Exploratory study on relationships between family functioning, demographics and individual well-being in East Asia

Abstract

This exploratory study examined the relationship between family functioning and individual’s well-being across seven East Asian cities. 3,834 participants recruited through convenience sampling completed a family survey. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVAs, and hierarchical regression analyses were performed. Results showed that, among the survey respondents, overall 31.1% of families were diagnosed as dysfunctional, 11.3% were scored as low functioning, and 50.7% were classified as high functioning. In various cities, 21.2% to 40.6% of the families were diagnosed as dysfunctional, 6.5% to 16.6% were scored as low functioning, and 33.2% to 68% were classified as high functioning. Income per head and divorce predicted low family functioning. After controlling demographic variables, family functioning significantly predicted subjective happiness (ΔR2 = .17), depression (ΔR2 = .11), mental health (ΔR2 = .05) and physical health (ΔR2 = .02). More cross-cultural studies on Asian families were recommended for improving our understanding of family dynamics and functioning of Eastern families.