The relation between children’s environmental views and their subjective well-being across low and middle socio-economic status communities in the Western Cape, South Africa

Abstract

Subjective well-being (SWB) is conceptualised as a multidimensional concept that encompasses both cognitive and affective judgements and evaluations that people make about their lives. It comprises three main components, namely life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect. Over the past few decades, empirical literature on children’s SWB has shifted to focus on their subjective perspectives of their lives. This has been attributed to the recognition and acknowledgement of children’s rights, and children as experts on their lives. Of the diverse spaces and places that children engage in and make use of, the natural environment has been identified as a significant space contributing toward children’s wellbeing.