Family functioning and resilience in children in mainland China: life satisfaction as a mediator
IntroductionGrounded in the perspective of “Positive Youth Development” (PYD), resilience is an important developmental asset shaping human development. Although many studies have examined the impact of resilience on child developmental outcomes, relatively few studies have focused on the predictors...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1175934/full |
| _version_ | 1797829286081593344 |
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| author | Diya Dou Daniel T. L. Shek Lindan Tan Li Zhao |
| author_facet | Diya Dou Daniel T. L. Shek Lindan Tan Li Zhao |
| author_sort | Diya Dou |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionGrounded in the perspective of “Positive Youth Development” (PYD), resilience is an important developmental asset shaping human development. Although many studies have examined the impact of resilience on child developmental outcomes, relatively few studies have focused on the predictors of resilience, in particular familial antecedents of resilience in Chinese children and adolescents. In addition, the degree to which life satisfaction contributes to the mechanism by which family functioning impacts the development of children’s resilience over time needs to be clarified. Besides, there is a scarcity of studies that incorporate family functioning, resilience as well as life satisfaction in a single comprehensive investigation to analyze the mediating impact of life satisfaction on the linkage between family functioning and resilience under COVID-19.MethodsThe study investigated the predictive role of family functioning on resilience as well as the mediating effect of life satisfaction within the context of COVID-19, using data gathered in two waves before the onset of the pandemic and after the resumption of school during the pandemic, with 6 months apart. We employed the 33-item “Chinese Family Assessment Instrument” to evaluate family functioning, the 7-item “Chinese Resilience Scale” to assess resilience, and the “Satisfaction with Life Scale” with 5 items to measure life satisfaction.ResultsAs per the responses of 4,783 students in Grades 4 through 7 recruited in Sichuan, China, family functioning significantly predicted resilience concurrently and longitudinally. After controlling for resilience scores in Wave 1, results demonstrated that family functioning examined in Wave 1 predicted an increase in resilience reported in Wave 2. In addition, family functioning significantly predicted life satisfaction, which also significantly predicted resilience. Multiple regression using PROCESS analyses indicated that life satisfaction mediated the predictive relationship between family functioning and child resilience.DiscussionThe findings spotlight the significant involvement of family functioning as well as life satisfaction in shaping children’s resilience in the Chinese context. The study also supports the hypothesis that perceived satisfaction with life serves as a mediator between family functioning and child resilience, suggesting interventions and support should concentrate on the family level for enhancing resilience in children. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T13:18:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9aa0298f08ce4180b5e26885c0f68602 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T13:18:05Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-9aa0298f08ce4180b5e26885c0f686022023-05-11T14:46:36ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782023-05-011410.3389/fpsyg.2023.11759341175934Family functioning and resilience in children in mainland China: life satisfaction as a mediatorDiya Dou0Daniel T. L. Shek1Lindan Tan2Li Zhao3Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaDepartment of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaDepartment of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaDepartment of Health Policy and Management, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, ChinaIntroductionGrounded in the perspective of “Positive Youth Development” (PYD), resilience is an important developmental asset shaping human development. Although many studies have examined the impact of resilience on child developmental outcomes, relatively few studies have focused on the predictors of resilience, in particular familial antecedents of resilience in Chinese children and adolescents. In addition, the degree to which life satisfaction contributes to the mechanism by which family functioning impacts the development of children’s resilience over time needs to be clarified. Besides, there is a scarcity of studies that incorporate family functioning, resilience as well as life satisfaction in a single comprehensive investigation to analyze the mediating impact of life satisfaction on the linkage between family functioning and resilience under COVID-19.MethodsThe study investigated the predictive role of family functioning on resilience as well as the mediating effect of life satisfaction within the context of COVID-19, using data gathered in two waves before the onset of the pandemic and after the resumption of school during the pandemic, with 6 months apart. We employed the 33-item “Chinese Family Assessment Instrument” to evaluate family functioning, the 7-item “Chinese Resilience Scale” to assess resilience, and the “Satisfaction with Life Scale” with 5 items to measure life satisfaction.ResultsAs per the responses of 4,783 students in Grades 4 through 7 recruited in Sichuan, China, family functioning significantly predicted resilience concurrently and longitudinally. After controlling for resilience scores in Wave 1, results demonstrated that family functioning examined in Wave 1 predicted an increase in resilience reported in Wave 2. In addition, family functioning significantly predicted life satisfaction, which also significantly predicted resilience. Multiple regression using PROCESS analyses indicated that life satisfaction mediated the predictive relationship between family functioning and child resilience.DiscussionThe findings spotlight the significant involvement of family functioning as well as life satisfaction in shaping children’s resilience in the Chinese context. The study also supports the hypothesis that perceived satisfaction with life serves as a mediator between family functioning and child resilience, suggesting interventions and support should concentrate on the family level for enhancing resilience in children.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1175934/fullfamily functioningresiliencelife satisfactionChinese childrenpositive youth developmentmediator |
| spellingShingle | Diya Dou Daniel T. L. Shek Lindan Tan Li Zhao Family functioning and resilience in children in mainland China: life satisfaction as a mediator Frontiers in Psychology family functioning resilience life satisfaction Chinese children positive youth development mediator |
| title | Family functioning and resilience in children in mainland China: life satisfaction as a mediator |
| title_full | Family functioning and resilience in children in mainland China: life satisfaction as a mediator |
| title_fullStr | Family functioning and resilience in children in mainland China: life satisfaction as a mediator |
| title_full_unstemmed | Family functioning and resilience in children in mainland China: life satisfaction as a mediator |
| title_short | Family functioning and resilience in children in mainland China: life satisfaction as a mediator |
| title_sort | family functioning and resilience in children in mainland china life satisfaction as a mediator |
| topic | family functioning resilience life satisfaction Chinese children positive youth development mediator |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1175934/full |
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