Determinants of Subjective Well-Being of Migrants: A Systematic Review DOI: https://doi.org/10.33093/ijomfa.2024.5.2.7
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
The study aims to comprehensively analyze existing literature to derive insights into the determinants of Subjective Well-being (SWB) among migrants and identify underexplored areas within the research landscape, proposing directions for future studies. Utilizing the PRISMA framework, 22 relevant peer-reviewed articles published between 2000 and 2024 were selected, excluding books, conference proceedings, and dissertations. The analysis considered factors such as publication year, geographical scope, methodology, and sector. The findings of this investigation reveal that research on migrants’ SWB is predominantly quantitative, with a significant lack of nuanced perspectives. Most studies focus on developed countries, resulting in an underrepresentation of developing regions. Further, more economic, psychological, and legal exploration is needed, particularly in diverse sectors and marginalized groups, to inform comprehensive support and policy measures. A significant contribution of this study lies in presenting a conceptual model that enriches the theoretical comprehension of the determinants influencing migrants’ SWB. It furnishes invaluable insights into the multifaceted interplay of environmental, societal, economic, demographic, and legal factors in shaping the well-being of migrants. By addressing these identified gaps, future research endeavours have the potential to provide evidence-based insights that can effectively guide policymakers and other relevant organizations in improving the well-being of migrants across different contexts.
Article Details
References
Aminzadeh, K., Denny, S., Utter, J., Milfont, T. L., Ameratunga, S., Teevale, T., & Clark, T. (2013). Neighborhood social capital and adolescent self-reported well-being in New Zealand: A multilevel analysis. Social Science & Medicine, 84, 13–21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2013.02.012
Andrews, F. M., & Crandall, R. (1976). The validity of measures of self-reported well-being. Social Indicators Research, 3(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00286161
Aycan, Z., & Berry, J. W. (1996, July). Impact of employment-related experiences on immigrants’ psychological well-being and adaptation to Canada. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science / Revue Canadienne Des Sciences Du Comportement, 28(3), 240–251. https://doi.org/10.1037/0008-400x.28.3.240
Ball, R., & Chernova, K. (2007). Absolute Income, Relative Income, and Happiness. Social Indicators Research, 88(3), 497–529. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-007-9217-0
Barger, S. D., Donoho, C. J., & Wayment, H. A. (2008). The relative contributions of race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, health, and social relationships to life satisfaction in the United States. Quality of Life Research, 18(2), 179–189. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-008-9426-2.
Beier, H., & Kroneberg, C. (2013). Language Boundaries and the SWB of Immigrants in Europe. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 39(10), 1535–1553. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369183x.2013.833685
Brown, S. L. (2000). The Effect of Union Type on Psychological Well-Being: Depression among Cohabitors versus Marrieds. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 41(3), 241. https://doi.org/10.2307/2676319
Campbell, A., Converse, P. E., & Rodgers, W. L. (1976). The Quality of American Life. Russell Sage Foundation. http://books.google.ie/books?id=h_QWAwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=The+Quality+of+American+Life:+Perceptions,+Evaluations,+and+Satisfactions&hl=&cd=1&source=gbs_api
Carcaba, A., Gonzalez, E., & Ventura, J. (2016). Social Progress in Spanish Municipalities (2001–2011). Applied Research in Quality of Life, 12(4), 997–1019. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-016-9502-7
Cheng, Z., Wang, H., & Smyth, R. (2013). Happiness and job satisfaction in urban China: A comparative study of two generations of migrants and urban locals. Urban Studies, 51(10), 2160–2184. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042098013506042
Clark, A. E., & Oswald, A. J. (2002). A simple statistical method for measuring how life events affect happiness. International Journal of Epidemiology, 31(6), 1139–1144. https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/31.6.1139
Clark, X., Hatton, T. J., & Williamson, J. G. (2007). Explaining U.S. Immigration, 1971–1998. Review of Economics and Statistics, 89(2), 359–373. https://doi.org/10.1162/rest.89.2.359
Clark, A. E., Diener, E., Georgellis, Y., & Lucas, R. E. (2008). Lags and Leads in Life Satisfaction: A Test of the Baseline Hypothesis. The Economic Journal, 118(529), F222–F243. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0297.2008.02150.x
Clark, A. E., Frijters, P., & Shields, M. A. (2008). Relative Income, Happiness, and Utility: An Explanation for the Easterlin Paradox and Other Puzzles. Journal of Economic Literature, 46(1), 95–144. https://doi.org/10.1257/jel.46.1.95
Chiswick, B. R., & Miller, P. W. (2002). Immigrant earnings: Language skills, linguistic concentrations, and the business cycle. Journal of Population Economics, 15(1), 31–57. https://doi.org/10.1007/pl00003838
Diener, E. (1984) “SWB”, Psychological Bulletin, 95: 542–75.
Diener, E., & Suh, E. (1997). Measuring quality of life: economic, social, and subjective indicators. Social Indicators Research, 40(1/2), 189–216. https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=c068312ebaa8742299008d37f57cdce5f960a26a
Diener, E., Tay, L., & Myers, D. G. (2011). The religion paradox: If religion makes people happy, why are so many dropping out? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 101(6), 1278–1290. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0024402
Diener, E., Oishi, S., & Lucas, R. E. (2015). National accounts of SWB. American Psychologist, 70(3), 234–242. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Shigehiro-Oishi-2/publication/274570810_National_Accounts_of_Subjective_Well-Being/links/565c9d0808aefe619b2537de/National-Accounts-of-Subjective-Well-Being.pdf
Eid, M., & Larsen, R. J. (2008). The Science of SWB. Guilford Press. http://books.google.ie/books?id=uoD1Ly9CeRAC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Subjective+well-being%E2%80%9D,&hl=&cd=1&source=gbs_api
Esses, V. M. (2021). Prejudice and discrimination toward immigrants. Annual Review of Psychology, 72, 503–531. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-080520-102803
Fan, C. C. (2002). The Elite, the Natives, and the Outsiders: Migration and Labor Market Segmentation in Urban China. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 92(1), 103–124. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8306.00282
Feng, S., & Oppenheimer, M. (2012). Applying statistical models to the climate–migration relationship. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 109(43). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1212226109
Frey, B. S., & Stutzer, A. (2000). Happiness, Economy, and Institutions. The Economic Journal, 110(466), 918–938. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-0297.00570
Fone, D., Dunstan, F., Lloyd, K., Williams, G., Watkins, J., & Palmer, S. (2007). Does social cohesion modify the association between area income deprivation and mental health? A multilevel analysis. International Journal of Epidemiology, 36(2), 338–345. https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dym004
Gao, W., & Smyth, R. (2011). What keeps China’s migrant workers going? Expectations and happiness among China’s floating population. Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy, 16(2), 163–182. https://doi.org/10.1080/13547860.2011.564749
Groes, F., Kircher, P., & Manovskii, I. (2014). The U-Shapes of Occupational Mobility. The Review of Economic Studies, 82(2), 659–692. https://doi.org/10.1093/restud/rdu037
Heath, A. F., Rothon, C., & Kilpi, E. (2008). The Second Generation in Western Europe: Education, Unemployment, and Occupational Attainment. Annual Review of Sociology, 34(1), 211–235. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.soc.34.040507.134728
Helliwell, J. F., & Putnam, R. D. (2004). The social context of well–being. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences, 359(1449), 1435–1446. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2004.1522
Hendriks, M., & Burger, M. (2018). Unsuccessful SWB Assimilation Among Immigrants: The Role of Faltering Perceptions of the Host Society. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3274183
Huang, X., & Chen, M. (2022). Understanding the role of housing in rural migrants’ intention to settle in cities: Evidence from China. Habitat International, 128, 102650. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2022.102650
Hu, M., & Ye, W. (2019). Home Ownership and Subjective Well-being: A Perspective from Ownership Heterogeneity. Journal of Happiness Studies, 21(3), 1059–1079. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-019-00120-y
Kahneman, D., & Krueger, A. B. (2006). Developments in the Measurement of SWB. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 20(1), 3–24. https://doi.org/10.1257/089533006776526030
Kepper, M. M., Myers, C. A., Denstel, K. D., Hunter, R. F., Guan, W., & Broyles, S. T. (2019). The neighborhood social environment and physical activity: a systematic scoping review. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-019-0873-7
Knies, G., Nandi, A., & Platt, L. (2016). Life satisfaction, ethnicity, and neighborhoods: Is there an effect of neighborhood ethnic composition on life satisfaction? Social Science Research, 60, 110–124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssresearch.2016.01.010
Knight, J., & Gunatilaka, R. (2010). Great Expectations? The SWB of Rural-Urban Migrants in China. World Development, 38(1), 113–124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2009.03.002
Lam, S. S., Ng, T. W., & Feldman, D. C. (2012). The relationship between external job mobility and salary attainment across career stages. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 80(1), 129–136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2011.05.002
Lelkes, O. (2002). Tasting Freedom: Happiness, Religion, and Economic Transition. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.323140
Liu, Y., Li, Z., & Breitung, W. (2012). The social networks of new-generation migrants in China’s urbanized villages: A case study of Guangzhou. Habitat International, 36(1), 192–200. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2011.08.008
Liu, Sangthong, Ingviya, & Wan. (2019). Nothing Like Living with a Family: A Qualitative Study of SWB and its Determinants among Migrant and Local Elderly in Dongguan, China. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(23), 4874. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16234874
Liu, Y., Dijst, M., & Geertman, S. (2016). The SWB of older adults in Shanghai: The role of the residential environment and individual resources. Urban Studies, 54(7), 1692–1714. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042098016630512
Liao, L., Wu, W., & Zhang, C. (2022). Housing prices and the SWB of migrant workers: evidence from China. Journal of Happiness Studies, 23(7), 3363–3388. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-022-00549-8
Lucas, R. E., Clark, A. E., Georgellis, Y., & Diener, E. (2004, January). Unemployment Alters the Set Point for Life Satisfaction. Psychological Science, 15(1), 8–13. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0963-7214.2004.01501002.x
Lucas, R. E., & Diener, E. (2008). Personality and SWB. In Handbook of Emotions, 471–484. https://www.its.caltech.edu/~squartz/Dienerbook.pdf#page=85
Maggio, C. (2021). State-level immigration legislation and social life: The impact of the “show me your papers” laws. Social Science Quarterly, 102(4), 1654–1685. https://doi.org/10.1111/ssqu.13018
Mago, S. (2018). Migration as a livelihood strategy in Ethiopia: fallacy or reality? International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, 14(3), 230–244. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijmhsc-11-2016-0040
Mao, Z. H., & Zhao, X. D. (2012). The effects of social connections on self-rated physical and mental health among internal migrant and local adolescents in Shanghai, China. BMC Public Health, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-12-97
Meier, S., & Stutzer, A. (2007). Is Volunteering Rewarding in Itself? Economica, 75(297), 39–59. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0335.2007.00597.x
Mellor, D., Stokes, M., Firth, L., Hayashi, Y., & Cummins, R. (2008). Need for belonging, relationship satisfaction, loneliness, and life satisfaction. Personality and Individual Differences, 45(3), 213–218. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2008.03.020
Meyer, D., & Dunga, S. (2014). The Determinants of Life Satisfaction in a Low-Income, Poor Community in South Africa. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences. https://doi.org/10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n13p163
Mohanty, B. (2017). Book Review: Indra Munshi (Ed.), The Adivasi Question: Issues of Land, Forest, and Livelihood (Essays from Economic & Political Weekly). Social Change, 47(2), 314–315. https://doi.org/10.1177/0049085717696206
Podra, O., Levkiv, H., Koval, G., Petryshyn, N., & Bobko, U. (2020). The impact of migration processes on the economy of Ukraine: Trends, reasons, consequences. Journal of the Geographical Institute Jovan Cvijic, SASA, 70(2), 171–179. https://doi.org/10.2298/ijgi2002171p
Sander, W. (2011). Location and happiness in the United States. Economics Letters, 112(3), 277–279. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econlet.2011.05.015
Shen, J., & Lin, L. (2017). State-sponsored and spontaneous urbanization in Fujian province of China, 1982–2010. Cities, 60, 420–427. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2016.05.021
Silberman, R., Alba, R., & Fournier, I. (2007). Segmented assimilation in France? Discrimination in the labor market against the second generation. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 30(1), 1–27. https://doi.org/10.1080/01419870601006488
Simon, P. (2003). France and the Unknown Second Generation: Preliminary Results on Social Mobility. International Migration Review, 37(4), 1091–1119. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747-7379.2003.tb00171.x
Simpson, L., Purdam, K., Tajar, A., Pritchard, J., & Dorling, D. (2009). Jobs Deficits, Neighbourhood Effects, and Ethnic Penalties: The Geography of Ethnic-Labour-Market Inequality. Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space, 41(4), 946–963. https://doi.org/10.1068/a40229
Stafford, M., Chandola, T., & Marmot, M. (2007). Association Between Fear of Crime and Mental Health and Physical Functioning. American Journal of Public Health, 97(11), 2076–2081. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2006.097154
Stutzer, A., & Frey, B. S. (2004). Stress that Doesn’t Pay Off: The Commuting Paradox. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.408220
Rodriguez-Pose, A., & Maslauskaite, K. (2011). Can policy make us happier? Individual characteristics, socio-economic factors and life satisfaction in Central and Eastern Europe. Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, 5(1), 77–96. https://doi.org/10.1093/cjres/rsr038
Tatarkiewicz, W. (1976). Analysis of happiness. The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff.
Thiollet, H. (2011). Migration as Diplomacy: Labor Migrants, Refugees, and Arab Regional Politics in the Oil-Rich Countries. International Labor and Working-Class History, 79(1), 103–121. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0147547910000293
Uskul, A. K., & Greenglass, E. (2005). Psychological well-being in a Turkish-Canadian sample. Anxiety, Stress & Coping, 18(3), 269–278. https://doi.org/10.1080/10615800500205983
Van Tubergen, F., Maas, I., & Flap, H. (2004). The Economic Incorporation of Immigrants in 18 Western Societies: Origin, Destination, and Community Effects. American Sociological Review, 69(5), 704–727. https://doi.org/10.1177/000312240406900505
Vervoort, M., Flap, H., & Dagevos, J. (2010). The ethnic composition of the neighborhood and ethnic minorities’ social contacts: Three unresolved issues. European Sociological Review, 27(5), 586– 605. https://doi.org/10.1093/esr/jcq029
Vohra, N., & Adair, J. (2000). Life Satisfaction of Indian Immigrants in Canada. Psychology and Developing Societies, 12(2), 109–138. https://doi.org/10.1177/097133360001200201
Wang, D., & Wang, F. (2015). Contributions of the Usage and Affective Experience of the Residential Environment to Residential Satisfaction. Housing Studies, 31(1), 42–60. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673037.2015.1025372
Wang, H., Pan, L., & Heerink, N. (2013). Working Conditions and Job Satisfaction of China’s New Generation of Migrant Workers: Evidence from an Inland City. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2266832
Wang, X., Cui, B. & Shi, Y. (2020). Do family cars improve residents’ well-being: An empirical research based on CHFS2017. Consumer Econ. 36(05), 68–78.
White, K. S., Barten, N. L., Crouse, S., & Crouse, J. (2014). Benefits of migration about the nutritional condition and predation risk in a partially migratory moose population. Ecology, 95(1), 225–237. https://doi.org/10.1890/13-0054.1
Yi, L.; Zhu, H. (2015). The Relationship between Quality of Residence and Health of the Migrant Population: An Empirical Analysis Based on 15 Large and Medium-Sized Cities in China. Urban Problems, 8, 67–73.
Yang, M., Dijst, M., Faber, J., & Helbich, M. (2020). Using structural equation modeling to examine pathways between perceived residential green space and mental health among internal migrants in China. Environmental Research, 183, 109121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2020.109121
Yuan, Y., Wu, F., & Xu, X. (2011). Multiple Deprivations in Transitional Chinese Cities. Urban Affairs Review, 47(5), 721–736. https://doi.org/10.1177/1078087411400370
Zhou, M. (1997). Growing Up American: The Challenge Confronting Immigrant Children and Children of Immigrants. Annual Review of Sociology, 23(1), 63–95. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.soc.23.1.63
Zhu, Z., Leng, C., Chen, S., Zheng, Y., & Chen, D. Q. (2022). Does public health education improve migrant workers' health status in China? —evidence from China Migrants Dynamic Survey. Health Education Research. https://doi.org/10.1093/her/cyac020