Access to material resources and the subjective well-being of children in Brazil and Chile

Ana Loreto Ditzel (), María Josefina Chuecas (), Lívia Maria Bedin (), Javier Torres-Vallejos (), Alejandra Villarroel (), Mariavictoria Benavente (), Jaime Alfaro (), Jorge Castellá Sarriera () and Joel Juarros-Basterretxea ()
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Ana Loreto Ditzel: Universidad del Desarrollo
María Josefina Chuecas: Universidad del Desarrollo
Lívia Maria Bedin: Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul
Javier Torres-Vallejos: Universidad Andres Bello
Alejandra Villarroel: Universidad del Desarrollo
Mariavictoria Benavente: Universidad del Desarrollo
Jaime Alfaro: Universidad del Desarrollo
Jorge Castellá Sarriera: Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul
Joel Juarros-Basterretxea: Universidad de Zaragoza

Child Indicators Research, 2022, vol. 15, issue 2, No 6, 447-465

Abstract: Abstract This article analyzes the relationships between the material conditions and the subjective well-being of 3,716 children (50.5% girls) between 10 and 12 years of age (M = 11.4) in Chile and Brazil. These are the two Latin American countries that took part in the third wave of the Children’s Worlds research. The material conditions of the children were assessed using latent classes. A multivariate analysis of covariance was done next in order to test the influence of material conditions over the children's subjective well-being and interpersonal relationships. The association between gender and country variables of the children was also studied. The results showed that although the average subjective well-being scores of the children were high in general, the class analysis showed significant differences between the results for children with better material conditions than those with poorer material conditions. The latter group presented lower subjective well-being levels. MANCOVA was used to analyze the mean differences in subjective well-being levels and interpersonal relationships controlling variables of gender and country of residence. This showed that children with greater access to better material conditions showed significantly higher levels of subjective well-being levels and had a more positive view of their interpersonal relationships in all areas assessed compared to those who reported worse material conditions. These results are discussed in view of the high indices of material deprivation that exist in Latin America during childhood as well as how these findings may help better understand the well-being of children living in Latin American countries.

Keywords: Subjective well-being; Childhood; Material conditions; Interpersonal relationships; Latin America (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1007/s12187-021-09875-4

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