Psychology Research and Behavior Management (Jun 2024)
Teachers Matter More Than Sites and Facilities: Provincial-Level Educational Predictors of Adolescent Life Satisfaction
Abstract
Xiaojing Wu,1,2 Xiaosong Gai,1,2 Hongyang Kou,3 Lili Xu,1 Fangqing Liu,4 Hong Wang1 1School of Psychology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin Province, People’s Republic of China; 2Research Center of Mental Health Education in Northeast Normal University, Key Research Institute of Humanities and Social Science in Universities in Jilin Province, Changchun, Jilin Province, People’s Republic of China; 3Northeast Asian Studies College, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, People’s Republic of China; 4Institute of Mental Health, NanJing Xiaozhuang University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Xiaosong Gai, School of Psychology, Northeast Normal University, No. 5268, Renmin Street, Changchun, Jilin Province, People’s Republic of China, Email [email protected]: Life satisfaction can predict students’ school engagement and academic performance, and has shown significant regional differences among adolescents. The predictive effect of economic factors as regional characteristics on adolescent life satisfaction has been extensively examined; however, the regional educational factors that could predict adolescent life satisfaction remain unknown. This study aimed to identify provincial-level educational factors that can predict adolescent life satisfaction.Methods: The participants comprised 16,737 students, aged 11– 16 years (Mage = 13.82; SDage = 0.77; 8767 girls, 7970 boys), from 31 provinces in China. Students completed measures on socioeconomic status and life satisfaction. Multilevel modeling was adopted in data analysis.Results: Adolescent life satisfaction was positively correlated with family socioeconomic status, and negatively associated with age and academic ranking. Life satisfaction was lower for girls than boys. Some regional education development indicators could predict adolescent life satisfaction: ratio of students to teachers, ratio of students to teachers with master’s degrees, and multimedia classroom size negatively correlated with adolescent life satisfaction; meanwhile per capita sports field area positively correlated with adolescent life satisfaction. Per capita education expenditure, classroom area, laboratory area, computer room area, language lab area, gymnasium area, green space area, sports field area, computers per student, number of books, and value of equipment and instruments could not significantly predict life satisfaction in this study.Conclusion: The findings suggest that the life satisfaction of female adolescents, those in older age groups, with lower academic rankings and socioeconomic status, and those residing in regions with underdeveloped educational systems was relatively poor. These groups of adolescents should therefore be given special attention. To enhance their life satisfaction, some certain provinces should consider implementing measures such as increasing the number of teachers, reducing class sizes, and providing more opportunities for physical activity among junior middle school students.Keywords: provincial-level, junior middle school students, life satisfaction, education, ecological systems theory
