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Why Do Children Become Unhappier as They Get Older? Comparing Key Dimensions of Children’s Subjective Well-Being Between 8- and 12-Year-Old Groups in South Korea

Author

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  • Sunsuk Kim

    (Korea National University of Transportation)

  • Jaejin Ahn

    (Gachon University)

  • Bong Joo Lee

    (Seoul National University)

Abstract

The main purpose of this paper is to explore differences in the roles played by family, school, and community in the subjective well-being (SWB) of children in different age groups in South Korea. Based on Bronfenbrenner’s ecological framework, the contexts that affect children’s subjective well-being are conceptualized as family, school, and community. We use multiple regression analysis with the Chow test. The Chow test examines whether the parameters of one group (such as 8-year-old children) are equal to those of other groups (such as 10- or 12-year-old children). The results show that “satisfaction with freedom” in child factors and “relations with friends” in school factors significantly influence SWB, having a stronger effect on 8- rather than 12-year-old children. In contrast, “satisfaction with school marks” in school factors significantly influences SWB, having a stronger effect on 12- rather than 8-year-old children. In a nutshell, this analysis shows that the effects of these factors on the SWB of 8-year-olds are different from those on the SWB of 12-year-olds.

Suggested Citation

  • Sunsuk Kim & Jaejin Ahn & Bong Joo Lee, 2019. "Why Do Children Become Unhappier as They Get Older? Comparing Key Dimensions of Children’s Subjective Well-Being Between 8- and 12-Year-Old Groups in South Korea," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 12(1), pages 9-27, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:chinre:v:12:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1007_s12187-017-9513-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s12187-017-9513-4
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Mònica González-Carrasco & Lívia Bedin & Ferran Casas & Jaime Alfaro & Jorge Castellá Sarriera, 2023. "Safety, Perceptions of Good Treatment and Subjective Well-Being in 10- and 12-year-old Children in Three Countries," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 18(3), pages 1521-1544, June.
    2. Svetlana Ignatjeva & Zhanna Bruk & Tatiana Semenovskikh, 2020. "Reflective Component in the Structure of Children’s Subjective Well-Being," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 13(2), pages 609-634, April.
    3. Ana Blasco-Belled & Mònica González-Carrasco & Ferran Casas, 2023. "Filling the 8-Year-Old Gap in the Study of Well-Being: Cross-Cultural Assessment and Validation of a Subjective Well-Being Measure Across 19 Countries," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(3), pages 1363-1380, June.
    4. Changmin Yoo, 2020. "Korean Adolescents’ Life Satisfaction Cohort Differences Caused by Mental Health Intervention and Social Disaster Accident," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 13(5), pages 1875-1892, October.
    5. Son, Woo-Jung & Bae, Sung-Man, 2022. "The relationship between human rights, negative affect, bullying victimization, and life satisfaction among Korean adolescents: A national sample study," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    6. Fabiane Friedrich Schutz & Jorge Castellá Sarriera & Lívia Maria Bedin, 2022. "Subjective Well-being of Brazilian Children Over Time: Comparing Children’s Worlds 1st and 3rd Wave of 10 and 12-year-olds Samples," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 15(2), pages 433-446, April.

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