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Eastern and Western Children’s Voices on their Well-Being

Author

Listed:
  • Silvia Exenberger

    (Medical University of Innsbruck)

  • Raphaela Banzer

    (University of Innsbruck)

  • Jayakumar Christy

    (National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS))

  • Stefan Höfer

    (Medical University of Innsbruck)

  • Barbara Juen

    (University of Innsbruck)

Abstract

Few studies are planned to ‘give voice’ to children from different cultural backgrounds to explore their sources of happiness. To address this gap, the present study analysed focus group discussions with 42 South Indian and 48 European children aged 8 to 17 years. During the discussions, the children were asked about what makes them happy and sad and about what helps them feel good again when they feel sad. The data were analysed based on grounded theory. Data analysis revealed the following seven themes: ‘Indian and European children attach different values to school’, ‘interactions with biological families both support and threaten well-being’, ‘positive and negative effects of relationships on the self’, ‘Indian and European children name different exclusive well-being sources’, ‘cross-cultural and culture-specific coping and relaxation strategies’, ‘staying physically healthy is important to the children’s well-being’, and ‘material and economic resources are clearly linked with children’s well-being’. Moreover, the results suggest that the meaning of the well-being themes is shaped by a child’s self-construal, which is either independent (the self is separated from others) or interdependent (the self is connected with others). How culture might influence children’s viewpoints regarding their own well-being is discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Silvia Exenberger & Raphaela Banzer & Jayakumar Christy & Stefan Höfer & Barbara Juen, 2019. "Eastern and Western Children’s Voices on their Well-Being," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 12(3), pages 747-768, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:chinre:v:12:y:2019:i:3:d:10.1007_s12187-018-9541-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s12187-018-9541-8
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    2. Stephanie Hess, 2024. "The Impact of Cultural Values on the Association Between Family Relations and Children’s Life Satisfaction. A Comparison of Children in Two-Parent Families Across 39 Countries," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 17(5), pages 1891-1917, October.
    3. Yuki Ninomiya & Mariko Matsumoto & Asuka Nomura & Lauri Kemppinen & Dandii Odgerel & Soili Keskinen & Esko Keskinen & Nergui Oyuntungalag & Hiroko Tsuboi & Nobuko Suzuki & Chie Hatagaki & Yutaka Fukui, 2021. "A Cross-Cultural Study of Happiness in Japanese, Finnish, and Mongolian Children: Analysis of the Sentence Completion Test," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(2), pages 871-896, April.
    4. Kate Sollis & Nicholas Biddle & Herdiyan Maulana & Mandy Yap & Paul Campbell, 2024. "Measuring Wellbeing Across Culture and Context – are we Getting it Right? Evaluating the Variation in Wellbeing Conceptualisations Throughout the World," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 174(1), pages 123-155, August.
    5. Brenda Gladstone & Silvia Exenberger & Bente Weimand & Vincci Lui & Nina Haid-Stecher & Monika Geretsegger, 2021. "The Capability Approach in Research about Children and Childhood: a Scoping Review," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(1), pages 453-475, February.
    6. Ewajesu O. Okewumi & Olayinka Akanle, 2022. "Children’s Participation in Decision Making within the Family Context of Yoruba Culture," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 15(1), pages 235-247, February.

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