Peer-reviewed article
From snapshots to complex continuity: Making sense of the multifaceted concept of child well-being
Ferrán Casas, Ivar Frønes ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-sonnet-5-5This article looks at how child well-being is understood in research. It identifies four main perspectives: objective, subjective, developmental and eudemonic well-being. The author argues that many studies treat well-being as a single moment, while children move through several life domains that are changing quickly. The article therefore says child well-being should be studied as a complex continuity over time. It notes that this deeper understanding is needed as research is turned into policy.
Key points
- Four basic perspectives in child well-being research: objective, subjective, developmental and eudemonic.
- Many studies treat well-being as a state rather than a process over time.
- Children pass through multiple domains during childhood.
- These domains are changing faster than ever before.
- A deeper understanding of the dynamics and dimensions of well-being is needed as research feeds into policy.
Limitations
Only the abstract is available, so the methods, data and arguments behind the framework cannot be assessed. The abstract does not name the countries studied; the ES and NO hints are not confirmed by the text.
Abstract
Understanding children’s well-being entails relating the multifaceted perspective of well-being to the characteristics of modern childhood. The article identifies four basic perspectives in research on child well-being: objective, subjective, developmental and eudemonic well-being. While studies often focus well-being as a state, children are passing through multiple domains during childhood, domains changing faster than ever before, underlining the need to study child well-being as a complex continuity. As research on child well-being is being transformed into policies, there is a need for a deeper understanding of its dynamics and dimensions.