Children's Involvement in Community Activities and Mental Health in Japan

Abstract

This study examines the effect of children's involvement in community activities on life satisfaction. In addition this, the author also examines whether or not family characteristics moderate the association between children's involvement in community activities and life satisfaction. This study draws on data from "Survey in Primary and Middle School Students' Lives and Attitudes" by Youth cultural studies meeting in 1995. The author studied the data on 3,083 fifth graders in primary school. The results of the study suggested that children's involvement in community activities was positively associated with life satisfaction. Moreover the effects were more remarkable for those children with lower emotional closeness to other members of their family. These findings indicate that children's involvement in community activities were significant for mental health in Japan. Moreover it is safe to state that children's involvement in community activities may substitute the role of family for child-rearing. (Received February 7, 2005; Accepted in revised form May 18, 2005)