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The Relation Between children’s Participation in Daily Activities, Their Engagement with Family and Friends, and Subjective Well-Being

Author

Listed:
  • Shazly Savahl

    (University of the Western Cape)

  • Sabirah Adams

    (University of Cape Town)

  • Maria Florence

    (University of the Western Cape
    University of the Western Cape)

  • Ferran Casas

    (Universitat de Girona)

  • Mulalo Mpilo

    (University of the Western Cape)

  • Deborah Isobell

    (University of the Western Cape)

  • Donnay Manuel

    (University of the Western Cape)

Abstract

The study aimed to ascertain the relation between children’s participation in daily activities, engaging with family and friends and their subjective well-being (SWB); and to ascertain the extent to which the nature of the relation differs across three age groups (8, 10 and 12), gender, and geographical context (urban and rural). The study used data from Wave 2 of the South African Children’s Worlds Study conducted with a random sample of 3284 children between the ages of 8 to 12-years. Three scales measuring children’s daily activities, engagement with family and friends, and their SWB using the Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale were used. Data were analysed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling; with group comparisons assessed by means of multi-group structural equation modelling. The study found a significant relation between children’s engagement with family and friends and participation in daily activities and their SWB; with the combined influence of engagement with family and friends and participation in daily activities explaining 31% of the variance in SWB. Engagement with family and friends contributed a higher explained variance in SWB than participation in daily activities. Multi-group analysis revealed the tenability of metric invariance across age and gender, which allowed for meaningful comparisons by correlation and regression coefficients. Across geographical contexts scalar invariance was tenable allowing for meaningful comparisons across correlations, regression coefficients, and latent means. While the findings of the study suggest that children’s time use is an important factor influencing their SWB, researchers, practitioners and policy makers should consider the diversity of ‘childhoods’ in South Africa, especially as it relates to the historical ‘situatedness’ of the macro-factors of poverty, deprivation, and social inequality, and how this impacts children’s access to and the nature of their daily activities.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:chinre:v:13:y:2020:i:4:d:10.1007_s12187-019-09699-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s12187-019-09699-3
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. 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.
    3. Aline Lopes Moreira & Maria Ângela Mattar Yunes & Célia Regina Rangel Nascimento & Lívia Maria Bedin, 2021. "Children’s Subjective Well-Being, Peer Relationships and Resilience: An Integrative Literature Review," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(5), pages 1723-1742, October.
    4. José D. Urchaga & Raquel M. Guevara & Antonio S. Cabaco & José E. Moral-García, 2020. "Life Satisfaction, Physical Activity and Quality of Life Associated with the Health of School-Age Adolescents," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-13, November.
    5. Moreira, Aline Lopes & Yunes, Maria Angela Mattar & Martins, Leonardo Fernandes, 2023. "Children's subjective well-being and the protective role of friendships, school satisfaction and neighborhood in the face of peer victimization," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    6. Borualogo, Ihsana Sabriani & Casas, Ferran, 2024. "Children with homeostatically maintained and homeostatically defeated subjective well-being in Indonesia," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    7. 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.

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