Family Diversities and Wellbeing Framework

Family Wellbeing

Guided by earlier research on the wellbeing of individuals and groups,1 we view family wellbeing as having three dimensions: material (what people have), relational (their social connections) and subjective (their sense of the fit between their aspirations and goals and their experiences)

Material wellbeing: what people have

Material wellbeing is the resources that families have, such as adequate food, shelter, and income. It can also include other resources used to address health care, wellbeing and other necessary expenditures.

Examples:

•             Income and wealth

•            Family health

•             Housing

•             Food security

•             Education

Relational wellbeing: social connections

Relational wellbeing is a sense of satisfaction with the social relationships people have that provide them with support and feelings of connection and belonging.

Examples:

•             Satisfaction with family relationships

•             Satisfaction with time spent with family

•             Sense of community belonging

•             Physical and psychological safety

Subjective wellbeing: alignment of family goals and experiences

Subjective wellbeing is the sense of fit between the goals and aspirations of families and their experiences. It also includes how people perceive their family is functioning when compared to others.

Examples:

•             Satisfaction with family life as a whole

•             Satisfaction with family life in comparison to other families

  1. McGregor, J. A., & Pouw, N. (2017). Towards an economics of well-being. Cambridge Journal of Economics, 41(4), 1123–1142. https://doi.org/10.1093/cje/bew044 ↩︎

Related resources

Research summaries / March 26, 2024

Research Snapshot: Inuit Mothers’ Visions for Child and Family Wellness in Nunavut, Canada

Summary of a study on how the child welfare system is perceived by Inuit mothers

View resource

Research summaries / June 29, 2023

Research Snapshot: Immigrant Men, Racism, and Family Wellbeing in Canada

Highlights from a study exploring the impact of the migration process in Canada on family wellbeing

View resource

Research summaries / October 16, 2023

Research Snapshot: Protecting Against Food Insecurity: Impacts on Mental Health and Wellbeing

Summary of a study on protecting children from food insecurity

View resource

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