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Exploring Low Subjective Well-Being Among Children Aged 11 in the UK: an Analysis Using Data Reported by Parents and by Children

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  • Gwyther Rees

    (University of York)

  • Jonathan Bradshaw

    (University of York)

Abstract

If we cannot explain the factors that affect the subjective well-being of children we cannot know what to do to improve it. Comparative studies have found that children in some countries have higher mean levels of subjective well-being than children in other countries. But studies of variations in subjective well-being of children within countries, based on school based surveys of children, have failed to explain much of the variation in subjective well-being observed. This may be because such surveys can only collect limited data on their household and school from the child. Wave 5 of the UK Millennium Cohort Survey (11-year-olds) presents a new opportunity to understand the factors affecting children’s subjective well-being making use of information gathered from parents as well as children. This article aims to identify factors which can predict the likelihood of children having low subjective well-being. The key findings from the analysis are that (a) a wide range of parent-reported variables have some power in predicting low child subjective well-being; (b) in comparison a small selection of child-reported variables have more explanatory power. Factors such as material deprivation, family financial strain, parental well-being and children’s experience of being bullied emerge as important in the analysis. The implications for future research on child subjective well-being are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Gwyther Rees & Jonathan Bradshaw, 2018. "Exploring Low Subjective Well-Being Among Children Aged 11 in the UK: an Analysis Using Data Reported by Parents and by Children," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 11(1), pages 27-56, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:chinre:v:11:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1007_s12187-016-9421-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s12187-016-9421-z
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Zlata Bruckauf & Yekaterina Chzhen & UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre, 2016. "Poverty and Children’s Cognitive Trajectories: Evidence from the United Kingdom Millennium Cohort Study," Papers inwopa839, Innocenti Working Papers.
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    Cited by:

    1. Chen, Ke-Mei, 2020. "Subjective poverty, deprivation, and the subjective well-being of children and young people: A multilevel growth curve analysis in Taiwan," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    2. Renuka Mahadevan & Sha Fan, 2021. "Differential Effects of Parents’ Education on Adolescent Well-being Outcomes," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(6), pages 2495-2516, December.
    3. Marija Džida & Toni Babarović & Andreja Brajša-Žganec, 2023. "The Factor Structure of Different Subjective Well-Being Measures and its Correlates in the Croatian Sample of Children and Adolescents," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(5), pages 1871-1888, October.
    4. Aurea Grané & Irene Albarrán & Ana Arribas-Gil, 2020. "Constructing a Children’s Subjective Well-Being Index: an Application to Socially Vulnerable Spanish Children," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 13(4), pages 1235-1254, August.
    5. Prakash, Kushneel & Smyth, Russell, 2019. "‘The quintessential Chinese dream’? Homeownership and the subjective wellbeing of China's next generation," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    6. Wilmes, Johanna & Andresen, Sabine, 2023. "The concept of needs in child well-being research: Lessons from a mixed methods study in Germany," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    7. Janka Goldan & Lena Nusser & Michael Gebel, 2022. "School-related Subjective Well-being of Children with and without Special Educational Needs in Inclusive Classrooms," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 15(4), pages 1313-1337, August.
    8. Daphna Gross-Manos & Jonathan Bradshaw, 2022. "The Association Between the Material Well-Being and the Subjective Well-Being of Children in 35 Countries," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 15(1), pages 1-33, February.

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