Gender, Time Use, and Children's and Adolescents' Well‐Being: Implications for Public Policies*

Abstract

This paper has two main goals. The first is to analyse and measure gender differences in children's and adolescents' well-being by using a capability approach. The second aim is to identify the parameters that can help design policies to improve children's and adolescents' well-being. The econometric model used is a multiple indicator multiple causes (MIMIC) model, belonging to the class of structural equation models. The estimation is done on a sample of 10-to 17-year-old girls and boys and uses micro-data from

Daily Temporal Pathways: A Latent Class Approach to Time Diary Data

“…Children can also influence the duration and sequence of parents’ activities because young children must have care throughout the day and older children require coordination and supervision (Kingston and Nock 1987). Research has supported this as parents have been found to adjust schedules in order to care for children (Hamermesh 2000; Klaveren and Brink 2007; Presser 1987, 1994), even if in gendered ways (Galvez-Muñoz et al 2013).…”

A well-being of their own: Children’s perspectives of well-being from the capabilities approach

“…For instance, through their role in the construction of future conversion factors, they may or may not take on their social responsibility in doing care work as pointed out by the social provision approach. On the other hand, it is important to include the notion of evolving capabilities (which incorporates the concept of agency) and to highlight that some capabilities are also instrumental and foster the development of other capabilities both during childhood and adult life, education being a clear example (Gálvez –Muñoz et al, 2013; Biggeri and Karkara, 2014; Comim et al, 2011).…”

“…According to supporters of this second option, it is possible to select a series of capabilities as specific theoretical or empirical objectives. In fact, the literature shows that the capabilities proposed for analyzing children’s well-being vary depending on the context and the object of the research (Addabbo et al, 2004, 2014; Anich et al, 2011; Ben-Arieh, 2008; Biggeri et al, 2006; Di Tommaso, 2007; Gálvez–Muñoz et al, 2013).…”

“…In applying these debates to research on capabilities during childhood, the following question arises: “Who decides what constitutes a ‘good life’ for children and what implications does this have in developing a valid measure of their well-being?.” In this sense, one can distinguish between participatory and non-participatory approaches (Biggeri and Libanora, 2011). Non-participatory approaches involve the use of primary or secondary data to measure children’s capabilities and functionalities and have been widely used (Addabbo et al, 2014; Di Tommaso, 2007; Gálvez–Muñoz et al, 2013). Participatory methods include the participation of children in the identification and the measurement of their capabilities.…”

“…Kellock and Lawthom (2011), through purely qualitative and participative methodologies, identify four essential capabilities as being literate, physically active, being a friend, and being creative. Gálvez–Muñoz et al (2013), in the case of Spain, focus on four capabilities: social relations, education and knowledge, leisure activities and play, and housework and unpaid care work. Addabbo et al (2014), focusing on the gender differences between girls and boys in Italy, concentrate on the capabilities of play and sensing, imagination, and thought.…”