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Chronic stress and psychological well-being: Evidence from Thailand on household crowding

Author

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  • Fuller, Theodore D.
  • Edwards, John N.
  • Vorakitphokatorn, Sairudee
  • Sermsri, Santhat

Abstract

This paper examines the effect of one form of chronic stress--household crowding--on psychological well-being, as measured by multiple inverse indicators of psychological well-being. We rely on data from a large (n = 2017) random sample of households in Bangkok, Thailand, a context that has a higher level and broader range of crowding than typically found in the United States. Objective household crowding is found to be detrimental to psychological well-being, controlling for a number of background characteristics. The effect of objective crowding is mediated by subjective crowding, which has strong, consistent and direct detrimental effects on well-being. There is no evidence of a gender effect. Extended family households are not uncommon in Bangkok, but the effects of objective and subjective crowding are similar in both two- and three-generation households, as well as in one- and multiple-couple households. The argument that subjective crowding is an effect, rather than a cause, of psychological well-being is examined and rejected. The findings suggest that crowding, as a chronic source of stress, constitutes a major threat to psychological well-being. Although the empirical analyses are based on data from one city, we frame the issue of household crowding in a historical and theoretical context in order to suggest in which cultural settings household crowding is most likely to have detrimental effects on psychological well-being.

Suggested Citation

  • Fuller, Theodore D. & Edwards, John N. & Vorakitphokatorn, Sairudee & Sermsri, Santhat, 1996. "Chronic stress and psychological well-being: Evidence from Thailand on household crowding," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 42(2), pages 265-280, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:42:y:1996:i:2:p:265-280
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    Cited by:

    1. Aditya Goenka & Lin Liu, 2020. "Infectious diseases, human capital and economic growth," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 70(1), pages 1-47, July.
    2. Burgard, Sarah A. & Seefeldt, Kristin S. & Zelner, Sarah, 2012. "Housing instability and health: Findings from the Michigan recession and recovery study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(12), pages 2215-2224.
    3. Maike Damme, 2020. "Overcrowded Housing and Relationship Break-up," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 36(1), pages 119-139, March.
    4. Valentina N. Burkova & Marina L. Butovskaya & Ashley K. Randall & Julija N. Fedenok & Khodabakhsh Ahmadi & Ahmad M. Alghraibeh & Fathil Bakir Mutsher Allami & Fadime Suata Alpaslan & Mohammad Ahmad Ab, 2021. "Predictors of Anxiety in the COVID-19 Pandemic from a Global Perspective: Data from 23 Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-23, April.

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