Title: Wellbeing differences between students in China, Thailand and the USA

Authors: Elizabeth Monk-Turner; Charlie Turner; Ma Jiliang

Addresses: Sociology and Criminal Justice, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529, USA ' Economics, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529, USA ' Institute of Agricultural Economics and Development (IAED), Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), No. 12 Zhongguancun South St., Haidian District, Beijing, China

Abstract: In this exploratory study, subjective wellbeing (SWB) differences between college students in China, Thailand and the USA are examined. Utilising a convenience sample of 314 students, data show that significant predictors of wellbeing for all students are enjoying good mental health, regularly seeing family and friends, reporting good physical health, feeling positively about having enough resources for future needs, and feeling positively about their past year of college. For Chinese students, SWB is positively associated with regularly seeing family and friends and reporting their past year of college was a good one. Like Chinese students, US students enjoy greater SWB if they regularly see family and friends. SWB among the US sample is also positively shaped by having enough resources to meet future needs and reporting good mental health. Finally, Thai students who report good physical health and who ranked their income as very good in the past year experience greater SWB than others, all else equal.

Keywords: subjective wellbeing; SWB; college students; China; Thailand; USA; United States; drug use; wellbeing differences; student wellbeing; mental health; family contact; friends; physical health; future needs; college experience.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHD.2016.079597

International Journal of Happiness and Development, 2016 Vol.3 No.2, pp.162 - 174

Received: 27 Nov 2015
Accepted: 14 Jun 2016
Published online: 04 Oct 2016 *

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