The Impact of Household Assets on Child Well-being: Evidence from China

Abstract

This study examined the impact of household assets on multiple dimensions of child well-being using data on 2,583 children aged 10–15 years and their families from the cross-sectional 2016 China Family Panel Studies survey. Household assets were measured as the value of housing assets, cash deposits and household durable goods. Child well-being was measured with 10 indicators in five dimensions: health, education, economic well-being, subjective well-being and family relationships. Multiple linear regression was applied to investigate whether household assets were predictive of child well-being. The results suggest that children living in households with relatively low levels of household assets have lower overall well-being than those living in families with higher levels of assets. The impacts of diverse household asset types on various aspects of children’s well-being are different. Additionally, the relationship between household assets and various dimensions of child well-being is different and unequal between rural and urban areas, as well as among the eastern, central, and western regions.