Newsletter de l’Observatoire du Bien-être n°69 – Novembre 2023

Observatoire

Le Bien-être des Français – Septembre 2023

Si la satisfaction des Français quant à leur situation présente est stable, voire en légère progression, septembre est dominé par un approfondissement des inquiétudes au sujet de l’avenir. Les Français sont inquiets, à la fois de la dégradation de leurs conditions de vie à court-terme et de celles de leurs enfants à long-terme.

Mathieu Perona, « Le Bien-etre des Français – Septembre 2023 », Observatoire du Bien-etre du CEPREMAP, n°2023-12, 12 octobre 2023. https://www.cepremap.fr/2023/10/note-de-lobservatoire-du-bien-etre-n2023-12-le-bien-etre-des-francais-septembre-2023/

Exposition aux risques et bien-être – Qui souffre le plus et de quel risque ?

Combien les habitants de la planète se préoccupent-ils des grands risques auxquels ils font face et comment cela affecte-t-il leur bien-être subjectif ? Nous abordons ces questions grâce à deux enquêtes mondiales : le Gallup World Poll et le World Risk Poll.

Expérience du risque, inquiétude et mal-être subjectif s’avèrent indissociables. Le risque climatique est le plus préoccupant, suivi par le risque routier, les risques de catastrophes naturelles et ceux de crime violent. À la différence des autres risques, l’inquiétude relative au changement climatique ne dépend pas du niveau de revenu d’un pays : les habitants des pays riches se disent à peu près aussi préoccupés par ce risque que les habitants des pays pauvres, qui sont pourtant plus touchés. Et à niveau d’exposition au risque égal, les habitants des pays à bas revenu font preuve d’une plus grande résilience, dans la mesure où l’expérience du risque affecte moins leur bien-être subjectif. Par ailleurs, l’expérience d’un risque exerce un effet de contagion sur l’anxiété relative à tous les autres risques.

Rémy Bellaunay, « Exposition aux risques et bien-être : qui souffre le plus et de quel risque ? », Observatoire du Bien-être du Cepremap, n°2023-13, Novembre 2023.

Blog : Mesurer le bien-être subjectif : Où en sommes-nous ?

En 2013, l’OCDE publiait des Guidelines for measuring subjective wellbeing, une synthèse richement informée destinée à harmoniser les enquêtes de bien-être au travers des pays de l’OCDE. Dix ans plus tard, un nouvel article vient faire le point sur la situation : où en sommes-nous, et quelles sont les évolutions à suivre ? Je relève ici les éléments saillants de cette dernière publication.

Perona, Mathieu. « Mesurer le bien-être subjectif : Où en sommes-nous ? » Billet. Carnet de l’Observatoire du Bien-être du CEPREMAP (blog), 12 octobre 2023. https://obe.hypotheses.org/739.

Sur le web

Baromètre I-BEST 2023 : Comment la santé et le bien-être des personnels de l’éducation façonnent l’avenir ?

Le Baromètre international de la santé et du bien-être du personnel de l’éducation (I-BEST) est une enquête biennale mise en place depuis 2021 par le Réseau Éducation et Solidarité et la Fondation d’entreprise pour la santé publique. I-BEST ne pourrait se faire sans le soutien de l’Internationale de l’Éducation et la Chaire Unesco « Éducations et Santé », le soutien et relais des partenaires locaux, et la participation active des personnels de l’éducation.

Les résultats de l’enquête 2023 ont été publiés le 10 octobre dernier, et offrent une perspective internationale au mal-être des enseignants en France : plusieurs des fragilités mises en évidence dans Le Baromètre du bien-être des personnels de l’Éducation nationale sont plus accentuées en France que dans les autres pays de l’enquête : salaire, formation, possibilité d’évolution reconnaissance. S’il y existe une crise internationale de recrutement des enseignants, la situation française apparaît particulièrement grave.
Dans le domaine de la santé, 95% des enseignants français interrogés indiquent n’avoir jamais eu de rendez-vous avec la médecine du travail. Par contraste, 35% des enseignants espagnols et 66% des enseignants japonais rencontrent la médecine du travail une fois par an.

Les leviers du bien-être au travail des enseignants du second degré

Résumé : L’équilibre entre vie privée et vie professionnelle, le sens donné au travail, le respect et la confiance sont les indices les plus associés à la satisfaction professionnelle des enseignants du second degré. L’analyse des indices de respect et de confiance met en évidence le rôle important de la qualité de la relation avec la hiérarchie. Il apparaît enfin que le poids et l’influence de ces facteurs ne sont pas les mêmes pour tous les enseignants.

L’équilibre entre vie privée et vie professionnelle constitue un levier du bien-être au travail particulièrement fort chez les enseignants les moins satisfaits, tandis que la formation professionnelle contribuerait seulement à améliorer la satisfaction professionnelle des enseignants les plus satisfaits.

Bechichi N., Blouet L., 2023, “Les leviers du bien-être au travail des enseignants du second degré – Les enseignements du Baromètre du bien-être au travail des personnels de l’éducation nationale”, Note d’Information, n° 23.42, DEPP. https://doi.org/10.48464/ni-23-42

Public services, environmental quality and subjective well-being in a European city: the case of Strasbourg metropolitan area

Abstract: This paper analyzes individual subjective well-being using a survey database from the Strasbourg metropolitan development council (France). The authors focus on the effects of externalities generated by public services (transport, culture and sport), environmental quality and feeling of security in the Strasbourg metropolitan area (Eurométropole de Strasbourg, EMS). Results show that EMS specificities (public facilities, environmental quality, safety and security) and individual features like opportunities to laugh or live with children significantly influence individual well-being. These findings are robust when using three subjective measures: feeling of well-being, environmental satisfaction and social life satisfaction. The authors also show that income may affect the perceived well-being of individuals belonging to a low-income group, while individuals belonging to a high-income group tend to be unsatisfied with environmental quality but satisfied with their social life. Besides, social comparison in terms of income does not matter for individual well-being in the Strasbourg metropolitan area.

Jean-Alain Heraud, Phu Nguyen-Van, Thi Kim Cuong Pham, “Public services, environmental quality and subjective well-being in a European city: the case of Strasbourg metropolitan area“, Fullbright Review of Economics and Policy, 2023

Extreme temperatures: Gender differences in well-being

Abstract: Climate change and global warming have significant implications for people worldwide, necessitating an understanding of how extreme weather conditions affect individuals. This study investigates the relationship between individual affective well-being and extreme temperatures, using data from the American Time Use Survey’s Well-Being Module for multiple years. The analysis focuses on daily variations in weather conditions at the county level in the United States. Findings reveal gender-specific outcomes, with males being more susceptible to extreme temperatures. On days with maximum temperatures exceeding 80oF, males experience higher levels of fatigue and stress, as well as reduced happiness and meaningfulness, compared to days with temperatures around 70oF. The study suggests that the negative impact on males’ sleep quality may contribute to these gender disparities. Additionally, warmer states have witnessed a decline in the male population over the past four decades. These results offer valuable insights into the gender-specific, affective well-being consequences of climate change, emphasizing the need for gender-sensitive approaches in designing comprehensive strategies for climate mitigation and adaptation.

Belloc, Ignacio Ignacio, Giménez-Nadal, Ignacio and Molina, José, (2023), Extreme temperatures: Gender differences in well-being, No 1060, Boston College Working Papers in Economics, Boston College Department of Economics.

Maternal Life Satisfaction and Child Development from Toddlerhood to Adolescence

Abstract: In this paper we analyse the association between maternal well-being and child development at different ages. We use data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) which captures maternal life satisfaction and numerous cognitive and non-cognitive child development outcomes. We identify a strong positive association between mothers’ life satisfaction and their children’s development when these are toddlers (2-3 years, VAB scores), of primary school age (5-10 years, SEB scores and Big 5) and in adolescence (11-14 years, life satisfaction, school grades and self-reported Big 5). This relationship holds when we control for a wide range of potentially confounding factors, including maternal education, employment, household income and maternal personality traits. We confirm our main findings with an IV estimation where we instrument contemporaneous maternal life satisfaction with that measured pre-birth and with a value-added model as some child outcomes are observed twice at different ages. Our findings suggest that mothers’ life satisfaction is beneficial for their children’s development at all ages and that it is fruitful for policy makers to identify measures through which maternal well-being can be raised.

Gupta, Nabanita Datta, Jessen, Jonas and Spiess, C. Katharina, (2023), Maternal Life Satisfaction and Child Development from Toddlerhood to Adolescence, No 1189, SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).

Teen Social Interactions and Well-being during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract: Adolescence is an important developmental period when teens begin spending less time with their parents and more time with friends and others outside their households as they transition into adulthood. Using the 2017-2021 American Time Use Surveys and the 2012, 2013, and 2021 Well-being Modules, we examine how the time teens spent alone and with parents, friends, and others changed during the COVID-19 pandemic, shedding light on how the social isolation of the pandemic disrupted this crucial development period. We also examine how time spent on various activities changed during the pandemic. Teens spent more time alone during the pandemic than before and spent more of their leisure time alone, with large increases in time spent playing computer games, on social media, and watching TV. Results suggest that socializing and communicating with others improves teens’ well-being over other activities. Thus, teens’ well-being was severely impacted by the pandemic.

Kalenkoski, Charlene Marie and Wulff Pabilonia, Sabrina, (2023), Teen Social Interactions and Well-being during the COVID-19 Pandemic, No 1324, GLO Discussion Paper Series, Global Labor Organization (GLO).

Economic development and adolescent wellbeing in 139 countries

Abstract:

Introduction: There is a positive association between the level of economic development and national levels of overall life satisfaction (OLS) in the adult population, with decreasing marginal returns. However, research shows no association in early adolescence and a negative association in middle adolescence. We hypothesize that this is due to the exclusion of low-income countries, where adolescent wellbeing is rarely collected.

Method: 2015-2019 Gallup World Poll data from 139 countries in middle adolescence (age 15-17; n 36,907) were analysed using linear regression to study the association between country levels of economic development and OLS, positive emotions (PE), and negative emotions (NE), and how this varies across economic development levels, and gender. Variations across economic development levels were compared with those observed in the adult population.

Results: Log per-capita GDP is positively associated with OLS and PE, although in high-income countries no association is observed for PE, and among females for OLS. For NE, a negative association is observed in lower-income countries and a positive association in higher-income countries. In this age group (age 15-17), the log per-capita GDP – OLS association is stronger in lower-income countries than in higher-income countries, but this pattern reverses with age in adulthood.

Conclusion: A nuanced relationship exists between economic development and adolescent wellbeing, which varies across measures, levels of economic development, gender, and age -including notable differences compared to adults. Our study highlights the need for improving child and adolescent wellbeing data worldwide, especially in lower-income countries, to better understand how best to support wellbeing globally.

Marquez, Jose, Ferran Casas, Laura Taylor, and Jan-Emmanuel De Neve. 2023. “Economic Development and Adolescent Wellbeing in 139 Countries.” SocArXiv. October 6. doi:10.31235/osf.io/7cqen.

From Happiness Data to Economic Conclusions

Abstract: Happiness data—survey respondents’ self-reported well-being (SWB)—have become increasingly common in economics research, with recent calls to use them in policymaking. Researchers have used SWB data in novel ways, for example to learn about welfare or preferences when choice data are unavailable or difficult to interpret. Focusing on leading examples of this pioneering research, the first part of this review uses a simple theoretical framework to reverse-engineer some of the crucial assumptions that underlie existing applications. The second part discusses evidence bearing on these assumptions and provides practical advice to the agencies and institutions that generate SWB data, the researchers who use them, and the policymakers who may use the resulting research. While we advocate creative uses of SWB data in economics, we caution that their use in policy will likely require both additional data collection and further research to better understand the data.

Benjamin, Daniel J., Kristen Cooper, Ori Heffetz, et Miles S. Kimball. « From Happiness Data to Economic Conclusions ». Working Paper. Working Paper Series. National Bureau of Economic Research, septembre 2023. https://doi.org/10.3386/w31727.

Promoting Sustainable Well-Being Through Nature-Based Interventions for Young People in Precarious Situations: Implications for Social work. A Systematic Review

Abstract: Precarious situations disproportionately affect the well-being of young people. Social workers are concerned with sustainable ways to improve young people’s well-being, and nature-based interventions are proposed as sustainable solutions. We used a systematic review approach to identify how nature-based interventions can promote sustainable well-being. A literature search generated 1753 results, from which 49 peer-reviewed articles were selected for analysis. Young people in precarious situations (i) had underlying social, emotional, and mental health needs that put them at risk of disengaging from education or employment and (ii) were not in education or employment. The most common intervention was wilderness therapy, followed by animal-assisted interventions, outdoor adventure interventions, horticultural interventions, care farming, environmental conservation, surfing therapy, and sustainable construction. The reviewed literature indicates that nature-based interventions promote sustainable well-being by (i) ensuring that well-being was interconnected with environmental, social, and economic sustainability, (ii) fostering connectedness with nature, and (iii) producing enduring outcomes. We further used the Having-Doing-Loving-Being model of sustainable well-being to interpret well-being outcomes, concluding that nature-based interventions enhance young people’s relationship with society and nature. Implications for social work include collaborating with other experts to implement nature-based interventions to address well-being problems, advocacy for the introduction of nature-based activities into schools and recognition of nature-based interventions as alternative avenues for meaningful participation.

Obeng, J.K., Kangas, K., Stamm, I. et al. Promoting Sustainable Well-Being Through Nature-Based Interventions for Young People in Precarious Situations: Implications for Social work. A Systematic Review. J Happiness Stud (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-023-00683-x

More education does make you happier – unless you are unemployed

Abstract: This paper investigates the causal effect of education on life satisfaction, exploring effect heterogeneity along employment status. We use exogenous variation in compulsory schooling requirements and the build-up of new, academically more demanding schools, shifting educational attainment along the entire distribution of schooling. Leveraging plant closures and longitudinal information, we also address the endogeneity of employment status. We find a positive effect of education on life satisfaction for employed individuals, but a negative one for those without a job. We propose an aspiration-augmented utility function as a unifying explanation for the asymmetric effect of education on life satisfaction.

Bertermann, Alexander, Kamhöfer, Daniel A. and Schildberg-Hörisch, Hannah, (2023), More education does make you happier – unless you are unemployed, No 406, DICE Discussion Papers, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf Institute for Competition Economics (DICE).

Becoming sandwiched in later life: Consequences for individuals’ well-being and variation across welfare regimes

Abstract

Objectives

The experience of being sandwiched between support obligations towards both aging parents and adult offspring is likely to become more common and more relevant. We aim at assessing the effect of demographic and social sandwiching on the psychological health and subjective well-being of individuals experiencing these transitions, and to what extent, these effects vary across welfare regimes.

Methods

Data are from 63,585 individuals aged 50-75 participating in the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). We estimate within- and between-individual effects using hybrid regression models to predict depressive symptoms (EURO-D) and subjective well-being (CASP).

Results

Among demographically sandwiched women, transitioning into social sandwiching and into supporting only parents were associated with a moderate but statistically significant increase in EURO-D and decline in CASP scores. The same association is not observed for male respondents. The pattern of variation among women living in countries characterized by different welfare regimes suggests that social sandwiching is less detrimental in the Nordic regimes than in other welfare contexts.

Discussion

Results from the between-individuals part of the model indicate that there is a selection into social sandwiching of more healthy individuals into support roles. However, the within-individuals part of the model indicates that the transition into social sandwiching has a detrimental effect on women’s (but not men’s) psychological health and well-being. The explanations for this gendered effect of social sandwiching may be found in the “invisible” support provided by women and the gendered division of specific care tasks.

Marco Albertini, Noah Lewin-Epstein, Merril Silverstein, Aviad Tur-Sinai, Becoming sandwiched in later life: Consequences for individuals’ well-being and variation across welfare regimes, The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 2023;, gbad154, https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbad154