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The Effects of Subjective Social Class on Subjective Well-Being and Mental Health: A Moderated Mediation Model

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  • Kai Li

    (Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China)

  • Feng Yu

    (Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China)

  • Yanchi Zhang

    (School of Psychology, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China)

  • Yongyu Guo

    (School of Psychology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210097, China)

Abstract

In recent decades, China’s rapid economic growth has substantially improved average living standards; however, this has not been accompanied by greater happiness among the Chinese population. This phenomenon is known as the Easterlin Paradox (i.e., there is no link between a society’s economic development and its average level of happiness) in Western countries. This study examined the effects of subjective social class on subjective well-being and mental health in China. Consequently, we found that individuals in a relatively low social class had lower levels of subjective well-being and mental health; self-class discrepancy partially explains the relationship between subjective social class and subjective well-being and fully explains the relationship between subjective social class and mental health; and subjective social mobility moderates the path from self-class discrepancy to subjective well-being and mental health. These findings suggest that enhancing social mobility is an important method for reducing class differences in subjective well-being and mental health. These results have important implications, indicating that enhancing social mobility is an important method for reducing class differences in subjective well-being and mental health in China.

Suggested Citation

  • Kai Li & Feng Yu & Yanchi Zhang & Yongyu Guo, 2023. "The Effects of Subjective Social Class on Subjective Well-Being and Mental Health: A Moderated Mediation Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-11, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:5:p:4200-:d:1081502
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    References listed on IDEAS

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