Chinese Family Panel Studies Research Articles

The developmental trajectories and modifiable factors of adolescents’ subjective well-being from late adolescence to early adulthood

BackgroundPrevious research on adolescents’ subjective well-being has not focused on the transition from late adolescence to early adulthood. Moreover, explorations of the factors influencing adolescents’ subjective well-being have mostly focused on a single level or variable. This study aimed to identify the different developmental trajectories of adolescents’ subjective well-being during this transition period and the influencing factors at different levels.MethodsThis study used data from the Chinese Family Panel Studies to longitudinally track 625 adolescents aged 16–19 years in 2014 for six years. This study adopted multi-party reports and collected data on four levels of adolescents: individuals, networks, families, and communities. Using the latent class growth model to distinguish the different developmental trajectories of adolescents’ subjective well-being. Then, the environment-wide association study (EnWAS) was used to explore the factors influencing the categories of adolescents’ subjective well-being trajectories.ResultsThis study identified three different developmental trajectories of subjective well-being: High initial level—relatively stable group, Medium initial level—rapidly decreasing group, Low initial level—slowly rising group. The results of EnWAS confirmed that there are 15 modifiable factors associated with the trajectory classification of adolescents’ subjective well-being. The final multiple logistic regression model revealed the household book collection, tidiness of the home, desired level of education, future confidence, interpersonal relationships, social trust, sleep duration (marginal condition), all of which have significant impacts on adolescents’ subjective well-being.ConclusionsAdolescents’ subjective well-being trajectories from late adolescence to early adulthood show great heterogeneity. Adolescents’ subjective well-being may be more influenced by the personal and family environment. Targeted interventions for various modifiable factors can significantly enhance adolescents’ subjective well-being.

Digital financial inclusion and middle-income group vulnerability alleviation: Evidence from China

Digital financial inclusion and middle-income group vulnerability alleviation: Evidence from China

The Influencing Factors of Self-evaluation in Adolescents: A Structural Equation Modeling

Background: Self-evaluation, as an expression of self-concept, becomes increasingly complex in adolescence. Parental bonding, personality traits, and psychological status were the three main determining factors of adolescents’ self-evaluation. We aimed to tested associations through a systematic approach. Methods: Data were from the 2014 Chinese Family Panel Studies (CFPS). The association of parental bonding (measured by the Parental Bonding Instrument), personality traits (the Responsibility Scale), and psychological status (the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale) with self-evaluation measured in three domains (the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Nowicki- Strickland Locus of Control Scale for children and the Self-Discipline Scale) were tested by the structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis. Results: A total of 892 Chinese adolescents were included. Significant positive correlations were found among self-evaluation, parental bonding, personality traits, and psychological status. The overall (direct and indirect) effect of parental bonding on adolescents’ self-evaluation was 0.49. Personality traits and psychological status were directly associated with adolescents’ self-evaluation. Conclusion: The use of SEM offered a detailed analysis of the correlations between parental bonding, personality traits, and psychological status and a systematic approach to investigate their direct and indirect effects on adolescents’ self-evaluation. The three factors directly associated with adolescents’ self-evaluation and parental bonding indirectly affected adolescents’ self-evaluation that was mediated by both personality traits and psychological status.

Stable prevalence of overweight but increasing levels of obesity in adolescents in surveys of 42982 children in China 2010 to 2020.

Excessive weight gain in childhood has been associated with poor health outcomes throughout life span and has a strong tracking effect in adulthood. This study aimed to investigate trends in the prevalence of overweight, obesity and severe obesity among Chinese children from 2010 to 2020. A total of 42 982 Chinese children aged 2-18 years were included in the Chinese Family Panel Studies carried out every 2 years from 2010 to 2020. Height and mass were reported by them or by their guardians and body mass index was calculated. The prevalence was estimated according to the International Obesity Task Force cut-offs. There was no significant trend in the prevalence of overweight. The prevalence of obesity and severe obesity for the total population decreased from 8.3% and 3.7% in 2010 to 7.1% and 2.6% in 2020, respectively (p < 0.001). However, these decreases were attributed mostly to children aged 2-6 years and the prevalence increased among children aged 13-18 years. Male, rural residential area and younger age were risk factors for overweight and obesity. A decrease in the prevalence of excessive weight was a positive finding, but strategies that promote the health and well-being of priority populations were needed.

The Impact of Children's Factors and Personal Factors on Remarriage Behaviors of Divorced Women: An Empirical Data Analysis Based on CFPS 2010-2020

This study investigates the influence of children's factors, specifically children's age and gender, as well as personal factors including individual age and income, on the remarriage behaviors of divorced women. Drawing upon the Chinese Family Panel Studies (CFPS) database spanning from 2010 to 2020, administered by the Institute of Social Science Survey (ISSS) at Peking University, the author conducts an empirical analysis. By employing data cleaning and merging techniques, individual heterogeneity biases are controlled. The Logistic Regression Model is utilized as the primary analytical tool. The findings reveal that maternal age exerts a significant positive effect on remarriage behaviors, particularly pronounced in specific years such as 2012, 2014, and 2016. In contrast, children's age generally shows a negative impact, indicating that as children grow older, the likelihood of their mothers remarrying decreases. However, the effects of income and children's gender are found to be relatively limited.

Economic and health impacts of China’s comprehensive health care system reform

ABSTRACT We estimate the effects of the Comprehensive Medical Reform (CMR), a large-scale and comprehensive health care system reform in China, on medical burden and health status. Leveraging a time-varying difference-in-differences methodology and utilizing microdata from the Chinese Family Panel Study (CFPS), we demonstrate that exposure to the CMR leads to significant reduction in individuals’ out-of-pocket medical expenses and an improvement in their health status. Notably, there are no substantial changes in total medical expenses. Additionally, we find that the CMR enhances medical satisfaction and level, expands health insurance coverage, and increases residents’ propensity to select lower-grade hospitals. Lastly, we uncover that the economic and health effects vary among different groups of individuals.

Can digital factor participation create opportunities for “rags to riches”? Based on the perspective of intergenerational income mobility

Can digital factor participation create opportunities for “rags to riches”? Based on the perspective of intergenerational income mobility

The effects of financial spatial structure on household financial vulnerability: Evidence from China.

Based on the panel data of Chinese Family Panel Studies (CFPS) and cities from 2012 to 2020, this paper explores the impact of financial spatial structure on household financial vulnerability and the moderating effect of financial regulation and financial technology from the perspective of the "local market effects" and "spatial spillover effects" of finance. It is indicated that: firstly, the "local market effects" and "spatial spillover effects" of financial spatial structure effectively alleviate household financial vulnerability and the conclusion is still hold true after conducting endogeneity analysis and a series of robustness test. Secondly, promoting household entrepreneurship, optimizing asset allocation, and enhancing residents' financial literacy are crucial channels through which financial spatial structure influences household financial vulnerability. Thirdly, financial regulation helps to build a fair and transparent financial market, thereby strengthening the positive effects of "local market effects" and "spatial spillover effects" of finance on household financial vulnerability. Financial technology has improved the quality and efficiency of traditional financial services, helping to further leverage the "local market effects" of finance, while it has no obvious impact on strengthening the "spatial spillover effects" of finance. By subdividing the application areas of financial technology, it is observed that the digitalization of payment and insurance businesses can help alleviate household financial vulnerability through the "spatial spillover effects" of finance.

Does import trade liberalization worsen residents' health? Evidence from China.

Health is important to human capital and national sustainable development. Based on the latest Chinese Family Panel Studies (CFPS), this paper uses the IVprobit model to test the impact of import trade liberalization on residents' health from the micro-individual perspective and further explores its mechanism. The results indicate that import trade liberalization brings hidden health costs, and that the negative effects on the health of people in eastern China or rural areas, people with a low education background, people under 60 years of age, and women are more significant. In areas with more serious environmental pollution, the health deterioration effect of expanding imports is more obvious. Increasing green coverage and optimizing the quality of public services can effectively alleviate this negative impact. Import trade liberalization does not affect residents' health through income gap, therefore when carrying out import trade liberalization the government should pay greater attention to the health status of the specified groups, adopt various means to improve the ecological and living environments, reduce pollution emissions, optimize the supply of public services, and ultimately improve residents' overall health level.

Reallocate to the right place: The heterogeneous effect of internet use on factor allocation of rural households in China

Reallocate to the right place: The heterogeneous effect of internet use on factor allocation of rural households in China

Can the digital economy close the gender wage gap? Evidence from China

Can the digital economy close the gender wage gap? Evidence from China

Energy poverty and household development resilience: Household level evidence from China

Energy poverty and household development resilience: Household level evidence from China

Can cultural capital, cognitive ability, and economic capacity help rural older adults bridge the digital divide? Evidence from an empirical study.

The digital divide is the difference between individuals who use the Internet and those who do not. Under the triple social environment of urban-rural dichotomy, population aging, and the digital era in China, the existence of digital divide among rural older adults has seriously affected their access to health information through the Internet, so it is urgent to bridge the digital divide problem they face. Based on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Theory and Stress Coping Theory, the impact of cultural capital on the digital divide among rural older adults was systematically analyzed using hierarchical regression and Chained Mediation Effect Tests using data from the Chinese Family Panel Studies (CFPS). Cultural capital has a significant positive effect on the digital divide among rural older adults (β = 0.178, p < 0.01). Cognitive ability and economic capacity both play independent intermediary effects between cultural capital and digital divide among rural older adults, and the intermediary chain formed by the two plays a chain intermediary effect. The increase in the cultural capital of rural older adults has led to an increase in their cognitive ability and economic capacity, which ultimately has a favorable effect on the bridging of the digital divide. Heterogeneity results suggest that cultural capital is more effective in bridging the digital divide among male rural older adults aged 60-69. Cultural capital is able to bridge the digital divide faced by rural older adults and is age and gender heterogeneous. At the same time, improved cognitive ability and economic capacity can also help rural older adults bridge the digital divide. Therefore, it is proposed that we increase the construction of public cultural service infrastructure in rural areas, liaise with community neighborhood committees and village committees to do a good job of publicity, improve training measures for key groups, and maintain the enthusiasm of rural older adults for learning, so as to provide references for the rural older adults in China and developing countries in general to bridge the digital divide.

Can the return of rural labor improve the physical health of left-behind parents-evidence from rural China.

Objectively In objective terms, the return of rural labor force shortens the spatial distance with parents, leading to changes in caregiving support, emotional support, and financial support for parents, thereby affecting the health status of parents. This article, using data from the Chinese Family Panel Studies, analyzes the characteristics of the health status of parents with and without returning migrant children. By employing multiple linear regression models, PSM models, and IV-2SLS methods to address endogeneity bias, the study preliminarily explores the impact of rural labor force return on parental health. The results show that: (1) among the 5,760 older adult individuals, 1866 of them have returning migrant chil-dren, while the remaining 3,894 do not have returning migrant children. (2) Parents' health status generally follows a normal distribution, with a small proportion of parents having very poor or very good health. The proportions of parents with relatively poor, fair, and relatively good health status range between 20 and 40%. Among parents with returning chil-dren, 40.12% have relatively poor health status, 45.01% have fair health status, and a small proportion have very poor or very good health status. In contrast, among parents without returning children, the proportions of parents with relatively poor, fair, and rela-tively good health status are 21.69, 33.21, and 38.45%, respectively. When parents tran-sition from not having returning children to having returning children, their health status decreases by 0.541 levels, indicating a negative impact of rural labor force return on par-ents' health. Based on the analysis results, this article provides policy recommendations from three aspects: how to increase the income of returning labor force, improve the rural pension system, and enhance the concept of children supporting their parents.

The health costs associated with “looking forward to success”: Educational expectations and children's health

AbstractThis study examines the impact of the deviation between parents' educational expectations and children's educational expectations on children's health. This study based on the data from Chinese Family Panel Studies conducted in 2018 and 2020, The participants were 2340 children aged 10–15 years (1310 boys, 1030 girls) in China. We found that when parents' educational expectations are higher than their children's educational expectations, they have a negative impact on children's health status. According to the influence mechanism, the higher the parents' expectations of education are, the greater children's remedial behaviour will be, the less leisure time will be, which will adversely affect children's health. Furthermore, we found that a good parent–child relationship moderated the negative impact of the deviation in parent–child educational expectations on children's health. Therefore, in order to ensure the healthy development of children, it is necessary to resolve the adverse effects of the deviation in parent–child educational expectations by arranging tutoring and leisure time rationally and establishing a good parent–child relationship.

The brother's penalty: Boy preference and girls' health in rural China.

This paper identifies the health penalty experienced by girls due to having a brother from endogenous sibling gender composition. We propose a girls-to-girls comparison strategy and rule out the confounding effect from the sibship size, birth interval, and birth order. Employing an instrumental variable approach and data from the Chinese Family Panel Studies, we find that girls with a brother are demonstrably shorter and report poorer health. This "brother's penalty" manifests even prenatally. Alternative explanations, such as birth order disadvantages, are carefully addressed and ruled out. The results hold even after excluding gender-neutral ethnic minorities. This observed penalty is likely attributed to unequal resource allocation within families and potential parental neglect. This penalty is amplified in families with lower income and maternal education, implying resource constraints contribute to gender discrimination. Our findings highlight the importance of addressing intrafamily gender bias for ensuring equal opportunities and health outcomes. Clinical trial registration: Not applicable.

Digital finance, cultural capital, and entrepreneurial entry

Digital finance, cultural capital, and entrepreneurial entry

Does digital technology make people healthier: the impact of digital use on the lifestyle of Chinese older adults

BackgroundWith the arrival of the era of large-scale production, sharing and application of data, digital use has gradually changed people’s daily entertainment, consumption, social interaction, learning and other behaviors in its efficient form. This paper mainly discusses whether this fast and convenient behavior leads Chinese older adults to adopt healthier lifestyles.MethodsUsing the most recent information from the Chinese Family Panel Studies (CFPS) in 2020, this paper conducted a descriptive statistical analysis on the basic situation of digital use and lifestyles among Chinese older adults and used a structural equation model to analyse the influence of frequency and types of digital use in a variety of different aspects of the real life of Chinese older adults.ResultsResearch revealed that the quality of life of Chinese older adults improved significantly as a result of their use of digital technology. The frequency of digital use (FDU) significantly improved Chinese older adults’ diet, sleep, exercise, smoking and drinking, and relieved their depression. The types of digital use (TDU) had a significant positive correlation with the lifestyle of Chinese older adults, especially in the influence of digital entertainment (DE), digital consumption (DC) and digital social interaction (DI) on the lifestyle of Chinese older adults.ConclusionsDigital use can improve the health of Chinese older adults by promoting a healthy lifestyle through various means. The findings of this study have a substantial positive impact on bridging the digital divide that Chinese older adults face, as well as fostering the integration of digital use into their healthy lifestyles.

Impact of educational mismatches on the job quality -- empirical analysis based on Chinese Family Panel Studies

Impact of educational mismatches on the job quality -- empirical analysis based on Chinese Family Panel Studies

Effect of Internet Use on Cognitive Function of Middle-Aged and Elderly Adults in China: Evidence from China Family Panel Studies.

The development and popularization of the Internet provides an important opportunity to advance national strategies for healthy aging, particularly the impact of the Internet on cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults. This study aimed to quantify the impact of Internet use on the cognitive health of middle-aged and older adults (aged≥45 years). We used data from the Chinese Family Panel Study (CFPS) survey, tested the robustness of the baseline findings by variable substitution and instrumental variables methods, and analyzed heterogeneity. Subsequently, five purposes of Internet use that affect cognitive function were analyzed in depth. Internet use may improve cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults. The effect of Internet use on cognitive function was more pronounced in the lower age group (45-59 years), among males, in rural areas, and among middle-aged and older adults with higher levels of education. Cognitive functioning of middle-aged and older adults varied according to how often they used the Internet for entertainment, socialization, study, work, and business activities. The use of the Internet may be considered a practical non-pharmacological intervention to slow cognitive decline in middle-aged and older adults.