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A Cross-Cultural Study of Happiness in Japanese, Finnish, and Mongolian Children: Analysis of the Sentence Completion Test

Author

Listed:
  • Yuki Ninomiya

    (Nagoya University)

  • Mariko Matsumoto

    (Nagoya University)

  • Asuka Nomura

    (Nagoya University)

  • Lauri Kemppinen

    (University of Turku)

  • Dandii Odgerel

    (Mongolian State University of Education)

  • Soili Keskinen

    (University of Turku)

  • Esko Keskinen

    (University of Turku)

  • Nergui Oyuntungalag

    (Mongolian State University of Education)

  • Hiroko Tsuboi

    (Nagoya City University)

  • Nobuko Suzuki

    (Aichi University of Education)

  • Chie Hatagaki

    (Shizuoka University)

  • Yutaka Fukui

    (Nagoya University)

  • Miyako Morita

    (Chubu University)

Abstract

Children’s happiness is an important issue that needs to be addressed around the world; however, limited research has explored how children define happiness. In this study, we conducted a survey of elementary school children living in different countries and clarified the contextual definitions of happiness by a total of 842 children (Mean age = 11.01, SD = 1.05, effective rate = 97.34%) from Grades 4 to 6 living in Japan (n = 474), Mongolia (n = 121), and Finland (n = 247). We investigated the definition of children’s happiness using the stimulus sentence completion test. For Mongolian children, happiness was predominantly characterized by references to family relationships. For Finnish children, happiness appeared to be linked to autonomous involvement with things, personal achievement, and success. Furthermore, the happiness of Japanese children was largely characterized by pleasant versus unpleasant experiences. In addition, Japanese children often referred to “being scolded” and their happiness was not related to school success. Our findings concurred with the elements of Seligman’s (2012) concept of flourishing as a new criterion for judging well-being. It was also suggested that the dominant elements of happiness may differ depending on an individual’s country and culture.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:chinre:v:14:y:2021:i:2:d:10.1007_s12187-020-09776-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s12187-020-09776-y
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    1. Yookyung Eoh & Eunsik Lee & Soo Hyun Park, 2022. "The Relationship between Children’s School Adaptation, Academic Achievement, Happiness, and Problematic Smartphone Usage: A Multiple Informant Moderated Mediating Model," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(6), pages 3579-3593, December.

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