Social capital, policy fairness, and subjective life satisfaction of earthquake survivors in Wenchuan, China: a longitudinal study based on post-earthquake survey data

Abstract

Background Existing research has rarely examined an earthquake’s sustained impact and the trajectory of the earthquake survivors’ life satisfaction over time. This study aims to analyze longitudinal changes in life satisfaction of Wenchuan earthquake survivors and the impact of social capital and government relief policy. Methods This research applied a hierarchical linear model to longitudinal survey data collected after the earthquake. The survey was divided into three waves and was collected from Deyang City and Mianyang City of Sichuan Province. A random sampling method was used; a sample of 225 participants had valid responses over three waves of the survey. Results This study found that a survivor’s social capital and the perception of the fairness of government relief policy have a significant effect on the trajectory of life satisfaction post-disaster. First, the initial life satisfaction of those with high social capital was significantly higher than of those with low social capital, whilst survivors with high social capital had a lower rate of change in life satisfaction. Second, one year after the earthquake, those who felt government policy was unfair had a lower life satisfaction than those who felt it was fair. However, from the first year to the fourth year after the disaster, survivors who believed that the government policy was unfair experienced a higher rate of change in life satisfaction than those who did not. Third, the fairness of government relief policy moderates the relationship between survivors’ social capital and changes in life satisfaction. A fair policy of relief can reduce the negative impact of the lack of individual social capital on life satisfaction. Conclusions Survivors reconstruct life satisfaction through their social network and the perception of the fairness of the government’s post-disaster relief policy. Therefore, to promote the improvement of life satisfaction of survivors, it is necessary to cultivate social capital and ensure fairness of the relief policy.

Individual Social Capital and Life Satisfaction among Mainland Chinese Adults: Based on the 2016 China Family Panel Studies

“…The necessity of studying the relationship between individual social capital and life satisfaction is mainly considered from the following several aspects. First, previous studies in China either selected specific population as the research object [ 24 , 25 ] or limited study area [ 15 , 26 ]. For example, Pang [ 27 ] investigated the impact of social capital on life satisfaction among Chinese overseas students in Germany and found that social capital is a significant predictor of life satisfaction.…”

Social Security Satisfaction and People’s Subjective Wellbeing in China: The Serial Mediation Effect of Social Fairness and Social Trust

“…The accessibility and applicability of social security are key to upholding social fairness and justice. In particular, the support for disadvantaged groups demonstrates social fairness and justice, which benefits the enhancement of the entire SWB ( Han and Gao, 2020 ; Wang and Li, 2020 ).…”

“…Many argued that unfair social distribution and income inequality posed great threats to personal interests, political stability, and social progress, all of which severely decreased people’s happiness and satisfaction, while social fairness was of great benefit to individual happiness ( Huang, 2019 ; Di Martino and Prilleltensky, 2020 ; Roh, 2021 ). Wang and Li (2020) found, for example, that disaster-affected people had a higher fairness perception of government relief policy resulting in life satisfaction of post-disasters if they got satisfactory social security. It is concluded that social security satisfaction may have a positive impact on the realization of social fairness, thereby improving SWB.…”

How does social security affect people’s subjective wellbeing in China? A chain mediation model

“…If they get adequate social security, they will have a higher fairness perception of government relief policy resulting in life satisfaction of post-disasters. And fairness moderates the relationship between social capital and changes in life satisfaction among survivors (Liang & Cao, 2015;Wang & Li, 2020). As Amartya Sen said, the root cause of poverty and social inequality is the deprivation of viability, that is, the uneven distribution of rights and benefits (Sen, 1993;Sen, 1999).…”

“…While, lack of social trust will contribute to conflict and contradiction, economic recession, and poor wellbeing (Suriyanrattakorn & Chang, 2021). It speculates that good social security policies can strengthen individual social trust and thereby promote SWB (Kapteyn & Zamarro, 2013;Wang & Li, 2020). There is still insufficient research on social security, social trust and SWB in China.…”