The J-shaped evolution of subjective wellbeing over the life course in rural China

Background: The U-shaped relationship between age and life satisfaction has been well documented in developed contexts, such as the Western developed world and urban China, but lifespan changes in life satisfaction in less developed contexts, such as rural China, remain underexplored. Data and method: Applying multilevel growth curve models to a longitudinal dataset (2006, 2009 and 2014 waves) of 1,959 rural Chinese, the overall pattern of life satisfaction across individuals of different ages at baseline, as well as changes in life satisfaction as individuals age, are investigated. Results: Results show that in rural China, the overall pattern of life satisfaction across different ages at baseline resembles a J-shape, with the lowest point occurring at a much earlier age (21), compared to midlife, as observed in Western societies and urban China. In terms of longitudinal changes, individuals aged 18 to 45 at baseline experience a deterioration in life satisfaction over time, with younger individuals experiencing a faster decline, while for those aged 46 and above at baseline, life satisfaction shows an increase over time, with older individuals experiencing more improvements over the eight-year interval. Conclusions: In rural China, young adults experience the lowest level of life satisfaction at baseline. Longitudinally, their life satisfaction further declines the most over the next eight years. Therefore, more targeted policies and support systems should be developed to improve the life satisfaction for young adults in rural China, not only for the present but also over the long term, ultimately contributing to the improvement of societal wellbeing in rural China.