Life Stressors, Social Support, and Children’s Subjective Well-Being during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence from a Cross-National Survey of 20 Societies

Xi Chen () and Stefan Kühner ()
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Xi Chen: Lingnan University, Hong Kong
Stefan Kühner: Lingnan University, Hong Kong

Child Indicators Research, 2025, vol. 18, issue 2, No 18, 905-936

Abstract: Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected the well-being of people across all age groups, with children being particularly vulnerable due to their reliance on stable routines and social interactions for healthy development. Guided by stress-coping theory, this study examines the impact of life stressors and social support on children’s subjective well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a large-scale, cross-national dataset of 20,047 children aged 7–15 from 20 societies, we assessed how various stressors and social support from friends, family, and teachers influenced indicators of subjective well-being, including life satisfaction, happiness, positive affect, and negative affect. Multilevel regression analyses revealed that virus-related stressors and pandemic-induced disruptions negatively impacted children’s subjective well-being. Conversely, social support from family, friends, and teachers was generally associated with better well-being. However, the role of social support in moderating stress was complex: while support from friends buffered the adverse effects of stressors on life satisfaction and positive affect, family support sometimes amplified the negative impact of stressors, demonstrating a reverse buffering effect. These findings underscore the critical role of life stressors and social support in shaping children’s well-being during crises and highlight the need for targeted interventions to strengthen social connections and support systems.

Keywords: Life stress; Social support; Children’s subjective well-being; COVID-19; Children’s worlds (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1007/s12187-024-10211-9

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