TTLV: Experiencing happiness in elementary school children

1. Student's full name:Nguyen Thi Thanh Ha2. Gender:Female

3. Date of birth: 02/01/1984

4. Place of birth:Toan Thang - Kim Dong - Hung Yen

5. Decision number for student admission:Decision No. 3379/2017/QD-XHNV-DT, dated December 19, 2017, of the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

6. Changes in the training process:Are not

7. Thesis title:Experiencing happiness in elementary school children.

8. Major:PsychologyCode:60310401

9. Scientific supervisorAssoc. Prof. Dr. Truong Thi Khanh Ha

10. Summary of the thesis results:

A study on the perceived happiness of primary school children was conducted on 156 children aged 8 and 10 at Le Quy Don Private Primary School during the 2018-2019 school year. The study used the approach and tools of the Children World International Survey on Children's Happiness (ISCWeB) project.

The results showed that the average happiness score for all subjects was 8.31. Specifically, the average happiness score for girls was 8.84 and for boys was 8.18. Comparing by age group, the happiness scores for 8-year-olds and 10-year-olds were 8.39 and 8.20, respectively. Although there were differences in the average happiness scores of children by age and gender, these differences were not statistically significant.

The study reported that the perceived happiness score in the family of 8-year-old children (mean = 8.63) was statistically significantly higher than that of 10-year-old children (mean = 8.23), particularly in items related to the attention of family members, the level of children's participation in the family, and enjoyable family time. Additionally, the perceived happiness in the family of female children (mean = 7.83) was statistically significantly higher than that of male children (mean = 7.53), largely due to female children feeling that their family members were more caring and attentive. When considering several other factors influencing children's feelings of happiness in the family, the results showed that family happiness was inversely correlated with the number of times children were teased by siblings (r = -0.238), and positively correlated with satisfaction with relatives who did not live with the child (p = 0.16).

There was a difference in the average happiness score between children whose parents worked far away and those whose fathers did not. Specifically, the happiness perceived at school by children whose parents worked far away (average score = 7.18) was lower than the happiness perceived at home by children whose fathers did not work far away (average score = 8.05). This difference was statistically significant and consistent with several other studies on the impact of parental work far away on children's quality of life.

The average happiness score for children at school was 8.04, with 8-year-old children (average score = 7.99) scoring higher than 10-year-old children (average score = 7.29), and this difference was statistically significant. Notably, 8-year-old children also reported a significantly higher level of being listened to and having their opinions considered by teachers compared to 10-year-old children. 88.46% of children reported being mostly or very satisfied with what they learned at school. This indicates that the learning content at school is engaging enough and meets the children's learning needs. Regarding friendships, the majority of 8-year-olds (89%) and 10-year-olds (85.1%) were satisfied with their classmates on a scale of 5 to 10. Using regression modeling, the study indicated that children's feelings of happiness at school were greatly influenced by four factors: "support from peers," "teachers listening to and considering what they say," "feeling safe at school," and "having many enjoyable moments in the classroom."

The overall happiness level of 8- and 10-year-old children was 8.21 and 8.37, respectively. Specifically, 8-year-old children were significantly more satisfied with their health and happier about their achievements than 10-year-old children. Analyzing the factors influencing overall happiness using regression analysis, it was found that this variable was influenced by five items: 1) things they own; 2) their health; 3) their overall relationships with others; 4) their overall safety; and 5) everything they do outside of home. Of these, "safety" and "things they own" had a greater influence than the other three factors.

Children's perceived happiness at home (mean score = 8.45) was higher than their perceived happiness at school (mean score = 8.04) and their perceived happiness in life in general (mean score = 8.29). Of these, children's perceived happiness at school accounted for a larger proportion of the overall happiness value among children in the study population than the other two factors combined.

11. Practical applications:

Based on the results obtained from theoretical and practical research, this thesis provides a picture of the current state of happiness perception among 8- and 10-year-old children at Le Quy Don Private Primary School, and identifies some factors that contribute to and influence children's happiness perception, including their happiness at home, at school, and in life in general.

It is necessary to strengthen the establishment and operation of regulations to collect and utilize children's opinions in the decision-making process regarding matters related to children in the school. Emphasis should be placed on activities that build and strengthen positive friendships among students in the school, and solutions should be developed to reduce fighting, cliques, and neglect, such as increasing extracurricular activities and interaction between groups, classes, and grades.

Parents, especially caregivers, need to create a cheerful atmosphere in the family every day. Choosing to handle, teach, and resolve problems that children cause or face calmly, respecting their opinions, and maintaining a happy atmosphere will help children feel safer and happier at home. This, in turn, fosters self-confidence and motivation for self-improvement in children.

The government, local authorities, and relevant agencies need to create a safe physical environment and infrastructure for children. Sustainable economic development strategies will make a significant contribution to the care, education, and protection of children. As research clearly shows, children's sense of happiness is contributed by positive feelings about what they have, about safety, health, and close relationships with people outside the family.

Research data also highlights the importance of children developing awareness of their own sense of well-being and having opportunities to express their own perspectives, opinions, and expectations. To achieve this, connection, support, and cooperation are needed between families, schools, and local authorities in all aspects of childcare, education, and protection, especially for primary school children, aiming to nurture a better and happier future generation.

12. Future research directions:Are not

13. Published works related to the thesis: Are not

INFORMATION OF MASTER'S THESIS

1.Full name: Nguyen Thi Thanh Ha2. Sex: Female

3. Date of birth: 2^ndJanuary 1984

4.Place of birthToan Thang - Kim Dong - Hung Yen

5. Decision of student recognition No:3379/2017/QD-XHNV- ĐT of the Principal of University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University, Hanoi

6. Changes in the training course:None

7.Official thesis title:Children well being among primary school students

8. WallPsychologyCode:60310401

9. SupervisorsAssoc. Prof. Dr. Truong Thi Khanh Ha

10. Summary of theses results:

The study “Well-being among primary school students” was conducted on 156 children aged from 8 and 10 from Le Quy Don Private Primary School in the school year 2018-2019. The study uses the approach and toolkit of Children's Worlds, the International Survey of Children's Well-Being (ISCWeB).

The study results show that the mean (M) of well-being of the participants is 8.31, in which the mean of girls' well-being is 8.84 and boys' is 8.18. Compared by age, the well-being mean of 8- and 10-year-old children is 8.39 and 8.20 respectively. Although there are differences in the meaning of children's well-being by age and gender, these differences are not significantly significant.

The mean of 8-year-old children's well-being at home (M= 8.63) is higher than that of 10-year-old children's (M = 8.23). This is significantly significant, especially in the items about family members' attention/care, children's participation level in the family and fun time in the family. In addition, female children's well-being score at home (M = 7.83) is inhibited higher than male children's (M = 7.53) largely because more female children feel that people in their family take care of and listen to them than male children. Regarding some other influential factors on children's well-being at home, the results show that the mean of children's well-being at home is negatively correlated with the number of times children are teased by their siblings (r = -0.238), and was positively correlated with their satisfaction with their relatives who do not live with them (p = 0.16).

There is also a difference in the well-being meaning between the children whose parents work far away from home and the children whose parents do not work far away from home. Specifically, the mean of children's well-being at school (M = 7.18) is lower than the latter's (M = 8.05). This difference is significantly significant and is consistent with some other studies on the impacts of parents working away from home on the quality of life of children.

The mean on children's well-being at school is 8.04, in which this data among 8-year-old children (M = 7.99) is higher than that among 10-year-old children (M= 7.29), and this difference is intensely significant. In particular, the number of 8-year-old children reporting that their ideas are listening to by teachers is enhanced than that of 10-year-old children. 88.46% of surveyed children said that they are HAPPY and VERY HAPPY about what they learn at school. This shows that the learning content at school is attractive enough and satisfies the learning needs of children. Regarding friendships, most of 8-year-old children (89%) and 10-year-old children (85.1%) are happy about their relationships with their classmates, and this happiness falls in the range from 5 to 10 on a 10-point scale. By the regression model, the study shows that a child's sense of happiness at school is greatly influenced by four factors:"classmates' support", "children's ideas are listened to and considered by teachers", "feeling safe at school"and"having lots of fun in the classroom".

Well-being in general among 8- and 10-year-olds is 8.21 and 8.37 respectively, in which the number of 8-year-olds feeling more satisfied about their health and achievements is higher than that of 10-year-olds. Looking at the influential factors on children's overall well-being by using regression analysis, we can see this variable is affected by 5 factors: 1) what children have; 2) Children's health; 3) Closeness/ connection with people in general; 4) Children's safety in general and 5) Doing things away from home. Number 1 and 4 are more influential than the other 3 factors.

The mean of children's well-being at home is higher than that at school (M= 8.04) and in general (M = 8.29). In particular, the well-being of children at school accounts for more than 2 other factors contributing to the value of well-being of children in the study population.

11. Practical applicability:

With the results obtained from the literature review and field data collection, the thesis provides a picture of the current situation of well-being of children aged 8 and 10 years old at Le Quy Don private primary school and some factors contributing to children's well-being at home, at school and in their life in general.

It is necessary to strengthen the establishment and operation of mechanism of collecting and using children's opinions in the process of making decisions on child-related matters at schools. It is important to focus on activities aimed at building and enhancing positive friendships for students at school, work out solutions to reduce fighting, bullying, neglecting through extracurricular activities, interaction/experience exchanges between groups and classes.

Caregivers, especially parents need to create a happy family atmosphere every day, choose how to behave towards children, how to teach/ educate children and how to solve problems that children cause or face in respectful ways will help them feel safer and happier at home. This will result in creating trust and motivation for children to improve themselves.

Governments at all levels need to create a safe physical environment (infrastructure) to ensure child safety. Strategies for sustainable economic development will make an important contribution to child care and education. As a result, research shows that children's well-being are strengthened by a positive sense of what they have, about safety, health and close relationships with people around and outside the family.

The research data also shows the importance of raising children's awareness about their well-being as well as creating the opportunity for children to self-report on their views, opinions and expectations. To accomplish this, there is a need for connection, support and cooperation between families, schools and local departments in all aspects of child care, education and protection, especially for primary school children in order to help them with a better and happier future.

12. Further research directions, if any: None

13. Thesis-related publications: None