Teachers Matter More Than Sites and Facilities: Provincial-Level Educational Predictors of Adolescent Life Satisfaction

Abstract

Purpose

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 (M_age = 13.82; SD_age = 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

Data Sharing Statement

The data collected and analyzed in this study are available on request from the corresponding author.

Ethics Approval and Informed Consent

This study involving human participants was reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of the School of Psychology, Northeast Normal University (Reference No. 201906). The research was conducted in line with the Helsinki Declaration. All participants and their parents gave informed written consent. The data was collected after receiving ethical permission.

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the students and teachers of the participating schools for their time and support.

Author Contributions

All authors made a significant contribution to the work reported, whether that is in the conception, study design, execution, acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation, or in all these areas; took part in drafting, revising or critically reviewing the article; gave final approval of the version to be published; have agreed on the journal to which the article has been submitted; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by funding to XW from the Humanities and Social Science Youth Fund of Ministry of Education of China (23YJC190028) and by funding to XW from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (62307005).