Cross-national variation in the subjective wellbeing of youth in low and middle income countries: the role of structural and micro-level factors

ABSTRACT

Subjective wellbeing (i.e. life satisfaction and happiness) impacts youth's social, economic and political participation. Prior studies have documented cross-national variation in subjective wellbeing of adults but there is a lack of data on the prevalence and correlates of subjective wellbeing among youth in low and middle income countries. This paper utilizes data from an international dataset – Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys to assess the influence of structural and micro-level factors on the subjective wellbeing of youth (ages 15–24) in 29 countries or regions in Eastern Europe, Latin America, Asia and Africa. We find that within countries, global life satisfaction and happiness are associated with age, education attainment, place of residence, marital status, household wealth and exposure to mass media. Significant interactions between age, gender and education are observed. However, none of the country level development indicators account for cross-national variation in youth's SWB although there is some indication that income inequities between countries may influence youth's SWB. The findings underscore the need for objective measures of subjective wellbeing to understand the conditions in LMICs.     

Is Money Enough?: The Effect of Migrant Remittances on Parental Aspirations and Youth Educational Attainment in Rural Mexico

This research compares remittance‐receiving families in rural Mexico to non‐remittance receiving households in terms of how the presence of this financial source relates to variation in parent educational aspirations for their children and youth enrollment and completion at the non‐compulsory upper secondary schooling level. Using multivariate analysis of a comprehensive survey collected in a significant migrant‐sending state, no evidence is found of a remittance effect on the selected outcomes. Rather, other socio‐demographic background factors — namely, maternal education levels and to a lesser extent household wealth — are the factors most associated with variation in these educational outcomes. Implications for migration and education public policy and suggestions for future research are discussed.     

Assessing the Relationship Between Gender,Household Structure,and Net Worth in the United States

This paper examines wealth disparities by gender and household structure in the United States using data from the 1998–2013 Survey of Consumer Finances. Following studies of economic insecurity, we placed households at the center of our analysis to highlight the interconnected nature of wealth with multiple aspects of family structure. We investigated net worth by both gender and household structure, which includes variation by partnership status and the presence of other adult relatives and their roles within the household. We found that wealth disparities were largest among single adult households, but these varied by gender. Female single adult households held some of the lowest levels of net worth, but after accounting for key explanations of wealth inequality, single male households actually held greater wealth than two-adult partnered households. This relationship further depended on the presence of extended family members, where gender disparities were smaller among households with other relatives present.     

Exploring gaps in the online economic inclusion of persons with disabilities in Korea

ABSTRACT

This paper explores the difference in the online economic activities of people with and without disabilities in Korea. We conducted a multiple regression analysis to investigate the impact of socioeconomic characteristics, internet access, and internet skills on online economic activities. Our sample, based on a 2016 dataset that included 1554 people with disabilities and 6004 people without disabilities, was developed using quota sampling based on gender, age, and residence. We determined that individuals with disabilities were more likely to engage in online economic activities if they had higher levels of education, lived in urban areas, were employed, or had greater internet skills. Individuals without disabilities were more likely to engage in online economic activities if they were women, had higher levels of education, were employed, lived in a two-generation or more household, or had greater internet skills. For both people with and without disabilities, the level of education, employment status, and internet skills positively contribute to online economic activites. We also determined that education level, participation in economic activity, living in a two-generation or more household, and internet skills had a statistically significant influence on online economic activity for people both with and without disabilities. These results highlight the importance of education and internet training for people with disabilities, as well as social support systems that help them learn to use the internet in diverse ways through both formal and informal networks. The study also underscores the importance of information and communications technology that adequately addresses people’s needs.     

Personality and wealth accumulation among older couples: Do dispositional characteristics pay dividends?

This paper explores whether the ‘Big 5’ personality characteristics: Emotional Stability, Extraversion, Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, and Openness to Experience, contribute to net household wealth accumulation among 1172 couple pairs (n = 2344) participating in The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, independent of other socio-demographic and human capital variables. We employ quantile regression to determine whether the effects of personality vary at different levels of the conditional distribution of wealth. Results reveal that the personality characteristics of the financial respondent to the survey are more strongly associated with wealth than those of the non-financial respondent. Specifically, we find that emotional stability and extraversion are positively associated with wealth at the household level among spousal pairs. We also find that conscientiousness is positively associated with wealth, but the relationship is only significant at the lower end of the wealth continuum. In general, agreeableness and openness are negatively associated with wealth although the relationships are non-significant. These findings indicate that personality is an important factor shaping individuals’ consumption preferences and financial decision-making behaviour over the life-course.     

Women’s Household Preparation for Retirement at Young and Mid-Adulthood: Differences by Children and Marital Status

There are increasing concerns about whether Americans are saving enough for retirement. Recent research has called for improved understanding of the relationship between family structure and economic preparation for retirement at earlier stages of the life course. Using multiple years of the Federal Reserve Board’s Survey of Consumer Finances, we examined how number of children and marital status were associated with women’s household retirement savings at young and mid-adulthood. Several household-level indicators of retirement preparation were considered: desire to save for retirement, retirement account ownership, eligibility to participate in a defined-contribution plan, participation in defined-contribution plans, and retirement account wealth. Results from regression analyses revealed variation in women’s household financial preparation for retirement at young and mid-adulthood by family context. Additional children were negatively associated with several measures of retirement preparation among single-female households but not for couple households. Overall, we found that low economic preparation for retirement is an additional economic disadvantage facing single mothers at young and mid-adulthood, with potentially long-term implications for their financial security. The results shed light on linkages between family structure and women’s economic status.     

In-migration and Living Conditions of Young Adolescents in Greater Johannesburg, South Africa

While migration in South Africa has been studied on a broad canvas, there have been few accounts of children's migration and the effects on living conditions and wellbeing. This article compares the access to services, housing and household amenities, and family characteristics of children born in the Greater Johannesburg metropolis with those of in-migrant children. The article also examines other indicators of child wellbeing related to parental care and schooling. In-migrant children, particularly children who have lived previously in rural areas and/or have recently migrated into the city, are significantly disadvantaged in comparison to long-term resident children in terms of parental education and occupation, housing type and ownership, access to electricity, refuse removal, water and sanitation. In-migrant children also live in households that are less likely to have amenities such as a refrigerator, television, washing machine, telephone and motor vehicle. In terms of child indicators, in-migrant children enjoy less frequent parental contact and are twice as likely to start school later than resident children. Whilst urbanisation to South Africa's metropolitan centres is generally associated with several widely recognised benefits, for children, these benefits may be tempered by the disadvantages of in-migrant families known to be associated with child wellbeing.     

National and Local Attachments in a Changing World System: Evidence from an International Survey Revised version of a paper prepared for presentation in the Session on ‘Belongingness,Values and Territoriality’, Biennial Congress of the International Institute of Sociology,Cracow, Poland,July 2001.

Attachment to community is a central component of identities in the modern world, and community attachment can be expressed at different levels within national states. Most classical perspectives on modern societies have taken for granted that national states have long been the most important locus of citizen attachment and loyalty in the contemporary world system. More recently, many influential perspectives on globalization have suggested that national states are becoming less important, because of the rise of subnational units on the one hand, and supranational entities on the other. What is the relative importance of national, subnational, local, and supranational attachments in the contemporary world system? Is the structure of attitudes similar across national settings? What is the relative strength of attachment to the nation versus attachment to other levels of community? How willing are people to move to a different community to improve their economic condition? This exploratory paper will investigate these questions by examining the 1995 International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) data on national identities in 24 countries.     

Acculturation and Depressive Symptoms in Mexican American Couples

SUMMARY

Despite interest in examining the relationship between acculturation and depressive symptomatology among Latinos, limited attention has been given to these factors within the context of the Latino marital environment. The present study examines the role of acculturation in determining depressive symptoms among 173 married, Mexican American (MA) couples who participated in the 1992 Health and Retirement Survey, Wave I, while holding relevant variables (i.e., age, years of formal education, logged lower body difficulties, logged household income, logged household net worth, and logged household size) constant.

Aspects of acculturation are measured both at the individual level (language used during interview and nativity) and couple level (dyad concordance on language preference and nativity). Multilevel analysis revealed significant correlation between spouses' depressive symptomatology (intraclass correlation, ρ = .41), suggesting that the study of depressive symptoms in MA couples requires attention to their interpersonal contexts. Contrary to expectation, acculturation, logged household size, and socioeconomic variables (education, logged household income, and logged household net worth wealth) were not significantly associated with depressive symptoms. Age and logged lower body disability were significantly associated with depressive symptoms. Discussion focuses on the importance and challenge of assessing acculturation when exploring risk and protective factors on depressive symptomatology among mid-life and older MA couples.     

ECONOMIC DISARTICULATION AND FERTILITY IN LESS DEVELOPED NATIONS

A large body of research and theory seeking to explain fertility levels in less developed nations has stressed the effects of economic development on family-level decision making. While clearly a major factor, economic development levels fail to explain much of the variation in fertility rates. Some researchers have attempted to remedy this shortcoming by taking into account cross-national variation in income distributions, on the grounds that this approach provides a more refined indication of the real social consequences of economic development. The present analysis extends this tradition of research by arguing that the degree of disarticulation provides a theoretically more powerful and empirically more accurate way to operationalize these hypothesized distributional effects on fertility levels.     

Bottleneck analysis and strategic planning using Tanahashi model for childhood diarrhea management in Gujarat,Western India

In spite of continued efforts, India is still lagging behind in achieving its MDG goals. The objectives of this study were to identify stake-holders who have a role to play in childhood diarrhea management, to identify gaps in childhood diarrhea management and to propose strategic options for relieving these gaps. Bottleneck analysis exercise was carried out based on the Tanahashi model in six High Priority Districts (HPDs) of Gujarat in period between July–November 2013. The major bottlenecks identified for Childhood Diarrhea management were poor demand generation, unsafe drinking water, poor access to improved sanitation facility and lack of equitable distribution and replenishment mechanisms for Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) packets and Zinc tablets till the front-line worker level. The main strategic options that were suggested for relieving these bottlenecks were Zinc-ORS roll out in scale-up districts, develop Information Education Communication/Behaviour Change Communication (IEC/BCC) plan for childhood diarrhea management at state/district level, use of Drug Logistics Information Management System (DLIMS) software for supply chain management of Zinc-ORS, strengthening of chlorination activity at household level, monitoring implementation of Nirmal Bharat Abhiyaan (NBA) for constructing improved sanitation facilities at household level and to develop an IEC/BCC plan for hygiene promotion and usage of sanitary latrines. Use of Zinc tablets need to be intensified through an effective scale-up. Adequate demand generation activity is needed. There is need to address safe drinking water and improved sanitation measures at household levels. Multi-sectoral engagements and ownership of Zinc-ORS program is the need of the hour.     

The Secretary as Supporter,Team Worker and Independent: A Case for Societal Comparison

Recent developments in cross-national comparisons of women's work have led to some new and challenging findings. This article aims to contribute to this debate by presenting one study which examined secretarial work in three European countries. The methodological issues connected with cross-national research on gender are addressed, and it is suggested that the ‘societal’ approach offers the most potential for cross-national gender research. Findings are discussed in the areas of demographics, education and training, job content and mobility, and interlinkages between national institutions and the secretarial occupation are explored. Differences between the national samples highlight the importance of carrying out cross-national research in this area.     

Subnational Migration States and the New Politics of Immigration

Using Catherine Dauvergne's The New Politics of Immigration and the End of Settler Society (2016) as a starting point, this article explores subnational policy dynamics in Canada, Australia and the United States. It considers whether the trends associated with legalization, two-step programmes, rapid policy changes and economic discourses are present in Canadian provinces as well as in U.S. and Australian states. It shows that the forces described by Dauvergne contribute to a further rescaling of policymaking and to the emergence of subnational migration states. However, this article also demonstrates that this common movement varies in its consequences and identifies two central subnational policy responses typical of the new politics of immigration: 1) the “economic subnational migration state” (Canada and Australia) and 2) the “access subnational migration state” (United States). The models and the global trends described in this article have implications for immigration policymaking in federations.     

Public Perceptions about Food Safety in the United States and Japan1

Abstract Consumer concerns over pesticide residues and food additives have been growing in industrialized societies, including the United States and Japan. However, little comparative research has been carried out to determine which household characteristics may be significantly associated with these heightened concerns, and whether or not the same factors are useful for understanding variation in these worries in more than one society. This paper examines food safety attitudes in Seattle, Washington, and Kobe, Japan, and discovers that while the absolute level of expressed concern is higher in Kobe, the predictive power of household characteristics in explaining attitudinal differences within countries is similar. Implications for rural areas and future research on family structures in capitalist societies are discussed.     

More than just nickels and dimes: a cross-national analysis of working poverty in affluent democracies

Despite its centrality to contemporary inequality, working poverty is often popularly discussed but rarely studied by sociologists. Using the Luxembourg Income Study (2009), we analyze whether an individual is working poor across 18 affluent democracies circa 2000. We demonstrate that working poverty does not simply mirror overall poverty and that there is greater cross-national variation in working than overall poverty. We then examine four explanations for working poverty: demographic characteristics, economic performance, unified theory, and welfare generosity. We utilize Heckman probit models to jointly model the likelihood of employment and poverty among the employed. Our analyses provide the least support for the economic performance explanation. There is modest support for unified theory as unionization reduces working poverty in some models. However, most of these effects appear to be mediated by welfare generosity. More substantial evidence exists for the demographic characteristics and welfare generosity explanations. An individual's likelihood of being working poor can be explained by (a) a lack of multiple earners or other adults in one's household, low education, single motherhood, having children and youth; and (b) the generosity of the welfare state in which he or she resides. Also, welfare generosity does not undermine employment and reduces working poverty even among demographically vulnerable groups. Ultimately, we encourage a greater role for the welfare state in debates about working poverty.     

Standardized Income Inequality Data for Use in Cross-National Research

This article introduces the first version of a new, standardized data tool that can be used to test models of global income allocation, the Standardized Income Distribution Database (SIDD). It is based on a comprehensive collection of income distribution data compiled by the United Nations University's World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER 2000 ). International and intertemporal inconsistencies in these data have historically limited its use. We estimate adjustment factors for different scopes of coverage, income definitions, and reference units which, when applied to the raw data, bring all data to a common standard based on national coverage, gross income, and household per capita inequality. Criterion validity checks confirm that these adjustments boost the correlation between measured income inequality and national social indicators. The SIDD is also clean, free of duplicates, and easy to access. The SIDD will be useful both to students reading income inequality and to those conducting broad cross-national research on the relationship between income inequality and a range of important outcomes, such as health, criminality, and social support.     

Ethnicity,Language, and Economic Well‐being in Rural Guatemala

Abstract We examine ethnic differences in objective and perceived economic well‐being in rural Guatemala. The evidence shows that long‐standing ethnic differentials in objective indicators of household economic well‐being actually widened between 1988 and 1995, a period characterized by rapid economic growth rates. We examine the effects of a major determinant of household economic well‐being in rural Guatemala, educational attainment, in accounting for ethnic and language differentials in household consumption. Our results show that returns to education appear to be substantially lower for indigenous households, especially indigenous households where the head of household does not speak Spanish. Ethnic differentials in perceived economic well‐being do not strictly parallel differences in objective indicators of well‐being. Indigenous women with any education are more likely to report relative economic deprivation than are non‐indigenous women, or ladinas, controlling for objective measures of household wealth.     

Gender differences in risk behavior and the link to household effects and individual wealth

This study examined the differences in risk behavior between men and women using a household survey that captured the risk preferences of two members in a household and recorded wealth at the individual level instead of the usual approach of representing wealth at the household level. After controlling for commonly used explanatory variables, such as gender, education, age, and wealth, household fixed effects explain about 15% of the variation in risk behavior. This highlights the magnitude of household effects in shaping one’s risk behavior. In general, females in the study area are more risk averse than males based on a risk game with real payout. The gender differences disappear when focusing on only the top land owners. However, even in those cases, females consider themselves more risk averse, supporting results from previous studies that link culture and societal norms to the gender differences in risk behavior.     

Diffusion of an Economic Development Policy Innovation: Explaining the International Spread of Casino Gambling

This study uses an event history analysis to examine the factors that lead to the adoption of casino gambling among 13 nations around the world. Specifically, measures of fiscal stress, economic development, tourism, religiosity, and income levels are tested for their relationship to national decisions to legalize casino gambling. This study found that economic development needs, as measured by general unemployment rates, were associated with the casino legalization decisions of national governments. Higher unemployment rates were more likely in the years that nations legalized casino gambling. Religiosity, measured by frequency of church attendance, was also found to be a significant barrier in legalization decisions. Measures of fiscal stress, tourism, and income levels were not found to have significant relationships with the legalization decisions. This is interesting because these factors are often cited in case studies, media reports, and the statements of politicians during legalization processes. This study points to the need for further research in several areas. Further exploration of potential explanatory variables and more appropriate measures of currently theorized factors is warranted. Another area for further research is the seeming contradictory findings of multiple statistical analyses and multiple anecdotal findings of the impacts of fiscal stress on the casino legalization decision.     

Racial and Ethnic Determinants of Interracial and Ethnic Trust

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to discern which individual factors are associated with interracial/ethnic trust among a national probability sample of African Americans, Latinos, and non-Hispanic whites. Using national data from the 2000 Community Benchmark Survey, the multiple regression results indicate that, even after controlling for education and income, African Americans and Latinos reported significantly lower levels of interracial/ethnic trust than did non-Hispanic whites. Additionally, separate regression equations indicate that predictors associated with interracial/ethnic trust varied by racial and ethnic group. Implications and future research are discussed.