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Social Class and Well-being Trajectories during COVID-19: A 4-year Longitudinal Study Revealed a Steeper Decline among Higher-class Individuals in South Korea

Author

Listed:
  • Yuri Kwon

    (Seoul National University
    Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology)

  • Sooyoun Kristina Zong

    (University of Chicago)

  • Namhee Kim

    (Seoul National University)

  • Yuhyun Choi

    (Seoul National University)

  • Incheol Choi

    (Seoul National University
    Seoul National University)

Abstract

Little research has examined the role of social class in the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental well-being. This 4-year longitudinal study in South Korea (N = 86,872; 875,967 responses) assessed well-being before (January 2019 to January 2020) and during (January 2020 to January 2023) the COVID-19 pandemic to determine whether change in well-being during this period differed by social class. We expanded the investigation to consider transitions in social class, social distancing measures, and the mechanisms underlying well-being changes according to social class during the pandemic. In particular, we assessed the moderating effects of social class on within-person changes in well-being using conducting multilevel modeling-based analyses in four approaches. First, we found that, while higher-class individuals maintained an average well-being that was higher than that of lower-class individuals, they also experienced a steeper decline in well-being over the course of the pandemic. Relative to their pre-COVID-19 levels, they experienced a significant decrease in well-being in the first, second, and third years of COVID-19, showing no sign of recovery until the pandemic neared its end. Second, this pattern persisted without regard for critical social class transitions following the pandemic: individuals remaining in the higher class during both the pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 periods experienced significant declines in well-being relative to baseline. Third, higher-class individuals faced larger difficulties in maintaining their well-being, particularly with respect to social distancing measures, while the well-being of lower-class individuals was less affected. Fourth, perceived changes in daily life mediated observed class difference in well-being declines, showing that higher-class individuals experienced greater changes in their daily lives due to COVID-19 than lower-class individuals did, resulting in greater declines in well-being. Taken together, these findings indicate that COVID-19 transformed components of life that are essential for the psychological health of the well-off, providing novel insights into the significant power of social class in the experiences of changes in well-being, going beyond the absolute gap that has been well-established by cross-sectional studies. This indicates the need for class-targeted interventions and policies to support well-being across all socioeconomic strata in future crises.

Suggested Citation

  • Yuri Kwon & Sooyoun Kristina Zong & Namhee Kim & Yuhyun Choi & Incheol Choi, 2025. "Social Class and Well-being Trajectories during COVID-19: A 4-year Longitudinal Study Revealed a Steeper Decline among Higher-class Individuals in South Korea," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 176(3), pages 1021-1042, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:176:y:2025:i:3:d:10.1007_s11205-024-03496-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-024-03496-4
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