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How are Family Resources and School Resources Related to Low-Income Adolescents’ Psychological Adjustment? The Moderating Role of Belief in a Just World

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Abstract

We examined the ways low-income adolescents’ family resources, school resources, and belief in a just world, served to predict their subjective well-being, propensity for depression, and problem behaviors. One hundred and ninety-four low-income Chinese adolescents completed self-reported questionnaires. The results found that family resources interacted with school resources in predicting subjective well-being and depression, with resources made available through schools diminished the detrimental effects of low levels of family resources. Moreover, the relationship between the different sources of resources and psychological adjustment was moderated by the adolescents’ belief in a just world. The belief in a just world enhanced the positive effects of high levels of school resources on subjective well-being and depression only among adolescents with relatively high family resources. The belief in a just world buffered the negative effects of low levels of school resources that contributed to problem behaviors. This study identified school resources and belief in a just world, which are potentially malleable, as protective factors related to low-income adolescents’ psychological adjustment. The results have important implications for future studies and interventions.

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Notes

  1. The weights are as follows: bedroom 20, bathroom 15, kitchen 15, refrigerator 7, TV 7, washing machine 7, air conditioner 7, computer 12, milk 2, fruits 2, vegetables 2, eggs 2, and meat 2.

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This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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  1. Institute of Developmental Psychology, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, 100875, Beijing, China

    Hui Wang, Yuke Xiong & Xia Liu

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  1. Hui Wang
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Correspondence to Xia Liu.

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Wang, H., Xiong, Y. & Liu, X. How are Family Resources and School Resources Related to Low-Income Adolescents’ Psychological Adjustment? The Moderating Role of Belief in a Just World. Child Ind Res 16, 655–670 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-022-09987-5

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