Longitudinal Associations Between Child and Family Factors With Korean Children’s Subjective Happiness Before and During COVID-19 in Late Childhood
Abstract
Objectives: This study investigated the trajectories of subjective happiness among children aged 8-13, assessed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and identified child- and family-level predictors of variations in happiness. Methods: Drawing on 5855 person-years of data from the nationally representative Panel Study on Korean Children, we employed longitudinal multilevel modeling to examine trends, including those during the pandemic period, and to estimate the influence of child- and family-level predictors. Sex differences were analyzed using interaction terms and stratified analyses. Results: The study revealed a significant negative temporal trend in children's subjective happiness from ages 8 to 13 years, with a sharp decline associated with the onset of the pandemic in 2020 (b=-1.524, p
Fields of Study & Subjects
Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
Psychosocial Factors Impacting Youth
Resilience and Mental Health
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Journal of korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- Volume
- 37
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 115–123
- Publication date
- 1 April 2026
- Language
- EN