Which Interpersonal Relationships Are More Important for Wellbeing? Evidence from Three Latin American Countries
基于三个拉丁美洲国家的原始数据，研究发现家庭关系对生活满意度的贡献大于公民关系，且关系质量比数量更重要，对发展政策有启示。
Recent calls for a more holistic approach to development emphasise wellbeing and sustainability, with human relationships playing a key role in fostering both. However, not all relationships equally contribute to wellbeing, and comparative studies across relationship types remain scarce. While civic relationships have been widely studied, family relationships have been relatively overlooked. This disregard is important for development studies, as development can fundamentally reshape the structure, roles, and functions of families. This study draws on original data from three Latin American countries to empirically assess the relative importance of family relationships alongside civic ones in enhancing life satisfaction. Relational variables are constructed, and regression analyses are conducted to examine the contribution of both family and civic relationships to wellbeing. The findings reveal that family relationships are critical, with their quality proving to be more influential than their quantity. In contrast, civic relationships have a more modest impact on wellbeing. Being person-based, family relationships have the potential to make a large contribution to wellbeing in societies. For development strategies aimed at enhancing wellbeing, it is essential to place family relationships at the forefront. This includes reconsideration of the goals and strategies of development and direct policies aimed at strengthening these relationships.