Variations in Children’s Well-Being Between Countries

Abstract

The previous seven chapters have presented findings on children’s evaluations of their live as a whole and different aspects of their lives. This is the first of two chapters that draws together and provides a broad overview of these findings. The focus in this chapter is on differences and similarities between countries, while the subsequent chapter looks at variations between children within countries. The chapter continues the theme of previous chapters in comparing countries in three different ways – using mean satisfaction scores, relative scores and a measure of inequality in satisfaction. It then goes on to look at the extent to which means and inequalities in children’s satisfaction with different aspects of life at a country level are associated with measures of national wealth and income inequality.