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Social Relationships, Child Poverty, and Children’s Life Satisfaction

Author

Listed:
  • Leena Haanpää

    (Finnish Youth Research Society, 00520 Helsinki, Finland)

  • Mirka Kuula

    (Department of Social Research, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland)

  • Mia Hakovirta

    (Department of Social Research, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland)

Abstract

Child subjective well-being is determined by various personal, social, and contextual factors. Few studies have found reliable differences in the prediction power of these factors; however, the results vary especially when it comes to sociodemographic factors, such as the effect of child’s socioeconomic background on life satisfaction. This paper examines how poverty and social relationships affect the perceived life satisfaction of Finnish schoolchildren. Drawing on survey data of Finnish schoolchildren, from grades 5, 7, and 9 ( n = 1793), linear regression was used to test how life satisfaction would be associated with socio-demographic variables, poverty, and child–parent and peer relationships. The results emphasize the complex nature of the determinants of children’s life satisfaction. The greatest unique contribution for change of life satisfaction was made by the time spent with mother (β( p ) = 0.189). Overall, the model showed a good fit (R 2 19.9). These findings have important implications for family policies and services that promote good parenting and positive parent–child relationships. Furthermore, this study highlights relational well-being as a key determinant of children’s life satisfaction.

Suggested Citation

  • Leena Haanpää & Mirka Kuula & Mia Hakovirta, 2019. "Social Relationships, Child Poverty, and Children’s Life Satisfaction," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 8(2), pages 1-13, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:8:y:2019:i:2:p:35-:d:201089
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Shazly Savahl & Sabirah Adams & Maria Florence & Ferran Casas & Mulalo Mpilo & Deborah Isobell & Donnay Manuel, 2020. "The Relation Between children’s Participation in Daily Activities, Their Engagement with Family and Friends, and Subjective Well-Being," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 13(4), pages 1283-1312, August.
    2. Minna Tuominen & Leena Haanpää, 2022. "Young People’s Well-Being and the Association with Social Capital, i.e. Social Networks, Trust and Reciprocity," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 159(2), pages 617-645, January.
    3. Marja Lindberg & Mikael Nygård & Fredrica Nyqvist & Mia Hakovirta, 2021. "Financial Stress and Subjective Wellbeing among Children -Evidence from Finland," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(2), pages 799-819, April.
    4. Shazly Savahl & Sabirah Adams & Ferran Casas & Maria Florence, 2023. "Children’s Interactions with Family and Friends in Constrained Contexts: Considerations for Children’s Subjective Well-Being," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 18(1), pages 321-339, February.
    5. Shan Jiang & Lin Wang & Yuhang Cheng, 2023. "Unrevealing the Mediating Mechanisms Between Material Deprivation and Children’s Life Satisfaction: Empirical Evidence from the International Survey of Children’s Well-Being," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 18(2), pages 893-914, April.

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