IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/chinre/v17y2024i5d10.1007_s12187-024-10162-1.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

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

Author

Listed:
  • Stephanie Hess

    (Otto-Von-Guericke University Magdeburg)

Abstract

Despite increasing interest in country differences and the identification of macro-societal circumstances that shape children’s well-being, cross-national comparisons of children’s subjective well-being are still rare. This study investigates the effect of family relations on children’s life satisfaction in 39 countries from multiple world regions, with the aims of unveiling differences in average life satisfaction, comparing the effect of family relations on life satisfaction and testing the moderating effect of cultural values, emphasizing differences between collectivist and individualistic countries. Single-country regressions and multilevel modelling are used to analyse data from 129,018 children from two-parent families who participated in the first, second or third wave of the International Survey of Children’s Lives and Well-Being. The results reveal that average life satisfaction is slightly higher in individualistic societies, but that the association between the Individualism Index and life satisfaction is not linear. Good family relations are shown to improve life satisfaction in all countries, but the effect strength differs considerably. The life satisfaction of children from individualistic countries, compared to that of children from collectivist countries, suffers considerably more from the experience of bad family relations. These findings highlight the necessity of considering children’s cultural environment when examining their life satisfaction.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:chinre:v:17:y:2024:i:5:d:10.1007_s12187-024-10162-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s12187-024-10162-1
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s12187-024-10162-1
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s12187-024-10162-1?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Stefan Kühner & Maggie Lau & Evelyn Aboagye Addae, 2021. "The Mediating Role of Social Capital in the Relationship Between Hong Kong Children’s Socioeconomic Status and Subjective Well-Being," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(5), pages 1881-1909, October.
    2. 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.
    3. Bibiana Ramos Santos & Jorge Castellá Sarriera & Lívia Maria Bedin, 2019. "Subjective Well-Being, Life Satisfaction and Interpersonal Relationships Associated to Socio-Demographic and Contextual Variables," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 14(3), pages 819-835, July.
    4. Sunsuk Kim & Gill Main, 2017. "Comparing Child Subjective Well-Being in South Korea and the UK: Testing an Ecological Systems Approach," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 10(1), pages 19-32, March.
    5. 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.
    6. Carmel Proctor & P. Linley & John Maltby, 2009. "Youth Life Satisfaction: A Review of the Literature," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 10(5), pages 583-630, October.
    7. Mari Corominas & Mònica González-Carrasco & Ferran Casas, 2020. "The Importance of Feeling Adequately Heard by Adults and Enjoying Time with Family in Relation to Children’s Subjective Well-Being," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 13(1), pages 193-214, February.
    8. Geert Hofstede, 1983. "The Cultural Relativity of Organizational Practices and Theories," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 14(2), pages 75-89, June.
    9. Diego Gomez-Baya & Alicia Muñoz-Silva & Francisco Jose Garcia-Moro, 2020. "Family Climate and Life Satisfaction in 12-Year-Old Adolescents in Europe," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-14, July.
    10. Michael J. Lawler & Lisa A. Newland & Jarod T. Giger & Soonhee Roh & Barbara L. Brockevelt, 2017. "Ecological, Relationship-Based Model of Children’s Subjective Well-Being: Perspectives of 10-Year-Old Children in the United States and 10 Other Countries," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 10(1), pages 1-18, March.
    11. Maggie Lau & Jonathan Bradshaw, 2018. "Material Well-being, Social Relationships and Children’s Overall Life Satisfaction in Hong Kong," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 11(1), pages 185-205, February.
    12. Melissa Lopez Reyes, 2019. "Cultural Moderators of the Influence of Environmental Affordances and Provisions on Children’s Subjective Well-Being," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 12(1), pages 71-98, February.
    13. Dagmar Kutsar & Kadri Soo & Tomasz Strózik & Dorota Strózik & Brindusa Grigoraș & Sergiu Bălțătescu, 2019. "Correction to: Does the Realisation of Children’s Rights Determine Good Life in 8-Year-Olds’ Perspectives? A Comparison of Eight European Countries," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 12(1), pages 185-185, February.
    14. Tamar Dinisman & Asher Ben-Arieh, 2016. "The Characteristics of Children’s Subjective Well-Being," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 126(2), pages 555-569, March.
    15. Dagmar Kutsar & Kadri Soo & Tomasz Strózik & Dorota Strózik & Brindusa Grigoraș & Sergiu Bălțătescu, 2019. "Does the Realisation of Children’s Rights Determine Good Life in 8-Year-Olds’ Perspectives? A Comparison of Eight European Countries," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 12(1), pages 161-183, February.
    16. Esther Yin-Nei Cho, 2018. "Links between Poverty and Children’s Subjective Wellbeing: Examining the Mediating and Moderating Role of Relationships," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 11(2), pages 585-607, April.
    17. Ferran Casas & Xavier Oriol & Mònica González-Carrasco, 2020. "Positive Affect and its Relationship with General Life Satisfaction among 10 and 12-Year-Old Children in 18 Countries," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 13(6), pages 2261-2290, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. 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).
    2. Aline Lopes Moreira & Jorge Castellá Sarriera & Leonardo Fernandes Martins & Lívia Maria Bedin & Maria Angela Mattar Yunes & Luciana Cassarino Perez & Murilo Ricardo Zibetti, 2022. "Psychometric Properties of Children’s Subjective Well-Being Scales: a Multigroup Study Investigating School Type, Gender, Age and Region of Children in the South and Southeast Regions of Brazil," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 15(2), pages 657-679, April.
    3. Cho, Esther Yin-Nei & Yu, Fuk-Yuen, 2020. "A review of measurement tools for child wellbeing," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    4. Jiang, Chaoxin & Song, Hao, 2024. "Feeling adequately heard by Adults, perceived safety and Children’s life Satisfaction: A multinational comparison of individualist and collectivist cultures across 18 countries," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    5. Loreto Ditzel & Ferran Casas & Javier Torres-Vallejos & Alejandra Villarroel, 2022. "The Subjective Well-Being of Chilean Children Living in Conditions of High Social Vulnerability," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(3), pages 1639-1660, June.
    6. 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.
    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.
    8. Eunice Magalhães & Maria Manuela Calheiros, 2020. "Why Place Matters in Residential Care: the Mediating Role of Place Attachment in the Relation Between Adolescents’ Rights and Psychological Well-Being," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 13(5), pages 1717-1737, October.
    9. Yipeng Tang, 2019. "Immigration Status and Adolescent Life Satisfaction: An International Comparative Analysis Based on PISA 2015," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 20(5), pages 1499-1518, June.
    10. 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).
    11. Małgorzata Szcześniak & Iga Bajkowska & Anna Czaprowska & Aleksandra Sileńska, 2022. "Adolescents’ Self-Esteem and Life Satisfaction: Communication with Peers as a Mediator," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-13, March.
    12. Jorge J. Varela & Shazly Savahl & Sabirah Adams & Fernando Reyes, 2020. "Examining the Relationship Among Bullying, School Climate and Adolescent Well-Being in Chile and South Africa: a Cross Cultural Comparison," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 13(3), pages 819-838, June.
    13. 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.
    14. Stefan Kühner & Maggie Lau & Evelyn Aboagye Addae, 2021. "The Mediating Role of Social Capital in the Relationship Between Hong Kong Children’s Socioeconomic Status and Subjective Well-Being," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(5), pages 1881-1909, October.
    15. Esther Yin-Nei Cho, 2018. "Links between Poverty and Children’s Subjective Wellbeing: Examining the Mediating and Moderating Role of Relationships," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 11(2), pages 585-607, April.
    16. 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.
    17. 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).
    18. Shan Jiang & Lin Wang & Yuhang Cheng, 2023. "Unrevealing the Mediating Mechanisms Between Material Deprivation and Children’s Life Satisfaction: Empirical Evidence from the International Survey of Children’s Well-Being," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 18(2), pages 893-914, April.
    19. 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.
    20. Mari Barrance, Rhian & May Hampton, Jennifer, 2023. "The relationship between subjective well-being in school and children’s participation rights: International evidence from the Children’s Worlds survey," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:chinre:v:17:y:2024:i:5:d:10.1007_s12187-024-10162-1. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.