanks, Trina R. & Kim, Youngmi & Loke, Vernon & Destin, Mesmin, 2010. "Assets and child well-being in developed countries," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(11), pages 1488-1496, November.
    11. Feng Hu, 2013. "Homeownership and Subjective Wellbeing in Urban China: Does Owning a House Make You Happier?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 110(3), pages 951-971, February.
    12. Wu, Alfred M. & Ramesh, M., 2014. "Poverty Reduction in Urban China: The Impact of Cash Transfers," MPRA Paper 54358, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    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. Bo Kyong Seo & In Hyee Hwang & Yi Sun & Juan Chen, 2022. "Homeownership, Depression, and Life Satisfaction in China: The Gender and Urban-Rural Disparities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-13, November.

    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. Song-Iee Hong & Chang-Keun Han, 2014. "Asset Impacts on Life Satisfaction in an Asset-Rich Country: Focusing on Older Adults in Singapore," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 118(1), pages 125-140, August.
    2. Cheng, Zhiming & King, Stephen P. & Smyth, Russell & Wang, Haining, 2016. "Housing property rights and subjective wellbeing in urban China," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 45(S), pages 160-174.
    3. Andrew E. Clark & Luis Diaz-Serrano, 2023. "Do individuals adapt to all types of housing transitions?," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 21(2), pages 645-672, June.
    4. Apergis, Nicholas & Hayat, Tasawar & Kadasah, Nasser A., 2019. "Subjective well-being in housing purchasing: Evidence with survey data from the U.K. housing residential market," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 328-335.
    5. Bo Kyong Seo & In Hyee Hwang & Yi Sun & Juan Chen, 2022. "Homeownership, Depression, and Life Satisfaction in China: The Gender and Urban-Rural Disparities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-13, November.
    6. Liping Liao & Wenjie Wu & Chenglei Zhang, 2022. "Housing prices and the subjective well-being of migrant workers: evidence from China," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(7), pages 3363-3388, October.
    7. Honghao Ren & Henk Folmer & Arno J. Van der Vlist, 2018. "The Impact of Home Ownership on Life Satisfaction in Urban China: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 19(2), pages 397-422, February.
    8. Ehsan Latif, 2021. "Homeownership and happiness: evidence from Canad," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 41(1), pages 1-17.
    9. Chowa, Gina A.N. & Masa, Rainier D. & Tucker, Jenna, 2013. "The effects of parental involvement on academic performance of Ghanaian youth: Testing measurement and relationships using structural equation modeling," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(12), pages 2020-2030.
    10. Reto Odermatt & Alois Stutzer, 2022. "Does the Dream of Home Ownership Rest Upon Biased Beliefs? A Test Based on Predicted and Realized Life Satisfaction," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(8), pages 3731-3763, December.
    11. Nabunya, Proscovia & Ssewamala, Fred M. & Ilic, Vilma, 2014. "Family economic strengthening and parenting stress among caregivers of AIDS-orphaned children: Results from a cluster randomized clinical trial in Uganda," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 417-421.
    12. Mingzhi Hu & Wenping Ye, 2020. "Home Ownership and Subjective Wellbeing: A Perspective from Ownership Heterogeneity," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(3), pages 1059-1079, March.
    13. Clark, Andrew E. & Díaz Serrano, Lluís, 2020. "The Long-run Effects of Housing on Well-Being," Working Papers 2072/376033, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Department of Economics.
    14. Bo Kyong Seo & Ji Hye Kim, 2022. "Intergenerational Coresidence and Life Satisfaction in Old Age: The Moderating Role of Homeownership," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(5), pages 3199-3216, October.
    15. Sylvia Shangani & Don Operario & Becky Genberg & Kipruto Kirwa & Miriam Midoun & Lukoye Atwoli & David Ayuku & Omar Galárraga & Paula Braitstein, 2017. "Unconditional government cash transfers in support of orphaned and vulnerable adolescents in western Kenya: Is there an association with psychological wellbeing?," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(5), pages 1-15, May.
    16. Darejan Dvalishvili & Fred. M. Ssewamala & Proscovia Nabunya & Ozge Sensoy Bahar & Samuel Kizito & Flavia Namuwonge & Phionah Namatovu, 2022. "Impact of Family-Based Economic Empowerment Intervention, Suubi+Adherence (2012–2018) on Multidimensional Poverty for Adolescents Living with HIV (ALWHIV) in Uganda," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-17, November.
    17. Chowa, Gina A.N. & Masa, Rainier D. & Wretman, Christopher J. & Ansong, David, 2013. "The impact of household possessions on youth's academic achievement in the Ghana Youthsave experiment: A propensity score analysis," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 69-81.
    18. Gum-Ryeong Park & Jinho Kim, 2023. "Trajectories of Life Satisfaction Before and After Homeownership: The Role of Housing Affordability Stress," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 397-408, January.
    19. Nabunya, Proscovia & Ssewamala, Fred M. & Ilic, Vilma, 2014. "Reprint of “Family economic strengthening and parenting stress among caregivers of AIDS-orphaned children: Results from a cluster randomized clinical trial in Uganda”," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 47(P2), pages 182-186.
    20. Zuzana Brokesova & Andrej Cupak & Anthony Lepinteur & Marian Rizov, 2021. "Wealth, Assets and Life Satisfaction: A Metadata Instrumental-Variable Approach," Working and Discussion Papers WP 4/2021, Research Department, National Bank of Slovakia.

    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:soinre:v:149:y:2020:i:2:d:10.1007_s11205-019-02251-4. 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.