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Comparing Life Satisfaction of Immigrants and Natives Across Europe: The Role of Social Contacts

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  • Bruno Arpino

    (Universitat Pompeu Fabra)

  • Helga Valk

    (NIDI - The Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute/KNAW/University of Groningen)

Abstract

Research on immigrants’ assimilation is widespread both in the U.S. and Europe. While it has been extensively studied how immigrants fare compared to natives on socio-economic indicators, few studies have focussed on immigrants’ perception of their position. In this paper we focus on comparing life satisfaction of immigrants and natives across Europe and on the role of social embeddedness. Using data from the first six rounds (2002–2012) of the European Social Survey, a repeated cross-sectional survey, we find that life satisfaction among immigrants is lower than among natives even though differences diminish over generations. For first generation immigrants part of the life satisfaction gap is explained by the lower level of social embeddedness they have compared to natives. We also find that social embeddedness is a key explanatory factor for life satisfaction for both immigrants and natives. For two out of the three indicators of social embeddedness that we consider we however find different patterns of association with life satisfaction for immigrants compared to natives.

Suggested Citation

  • Bruno Arpino & Helga Valk, 2018. "Comparing Life Satisfaction of Immigrants and Natives Across Europe: The Role of Social Contacts," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 137(3), pages 1163-1184, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:137:y:2018:i:3:d:10.1007_s11205-017-1629-x
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-017-1629-x
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    2. Elisa Barbiano di Belgiojoso & Eralba Cela & Stefania Maria Lorenza Rimoldi, 2022. "The Effect of Migration Experiences on Wellbeing Among Ageing Migrants in Italy," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 161(2), pages 553-579, June.
    3. Salvatore Bimonte & Luigi Bosco & Arsenio Stabile, 2020. "Integration and Subjective Well-Being Among Off-Site University Students," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 147(3), pages 947-969, February.
    4. Manuela Stranges & Daniele Vignoli & Alessandra Venturini, 2019. ""Comparison is the thief of joy". Does social comparison affect migrants’ subjective well-being?," Econometrics Working Papers Archive 2019_03, Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Statistica, Informatica, Applicazioni "G. Parenti".
    5. Manuela Stranges & Daniele Vignoli & Alessandra Venturini, 2019. "Comparison Is The Thief Of Joy. Does Social Comparison Affect Migrants’ Subjective Well-Being?," Working Papers 201906, Università della Calabria, Dipartimento di Economia, Statistica e Finanza "Giovanni Anania" - DESF.
    6. Chinedu Obi & Wannes Slosse & Fabio Bartolini & Joost Dessein & Marijke D’Haese, 2023. "Understanding Integration Experience and Wellbeing of Economic-Asylum Seekers in Italy: the Case of Nigerian Immigrants," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 189-210, March.
    7. Eleftherios Giovanis & Sacit Hadi Akdede, 2021. "Cultural Participation in Later Life Among Older-aged Immigrants in the Czech Republic," Politická ekonomie, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2021(2), pages 193-226.
    8. Bruno Arpino & Francesca Luppi, 2020. "Childcare arrangements and working mothers’ satisfaction with work‒family balance," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 42(19), pages 549-588.
    9. Maria Carella & Thaís García-Pereiro & Roberta Pace, 2022. "Subjective Well-Being, Transnational Families and Social Integration of Married Immigrants in Italy," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 161(2), pages 785-816, June.
    10. Virginia Paloma & Marta Escobar-Ballesta & Blanca Galván-Vega & Juan Diego Díaz-Bautista & Isabel Benítez, 2021. "Determinants of Life Satisfaction of Economic Migrants Coming from Developing Countries to Countries with Very High Human Development: a Systematic Review," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 16(1), pages 435-455, February.
    11. Beate Schwarz & Pirmin Pfammatter, 2024. "The Association of Acculturation and Well-Being: Second-Generation Immigrants in Switzerland," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 25(6), pages 1-23, August.
    12. Julia S. Granderath & Andreas Martin & Laura Froehlich, 2021. "The Effect of Participation in Adult Education on Life Satisfaction of Immigrants and Natives: A Longitudinal Analysis," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(7), pages 3043-3067, October.
    13. Eleftherios Giovanis, 2021. "Participation in socio-cultural activities and subjective well-being of natives and migrants: evidence from Germany and the UK," International Review of Economics, Springer;Happiness Economics and Interpersonal Relations (HEIRS), vol. 68(4), pages 423-463, December.
    14. Saeid Abbasian, 2022. "Disparate Emotions as Expressions of Well-Being: Impact of Festival Participation from the Participants’ Subjective View," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-12, December.
    15. repec:grz:wpsses:2021-07 is not listed on IDEAS
    16. Oriane Sarrasin & Eva G. T. Green & Gina Potarca & Claudio Bolzman & Ursina Kuhn, 2019. "Feeling Blue by Extension: Intrafamily Transmission and Economic Pressures Explain the Native-Immigrant Gap in Well-Being among Youth in Switzerland," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 7(4), pages 293-303.

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