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The Relationship Between Hope and Life Satisfaction Among Children in Low and Middle Socio-Economic Status Communities in Cape Town, South Africa

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Abstract

The overarching aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between hope and life satisfaction among a sample of children in Cape Town, South Africa. More specifically, the study aimed to ascertain the moderating effect of socio-economic status on this relationship. The study uses secondary data from the first wave of the Children’s Worlds study. A cross-sectional survey design was employed with the use of stratified random sampling to select a sample of 1004 twelve-year old children attending primary schools within the Cape Town Metropole. The questionnaire administered, incorporated Huebner’s (School Psychology International, 12, 231–240, 1991) Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale and Snyder et al.’s (Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 22, 399–421, 1997) Children’s Hope Scale. Data were analysed by means of correlational analysis, and using the Process Tool for moderation. The results indicate that there is a significant relationship between hope and life satisfaction for both low and middle socio-economic status communities. It was also revealed that socio-economic status does not moderate the relationship between hope and life satisfaction. It is recommended that further exploration be conducted on the influence of SES on the relationship between hope and life satisfaction. Given that the current study found that SES does not moderate the relationship between hope and life satisfaction, it is recommended that future studies explore the role of SES as a possible mediator.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would herewith like to acknowledge the Jacobs Foundation for institutional and financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa

    Claudia Raats, Sabirah Adams, Shazly Savahl & Serena Isaacs

  2. Laboratory of Educational Processes and Social Context (Labo-PECS), Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Oran University, Es Senia, Algeria

    Habib Tiliouine

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  1. Claudia Raats
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  2. Sabirah Adams
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  4. Serena Isaacs
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  5. Habib Tiliouine
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Correspondence to Claudia Raats.

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Raats, C., Adams, S., Savahl, S. et al. The Relationship Between Hope and Life Satisfaction Among Children in Low and Middle Socio-Economic Status Communities in Cape Town, South Africa. Child Ind Res 12, 733–746 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-018-9549-0

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