Birth Cohort Changes in the Subjective Well-Being of Chinese College Students: A Cross-Temporal Meta-Analysis, 2002-2017

Longitudinal test of the social cognitive model of well-being among Chinese college students

Since the social cognitive model of well-being in academic\work settings was proposed, more and more studies have supported its validity. Nevertheless, most studies failed to test the temporal precedence of its core variables related to individual career development. Thus, we aimed to test this model among 1512 Chinese college students with a longitudinal perspective. They completed the Career-related Parental Support Inventory, Career Exploration and Decision Self-Efficacy-Brief Decision Scale, Career Commitment Making Scale, and Multiple Happiness Questionnaire three times being a four-month interval. The result indicated that there were more positive predicting associations between career-related parental support, career decision self-efficacy (CDSE), career commitment making, and well-being. Moreover, the longitudinal mediation analyses indicated that T1 career-related parental support was linked to T3 well-being via T2 career commitment making, and that T1 CDSE was linked to T3 well-being via T2 career commitment making. The implications of these findings for further research, practices, and policy-making were discussed.

Does wealth equate to happiness? an 11-year panel data analysis exploring socio-economic indicators and social media metrics

The Easterlin paradox questions the link between economic growth and national well-being, emphasizing the necessity to explore the impact of economic elasticity, income inequality, and their temporal and spatial heterogeneity on subjective happiness. Despite the importance of these factors, few studies have examined them together, thus ongoing debates about the impact of economics on well-being persist. To fill this gap, our analysis utilizes 11 years of panel data from 31 provinces in China, integrating macroeconomic indicators and social media content to reassess the Easterlin paradox. We use GDP per capita and the Gini coefficient as proxies for economic growth and income inequality, respectively, to study their effects on the subjective well-being expressed by citizens on social media in mainland China. Our approach combines machine learning and fixed effects models to evaluate these relationships. Key findings include: (1) In temporal relationships, a 46.70% increase in GDP per capita implies a 0.38 increase in subjective well-being, while a 0.09 increase in the Gini coefficient means a 1.47 decrease in subjective well-being. (2) In spatial relationships, for every 46.70% increase in GDP per capita, subjective well-being rises by 0.51; however, this relationship is buffered by unfair distribution, and GDP per capita no longer significantly affects subjective well-being when the Gini index exceeds 0.609. This study makes a synthetic contribution to the debate on the Easterlin paradox, indicating that economic growth can enhance well-being if income inequality is kept below a certain level. Although these results are theoretically enlightening for the relationship between economics and national well-being globally, this study's sample comes from mainland China. Due to differences in cultural, economic, and political factors, further research is suggested to explore these dynamics globally.

A cross-sectional historical study on the changes in self-esteem among Chinese adolescents from 1996 to 2019

This study aimed to investigate the changes in self-esteem levels among Chinese adolescents from 1996 to 2019. In this cross-sectional historical study, 109 articles using the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (SES) were selected from three Chinese and five English databases. The results showed that: (1) The self-esteem level of Chinese adolescents was positively correlated with the period, indicating that the self-esteem of Chinese adolescents was gradually increasing. (2) The increase in self-esteem level of girls was higher than that of boys. (3) The increase in the self-esteem level of only child was higher than that of non-only child. (4) The self-esteem level of rural adolescents increased year by year. However, the self-esteem level of urban adolescents was not significantly correlated with the years. (5) The changes in macro social factors can significantly predict the upward trend of the self-esteem level of Chinese adolescents.

Changes of medical staffs' subjective well-being in China (2004-2020): A cross-temporal meta-analysis

Subjective well-being is a crucial index measuring the mental health of medical staffs, and it is necessary to examine the changes in subjective well-being (SWB) level of Chinese medical staffs with time. A cross-temporal meta-analysis was performed using papers that measured the SWB level of Chinese medical staffs between 2004 and 2020. Moreover, a time-lag analysis was conducted to define whether the macro-social indicators can explain the changes in SWB. A total of 47 papers were included in the final sample. The results revealed that score of SWB was significantly negatively correlated with the year. Score of SWB was significantly associated with six social indicators of economic condition (the residents' consumption level, housing prices, and old-age dependency ratio), social connectedness (the divorce rate and the urbanization level), and overall threat (the crime rate), which indicated that social change may account for the decline of Chinese medical staffs' SWB level. Our study revealed a decreasing trend of Chinese medical staffs' SWB level over time, which was associated with macro-social changes in diverse areas. In addition, combined with the corresponding macro-social indicators, a three-dimensional theoretical framework is proposed to explain the SWB for medical staffs as a group.

Psychological security in Chinese college students during 2006-2019: The influence of social change on the declining trend

BACKGROUND

As a key indicator to measure the mental health status, psychological security level of Chinese college students and its changes over time are of great value to examine.

METHODS

A cross-temporal meta-analysis was performed using papers that measured the psychological security level of Chinese college students using the Security Questionnaire between 2006 and 2019. In addition, a time lag analysis was conducted to define whether the selected macro social indicators can explain the changes in the psychological security level.

RESULTS

A total of 58 papers involving 28,352 Chinese college students were included in the final sample. The results revealed that scores of psychological security and its two factors were significantly negatively correlated with the year. Scores of psychological security and its two factors were significantly associated with five social indicators of economic condition (residents' consumption level), social connectedness (divorce rate, urbanization level) and overall threat (college enrollment rate, crime rate), suggesting that social change may account for the decline in psychological security level of Chinese college students.

LIMITATIONS

The underlying mechanism is only discussed at a theoretical level. Thus, future studies can collect the relating empirical evidence to test the proposed theoretical model.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study revealed a decreasing trend of Chinese college students' psychological security level across time, which was associated with macro-social changes in diverse areas. In addition, combined with the corresponding macro-social indicators, a three-dimensional theoretical framework is proposed to explain the psychological security for college students as a group.

A Cross-Temporal Meta-Analysis on Marital Satisfaction of Chinese Couples

Objective

To investigate the changing trend of Chinese couples' marital satisfaction and its relationship with social changes.

Methods

A cross-temporal meta-analysis was performed on 118 original studies (n = 31,909) reporting marital satisfaction of Chinese couples from 1994 to 2020, primarily using correlation analysis and regression analysis.

Results

(1) Overall, the marital satisfaction of Chinese couples showed a downward trend over time. (2) Men's marital satisfaction displayed almost no change, while women's marital satisfaction had a more obvious downward trend. (3) Changes in macrosocial factors (per capita consumption expenditure, housing prices, old-age dependency ratio, and divorce rate) could significantly predict the downward trend of marital satisfaction, especially for women.

Conclusion

In the past 27 years, the overall marital satisfaction level of Chinese couples has shown a downward trend, and there are gendered differences, which may be related to changes in the socioeconomic and cultural environments.

Mental Health Outcomes among Chinese College Students over a Decade

Background: Economic growth in China has brought about significant social and psychological changes in society. Objective: This study aims to explore how the mental and psychological health of college students has changed over the past decade. Methods: We observed several cohort samples in a Chinese university over a decade and looked at five mental health outcomes, including suicidal ideation, depression, optimism, self-esteem, and perceived social support, throughout each year of testing. Results: Our study highlights the declining rates of suicidal ideation and depression, combined with relative stability and even small increases in optimism, self-esteem, and perceived social support across a range of demographic variables. Conclusions: The findings of this study imply that in the context of economic growth, stabilizing and improving positive mental health states can help prevent and reduce the risk of depression and suicidal ideation among college students. The study also highlighted the need for more public health campaigns and interventions in universities to help students cope with mental health problems.