Post-Tsunami The Influence of Context on Children's Subjective Wellbeing

Journal of the Indian Academy of Applied Psychology

July 2010, Vol.36, No.2, 207-213.

Post-Tsunami: The Influence of Context on Children's Subjective

Well-being

Silvia Exenberger and Barbara Juen

University of Innsbruck, Austria

This paper presents the first work-package of the project "Post-tsunami" funded by the European Commission. It aims to develop indicators of children's well-being living in the affected areas and focuses on contextual influences on children's well-being. Fifty-six caregivers participated in focus group discussions in order to answer questions regarding their children's well-being. 112 children spoke in same-sex and same-age groups for themselves what makes them feel happy and sad, and what helps them to feel better when they feel unpleasant. On the basis of the qualitative research methodology "Grounded Theory" the transcribed interviews are analysed. The children are single and double orphans, either living with their biological parent or in an out-of-home care organisation providing family based care. Out of caregivers' and children's statements five domains of well-being are distinguished: cognitive, social, psychological, physical and economic. Especially in the social, psychological and economic domains the context plays an important role in determining children's subjective well-being.