Effects of Social Movement Participation on Political Efficacy and Well-Being: A Longitudinal Study of Civically Engaged Youth

Abstract

Social movement has been recognized as a driving force of structural and/or policy changes in the broader society; however, its psychological effects on the movement participants have rarely been examined. Grounded in psychopolitical validity framework, the present study utilized a longitudinal prospective design to follow a group of civically engaged youth and examined how social movement participation is linked to their political efficacy and well-being. A total of 490 youth participating in the Umbrella Movement in Hong Kong were recruited during the occupation period of the movement and were followed up for three times with a 4-month interval in the year following the movement. The results of latent profile analysis identified four types of participation, namely minimal participation, onsite participation, online participation, and avid participation. Subgroup analysis showed that youth with avid participation exhibited significantly higher levels of psychological and social well-being, stronger leadership competence and policy control, as well as lower perception of responsiveness of the governments during the period of occupation. In the year following the movement, youth with avid participation had a significant decline in psychological and social well-being compared with other groups of youth. Cross-lagged panel analysis showed that perceived responsiveness of the Hong Kong government explained the changes in their psychological and social well-being. Implications for civic engagement and democratic governance on youth’s political efficacy and well-being were discussed.