The Impact of Youth Engagement on Life Satisfaction

A Quasi-Experimental Field Study of a UK National Youth Engagement Scheme

Datos Bibliográficos

ID2234809
AutoresJames Laurence (0009-0004-5200-6137)
Año2021
Volumen37
Número2
Páginas305-329
Fecha de publicación2021-03-23
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaEuropean Sociological Review (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0266-7215 • E-ISSN: 1468-2672
EditorialOxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1093/esr/jcaa059
OpenAlexW3112081557
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas6
Referencias citadas47

There is growing interest in the role of organized social participation in clubs, associations and activities in shaping subjective well-being (SWB). However, the field remains contested. This study addresses key questions regarding the participation-SWB link: concerns regarding endogeneity; debate surrounding the mechanisms at work; and the role participation can play in closing inequalities in SWB. Each question is addressed through a quasi-experimental field study into the impact of a large-scale, nationally-implemented youth engagement scheme (UK National Citizen Service) on life satisfaction. Using pre-test/post-test data on a sample of participants and (propensity score matched) controls, results suggest discrete periods of youth engagement can lead to significant improvements in life satisfaction, observable at least 4-6 months after involvement ended. Participation can also help close social inequalities in SWB via a significantly stronger impact on life satisfaction among young people from more economically disadvantaged communities. Although youth from disadvantaged communities join the scheme with lower SWB, post-participation, they have entirely closed the gap in SWB with their less-disadvantaged peers. Improvements in SWB emerge from positive impacts of participation on both social- and psychological-resource pathways. However, stronger participation-effects on psychological-resources become increasingly important for explaining the additional SWB-gains of more disadvantaged young people

Demographic economics · Disadvantaged · Economic growth · Economics · Endogeneity · Inequality · Life satisfaction · Subjective well-being · Survey data collection · Test (biology) · Health disparities and outcomes · Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction · Psychology · Social Psychology · Youth Development and Social Support